David slipped his cell phone back into his pocket and signaled for Colby to follow him into the conference room. Once they were inside, he closed the door and pulled the blinds.

"What's up?" Colby asked.

"That was Liz. According to Charlie's preliminary results – and I could hear him in the background emphasizing that they were preliminary – we do have a second mole."

"Who?"

"Agent Tomlin."

"The guy who sits across from me?"

"Yep. That's how they knew what we were doing. They had eyes and ears in our bullpen."

"How sure is he?"

"Sure enough that we're going to have to be careful around Tomlin, but not sure enough for us to do anything about him."

Colby nodded. Then a smile crossed his face. "How about we try to get Tomlin to do something incriminating?"

"What are you thinking?"

A few minutes and several phone calls later, David approached Agent Tomlin's desk. "Hey, we're kind of short handed. I was wondering if you'd mind helping us out with a quick security job. We need to transport some evidence."

"Sure," Tomlin said. "I'm just writing reports anyway. Is this for that art heist thing you guys are working on?"

"Yeah. LAPD has the painting now and we've got to bring it here. Don's injured, Liz is off on an assignment, Megan's still doing whatever she's doing for the DOJ, so I really appreciate the help."

"No problem. It'll be nice to get out of here for a while. So when and where do you need me?"

"Do you know Lt. Walker of the LAPD?"

"Yeah. I've met him a few times."

"You'll be meeting him at the LAPD's evidence room in forty five minutes. He'll have two guys accompany you here with the painting. He's a little overly cautious. I told him we could handle it ourselves, but he insisted. Maybe you can set his mind at ease once you meet him, and talk him into letting you take the painting yourself. No point in the taxpayers having to pay any more than necessary."

"Yeah. I live in LA. My taxes are high enough. Where's Granger? Can't he do this?"

"He had a dentist's appointment. Do you believe that? With everything we've got going on, he takes off on me."

Tomlin chuckled. "No offense, but Granger always seemed like kind of an airhead to me."

David bit back a nasty reply, and forced a smile. "He's not so bad when you get to know him better."

"Okay. I'll take your word for it." Tomlin stood. "I'd better get going."

"You going straight to LAPD?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason. I just figure Walker will be bugging me, and I want to tell him you're on your way."

Tomlin chuckled as he took his car keys from his desk drawer and stuck them in his pocket. "Yeah. He always seemed like a control freak. Okay, Sinclair, I'll see you later."

--

David watched Tomlin all the way to the elevator, then turned and went back to his desk. As soon as the elevator doors closed behind Tomlin, David picked up his phone. "Colby? He's on the way down."

"Okay," Colby answered. "I'm watching his car. Did you call Ms. Weber?"

"Yep. She was not happy to find out another one got past her. I have a feeling her infatuation with a certain math professor is wearing thin."

Colby chuckled. "Okay, here he is. Talk to you later. Surprise, surprise, he's talking to someone on the phone."

Colby pulled his baseball cap low over his eyes, waited for Tomlin to pull out of his spot and head toward the exit, then followed him at a safe distance. He wasn't surprised that Tomlin headed straight toward LAPD's headquarters. Tomlin probably made whatever arrangements he needed to make on his phone.

David was standing behind Tom Yang, waiting for the tech to find out who Tomlin was talking to. "Good thing he used his FBI cell phone," Tom muttered. "We didn't need a court order to do this. Okay, here it is…" Tom began typing on his keyboard. "Let me see... I should be able to find the name... Here you go. Tomlin was speaking with a Yang Chaoxiang – no relation by the way – here in LA. Let me see what I've got on our Mr. Yang." He punched a few more keys and an image appeared on the screen. "Looks like he's been a bad boy." Tom moved to the side to let David get closer to the screen.

"He certainly has been a bad boy. Looks like he's just here on a visit. He seems to deal in high priced stolen goods, primarily in Hong Kong."

Tom grinned. "Capitalism is alive and well in the land of Mao."

"Yes, it is. Can you give me a location on Mr. Yang?"

"You're not going to believe this. He's in Chinatown. What a cliché!"

"Are you going to be able to track him?"

Tom raised his eyebrows. "How long have we been working together, Agent Sinclair? Of course I can track him."

David shook his head and chuckled. "Okay, while you're tracking him, I'm going to check with the task force working on the Chinese mob."

--

Don stretched and groaned. "At least it's a little quieter around here."

Charlie glanced up from his computer and chuckled. "Millie's a nice person, but she does tend to increase the ambient noise level whenever she's around."

"Dad must be asleep..." Don craned his neck so he could see his father.

"I am not asleep," Alan muttered. "I just don't happen to disagree with you. Since she's gone back to work, my head has finally stopped pounding."

Charlie yawned, closed his laptop and set it on the end table next to him.

Amita gently touched his left arm. "Why don't you go upstairs and take a nap?"

"Nah. I need to stay awake in case David needs any more help. I think I'll make a pot of coffee. Anybody need anything?"

Amita and Liz both stood quickly. "No," Amita said. "You sit. I'll make the coffee."

Charlie pushed himself to his feet. "I need to stretch my legs. Dad? Don? Is there anything you want?"

"A glass of water would be nice," Alan said.

"I'll get it," Liz said. "Don? How about you?"

