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He was quiet for a long moment before saying, "You already asked that."

"Yeah, but that was months ago."

"And what? You think you're gonna get a different answer?"

"I just want the truth," I said.

"And I already gave it to you. Where'd this come from?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I said. "You got rid of her onreallyshort notice." Something squeezed at my heart. "Just like me. And she was crying."

Just like me.

But I didn't say it.Instead, I waited for Jack's reply.

He said, "Except she was fired. You weren't."

Oh sure, maybe he hadn't fired me outright, but hewassending me to a different country. Probably he'dwantedto fire me, but hadn'tonlybecause of the Flynn connection.

"So whydidn'tyou?" I said. "Is it because I'm Anna's sister?"

"No."

I waited for him to elaborate. And when he didn't, I sighed. "All right, fine. About your last assistant, you never did tell me. Why was she fired?"

"Youknowwhy," he said. "My location was confidential. And she released it."

"Yeah, but only to your girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend," he clarified. "And trust me. My instructions were crystal clear."

"So?"

"So she didn't follow them."

God, what a hard-ass."Yeah, but that's such a tiny mistake. And the way it sounded in that voicemail, she reallydidthink she was doing you a favor."

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said. "She still needed to go."

"So let me get this straight," I said. "She makes one little mistake, and you send her away just like that?"

Was I projecting?

Probably.

But suddenly it seemed very important to know. Into his stubborn silence, I added, "It just feels like I'm missing something, that's all."

"All right," he said. "You want the truth? She took a bribe."

I blinked.Seriously?"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he said, "Imogen paid her a thousand bucks for information on where I was."

Woah."And she accepted it?"

"She didn't decline it. I can tell you that."

"But how do you know?" I asked.