Page 27 of Delusional

“Facial-recognition databases? That’s a little unsettling.”

“The FBI is pretty quiet about it. They don’t even use it in court. It’s mainly to help them keep track of suspected terrorists.”

“I didn’t realize exactly how far that technology had gone. That seems like serious Big Brother technology. It’s scary.”

“Maybe. But it feels positively benevolent compared to some of my parents’ stories.”

“I guess it’s all a matter of perspective.” After a moment, I added, “I was fascinated to hear some of your family’s story.”

“It’s not an unusual one for old-school Chinese immigrants. The government was more open to moves for a while. Now it’s getting tough again.” Maggie shrugged and changed the subject. “My relatives back in China don’t know what to think about my job. Most of them think I’m some sort of secret police. It’s hard to explain to people who have spent their lives terrified of offending the government that my job here is to protect citizens.”

I let out a laugh. “You know as well as I do that we can’t even convince people who’ve lived here their whole lives that most American police are interested in nothing more than protecting people.”

Maggie stretched in the chair. “We need to wrap this up. You need to get home to all those kids. If the younger ones turn out as well as Juliana, you should consider yourself blessed.”

I smiled and had to mumble, “I do.”

CHAPTER 31

ROB TRILLING SAT behind one of the desks in his brother’s office. He even had his feet up on the desk. He’d always wanted to do that at the Manhattan North Homicide office but didn’t think anyone would appreciate the attitude. Here, the only question he got was when his brother asked him why he was wearing running shoes instead of winter boots.

Rob crossed his ankles on the desk and put his hands behind his head to show that he was relaxed. Even if he wasn’t. He was trying to model behavior for Gary. His brother was pacing incessantly as they waited for Arnold Marks, the man from LA who wanted to buy the car lot.

He carefully pulled a five-shot Smith & Wesson revolver from his front pocket and slipped it into the desk drawer.

“You took Pops’s gun from my house?”

“Only as a precaution. But at least here I know exactly where it is.”

Lillian worked quietly in the other room, but Rob knew she really just wanted to hear the conversation that was about to take place.

He glanced out the window and saw someone cutting through the car lot. It was Cindy from the gas station across the street. His brother hadn’t been wrong when he described the college student as good-looking. She also seemed to be a genuinely nice person.

She came right into the office as if she were an employee herself. She plopped down on the couch next to the tiny refrigerator. Her black hair fanned out behind her on the green vinyl of the cheap couch.

When she didn’t say anything, Gary asked, “What’s up, Cindy?”

“Lillian said the guy who’s buying up all the property in the area was coming by to talk to you. I wanted to give you a heads-up that my dad accepted the guy’s offer this afternoon.”

Gary shook his head. “I thought your dad liked his business being here.”

“He does. But he said it was a better price than he could’ve expected. He also said it was a good time for my mom and him to move somewhere warmer. Maybe Arizona.”

Gary slowly nodded his head as he considered this information. Then he looked at Cindy and said, “Thanks for the warning.”

“Please don’t say anything. It’s supposed to be secret. I think my father even signed a nondisclosure agreement. But I didn’t.”

Gary smiled. “No one will ever know.”

Cindy smiled back, then stood up from the couch and looked directly at Rob Trilling. “Maybe I’ll see you later.” She winked at him and scampered out the door.

Rob’s less-than-extensive experience with women didn’t help him decipher what sort of hidden message that might’ve signaled, which made him sort of anxious. It was odd: He’d been in actual combat, but this kind of thing was what got him confused. He wondered if he should just stick to what he was good at.

Gary opened a rear door to the office that led into an attached garage. There was a flimsy-looking temporary pen for Fido set up in one of the bays. The llama immediately came to the open door and Gary fed him some grapes from his hand. Then he started picking little pieces of sticks and leaves out of Fido’s curly white fur.

“It’s amazing how Fido calms me right down. Come over here and pet him for a second. He’ll probably do the same to you,” Gary said.

Rob didn’t get up from his seat behind the desk until his brother continued urging him on. He knew it wouldn’t end until he acceded to Gary’s wishes. His brother never gave up on anything. Slowly, Rob stood from the chair and padded across the office to the open door, wondering if he might find a way to calm his own anxiety from time to time.