On the Run

  On second thought, she’d unpack one bag but leave the other one packed and ready to go. She trusted Kilmer’s efficiency, but not the kindness of circumstances. It was always best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

  El Tariq, Morocco

  We think Kersoff located the woman and child,” Brett Hanley said as he came into the sunroom. “Alabama.”

  Marvot looked up from the game of chess he was playing with his ten-year-old son. “When may we expect them?”

  “Well, it’s not exactly . . . It wasn’t an entirely successful mission.”

  Marvot moved his piece. “Checkmate.” He frowned. “Guillaume, I’ve always told you to watch your queen. Now, run along and think about what mistakes you’ve made. This evening I want you to tell me how you could have won this game.”

  “I’m not sure—” Tears filled Guillaume’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Papa.”

  “Sorry isn’t enough.” He cupped the boy’s cheek with a gentle hand. “Listen, you must concentrate and get better so that I may be proud of you. That’s what you want, isn’t that so?”

  Guillaume nodded.

  “And I will be proud. You do better with every game.” He hugged the boy and then swatted him on his rump. “Now go do as I told you.” He watched the boy run away. “What absurdity are you trying to hand me, Hanley?”

  “Kersoff has disappeared.”

  “Then how do you know he found her? More to the point, how do you know he failed?”

  “Kersoff’s wife, Isabel, called me an hour ago. She said he’d found the woman and planned on completing the job two nights ago. But she hasn’t heard from him since early that evening. I followed up and found there were a woman and a child of the appropriate age living on a small farm in Tallanville, Alabama. The owner of the farm met with an automobile accident on the night in question and the woman, Grace Archer, and the child have disappeared.”

  “And Grace Archer is supposed to be our Grace Stiller?”

  Hanley nodded.

  “Then perhaps Kersoff is on his way to deliver them to me.”

  “Kersoff’s wife was—she was most concerned.” He smiled sarcastically. “She asked if you’d pay for information about her husband’s informant who’d located this Grace Archer. She evidently was more afraid that she was missing out on the gravy train than that her husband had disappeared. What shall I do?”

  “Go to see her. You have good judgment; use it. You can tell whether she’s just trying to squeeze me. If you think she knows something of value, find out what it is.”

  “And if she doesn’t?”

  “You know I hate people who try to gouge me. As I said, use your own judgment.” Marvot gazed down at the chess pieces. “How many men did Kersoff have?”

  “Three.”

  “And do you believe Grace Archer could have taken care of them by herself?”

  “She was very good. You told me so yourself.”

  “But four men, presumably taking her by surprise. It would be difficult unless she had help.”

  “Kilmer?”

  “It’s what I hoped would happen. It’s possible. When I found out that the bitch had given birth to Kilmer’s child, it opened a door for me. I know the power a child can have over a man. If anything could bring him out in the open, it would be that.”

  “But it’s the woman you really want?”

  “It’s the woman I have to have. She was truly incredible with the horses. For a while I thought she was going to be my answer to the puzzle. I still believe there’s a chance. I’ve had to be patient for a hell of a long time, but I knew I’d find her eventually. And evidently she’s just as deadly as she was nine years ago.” He picked up the chess piece that had lost Guillaume the game. “But then, you always have to watch out for the queen.”

  May I help?” Kilmer stood in the doorway of the kitchen. He looked at the soup simmering on the stove. “I guess not. You seem to have everything well in hand. I don’t remember you knowing how to cook.”

  “I learned. Frankie had to eat.” She got bowls from the cabinet. “And anyone can open a can of soup and put garlic bread in the oven.”

  “She’s still sitting out on the porch. Do you think you can get her inside for a meal?”

  “Yes. I’ll tell her she has to eat because we have to go to the stable and check out the horses. Do you know anything about them that I can tell her?”

  “The gray stallion is a two-year-old and has never been broken. The chestnut is supposed to be gentle and will probably be a decent mount for her. The black is a little temperamental but not vicious.”

