“All right.” Rogers wagged a pen at Mike and me. “I don’t want Pearce dead. She’s all we have between the truth and criminal activities. We have surveillance on Stover, Chandler, and Pearce as well as Liu and Rudder. We need to know the details for the San Francisco meeting ASAP.”

“Are we needed in Miami?” I wanted to be there, help Shelby in any way possible.

ASAC Leonard huffed. “That hasn’t been discussed.”

“Yes, it has,” SAC Rogers said. “The Miami office had a huge wake-up call, and they want the agents who’ve worked the case there.” His phone rang before he could continue. “Hold on. I need to take this call.” He stepped from the room.

ASAC Leonard continued the conversation. “If the meeting between Stover, Liu, and Rudder takes place, the likelihood is Stover won’t return to Miami. One more time, she’ll be out of reach.”

Where did that put Shelby? “Stover’s calculating, and she hasn’t invested in Shelby without a reason.”

“McClure, use your head. She’s setting Shelby up for a huge fall that’s geared to get her killed. Shelby is an amateur, and Stover is holding the aces.”

I despised the reality. “Wish you were wrong. But I’m doing all I can to stop this. A recent report speculates Rudder is selling some of his auto parts with fake packaging. But which orders from Liu contain heroin?”

“We need traceable evidence. Obtained by trained agents, not Shelby Pearce.” Sarcasm crested Leonard’s words. “How many years have you been on this case? What’s the problem with you two that it remains an open case? Looks like fresh eyes are in order.”

I made no attempt to hide my ire. “No one knows this case better than Mike and me.”

SAC Rogers stepped back into the conference room. “I talked to one of the agents based at the safe house for Clay Pearce and Aria Stover. Aria has disappeared.”

73

SHELBY

No matter how many times I rehearsed my reactions to Marissa’s behavior, her announcement at lunch sent me scrambling. “Eli’s picked up Aria.”

“How did you find her?” I valued my ability to show a lack of emotion. Yet I panicked at the danger for my niece. What plans were in place for her?

“Dad’s such a fool. He called me from a strange number begging me to turn myself in to the FBI. He believed they wanted to question me about something. I dragged out the conversation, making their location easy to find. I have a tech working for me who can perform a trap and trace.”

“Why bring her to Miami? I thought you loathed the idea of motherhood.”

“She’s old enough to take care of herself.” She sighed and tilted her head to the right, a common sign of her seizing control. “Aria is insurance, little sister. In my business, we need leverage. Lots of it.”

“Insurance for what?” A burning in my stomach ruined any thought of lunch. “Are you leaving the country with Feng and taking her with you?”