"Beer," Don grinned at Liz's scowl. "Oh, all right. Coffee sounds good to me."

--

"Come on in, Agent Sinclair," Betty Liu said as she rose to greet her visitor. "Please, have a seat and tell me how I can help you."

"Agent Liu, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," David said as he shook the middle aged woman's hand. "I was told you were the person to see about Yang Chaoxiang."

"Please call me Betty. Yes, Yang Chaoxiang and his organization are something of a hobby of mine. I knew he was in LA, but I was not aware of his reason for being here until you called. I'm assuming you believe he's involved in the thefts of the artworks?"

"It looks that way." David took a few minutes to explain about Agent Tomlin and his phone call.

Betty nodded. "That makes sense. Yang has a extensive and expensive art collection. Yang is a businessman. He looks nothing at all like the stereotypical mobster. But he is a very dangerous man, Agent Sinclair. He is most likely looking to add one or more of your artworks to his personal collection, but he also derives great pleasure from personally killing those who get in his way."

"Who does he work with in LA?"

Betty shrugged. "Usually the 13 W triad. But he's not really much of a team player when he comes here."

"Has he been in touch with anyone other than Tomlin while he's been here?"

"A few legitimate business contacts. An art restorer who's done work for him before."

"Let me guess. Felicia Agincourt, right?"

"Yes! She's not involved in your thefts, is she? Every transaction she's had with Yang has been legal and aboveboard. She has done several restorations, and a dozen or more appraisals for Yang."

"Oh, she's involved, all right. In fact, we're looking at her as the mastermind behind the three thefts. But it makes a lot more sense if she had access to Yang's resources. She's got the brains, her son has the manpower, and Yang has the money."

"Listen," Betty said, "You're shorthanded now. Why don't we combine forces and kill two birds with one stone? I'll have my guys watch Yang's movements."

David grinned. "Agent Liu, that's a great idea. Would you care to join us in the bullpen?"

--

As soon as Liz, Amita and Charlie were in the kitchen, Don picked up his cell phone and dialed. "Hey, David, what's happening?"

"Don! What a pleasant surprise to hear from you," David chuckled. "Tell Charlie thanks for the information on Tomlin. He called a Hong Kong gang boss as soon as he was out of the building. Special Agent Betty Liu from the Asian Criminal Enterprises division has agreed to work with us on wrapping this up. She seems kind of anxious to nab Yang."

"She's good. Which gang is our guy involved with?"

"She said he's worked with 13W before, but he's not a team player. At least not here."

Don chuckled. "Does not work and play well with others."

David laughed. "Sounds like my report card. Hey, I've got to get to work. I'll keep you posted."

"Hey, wait. What's the Hong Kong guy's name? Maybe Charlie and Amita can find something on him."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Surname's Yang. First name Chaoxiang." He spelled the English transliteration for Don.

"Got it. Yang Chaoxiang. Okay. Liz is back with my beer and nachos. Talk to you later." Don closed the phone and accepted the cup of coffee from Liz. "Thanks."

"Beer and nachos?" Liz said with a laugh. "You wish! Maggie left a very yummy looking casserole in the fridge. Charlie's preheating the oven."

Alan sat up as Liz handed him a glass of water. "Thank you, Liz. Maybe that casserole will keep the boys from fighting over what takeout to order."

"I hope so." Liz sat next to Don. "So, what did David have to say?"

"David? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on. I know you better than that. Alan, did Don call David the moment I was out of the room?"

"Dad..." Don warned.

"Don't you 'dad..' me, young man. Yes, Liz, he called David before the kitchen door finished swinging."

"Hah," Liz punched Don playfully on the arm. "So what did he say?"

"Our mole called a Hong Kong gangster who just happens to be an art collector, and just happens to be in LA on business."

"Has David got someone from O.C. working with him now?"

"Yeah. Betty Liu."

Liz nodded. "I've worked with her before. She's the best. And she takes the whole Chinese gang thing personally."

"Chinese gang?" Charlie asked as he and Amita returned from the kitchen. "They're involved in this?"

"Looks that way, Buddy. Hey, do you think you guys could do your voodoo with a name David gave me?"

"Voodoo?!" Charlie tried to look offended as he dropped into his seat. But when Amita placed his computer on his lap, he said, "What's the name?"

--

Colby kept a comfortable distance behind his quarry and called David. "Hey, did you call Walker?"

"Yep. He's ready and waiting for Tomlin. Listen, Tomlin made a call to a Hong Kong mobster and art collector named Yang Chaoxiang. We've got some help from Betty Liu in the Asian Criminal Enterprises division. They're kind of anxious to nab this Yang guy."

Colby pursed his lips. "Yeah, I can understand that. What do you want me to do?"

"Just stick with the original plan. Hang back and keep an eye on things. The only thing that's changed is that we have a name for our buyer. Betty's going to have her guys watch Yang. I filled Walker in, and he's ready for this. You know how he feels about gangs."

Colby laughed. "Yeah. He's going to enjoy this. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?"

"I do. I'll be honest with you, Colby. I can't wait until this thing is over and Don is back in charge of the team. I think I'm getting an ulcer."

"I know what you mean. The sooner we get this thing done and this Chinese gangster out of our hair, the better. Listen, Tomlin just pulled up at the LAPD. I'll talk to you later."