The Last Second (A Brit in the FBI #6)(8)
“Yes, my father said every gentleman had to waltz and do it gracefully, as if he’d emerged from the womb dancing to Strauss.”
“Come on, mates, enough with the mush,” Grand said as he walked in with a tray of grilled vegetables. “Chow’s ready. Nice flowers.”
Kitsune took the flowers, set them in a vase. “You did good, boyo, very good. Grant, pay heed. Nicholas bought these for their anniversary. Here we’ve been married for three months, and all I get is lobster and grilled aubergine?”
Grant laughed. “Oh, trust me, I know, and I won’t forget.” He moved close, lightly touched his fingers to her cheek. “You’ve given me the most bonkers three months of my life. I’m looking forward to years of the same.”
She swatted him with a towel, then leaned up and kissed his mouth. “You’re lucky I’m mad for you.”
They brought everything to the veranda, even the flowers, set precisely in the middle of the table. The veranda was heavenly scented, the stucco warm and inviting, the trellis covered in lush green vines dotted with jasmine, the small lemon orchard above and to the side making the whole hill smell like sunshine. A light breeze blew off the sea. It was a glorious moment in time, Mike thought, a moment to remember and treasure. Bonkers, she thought, an excellent word. All their lives were amazing and, yes, bonkers.
In between bites, Kitsune said, “The mystery, Nicholas? Tell us what puzzle your mother is solving, then I want to know Mike’s favorite spot you’ve visited during your vacation.”
Nicholas speared a grilled carrot. “Mum said Mrs. Able, the owner of the Cock and the Crow, a local inn in Farrow-on-Gray, found a dead man in his room, shot through the head, the room ransacked. The room was rented to a man from London for one night, a stranger. But it was no stranger Mrs. Able found. The dead man was a local solicitor, good reputation, solid family. And on his forehead, in his own blood, was a cross with a small blood dot on each side of the crossbar, and a huge blood X on his chest. Mrs. Able came to see my mum immediately and it was my mum who called the local constabulary. She’s investigating along with Inspector Crabbe, a dour old curmudgeon who adores her and treats her like the queen.”
“So what happened? Did you mother figure it out yet?”
“It’s only been a few days. She said she’d keep me posted and to give Mike a big kiss and remind her of her promise and to text me any ideas.”
“Promise?” An eyebrow went up as Kitsune dipped lobster into hot butter.
“Unwritten and unspoken, but clear enough,” Mike said. “I’m to keep him safe and in perfect health. Or else. Now, onward. My favorite spot so far? I really liked Santorini. Well, of course, and there’s Crete.”
Nicholas tugged on her ponytail. “Admit it, Mike, you’re getting antsy, you want some action, maybe fly back to England and help my mum solve this murder mystery. All this wallowing in the sunshine and floating in the Mediterranean is getting to you.”
Was she getting antsy? She thought of exploring Rome and said, “Nah, not yet.” She waved her hands around her. “Capri is spectacular. We did the Blue Grotto this morning, what a cool spot. And it’s beautiful here. If this was my view every day, maybe I wouldn’t ever want to leave.”
Kitsune said, “Ah, but duty always calls, doesn’t it? A lovely balance we all have, I say. After wallowing for a while, I’m contacted when there’s something to, ah, liberate, Blue Mountain tells Grant there’s someone for him to protect, and for you two, there’s always someone naughty to discipline. And speaking of stopping bad guys—you’re gaining quite a reputation. Saving the president again, and the Queen and prime minister? I hear you were knighted, Nicholas, and Mike is now a dame. Impressive. My advice? Wallow while you have the chance. There’s always something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight, waiting to grab you by the throat.”
Grant said, “What’s lurking for me is heading up a team to protect a man in Malaysia. Should be pretty straightforward. I ship out tonight.”
Nicholas said, “So Blue Mountain has forgiven you for getting yourself kidnapped, and you’re back in the saddle. Glad to hear it.”
“They even gave me enough downtime to do pretty substantial upgrades to our security here. My boss, name’s Wesley Fentriss, said to make it solid so I’d never be taken from here again, or he’d shoot me. The man I’m going to protect is Jean-Pierre Broussard. You’ve heard of him, yes?”
Nicholas raised a brow. “The Frenchman who founded Galactus Space Industries?”
“That’s the chap. Turns out he’s just as interested in treasure hunting as in space exploration, and has his megayacht somewhere near Malaysia. Apparently, his treasure hunting is so lucrative he needs major security, so Blue Mountain has been rotating teams in and out for the past month. I’ve been assigned to head the next team. As I said, I fly out tonight.”
Nicholas asked, “Is Broussard searching for anything in particular, do you know?”
“No clue, but it must be something special. We don’t normally provide generic guard duties, but there are pirates in that area, so he’s concerned what treasure he finds could be stolen. It should be interesting. I’ve heard the yacht is four hundred feet long, one of the most state-of-the-art in the world. I saw a photo—it looks like floating spaceship.”