“By letting you stake us out like a goat for a tiger.”
“Or perhaps take a more active role. I understand you might be able to—”
“Screw you.”
Crane flushed. “Understand me. Cooperate or you’re on your own. You’ve had a free ride long enough. I’m leaving for Washington this evening. I’ll expect your answer.”
She turned to North. “You’re not talking. Is Crane speaking for both of you?”
He shrugged. “He’s my superior, Ms. Archer.”
“And that’s my answer?” She slammed the car door. “Get your butts off this farm. That’s your answer.” She strode away from them toward the paddock.
“You were tough on her,” North said. “She can’t be pushed, sir.”
“Everyone can be pushed,” Crane said. “You just have to press the right buttons. She has a child to protect, and she’ll give in eventually. Start the car. Let’s get back to town. I want her to see us drive off. The finality will frighten her.”
“Don’t count on it.” North glanced after Grace as he started the car. She was staring straight ahead, and her body language was angry and defiant. She did not look back. “She doesn’t look at all frightened.”
Bureaucratic bastard.
There was no question Crane had wanted to scare her. How dare he use Frankie’s safety as a bargaining chip to get his way. She wanted to strangle him. No, that was too good for him. Roast him over a slow—
“I take it that it didn’t go well.” Robert was standing in front of the stable. “Crane’s pretty much of an asshole.”
“You’d better call them and tell them to come back and pick you up,” she said curtly. “I told them to get off the farm.”
“I drove my own car. I didn’t want to be any closer than I had to be to Crane.” His lips twisted. “That was fine with him. He doesn’t like dealing with us peons.”
“He’s not in touch with the human race. He wanted to stake me and Frankie out. Frankie!”
“Shit.” Robert frowned. “As God is my witness, I didn’t know anything about that, Grace. I guess I should have suspected something when North brought him into the picture. But North’s not a bad guy. I didn’t think he’d go along with—”
“Well, he did,” she interrupted. “And you’re probably out of an assignment. Do me a favor and say good-bye to Frankie before you leave. She’s had enough loss without you disappearing on her.”
“I wouldn’t do that. And I wouldn’t go along with Crane shafting you. You should know better than that. I care about you guys.”
A little of her anger faded as she looked at him. This was Robert, her friend. He wasn’t to blame for Crane’s decisions. “I know,” she said. “But you’re an agent and you have to go along with them. It’s hard for me to forget that.”
“Then work on it. Now, how can I help you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it. Where’s Frankie?”
“She’s still in the stable with Kilmer.”
She froze. “What?”
“He came into the stable right after you left and said he’d take over putting up your horse.” He made a face. “I made a token protest, but you know I’m really not into working with horses. I knew Frankie would be safe with him and he seemed to know what he was doing.”
She nodded. “Yes, he knows horses.” But she didn’t want Frankie around him, dammit. She knew how magnetic the bastard could be, and she didn’t want Frankie influenced.
Robert was studying her expression. “It seemed okay. She is safe, isn’t she? I called a buddy in Washington this morning and did a check on Kilmer. There wasn’t much on file, but Stolz said he heard rumors Kilmer used to be hot stuff with the agency.”
She glanced at him. “Used to be?”
“He severed relations with the CIA eight years ago.”
“What?”
“You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t want to know anything about him except that he was out of my life. The CIA took care of that. They gave me a new identity and you.” She glanced longingly at the door of the stable. She wanted to go running in there but she had to be more composed before she faced Frankie again. She was still angry with Crane and she didn’t want Frankie to sense her urge to jerk her away from Kilmer. She’d stay here with Robert until she was calmer. “What’s Kilmer doing now?”
“Search me. You know him pretty well. You guess. What’s he qualified to do?”
Anything he wanted to do. She’d never met anyone more capable of manipulating circumstances to suit himself. He was a natural commander and his people were fanatically loyal. “When I met him, he was running a special commando team for the CIA. He specialized in guerrilla raids and complex operations. The CIA sent him in when the situation was too hot for the usual commando teams.”
Robert gave a low whistle. “Impressive.”
Yes, that’s what she’d thought when she had first met Kilmer. His manner was quiet, offhand, but his presence dominated effortlessly. “Occasionally, North would send him an agent he wanted to season.”
“And he sent you?”
“He sent me.”
“How was it?”
“As heady as drinking straight whiskey. As scary as walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon. He knew exactly what he was doing and swept us along with him. I was only twenty-three and he was larger than life. I was almost as dazzled as the rest of the team when I was around him.”
“But you got over it.”
“Oh, I got over it.” She couldn’t wait any longer. She was getting Frankie away from Kilmer. “I’ll go get Frankie.” She headed for the stable door. “Stay here and I’ll bring her out to say good-bye.”
“Don’t be in such a hurry. They’re going to have to pry me away from the two of you.”
“You have a job, Robert. Don’t risk it. I understand.” She added ruefully over her shoulder, “When I’m not mad as hell.”
She heard Frankie’s voice as soon as she entered the stable. “Darling is really my favorite. It doesn’t seem fair to have favorites, but Charlie gave Darling to me, and Mom says that some horses have a special understanding.”
