Free Liars and Tyrants and People Who Turn Blue by Barbara Paul Page A

and Gilbert turned to find Shelby staring at him, mouth open. “Yes, we’ve been investigating you,” he admitted. “Right down to what you like to drink. It’s an atrocious invasion of privacy and how dare we and yes we’ve got our nerve. All I can say is that it was necessary. Absolutely necessary . We want you to come to work for us.”
    That wasn’t what Shelby was expecting. “I don’t know what to say.”
    â€œDon’t say anything—let me talk. Ordinarily you’d be visited at home by a sedate group of two or three distinguished people who would make you a polite offer of employment mixed in with a little muscle if we thought that would help. But I wanted to meet you myself—I’ve learned things in my investigation that I still have trouble believing. When my boss first told me a human lie detector was living right here in New York, I thought the old boy was getting senile. I thought you were either a con woman or a figment of somebody’s overactive imagination. But you’re real, and you’re here, and you’re everything your reputation says you are. An absolutely foolproof detector of lies. Woman, you are worth your weight in gold.”
    â€œThat much I know,” Shelby said blandly. “Go on.”
    Gilbert said, “Li Xijuan, Mañuel Aguirrez, Heinrich Schlimmermann,” and waited.
    Shelby’s eyes widened. “The UN commission of inquiry.”
    Gilbert nodded, and said nothing.
    â€œYou want me to sit in on your interrogation of Li Xijuan and the other two? To get evidence for the inquiry?”
    â€œWe want you to sit in during the inquiry. As part of the inquiry itself.”
    â€œOh wow.” Shelby thought a minute. “That’s all going to be televised, isn’t it?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œTell me how it would work.”
    â€œWell, Dr. Wedner tells me this aura you read can be photographed on specially modified infrared film but can’t be transmitted live through any kind of optic lens—you have to see it in the flesh, isn’t that right? That means we can’t tuck you away in a private room somewhere and let you watch the proceedings over a monitor. You’ll have to be in the chamber where the questioning takes place.”
    â€œAnd where the television cameras are set up.”
    â€œYes,” he said apologetically, knowing what was bothering her. “You won’t have to speak at all, or identify yourself, or anything like that. We’ll have some sort of electronic device rigged up so you can communicate with the members of the commission.”
    â€œBut I’d still be visible.”
    â€œYou’d still be visible.”
    Shelby shook her head and laughed. “You have a hell of a sense of timing, Mr. Gilbert. Another six weeks and I would have—but that’s not your problem. Something I’m going to have to work out for myself.”
    â€œYou mean the move to San Diego.”
    The waitress put their drinks on the table and left. “Is there anything about me you don’t know?” Shelby asked with a touch of irritation.
    â€œVery little. I know about the problem with your husband and I know you’re worried about your sister. I know you don’t want to leave New York or give up your police work, but you’ve made up your mind to do both.”
    â€œThose are private matters,” Shelby said resentfully.
    â€œI’m sorry. Would it help if I told you every one of us who works for UN Intelligence has been under the same microscope? Even Sir John Dudley himself.”
    â€œNo, it doesn’t help a bit.”
    â€œThen let me appeal to your sense of adventure. Why settle for nabbing petty crooks when you can go after international criminals? Mrs. Kent, this inquiry is too important for us to leave anything to chance. You’re our ace in the hole. Let me make a suggestion. Simply postpone