Suspects(32)

“Yes,” he answered her question. “Usually, but not when I travel.” She was looking at him carefully, as though she could see inside his mind. It didn’t frighten him. He liked it. He liked everything about her. They were on even ground, which was a first for her.

“You’re not a lawyer, are you?”

He shook his head slowly. “No, I’m not.” She was too smart for her own good, but he loved that about her.

“What are you really? I mean, what do you do?”

“I work for the CIA. And that’s all I can tell you. Like in the army, name, rank, and serial number. I’m a senior supervising agent, and run a branch in New York.”

She was intrigued, then sat up on the bed and looked down at him. “Why did you come to the party at the store?” She was beginning to think that it wasn’t an accident that she’d met him.

“For two reasons. We had someone under surveillance who went to the party, and I wanted to meet you. That’s the whole truth. I didn’t happen into the back room by accident. I was looking for you.”

“Why?” She was puzzled by his answer.

“To be honest, I don’t know. I just felt compelled to meet you, as though I had to, for reasons even I didn’t understand. Now I know. The minute I saw you, I felt this incredible pull toward you, like a magnetic force I couldn’t resist and didn’t want to.”

“I felt it too,” she admitted softly. “I felt it at the diner too.”

“So did I. Do you suppose we’re both crazy?” He actually meant it when he said it. He had wondered in the last week, but he didn’t think so.

“Maybe this was our destiny—it was meant to be,” she said thoughtfully.

“It feels that way,” he said, gently fondling her breast. “You make me happy, Theo. I don’t mean just like this. You make me happy like I’ve never been happy before.”

“Me too.” She was smiling at him. “And I’m not sorry, just so you know. And a CIA agent sounds quite exotic.” He smiled at what she said. She was graceful and elegant, even naked.

“It’s not. It’s anything but, but it’s a useful job. I’ve made a difference in people’s lives here and there. That’s why I signed up. It’s a good feeling.”

“You’ve made a difference in mine,” she said softly.

“Maybe we needed each other and that’s why we found each other. Maybe why doesn’t matter. It just is. I just don’t want you to regret it one day,” he said seriously.

“I don’t think I will,” she said, and he leaned over and kissed her.

“I know I won’t. And I never want you hurt again.” It was an enormous gift to give her, and a tall order to deliver in an unpredictable world, and they both knew it.

“Thank you,” she said and stood up next to the bed as he admired her. She was a beautiful woman and he felt like the luckiest man in the world. “I suppose we should dress and pretend to look normal. Do you think we can stay out of bed until the guards go to their rooms tonight?”

“It will be an interesting challenge,” he said, grinning at her as he rolled out of bed and stood next to her, towering over her. She felt small and safe next to him, and then they put their clothes back on, and he tucked the gun into his waist again. They wandered back into her office, trying to look as though they’d never left it. He leaned down and whispered to her.

“Your sweater is inside out,” he said in an undertone, and she giggled.

“So is my heart,” she answered, and he kissed her again.

“So is mine,” he whispered back.





Chapter 8


The rioters went crazy in the streets for the rest of the day, with the CRS riot police battling to control them while stores were broken into, vandalized, and looted, particularly on the Champs-élysées. Cars were burned, buildings defaced, and monuments destroyed. It was upsetting to see even on TV, and Mike was shocked by the degree of violence. It seemed like an excuse for vandals and thieves to ravage the city, masquerading under the banner of a good cause. They sang “La Marseillaise” as they set fire to cars. It made Theo feel sick as she listened, it was a travesty. Nothing justified the wanton destruction of property and violence. They sat watching the news reports on TV and it was depressing to see.

Theo made lunch for everyone in the apartment. Both the housekeeper and maid were off, but three of the rotation of bodyguards were there, and Mike talked with them during lunch. Then Theo and Mike sat alone for a while at her kitchen table.

“So what do we tell people you do? That you’re a lawyer?” she asked him.

“That’s usually what I tell people. My sister knows, but that’s as far as it goes. I tell people when I deal with other law enforcement agencies in whatever country I’m working with on an assignment, but I don’t announce it at dinner parties.” He smiled at her.

“Is what you do dangerous?” She looked worried.

“Sometimes. Not as dangerous as it used to be. I spent a number of years in South America working undercover. That has a fairly high mortality rate. It’s why most agents don’t get married or have kids. It’s not a life you want to inflict on someone else. When you do undercover work, you can be gone for a year or two at a time, with no communication. It’s tough on families. There’s a number you can call to leave or receive messages, but sometimes you can’t even do that, if it puts an operation at risk. They pulled me out eventually, at the right time. What I do now is a lot tamer, and involves a lot more deskwork. But there’s always a certain degree of risk. That’s why I didn’t want to drag you into it. It’s not fair to you.”