by Marja McGraw
“So is Grigori Konyakov.” Piper reached up and gently ran her finger down the scar on Rick’s face before dropping her hand to her side.
“What? Konyakov is still alive? He can’t be.” He reached up and touched the scar as Piper had done.
Chris and I glanced at each other, having figured out who was responsible for Rick’s injury. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to put things together.
Everyone in the room had their eyes glued to the spies who’d insinuated themselves into our lives. I thought we all wanted details; at least, I know I did.
Rick dropped his hand. “How do you know he survived? He cut my face and ran back into the building. He had to have been killed in the explosion.”
Rick wasn’t a young man and his face had turned a pale gray color. He worried me.
“Rick,” I said, “please sit down. I’ll get you some water.”
He didn’t acknowledge me other than to sit on a brown recliner.
I turned to head for the kitchen. Chris, Sr. waved me off and left the room, returning shortly with a glass of water. He handed it to Rick and retreated to the dining table.
The elderly spy took a good, long drink of water before taking a deep breath. He sat back and watched the other two seniors. Gradually, his color returned.
“Give me an answer, William. How do you know he survived?”
Piper reached over and took hold of Rick’s hand. “Please, from now on call us James and Piper. We have new lives and we’re used to our secondhand names. Besides, we need at least a little anonymity.”
Rick took a deep breath and turned to James. “I need an answer. I never heard another word about Grigori after that day.”
James didn’t hesitate to speak up. “He took on a new identity. His injuries, and several surgeries, changed his appearance completely.”
“Are you sure? How do you know this?” Rick looked angrier by the minute.
I guessed I would, too, if someone did to me what this Grigori guy had done to Rick’s face.
“I still have a few contacts. It was suspected that he’d survived, but no one knew for sure until he started killing again. He left his signature on every assassination. Stupid, stupid man. He had too much pride in himself to change his ways. At first the agency thought it was a copycat assassin at work, but it didn’t take long for sources to give him up.”
“You want us to help you find a killer?” Judith looked both excited and fearful at the same time.
Rick turned and looked at her as though he’d forgotten she was standing near him. He didn’t utter a word, but instead turned and looked at James.
“How do you expect these people to help find an assassin?”
Chapter Twenty
James looked uncomfortable, and it was soon clear why. “I don’t expect them to help us find him. We know Grigori is still alive and in Los Angeles, at least for now. Maybe he retired here, but chances are he’s on a mission to find and kill us. When I say us, Rick, I mean you, too. Between extensive surgeries and age, we don’t know what he looks like now, but like I said, it appears there’s a leak. He knows Piper and I are alive and my contact thinks he knows about you being in California, too.” He paused and watched Rick for a reaction.
None was forthcoming.
James continued, speaking around the cigar clenched between his teeth. “As much as I hate to admit it, we need someone to cover our backs because we’ve slowed down and we don’t see or hear as well as we used to. My contact says at this point we can’t expect help from the agency. We’re dead, remember?”
“There must be someone else – “
“No,” Piper interrupted. “For all intents and purposes, we’re dead, or at least William and Marsha are deceased. The agency can’t acknowledge us, and don’t forget, it appears there’s a leak.”
James smiled at his wife before turning back to Rick. “Word has it he wants to kill us, but not until we tell him where certain information is hidden.”
“The purple cows! Of course.” Coral was excited and loud. “There’s something hidden in those cows, am I right?”
James cleared his throat. “Can you yell just a little louder? Grigori may not have heard you.”
“Oops.” Coral hung her head.
Carol snapped her fingers under Coral’s nose. “Told you, you have a big mouth.”
Coral slapped Carol’s hand away.
Chris rolled his upper lip under but unrolled it quickly.
I had a feeling he realized this was serious business. It wasn’t time for the Bogey Man to put in an appearance.
“Okay, we get the gist of what’s going on. What is it you want us to do? Pamela and I won’t do anything that might jeopardize our son.”