“I’m sure she’s right,” Kilmer said. “She knows a good deal about horses. He’s certainly handsome.”
“I like palominos. Darling reminds me of Roy Rogers’s horse, Trigger. Did you know that Trigger knew fifty tricks?”
“No. I heard he was smart but that’s amazing.”
Grace was close enough now to see Kilmer and Frankie in Darling’s stall. Frankie’s expression was animated as she looked up at Kilmer, and Kilmer was smiling at her. It was a wonder that Kilmer had been able to stir Frankie out of her depression, if only for the moment.
“Frankie.”
Frankie nodded as she glanced at Grace. “Just finishing, Mom. I had to help Mr. Kilmer. He didn’t know where anything was.”
“Jake,” he told Frankie. “We can’t shovel manure together and still be on formal terms.”
She smiled. “I guess not.”
“Robert is waiting for you, Frankie,” Grace said. “He’d like to say good-bye.”
Frankie’s face fell. “That’s right. We’ll have to leave Robert. I didn’t think about that.”
“He’s just as sad as you are, Frankie. It’s not forever. Good friends stay good friends.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She wiped her hands on the towel draped over the door of the stall. “It’s just that everyone seems to be . . . going.” She didn’t wait for an answer but ran down the aisle toward the door.
Grace gazed after her. “Dammit to hell.”
“They’re not assigning Blockman to you again?” Kilmer asked. “Can you request him?”
“No.”
Kilmer’s gaze was narrowed on her face. “Why not?”
She was silent.
“Why not?”
“Because I told North and Crane to go to hell.”
“Interesting.” He was perfe
ctly still, but she could feel the storm beneath the calm. “May I ask why?”
“Crane wanted to play goat and tiger with me and Frankie as the price for continuing protection. I told him to stuff it.”
He was silent. “I believe I may have to pay a visit to Crane at the earliest opportunity.” He added, “Though his stupidity may work to my advantage if it drives you toward me. Does it?”
“No.”
“Tell me that after you’ve had time to consider all the consequences.” He turned and headed for the door. “I’ll leave Dillon here to play night watchman and horse sitter until Baker’s people take over in the morning. Are you going back to the motel?”
“For tonight.” She gave Darling a final pat and followed him. “After that I’m gone. As soon as I firm up a plan, I’ll go to the bank and take out money. You said I had a couple days. Does that still hold?”
“As far as I know. Donavan is keeping his finger on Marvot’s pulse at El Tariq and I’ll have notice.” He paused. “I already have a plan, Grace. And I have a good team to protect you.”
“Robert said you weren’t with the CIA any longer.”
“You know half my people weren’t CIA even when you were with me. It wasn’t difficult to replace the government agents. And a lot of them chose to stay with me.”
She could believe that. Kilmer inspired loyalty without even making the effort. “To do what?”
He shrugged. “To do what I’m hired to do. There’s always use for a well-oiled military machine in this world. I’ve done everything from rescuing kidnapped oil executives in Colombia to ridding the U.S. Army of terrorist snipers in Afghanistan. Nothing much changed when I quit the CIA.”
“Then why did you quit?”
He met her gaze. “The same reason you quit. It all went bad.”
“And you didn’t help.”
“I’m not going to justify myself,” he said quietly. “I did what I had to do. I’m not a miracle man. I had to make a choice.”
“Your choice sucked.” She looked away from him. “It might have killed my father.”
“It didn’t, but there was that possibility. I had to move fast to save the four other men on my team who we had to leave at El Tariq that night. Your father was in Tangiers. I wouldn’t have had time to reach him before Marvot could set up a trap.”
“And you didn’t let me go to him.” Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You knocked me out and then locked me in that damn cellar. I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t need you. I could have reached my father on my own.”
“Marvot would have been waiting for you. I sent your father a warning just in case I was wrong. He didn’t leave Tangiers. Does that tell you anything?”
“Maybe he didn’t get the warning.”
“He got it.” Kilmer shook his head. “But he didn’t need a warning. He knew what had happened at El Tariq.”
“He didn’t know. He was the one who told the CIA about Marvot in the beginning. He got me the job at El Tariq. It wasn’t his fault that Marvot was tipped off.”
“I’ve told you before. Your father tipped him off, Grace.”
“No, that’s a lie. He wouldn’t do that. He knew I was there. He loved me.”
Kilmer didn’t answer.
“He loved me,” she repeated.
“Maybe he thought he could get you out before the sky fell in. But we were moving very fast toward the end of the mission.” He shrugged. “We’ve gone through this before. You didn’t believe me then. You won’t believe me now. So let’s put it behind us and deal with what’s happening. You need me to protect Frankie, and I have the means and the willingness to do it. Let me help you.”
She tried to control the anger and sense of betrayal those memories had brought flooding back. She jerkily shook her head. “I can do it myself.” She gazed across the stable yard at Frankie and Robert. “I have to get over there. Frankie doesn’t look too upset, thank God.”
“She’s very close to him?”
She started across the yard. “Yes.”
“Close to you too?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “What?”
