Drawn in Blood (47 page)

“Hel o, Ms. Burbank,” he greeted her.

“Sir.” Sloane glanced around, uncertain if she’d interrupted a meeting. “I hope I’m not intruding. I was told…”

“You were told correctly.” He waited while Derek and Rich joined the smal group, shutting the door behind them. He then indicated a spot at the conference table across from where he and Tony were standing. “Have a seat,” he instructed Sloane.

Total y baffled, she complied, sitting down and interlacing her fingers in front of her.

“I’ve been brought up-to-date on the investigation in which you’ve been a confidential human source,” Gary began. “I’ve also been made aware of the part you played in saving the life of Special Agent Parker, and of possibly helping to prevent future incidents like the one at the Jaspar Museum. You have my personal thanks, as wel as the thanks of the entire Bureau.”

“I appreciate that, sir,” Sloane replied.

He passed a manila envelope across the table to her. It was labeled bul ’s-eye burbank.

Sloane glanced at the title, then her chin came up, her gaze studying the now smiling ADIC.

“I like the nickname,” he said. “It suits you. I have a feeling it wil stick.” He gestured at the envelope. “Open it.” Sloane fol owed orders, wondering what was going on. Maybe it was a certificate of acknowledgment, signed by the powers that be. If so, she’d be real y touched.

It turned out to be a lot more than that.

Sliding the pages out of the envelope, Sloane saw the first document and recognized it as an application for reinstatement to the FBI. It had her name on it. Behind the application was a printout of a letter of recommendation from Tony, detailing her service and contributions to the FBI during her time as a special agent. He specified her outstanding work with the Crisis Negotiation Unit, adding that he’d rarely seen a newcomer with so much promise.

And last, there was a glowing letter of recommendation from Gary himself, itemizing her post-Bureau work with C-6 and several other squads, cal ing special attention to the two huge cases this year that she’d had a big hand in solving.

Sloane was blown away by the praise, and honored that so much of it had come from the ADIC himself—head of the New York Field Office.

“That letter you’re reading is a fol ow-up to a cal I made to Headquarters,” Gary apprised her. “Both Supervisory Special Agent Sanchez and I agree that your talents, both as a crisis negotiator and as a multitalented, dedicated agent, combined with your proficiency at numerous foreign languages, dictate that you’re a necessary asset to the Bureau.” Sloane sat quietly, unblinking, her insides clenched with anticipation.

“I advised Headquarters that you’l be submitting your application for reinstatement within the next few days,” Gary concluded. “Barring unforeseen circumstances, you should be leaving for Quantico right after the first of the year. Understand that, even though it’s been only two years since you left the Bureau, you wil have to put in the ful twenty weeks at the Academy to be current on your training.”

A twinkle. “I suspect there wil be aspects of it, like firearms, that you’l breeze right through.” Gary cleared his throat, finishing up on a serious note. “As I’m sure you’re aware, your background for the two years you were gone wil have to be updated to ensure you receive a top secret security clearance. If you had a ful polygraph before you left, that’s good for five years, presuming you didn’t have any overseas travel. And, obviously, you won’t have to go through the interviewing process again. So, Bul ’s-Eye Burbank, I’d say that by next summer, you should be a special agent again.” A pause. “
If
that’s what you want.”

Sloane blew out a long breath. The truth was that even
she
hadn’t realized how much she wanted it until now. “Yes, sir. It’s
definitely
what I want.”

“Good. Then that’s settled.” He rose, and extended his hand. “Congratulations. I look forward to your rejoining the Bureau, where you clearly belong.”

“As do I. Thank you so much.” Sloane shook Gary’s hand, then leaned forward to shake Tony’s. “I can’t begin to tel you what this means to me.”

“From what I’ve heard about your fierce struggle to heal, I’d say I have a pretty good idea,” Gary replied.

“Congratulations.” Derek spoke up for the first time, giving Sloane a very quick, professional hug. “And welcome home. Being that I’m the grateful agent whose life you saved, and that I’ve worked with you in the past, I think I can confidently say the Bureau is lucky to have you.”

