Suspects(44)

“I didn’t think of that,” he said, obviously disappointed. But so far, in a short time, long distance was working for them, although they both knew it might not forever. Theo didn’t want to think about that now. This was only the beginning of something very beautiful, for both of them.

After they left her office, she took him to Berthillon to buy ice cream, and he agreed that it was the best ice cream he’d ever eaten. She liked walking down the street with him and feeling like a couple.

They had dinner at home that night, and on Saturday they made a reservation at an Italian restaurant she knew he’d like that served homemade pasta and delicious food prepared by the grandmother in the kitchen. It had a family atmosphere. And she was right, he loved it.

“You’re such a contradiction, Theo,” he said to her over dinner. “With everything you have, you could do whatever you want, and you never show off. The simplest things give you pleasure.”

“Like making love with you day and night,” she whispered and kissed him, and he grinned.

“You know what I mean. Will you miss having the chateau if you sell it?”

“Probably. A little. It was a wonderful place to spend time as a family. It was built as a magnificent showcase, but we didn’t use it that way,” which was her style. Her apartment was beautiful, but it was cozy and felt like a home at the same time. She created warmth and good feelings wherever she was. She was changing his life too. His apartment in New York seemed unbearable to him now. The bare walls and ugly furniture were so depressing. The only décor were his computers and his gym equipment. It was a little too basic, industrial, and masculine even for him. His apartment had no charm whatsoever. He couldn’t imagine her staying there if she came to see him. He had thought about it and decided they should go to a hotel where she’d at least be comfortable. His apartment was more like a bare-bones office with a bed in it. There was nothing homey about it. It had taken him ten years to notice. He hadn’t even unpacked his books and trophies from his old apartment. He knew where they were if he ever wanted to see the trophies or read a book. The contrast between their two homes was astounding. He was so comfortable in hers, he never wanted to leave it.

They spent a quiet Sunday at home, in and out of bed before he left again. She hated to see him go when he was dressing to leave, and he looked as sad as she did.

“Will you be okay?” he asked her. She had that air of an abandoned child as she watched him. It tugged at his heart.

“I will. What about you? Will you be okay? It’s weird not being able to talk about your work. I never know what you’re working on. Is everything going well for you?” she asked, and he smiled.

“Everything goes well for me, perfectly in fact, the minute I see you.” They had just shared another beautiful weekend. He had to be at the airport at eight p.m. for a ten o’clock flight that would land him at JFK before one a.m. local time, and was due in the office the next morning. He knew he’d be thinking of her most of the way home, when he wasn’t sleeping. He flew business class because he was just too tall and powerfully built to travel coach and be able to function the next day. He wasn’t traveling on the government’s dime, and on his own.

She and her bodyguards went with him to the airport. She left him at security, which was as far as she could go with him since she wasn’t flying herself. She wished she was. She was going to miss him terribly. They grew more attached every time they saw each other, and so far there had been no bad moments between them. They were both easygoing people.

He kissed her one last time before he got into the security line.

He could see the DGSE agent assigned to her now, out of the corner of his eye, and was glad he’d be with her. There were too many evil forces focused on her now, the original kidnappers lost somewhere in Russia, Pierre de Vaumont poisoning her to chase her out of her chateau, unknown people who were envious of her, or being paid to harm her, or take advantage of her. He hated not being with her to protect her, but at least other professionals would. He saw her leave the terminal, with the plainclothes agent close behind her, glancing left and right, aware of his surroundings and the unseen threats, which hovered near her, out of sight but never gone. She was a brave woman. She got in her car with one bodyguard driving and the other in the front seat. She sat silently in the back, thinking of Mike and the happy times they shared. She missed him already, and she no longer felt as safe when he wasn’t there. No one protected her as he did.





Chapter 11


There was an odd article in the newspaper the next day. Theo saw it over breakfast. It said that socialite and entrepreneur Pierre de Vaumont had disappeared. He had failed to show up at a weekend house party where he was expected, and the hosts were concerned. They called his cellphone and got no answer, then went to his home on Sunday. The concierge in his building said he had left with two men in a black Mercedes on Friday night around midnight, and he hadn’t returned since. The concierge didn’t know if he was traveling abroad, as he often did, or away for the weekend. She couldn’t recall his taking any luggage when he left with the two men, and he hadn’t been seen again. She said he always kept odd hours and stayed out late. She thought he had many friends, although he never entertained at the apartment and was a quiet tenant. His friends had reported his disappearance to the police, and foul play had not been ruled out.