“Do you sleep with him?”
She stopped. “That’s none of your business.”
“I know. It doesn’t seem to make any difference.”
His tone was quiet, but it was charged with all the intensity she remembered.
Oh, my God, and her body was readying, responding, as if their intimacy had been yesterday instead of nine years ago.
No!
“It won’t matter what I feel, Grace,” he said. “You’ll be totally in control if you decide to trust me to take care of the problem.”
She’d never been in control with him. He’d only had to touch her and she’d melt. That sexual attraction had bewildered and frightened her. At first, she’d thought it was just hero worship but it had become like a drug in those following weeks, totally out of control.
It couldn’t be the same feeling. She was older now and she had every reason not to feel anything but anger and bitterness toward him.
His smile held a slight element of sadness. “It doesn’t seem to make any difference to you either, does it? Don’t feel bad. Hormones have nothing to do with cool logical thinking.” He turned away. “I’ll be close to your motel tonight. I gave Blockman a card with my cell number to give you. If you need me, call.” He strode away from her toward the road.
She was glad he was gone. That moment had shaken her and she didn’t want to deal with him right now. She had thought she had put him out of her life but evidently that didn’t include physical instincts.
She could handle it. Maybe their affair had ended too abruptly for there to be closure. Some remaining tendrils of emotion were probably natural in situations like this. Maybe the next time she saw him it would be with no sexual tension at all. She had to remember who he was and what he had done and everything would be back to normal.
Normal?
What was normal in this world where sweet guys like Charlie could be killed for no reason?
I like Mr. Kilmer,” Frankie said as she settled down in bed that night. “I mean Jake. He told me to call him Jake. I think he’s cool. But you don’t like him, do you?”
“I used to like him,” she said noncommittally. “Why do you think he’s cool?”
“He listens. Most people don’t really listen to kids. But he does.” She yawned. “And I think he’s smart. He doesn’t say much but he sort of— Is he smart, Mom?”
“Very smart.”
“And you worked with him when you were a super-duper spy?”
“I wasn’t a super-duper anything. I just did a job.” She kissed her forehead. “Are you feeling any better, baby?”
“I don’t know. When I was in the barn, I started crying again.”
“That’s natural. You think you’re okay and then something happens and you’re crying again.”
“You too?”
“Me too. But the important thing is that we did what Charlie would have wanted today. And that we remember him every day with love. And we can do that, can’t we?”
“Sure.” Frankie reached up to brush Grace’s lashes with a gossamer touch. “They’re wet.” She suddenly buried her head in Grace’s breasts. “It hurts me when you hurt. What can I do?”
Grace’s throat was tight as she hugged her close. “Love me. And I’ll love you. That’s the cure for almost everything.” She pushed her back down on the pillows. “Now go to sleep.”
“Everything’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” Frankie whispered. “Nothing bad is going to happen to us again?”
Grace nodded. “Nothing will happen to you. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
“And you,” she insisted.
“And me.” She tucked the blanket around her. “I have to keep myself safe so that I can keep you safe. It’s a package deal. Good night, baby.”
“Good night, Mom.”
Grace turned out the
bedside light and turned back the sheet on the other bed. She doubted if she could sleep, but she wanted Frankie to have the comfort of someone in the room if she woke in the night. Her daughter had had enough insecurity and terror in the past few days to last her for a lifetime.
Frankie was already asleep. She could hear her steady, deep breathing.
Grace went over to the window and looked down at the parking lot two floors below. What did she expect to see? An elite militia force invading this small town? Perhaps. Marvot could afford an elite force if he could afford that bounty he’d put on their heads.
But no force he could hire would be as good as Kilmer’s team.
Her hand clenched on the drape. Her lack of shock at that thought demonstrated that it hadn’t come too far out of left field. No matter how she wanted to push his offer of help away, it kept returning. Kilmer was qualified to help Frankie on a scale that no one else could come near. If Grace went off on her own, it would mean being on the run and a million times more vulnerable. She’d scoped dozens of possible bolt-holes, but none of them was as safe as being under Kilmer’s wing.
Frankie was murmuring in her sleep. Dreaming?
And would that dream become a nightmare? Grace had promised her she would be safe. Did she have the right to turn down Kilmer when he could guarantee Frankie her best chance?
Yes, blast it, Grace was intelligent and capable, and she didn’t want interference from—
Screw it. It was what Frankie needed, not what Grace wanted. Let Kilmer bust his butt protecting Frankie. She deserved everything he could give her.
She reached for her cell phone and dialed Kilmer’s number written on the card Robert had given her. She said as soon as he picked up, “I don’t have a choice, dammit. She’s got to be safe.”
“Clarify.”
“The answer is yes. But it’s going to be on my terms, and if I don’t like how you’re handling anything, I’m going to bail. Understand?”
“Understood. I’ll get cracking. Have her ready to leave by five in the morning.”
“Don’t run in here like a steamroller. I don’t want her scared.”
“I’ll surround her with all the familiar comfort I can. But you’ll be the deciding factor. You’re the center of her life. You’re the one who’ll have to give her confidence in what we’re doing.”