  “What are their names?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t ask. I could call the owner and—”

  “Never mind. Frankie will probably like naming them herself.” She started for the door. “Where’s Robert? I haven’t seen him since we got here.”

  “I told him to take the jeep and do a little reconnoitering of the area. I figured it couldn’t hurt.”

  “No.” She took the tray of garlic bread out of the oven. “What did you promise him to get him to quit his job?”

  “A clear conscience about you and Frankie.” He handed her a plate to put the bread on. “And enough money to make sure his old age would be very comfortable.”

  “Then you must be doing very well.”

  “Yes, I always do well when left to my own resources. It’s only when I put my trust in others that I have problems.”

  “My father didn’t—”

  “I wasn’t referring to anyone in particular. Actually, I was thinking about the three years I was linked with the CIA. There were several times when they tied my hands.” He smiled into her eyes. “And wasted my time sending me greenhorns to train.”

  She pulled her gaze away. “How sad.”

  “Not at all. It was worth it. You made up for all of them.”

  “Really?” She forced herself to look back at him. “I take it you couldn’t persuade any of the others to go to bed with you.”

  “I didn’t try. North sent me only male trainees before you, and I’m not of that persuasion.” His smile faded. “I didn’t try with you either, Grace. It just happened. It was like an underground explosion. The first time I saw you I felt the ripples, and then all hell broke loose.”

  It had been like that for her too. She had been so cocky, so sure of herself and what she wanted out of life. Then she’d met Kilmer and been swept out to sea. “Yes, it did. But I felt the ripples after I left you too. I was pregnant. It wasn’t over for me.”

  “Grace, I thought it was safe. You told me—”

  “I know what I told you. I lied. I was crazy. I wanted it and nothing else mattered to me at that moment.”

  “I’m sorry, Grace.”

  She lifted her chin. “I’m not. I got Frankie. How the hell could I be sorry about that? You’re the one who should be sorry. You spent those eight years without her and didn’t even know what you were missing.”

  “I knew. North told me you were pregnant a day after you told him.”

  Her lips twisted. “And you rushed to my side.”

  “No. Would you like to know why?”

  “It was inconvenient. You didn’t want a pregnant lover.”

  He ignored the bitterness of her answer. “Marvot wanted you. You’d accomplished more than anyone else with the Pair. He was searching for you in every corner of the globe. I couldn’t find a place that would be safe for you. I was on the run and I’d lost half my team on that raid to get the Pair. I knew it was going to take a while to build it again. So I made a deal with North.”

  “A deal?”

  “He promised me witness protection treatment for you and the baby, with a bodyguard parked on your doorstep. The CIA was able to offer more protection than I could at that time. So I took the deal.”

  “And what did you give him?”

  “I did one very dirty job for him in Iraq and made him a promise I wouldn’t go after Marvot as long as they kept you un
der protection.”

  “Not go after him?” She frowned. “The CIA wanted to stop him. They gave us permission to take him out if he tried to stop us from stealing the Pair.”

  “But the winds of political opinion had changed even before the raid took place. Marvot clearly had several politicians in Congress on the payroll who were putting roadblocks in the way of the agency.”

  “Politicians? What the devil did Congress have to do with a crook like Marvot?”

  “Evidently quite a bit, from what I’ve found out from Donavan’s sources. Marvot was pouring lucre into several senators’ campaign funds to influence them to go over to the dark side. There was a big struggle going on in Congress and it centered on what was happening at El Tariq. The power kept shifting back and forth, and during one of the shifts the CIA was pushed by several members in Congress to raid El Tariq.” He held up his hand as she started to speak. “I know. It doesn’t make any more sense than anything else about the raid. We both wondered why the CIA wanted the Pair when we got orders to go after them. But like dutiful drones, we obeyed orders.”

  “There’s nothing dutiful about you.”

