“It’s a silent, clandestine coup, Colonel. They’re trying to take over your county.”

Tan lit a cigarette then gazed out at Amah Jiejie, who was speaking with Choden in front of the station. A lightless grin formed on his face as he opened the door and summoned his assistant. “Call that Director Ren,” he instructed her. “It’s time I observe protocol. Tell him I will be at the Five Claws this afternoon.”

As she extracted her phone, Amah Jiejie turned then froze in alarm. Shan twisted in time to see Kami, mounted on a sheep, an instant before the frightened animal collided with Amah Jiejie. A terrified cry left the woman’s lips as she fell into a tangle of human and wool-covered limbs.

Tan and Shan leapt into the melee. As Shan helped Amah Jiejie to her feet, Tan grabbed the girl’s shirt, suspending her as she flailed the air with arms and legs. The sheep fled with desperate bleats.

The colonel extended the girl with one arm then comforted the shaken Amah Jiejie with the other, patting her on the back. As he did so, Kami landed a sharp kick on his knee. Tan dropped her, and Kami was hauled away by another figure who had appeared from the alley. Meng, a jacket over her uniform now, did not react when the girl tightly wrapped her arms around one of her legs.

“It’s the end of it!” Shan shouted at the girl. “Choden!” His deputy ran forward, obviously shaken. He had never heard Shan lose his temper before. “Get me that form!” Shan ordered him.

“Form?” Choden asked as the girl’s caretaker appeared, then he brightened and ran into the office.

“I’m sorry,” Shan said to the woman. “Either you immediately take this little demon out of Yangkar for good, or my deputy will drive her to the reform school in Lhasa.”

Strangely, the woman looked at Meng.

“No,” Meng said. Kami was still wrapped around her leg.

Shan hesitated. “I wasn’t speaking to you,” he said, realizing he had not seen the girl hug Meng in such a fashion before, nor had he seen the affectionate way Meng now patted the girl’s head.

“No, Shan,” Meng said again.

“I don’t understand,” he confessed, glancing at Tan and Amah Jiejie, who listened with great curiosity. “I swear I will send her there. I have the authority. She is a vandal, an undisciplined disturber of the peace who has no place in this town.” Choden reappeared, waving his form with a victorious expression.

“No,” Meng said once more. He did not understand the smile that was growing on her face.

“No, what?” Shan could not hide his impatience.

“No, you will not send Kami to the reform school.”

“And why would you think that, Lieutenant?”

“Because, Shan, the little demon is your daughter.”

CHAPTER TWELVE