“Tell me you have that part recorded, at least.”

“I do,” she said. “And I told him that I did. He just laughed.”

“I don’t credit Mr. Lynch here with too many brains,” I said. “Either that or he figured that after he was done playing Babe Ruth with your head, there wouldn’t be a recording left. Now. Are you done examining him, Doctor?”

“I am,” she said. “He’ll live. And thank you, by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” I said. I held out a hand. “Chris Shane,” I said.

“I know who you are,” she said, taking it.

“I get that a lot,” I said.

The doctor shook her head. “It’s not that,” she said. “I’m Tayla Givens. I’m your new housemate.”

*   *   *

Tayla and I had just finished up our statements to the arresting officers when I noticed someone walking up on us. It was Detective Trinh.

“Detective Trinh,” I said, to her. “This is unexpected.”

“Agent Shane,” she said. “You’ve had an exciting evening.”

“Just wrapping up,” I said.

“You planning to make a federal case out of this one, too?”

“Not really,” I said. “The Haden in this case lives in D.C. So this is going to be handled by Metro.”

“That’s probably wise,” Trinh said.

“Are you planning to be involved?” I asked. “We’re in the first police district right now. I was under the impression you worked out of the second.”

“I work out of the second,” Trinh said. “I live here. I was having a drink at Henry’s when the report came in over the radio. Thought I’d come over and see how you were doing.”

“I’m fine now,” I said.

“And maybe to have a chat with you.”

“All right,” I said.

“Privately,” Trinh said, nodding to Tayla.

I looked over to Tayla. “You want me to get them to take you home?”

“We’re less than a hundred yards from where we live,” Tayla said. “I think I can make it on my own.”

“All right,” I said.

“See you there soon,” she said, and headed home.

“You live with her?” Trinh asked, as Tayla walked off.

“New housemate,” I said. “This is actually the first time I’ve met her.”

“Interesting way to meet your new housemate,” Trinh said. “She’s lucky you were around. We’ve been having a spike of Haden bashings today.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“The walkout and the stunt with the trucks on the loop, but I’m sure you knew that,” Trinh said. “When you spend days making it difficult for other people to do their thing, they get pissy about it. And because so many of you are flooding into town for the march, there are lots of targets of opportunity, as it were. It’s open season on threeps. We had five attacks in the second district today.”

“And how do you feel about it?” I asked.

“I’ll be happy when the march is over and I can get back to busting college kids for peeing on the sidewalk.”

“Huh,” I said. “What can I help you with, Detective Trinh?”

“I was curious about what you think of your new partner,” Trinh said.

“We get along so far,” I said.

“You heard about her last partner.”

“What about her?”

“Did Vann tell you what happened with her?”

“I understand there was a mishap with a firearm,” I said.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Trinh said. “There are other interpretations.”

“Like what?”

“Like Vann’s partner decided putting a bullet in her gut was a better option than dealing with Vann anymore.”

“Seems drastic,” I said.

“Desperate times,” Trinh said. “Desperate measures.”

“I don’t know anything about that,” I said.

“No, I guess you wouldn’t,” Trinh said. “You also know Vann used to be an Integrator.”

“I’d heard that,” I said.

“Ever wonder why she quit?”

“I’ve known her for two days,” I said. “One of which I mostly spent in the mountain time zone. So we haven’t had time to exchange life stories.”

“Pretty sure she knows yours,” Trinh said.

“Everyone knows mine,” I said. “It’s not a big trick.”

“Let me catch you up on hers, then,” Trinh said. “She left because she couldn’t hack it. The government spent all that money making her an Integrator and she ended up being phobic about people using her body. You might want to get her to tell you about her last couple of integration sessions. The rumors about them are pretty dramatic.”

“I wouldn’t know about that either,” I said.

“It explains all the self-medicating,” Trinh said. “Unless you’ve missed the smoking and drinking and barhopping, looking for people to bang.”

“I’ve noticed it,” I said.

“She’s not hugely picky on that score.”

“Really,” I said. “Does that explain you, then?”

Trinh smiled at me. “I never fucked Vann, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m not entirely sure about her and her old partner, though. I don’t suppose it will be an issue with you.”

“Do you have a problem with Hadens, Trinh?” I asked. “Because you don’t just punt in a crack like that last one right out of the blue.”

“I don’t think you understood me,” Trinh said. “I think it’s a good thing she won’t have an opportunity to fuck with you that way. But I won’t be surprised if she finds another way to do it.”

“Right,” I said. “Look, Trinh. It’s late and I’ve had a really long day. So if you could get to the point of this little conversation, I’d appreciate it. I mean, aside from you taking a dump all over my new partner.”

“The point is that you should be thinking about your partner, Agent Shane,” Trinh said. “She’s smart but not as smart as she thinks she is. She’s good, but not as good as she thinks she is, either. She talks a good game about what other people should be doing but when it comes to her own shit, she gets sloppy. Maybe you’ve noticed that already and maybe you haven’t. But speaking as a voice of some experience on that matter, if you haven’t noticed it yet, it’s something you’ll notice soon.”

“So she’s a ticking time bomb ready to explode, and I don’t want to be anywhere near her when she goes off,” I said. “Straight from the cliché checklist. Got it.”

Trinh held her hands in a way that expressed bored equanimity. “Maybe I’m wrong, Shane,” she said. “Maybe I’m just an asshole who had a bad experience with her when I had to deal with her. And maybe the two of you will get along just fine and you won’t feel like putting a bullet into your gut, or whatever. In which case, great. I hope the two of you are happy together. But then, maybe I’m not wrong. In which case, watch your partner, Shane.”

“I’ll do that,” I said.

“There’s some weird shit going on with Hadens,” Trinh said. “That thing at the Watergate. And I know you’re involved with whatever’s happening with Loudoun Pharma. If the two of you are working on something big, then the last thing you’re going to need is her falling apart. When she goes down you don’t want her to take you with her.”

“More clichés,” I said.

Trinh nodded. “It’s a cliché. Fine. On the other hand, you’re one of the most famous Hadens out there, aren’t you. Or used to be, anyway. Still famous enough that people called you a scab for showing up to work the other day. How will it look when you fuck up because of Vann, Shane? How will it look for your dad, the next senator from Virginia?”

I didn’t have anything to say to that.

“Just a little something for you to think about,” Trinh said. “Take it however you want. Have a good night, Shane. Hopefully you don’t have to save anyone else before you get home.” She walked off.

*   *   *

There was a welcoming committee of threeps waiting for me when I got to the town house. They tossed confetti at me when I walked through the door.

“Whoa,” I said, fending off the tiny bits of paper.

“We wanted to make you feel at home on your first night,” Tony said.

“I don’t usually have confetti thrown at me when I come home,” I said.

“Maybe you should,” Tony said.

“Why do you have confetti anyway?” I asked.