  “On the contrary, I consider doing my job well an irrevocable duty. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have asked questions after I had possession of the horses.” He shrugged. “But I didn’t have the chance. Everything was blown to hell. I wasn’t in a position to pursue the matter for a number of years.” He paused. “But I never forgot, Grace.”

  No, he wouldn’t forget, and he would be relentless in getting what he wanted. “And Congress just changed their minds about Marvot?”

  “Probably with the help of a stupendous increase in bribe money. All Donavan found out was that there was a final shift for Marvot’s benefit at the time. Then a few years later there was 9/11 and everything was in turmoil. I’m slowly putting the pieces together. I’m sure North thought that if he showed Congress a fait accompli they’d go along with him. It didn’t happen. We failed. So Marvot was allowed to continue at El Tariq and keep his fingers in a dozen dirty international pies.”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “It’s the truth. Ask North. Though I’m not sure how much truth he’d be allowed to tell you these days.”

  “It couldn’t be the truth. Crane wanted to set me up as bait for Marvot.”

  “Then Crane may be Marvot’s man and wanted to turn you over to him. Or he doesn’t know how strong the congressional lobbies are that could topple him from his job.” Kilmer shrugged. “Either way I couldn’t let him get his hands on you again.”

  “Let? It’s my choice, Kilmer.”

  “No, I leave you free choice where Frankie’s concerned.” He made a face. “Though I’m finding it increasingly difficult. You have no choice whatsoever about whether the two of you are going to live or die. I’ll fight you tooth and nail on that score. You’re going to live.” He moved toward the door. “I’ve waited too long to be cheated now.”

  “What the hell do you think you’re—”

  He was gone.

  And she was shaking. Anger? Indignation? Shock? Her reaction was a mixture of all three. All these years she’d thought the CIA had protected her because they were responsible for her being on the run from Marvot. That it was because a deal had been struck with Kilmer came as a shock. She didn’t want to be beholden to him for anything, dammit. And he had no right to think he could step in and run her life. She’d accepted his protection for Frankie, but there would be no—

  She drew a deep breath. Calm. Kilmer had always been able to arouse a response no one else could. She couldn’t allow that to happen again. She had to think clearly about the content of his words. If what he said was true, then she couldn’t trust the CIA even if she made a deal with them.

  And she didn’t doubt it was the truth. Kilmer had never lied to her. It was one of the attributes she’d admired the most about him. She could always count on blunt honesty if she asked for it. It had once made her feel secure to know that honesty was a rock she could cling to in the violence that surrounded them.

  “Is that for Frankie?” Robert stood in the doorway, looking at the plate. “Would you like me to go get her?”

  Grace shook her head. “I’ll go myself.” She paused. “Well, did you find any wolves in those hills?”

  “Only the four-footed kind. And I saw those at a distance. Kilmer didn’t really expect anything else. He’s just being careful.”

  “And you’re taking his orders. Doesn’t that bother you?”

  He thought about it. “No. He’s polite and he knows what he’s doing. He paid me a whopping big bonus to come over to his team. He’s got a right to give the orders.” He tilted his head. “I understand he once gave orders to you. Did you mind?”

  She looked away. “No, you’re right. He knows what he’s doing.” She moved toward the door. “I’d better get Frankie. Her food will get cold.”

  “It won’t matter. She won’t taste it. I remember she had that same look on one of our pizza nights. We might as well not have been there.” He paused. “I’m glad she’s got something to occupy her mind. I thought she might brood.”

  “She’s still thinking about Charlie. She’s just dealing with it in her own way. That’s what we all have to do, isn’t it?” She passed him and a moment later she was out on the porch. It was sunset, and the pink-and-lavender-tinged clouds hovering over the mountains were magnificent. “Frankie?”

  Frankie glanced over her shoulder. “Nice, huh, Mom?”

  “That’s an understatement.” She sat down on the step beside her. “Beautiful. But it’s time to get something to eat, Frankie. Soup and garlic bread okay?”