“You forgot to finish that sentence,” Rich informed him, straight-faced, as he shook Sloane’s hand and wished her the best. “What you meant was ‘The Bureau is lucky to have you, and so am I.’”

A col ective chuckle went through the room.

“Speaking of which,” Tony added. “Derek, you can take those two weeks’ vacation in December you asked for.” Derek flashed him a grin. “Thanks, boss.”

“Anything special planned?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Protocol be damned, Derek looped an arm around Sloane’s shoulders. “A wedding and a honeymoon. When Bul ’s-Eye leaves for Quantico, she and I wil be husband and wife.”

“That’s great news.” Tony slapped Derek on the back. “Congratulations to you both.”

Everyone else echoed the sentiment.

“Life’s final y coming together,” Sloane declared. “New marriage. New career. That leaves only one unresolved question.”

“What’s that?” Derek asked, turning to gaze quizzical y down at her.

Sloane met his gaze, her lips twitching. “Between the two of us, which one is going to be the lead case agent in life?”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The researching and writing of
Drawn in Blood
took me one level deeper into the multifaceted world of the FBI. Even after al I learned when I was writing
Twisted,
this sequel introduced me to new units of the Bureau and broadened my knowledge of those units I’d already explored. I was launched into the complexities and danger of undercover work, the fascinating world of art theft, and an entirely different, but equal y gripping, dimension of Asian and Eurasian organized crime.

One aspect of my research didn’t change, and that’s the caliber and commitment of the FBI professionals with whom I consulted. Their dedication, consistent availability, and depth of knowledge are inspiring. I can’t thank them enough for helping me make
Drawn in Blood
the kind of thril er I always strive to create—accurate, exciting, and alive with three-dimensional characters who draw my readers in and make them part of their stories.

The fol owing people deserve special thanks. Many of them are experts I have turned to time and again for information, explanations, and answers. Miraculously, they always come through for me:

Angela Bel , public affairs specialist at FBI Headquarters. Angela, you were as instrumental in the creation of
Drawn in Blood
as you were in its predecessor,
Twisted
. Thanks to you, I met and worked with the best of the best (you rank high up there among them), and you coordinated my Bureau-related contacts and my research requirements every step of the way. You define the phrases
top-notch, rapid response,
and
caring dedication.
In other words, you’re the best, and I couldn’t have written
Drawn in Blood
’s FBI foundation without you.

Special Agent Robert Wittman, an incomparable senior investigator of the Art Crime Team, but most of al , an even more incomparable human being. Bob, when it comes to art crime, you’re the ultimate source—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Your people skil s and diversity of expertise stretch far beyond the art world, as does your compassion for others. Thank goodness your humility makes you total y unaware of just how awesome you are. Retire? Never. Just begin anew.

Special Agent Konrad Motyka, who never ceases to astound me with his in-depth knowledge of organized crime and of the world as a whole. Besides giving me a deeper understanding of the investigations of the Asian Criminal Enterprise Task Force (C-6) and Asian organized crime as a whole (including their international as wel as their national operations), you expanded my education to include Albanian organized crime (C-7), the cultural and historical elements of eastern Europe and the Far East, not to mention giving me an A-plus crash course in submachine guns. Konrad, you are truly indispensable. Thank you for being so generous with your time, your prompt responses, and your detailed explanations.

Supervisory Special Agent James McNamara of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Understanding human behavior and incorporating that into the complex knowledge base we laypeople know as “profiling” is just one layer of your specialized skil s and wealth of experience. Thanks to you, I gained an understanding of the different prototypes and motivations of art thieves, the different cultural composites of various Chinese provinces and vil ages, and most important, what makes different criminal minds tick. Jim, as the essence of integrity, judgment, dependability, and initiative, you embody the slogan “Once a marine, always a marine.”

Margaret Young, who taught me the culture and dialect of the Loong Doo, and who was a sheer delight to meet and to work with.

Special Agent Sherri Evanina of the Newark Field Office, my type A wizard. Despite an increasingly hectic schedule, you always came through for me, making arrangements, setting up contact meetings, and knowing the answers to just about everything—or finding me someone who did. Working with you is a joy.

