"Bellie misses Daddy."

I assumed this was Antony Marling. "Daddy is not coming back."

"Bellie knows the secret."

"What secret?"

"Daddy's secret."

Interesting. "Will Bellie tell Kitty what Daddy's secret is?"

The bird gave me a look that clearly said "talk to the tailfeathers." This bird had derisive down to an art form. "No. Bellie loves Jeff."

"Will Bellie tell Jeff Daddy's secret?"

"No."

"But if Bellie really loves Jeff, Bellie should tell Jeff what Bellie knows."

The bird actually seemed to be considering this. I was wondering how it was that I was doing an avian interrogation. But that's what was going on. African Grays were the smartest birds out there, and they had the best language skills. And Marling had adored this bird as much as my husband did now. Clearly, she was the Marilyn Monroe of the parrot world.

So it was conceivable that Marling had kept the bird with him when he was working, while attending meetings of the Association of Crazed Evil Geniuses, and perhaps more. I didn't doubt that Bellie knew something. But whether it was information we already knew-his "children" had actually been amazingly good androids-or information we didn't was the question of the moment.

Jeff joined us. "See? You two are getting along great."

"Yeah, right. Um, Jeff, is it time to join Chuckie and the Gower girls?"

"Yeah, that's why I came to get you. They're starting to wonder where we are."

"Great. You give me Jamie. I want you to bring Bellie with us."

"Really? She'll enjoy that."

I shook my head. "I don't care if she loves it or hates the experience down to her giant talons. Bellie has intel, and I think you and maybe Chuckie are going to be the only ones who can get it out of her."

CHAPTER 16.

BELLIE WAS REMOVED FROM her luxury accommodations. She happily perched on Jeff's shoulder and seemed quite content to stay there. I got the impression she'd been riding around the Embassy like this a lot while I was gone.

"How is it that if a Poof is on your shoulder you feel unmanly, but you're all over this bird sitting there?"

"Bellie's different."

"Whatever you say, Cap'n Jeff."

"Huh?"

I decided not to elaborate. We headed for the elevators. The doors opened, but the elevator wasn't empty-Buchanan was in it.

He smiled at me and Jamie. "Hey there, Missus Chief and Baby Chief." Then he took a look at Jeff and gaped. "And Captain Chief."

"What's with all the captain stuff?" Jeff asked as we got into the elevator and he stood between me and Buchanan. "And call her Missus Martini."

"Malcolm can call me whatever he wants." He'd started calling me Mrs. Chief the moment we hit Florida. I liked it, in part because it always made me want to giggle. "And, seriously, Jeff, you have a parrot on your shoulder. All you need is an eye patch or a fake peg leg and you're all set for Halloween, which is far away, or Purim, which you're more than a little late for."

"It's a great look, really," Buchanan added. He and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Jeff glowered. "It's not funny."

"Actually, it's hilarious. But whatever. Malcolm, were you coming to see us?"

"Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about the incident at NASA Base."

"Great, come on down. We're meeting up with Chuckie to discuss that and other fun facts."

Jeff wasn't happy about this, but I no longer cared. He was carting Bellie around; I'd take Buchanan along. At least my plus one was human.

Buchanan looked closely at the bird. "Isn't that Antony Marling's parrot?"

We got out of the elevator. "Yeah, it is. How'd you know?"

"I researched everything related to you. I thought the bird would have gone to an animal rescue of some kind."

I brought Buchanan up on the specialness that was the "gift" of Bellie to me by Peter the Dingo as we joined Chuckie and the Gower girls.

Bellie cawed happily when she saw Chuckie. "Reynolds! Reynolds! Reynolds!"

"I see she likes you."

Chuckie shrugged. "The bird's seen all of us a lot." He winked at me. "Captain Martini likes to have her around."

"Seriously, stop it with all the captain stuff," Jeff snapped. "It's not funny."

"It's pretty funny," Naomi said as she and Abigail both giggled.

"Captains of industry," Bellie said. "Captains of science."

"What other captains are there, Bellie?" I asked.

She looked at me. "Captains of military."

"Any other captains, Bellie?" The bird seemed to be considering. "Mimi, Abby, can either one of you see what the bird's thinking?"

"No," Naomi said. "We don't do animal minds."

"They don't think like humans," Abby added. "They don't have emotions like humans, either."

Pity. It was never nice to find limitations to our side's powers. "Well, it was worth a shot. Jeff, you ask her."

"Ask her what?"

"Ask Bellie about captains. And secrets."

Jeff gave me the "you so crazy" look. "Why?"

"Just do it." I managed not to snap. I didn't want Bellie upset with me.