  “Fine.” Frankie looked back at the sunset. “We don’t have mountains like this back home. I bet Charlie would have liked it here.”

  “I’m sure he would. But Charlie was all for gentle ponies, not bucking broncos. He always left the broncs to me.”

  “I was thinking. I bet he wasn’t like that all his life. He went through World War Two, and that must have been like riding a bronc.”

  “Worse.”

  “So maybe he only wanted the gentleness when he got old. Maybe when he was younger he wanted crashing cymbals instead of violins, Tchaikovsky instead of Brahms.”

  “It could be.” She slipped her arm around Frankie’s shoulders. “Where is this going, baby?”

  “I just have to be careful. It’s got to be right for Charlie. Do you remember when I told you I heard the music again that it was just a whisper?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think it might have been Charlie.”

  Grace went still. “Charlie’s not with us anymore,” she said gently.

  “But maybe he’s like the music. You don’t know where it comes from but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Do you think maybe that could be true?”

  “I believe anything is possible.” She cleared her throat. “And I think Charlie would like the idea that you’re comparing him to your music.”

  “No, not mine; this one is Charlie’s.” Her gaze shifted back to the sunset. “That’s why it’s got to be right. Broncos and gentle ponies and cymbals and everything that Charlie— It’s got to be right.”

  “I can see that.” She could see more than the picture that Frankie was drawing for her. She’d told Robert that Frankie would deal with her grief in her own way, but she’d never dreamed it would be with this gift to Charlie. Or maybe it was Charlie’s last gift to Frankie. Either way, it was moving and beautiful and right. “Can I help?”

  Frankie shook her head. “It’s coming slow. It’s a whisper, but it’s louder now.” She jumped to her feet. “I’m hungry. Let’s go in and eat supper and then look at the horses.”

  Frankie was back in child mode and Grace accepted it gratefully. She didn’t know how much longer she would have been able to keep her composure. “That’s a great idea. We’ll have to do some heating in the microwave.”

  “I’ll do it. I kept you out her
e.” She headed for the door. “I just wanted to talk to you. It makes things clearer. . . .” The last words drifted off as Frankie ran into the house.

  Clearer?

  It seemed to her that Frankie saw things with crystal clarity. There was no truth like that seen through the eyes of a child.

  She glanced at the sunset one more time. It was almost gone, disappearing in a maze of deep purple. There was no longer a wind. At least, she couldn’t hear it. Perhaps it was there, still singing through the pines.

  And probably Frankie could hear it.

  6

  Which one do you like?” Frankie asked as she stared eagerly at the horses. “I like the gray.”

  “He’s beautiful. But he’s not been broken, so you’ll have to wait until I can get around to it.”

  “That’s okay. I like them all.” She cautiously reached up her hand to stroke the chestnut. The mare lowered her head to Frankie’s touch and neighed softly. “And this one likes me too.”

  “Then we’ll have to make sure that you get better acquainted.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Kilmer didn’t know. So we’ll name them again ourselves. What do you think suits her?”

  Frankie tilted her head. “She has soft eyes and she looks like she knows things. Like that gypsy we saw at the carnival.”

  “Gypsy?”

  Frankie nodded. “Gypsy.”

  “Do you want to start taking care of her in the morning?”

  “First thing. May I ride her then?”

  “As long as I’m there to watch.”

  “Pardon me, ladies.” Dillon was coming down the aisle toward them. “But you’re not going to have to take care of the horses. Kilmer took pity on me and is bringing in some of the team who are familiar with our equine friends.” He grinned. “Thank God.”

  “Frankie will still take care of the horse she chooses as her mount.”

  Frankie nodded solemnly. “It’s the way you have to do it. The horse rewards you by letting you ride her and you reward the horse by caring for her. Gypsy will have to get used to me and know I care about her.”

  “I apologize,” Dillon said. “I didn’t understand. Is it okay if the guys take care of the other horses?”