Bonnie Magness-Gardiner, the art-theft program manager. Thank you for opening the door to the Art Crime Team for me, for giving me a finer appreciation of art, and for giving me the basic knowledge of the structure and responsibilities of the team—al of which paved the way for my research.

Special Agent Jerria Wil iams, media representative in the Philadelphia Field Office. I so enjoyed working with you—your enthusiasm and professionalism made me feel both informed and welcome. And I’l thank you forever for setting up my first meeting with Bob; it’s no easy task to pin down a man who zooms around the world!

Special Agent James Margolin of the New York Field Office, who once again always found time to get me the answers I needed and to connect me with al the right people.

Jim, you multitask to the max and make it al work, despite having to handle the overwhelming job of being the media contact at the busiest, most densely populated FBI Field Office in the country.

Special Agent Jim Wynne, one of the longtime, invaluable senior investigators of the Art Crime Team, whom SA Jim Margolin arranged for me to speak to. SA Wynne has the daunting job of interviewing suspects and handling the Big Apple’s countless major theft investigations.

Special Agent Jody Roberson (now retired, but stil more vital than a twenty-year-old) and Special Agent Mike Adams, the two principal firearms instructors at Fort Dix. Thanks to Mike, I can now hold, load, and fire an MP5. (And if you think that handling a heavy subgun is easy, just give it a try. Your muscles won’t speak to you for a week.) And thanks to Jody, my skil s with the MP5 and the Glock 22 have been honed, with Jody pushing me to, but not beyond, my limits.

Kurt Crawford, public affairs specialist at Quantico, who came through for me when I needed to find an expert firearms consultant ASAP, and who guided me via phone to the FBI Academy when my driver and I got lost on the extensive grounds of Quantico.

Defensive Systems Unit Chief Wil iam Kozacek, the expert firearms consultant Kurt connected me with, who knew every single detail about every single weapon imaginable, and who was kind enough to share his knowledge with a novice.

Everyone at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., who welcomed me during my first official visit. Thank you for your hospitality, your enthusiasm, and your introduction to the nucleus of the Bureau. Congratulations on your one-hundred-year anniversary!

The New York, Newark, and Philadelphia Field Offices for their ongoing cooperation.

I truly hope I haven’t omitted anyone, since everybody I dealt with at the FBI was an integral part of the creation of
Drawn in Blood
. An added thanks to al of you at the Bureau who read the manuscript for accuracy and then provided me with your invaluable feedback.

As always, I take ful responsibility for any unintentional errors that might have slipped by and for any literary license I took. I only did so when absolutely necessary.

With the integration of the NYPD in
Drawn in Blood,
I must once again thank my ongoing consultant, Detective Mike Oliver, who exemplifies the street smarts and al egiance of the NYPD, who never seems to have to say “I don’t know” to any of my endless questions, and whose sense of humor never fails to lift my spirits and make me laugh—even when I’m on deadline and running on empty.

Many thanks to my editor at HarperCol ins, Lucia Macro, for al she does on my behalf.

A special thanks to my agent, Andrea Ciril o, for our long and flourishing partnership, for weathering the storms along the way, and for always making the sun come out. And welcome to the team, Christina!

Most significant of al , a huge thank-you to my family, for al the love, support, and teamwork we share, and always seem to discover and rediscover, despite life’s obstacles.

Your input is invaluable. The spot you fil in my heart and my life is irreplaceable.

About the Author

ANDREA KANE
’s groundbreaking romantic thril er,
Run for Your Life
, became an instant
New York Times
bestsel er, paving the way for a series of smash hits featuring NYPD

detective-turned-private investigator Pete “Monty” Montgomery, and now her current series features the dynamic FBI team of Special Agents Sloane Burbank and Derek Parker. With a worldwide fol owing and novels published in sixteen countries, Kane is also the bestsel ing author of fourteen historical romances. She lives in New Jersey with her family, where she is learning new ways to sharpen her firearms and investigative skil s like a true FBI special agent. Between target practices, she is researching and writing her next supercharged romantic thril er.