I remembered seeing, or thinking I had seen, movement from the talisman when I had examined it before. Maybe I hadn't been imagining things.
"Dangerous," Ericson growled.
I heard her scattering pens out of the top drawer of my desk, moving things around.
The talisman was in the drawer beneath. "I'll tell you what's dangerous. Fucking with me is dangerous, Banks. I'm not playing some kind of game here. And I can't trust what you say anymore."
"Ericson," I said, trying to keep my voice even, "you've got to trust me, one more time. Stay out of my desk. Please."
There was silence for a moment. I heard her draw in a breath, and let it out through her mouth. Then Ericson said, her voice hard, professional, "Why, Banks? What are you hiding?"
I heard her open the middle drawer.
