“I kept it a secret so her future wouldn’t be caught up with criminal entanglements,” Dorgan said. “A father’s wish for his child to go further than he.”

“I can respect that,” Jason said. “I have no interest in telling tales. I came here to find out why your people were interfering with my contract.”

“I believe it’s an open contract, Mr Asano.”

“I’m closing it, which makes it mine.”

“You caught the thief?”

“Of course. When your men intervened, I sent her where I knew I could find her.”

“How did you manage that?”

“In an unpleasant manner. But sometimes life requires unpleasant things.”

“Doesn’t it just,” Dorgan said. “It seems you’re a resourceful man, Mr Asano.”

“Thank you. My problem is that I don’t quite grasp the entirety of the political landscape. I obviously understand the connection with your daughter, now, but what is she after in keeping the thief at large? It seems like she wants a point of contention between her and the Duke, but that’s a stupid move and she’s not stupid. She’s taking risks, which is the only reason she was sloppy enough that I found out about you and her.”

“What are the chances of someone visiting her office and my house both?” Dorgan asked. “Not high.”

“The paintings in your daughter's office didn't bring me here,” Jason said. “They just made it easy for me once they arrived. Anyone who really looked at the connections would figure it out soon enough.”

“I don't know about anyone.”

“What is she after, Dorgan?”

“Why does that matter?”

“Because I have my own concerns. I don’t want her squashing me like a bug because I ignorantly blundered underfoot.”

Dorgan nodded.

“Very well, he said. “Her goal is Lucian Lamprey.”

“The director of the Magic Society?”

Jason rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I’ve heard he’s a crate full of rotten eggs,” Jason said, “which explains why she wants him gone. Having a corrupt Magic Society makes cleaning up the Adventure Society all the harder, but what’s Lamprey’s connection with this thief?”

“He’s fixated on her. He’s the kind of man who sees being told no as a challenge to his power, and he’s become obsessed with possessing this woman. She is ostensibly under the protection of Clarissa Ventress, one of my peers, but Ventress has her own well-known obsession: her reputation. As she made it known the girl was under her protection, she couldn't just hand her over. Instead, she has leveraged the girl into a position where she would fall into Lamprey’s hands.”