He sighed. "What other captains does Bellie know about?" he asked the bird in a goo-goo voice. Naomi and Abigail both put their hands over their mouths. I was certain they were trying not to laugh out loud.

"Captains in place."

Chuckie sat up straight. "Captains in place where, Bellie?"

Bellie looked at him. "Paraguay and Paris! Paraguay and Paris!"

We all looked at each other. "Jeff, ask her about Daddy's secrets. Keep on talking to her in that lovey-dovey way you seem to have acquired while I was out of town."

He gave me a dirty look but did as requested. "Can Bellie tell Jeff about Daddy's secrets?"

The bird did a jerking thing with her head. I couldn't tell if she was trying to nod yes, no, or just had a twitch. "Secrets for keeping. Bellie misses Daddy. Jeff misses Kitty. Jeff has Bellie. Bellie has Jeff."

Interesting. Presumably Jeff had shared his loneliness with the bird and vice versa. I made a mental note to ensure this bird was never around when we were having sex. I didn't need her imitating my yowling.

"Yes, Bellie has Jeff," he confirmed, as if there were any doubt. "Bellie, tell Jeff Daddy's secrets."

Bellie did the head shake thing again. "Bellie knows Daddy's secrets."

"Jeff needs to know Daddy's secrets." The bird didn't answer. He looked at me. "Any ideas?"

Jamie gurgled, and I kissed her head. Which led to inspiration. Always nice when that happened. "Bellie, Jeff is your Daddy now. So he should know Daddy's secrets."

Jeff nodded and looked back at the bird. "Jeff is Bellie's Daddy now. Tell Jeff Daddy's secrets, Bellie."

The bird seemed to be considering her options. "Jeff is Daddy?" she asked. She sounded uncertain, not that I was any real judge of bird tonal inflections.

"Yes," he said firmly. "Jeff is Bellie's Daddy now."

She did that head thing again. "Daddy's secrets are ready to go. Captains in Paris and Paraguay. Bellie wants a treat."

Jeff reached into his pocket and gave her a treat. I managed not to be either horrified or shocked. Of course he was now carrying around bird treats in his suit. Naturally. I wondered how many meetings outside of the Embassy he'd gone to with the bird along. Had a horrible feeling I'd find out at the most embarrassing times possible.

"Now tell Jeff Daddy's secrets, Bellie." Jeff stroked her head. "Be a good Bellie."

"Good man. Good man. Captain is good man." I doubted that, because it was unlikely anyone Marling had in place was good. "Can do. Can do. Captain can do." This one I could buy-whoever was in place was likely able to do whatever evil actions he was assigned.

Bellie preened. "Bellie wants a treat!"

Jeff sighed and gave her another. "I don't think she's got any more, baby."

"Or else she's not ready or willing to tell us."

"It's a bird," Buchanan pointed out. "How much do you really think it can tell us in the first place?"

The bird looked right at him. "Time to tell the dog to kill the cat."

CHAPTER 17.

I COULDN'T SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE, but my mind was going at top speed. "You know, I think my 'uncle' sent this to me for more reasons than him having a soft spot for abandoned animals."

Chuckie nodded. "That sounds like the order Marling would have given to have you assassinated."

"Only it was Madeline Cartwright who'd set up the assassins. She told me so." And I didn't doubt it, either, not based on all I'd seen and gone through.

"Doesn't change things," Chuckie said. "The bird must have heard the order given."

"Wouldn't you think she'd need to hear it more than once?" Buchanan asked. "To be able to repeat it, I mean."

"Maybe." What I knew about parrot learning skills could fit into one of Bellie's treat pellets and have room to spare. "I guess we'll find out."

"True." Buchanan looked at Chuckie. "Let's deal with something more pertinent. How did they know to set up the attack at NASA Base?"

"I've been asking myself that since it happened," Chuckie said. "I honestly have no idea."

"We're so screwed." This remark earned me a glare from Jeff, a sorta-smile from Chuckie, and a laugh from Buchanan. "I also had a Very Special Test asking me some really interesting questions." I filled everyone in on the weirdness that was in my special packet.

Buchanan shook his head when I was done. "My test was perfectly normal. I'd assume everyone else's was, too. Why didn't you say something?"

"At first I figured I was just being singled out because of everything that always happens around me. By the time I read ahead, I was too busy going 'what the hell' and being attacked by an android to do much else."

"Why give her that kind of test?" Jeff asked. "Even if it was legitimate, the results would be thrown out because the test was so clearly biased."

"I'm more interested in how the attack was put in place so quickly," Buchanan said. He was looking at Chuckie again and he didn't look all that friendly.

"I sweep for bugs regularly, so my phone wasn't tapped. Martini's and White's weren't either."

"How do you know that?" Jeff asked.