I had a feeling we were already involved whether we wanted to be or not. My son’s safety was foremost in my mind. “Chris, maybe we should fly Mikey back east to visit my parents for a while. The school is going to be closed for a week because of parent-teacher conferences anyway, and my mother’s been begging to see him.”
He dropped his head in a pose of thoughtfulness and tugged on his earlobe. When he looked up he seemed to have made up his mind.
“Ace will go stay with your parents. We don’t want him around this cackle factory anyway, see? He can come home when things are copacetic again.” The Bogey Man had stepped up to the plate unexpectedly.
He stood and turned to James. “I don’t think you tried to double cross us. You didn’t involve us on purpose. But I’ll tell you this – if we get involved we’re going to play it close to the vest. Got it?”
Piper grinned. “Now I know why they call you the Bogey Man. I feel like Humphrey Bogart is right here in the room with us.”
I glanced at my watch. “Chris, we’ve got to get going. Mikey’s coming home from school and we’ve got to get to work.”
I was used to the Bogey Man. Our spies weren’t. We had places to go and things to do.
“You change clothes and go to the restaurant. I’ll call my mother and make plane reservations before I meet you there.”
James reached in his pocket for his cigar and realized it was already in his mouth.
Piper clamped her lips together and looked away, obviously fighting laughter. She cleared her throat and turned back to him. “We need to have a confab, as you called it, with everyone. We need to figure out when we can all meet.”
James looked at me and raised his eyebrows in question.
“Uh. How about tomorrow morning at the restaurant? If we make it early, no one will be there yet.”
I looked around the room and saw each individual nod. They were all in, for better or worse. I was surprised, although I shouldn’t have been.
James held his hand out to Judith. “Now, about those cows…”
“I’ll bring them with me in the morning, if I remember where I put them.”
My eyes widened in surprise. Why on earth would she want to hang on to the cows now that she knew there was some secret about them, or something hidden inside of them?
I glanced at Chris. He had that we’re talking about my mother look on his face when he looked at me.
Of course, this is my mother-in-law I’m thinking about. The unconventional Judith Cross. The same woman who was always looking for a cause. The same woman who spent her life dreaming up strange hobbies. The woman who loved excitement. The same woman who never thought things through before acting.
“Judith,” I said, “why don’t you and Chris, Sr. come to the restaurant for dinner tonight? It’ll give us a chance to talk.”
“We’ll see,” she replied.
She knew I wanted to talk to her about the cows.
“We’ve got to go, too.” Piper stood and picked up her purse.
James stood, too, and turned to Rick. “Why don’t you follow us to our house and we’ll start putting a plan together?”
Follow them? Could he do that without running into them? I remembered he was driving the good car and hurried to the door t
o take a peek. Gorgeous. Just like he’d said, it was a silver Lamborghini Veneno Roadster.
“Yeah, like no one would notice you in that thing.” I said it quietly, but Constance had followed me to the door to see what caught my interest.
She sucked in her breath. “It doesn’t suit him. It might suit me, but not an old spy.”
I laughed and put my hands on her shoulders to turn her away from the door.
“It would suit you just fine.” Rick stood behind us, listening.
“Oh, I’m so sorry I said that.” Constance’s face turned a dull shade of red.
Rick winked at her. “I’ve had my eye on you. I’ll take you for a ride in it someday.”
She laughed and left us at the front door.
“Aren’t you the one,” I said. “Don’t you think she’s a bit young for you?”
“What is she? Fifty? Fifty-five? I like my women young.”
I’d always guessed Constance to be about fifteen years older than me. Maybe she was older than I thought. I’d have to tactfully ask her. We were such good friends that I never thought about her age.
I shook my head. “I think she’s too young for you.” Tactfulness was never my strong suit. Oh well…
He laughed and headed out the door, after surveying the area, ready to follow the Hathaways.
Piper joined me at the door. “Don’t mind him. He’s always had a taste for younger women, but he’s never forced the issue. All Constance has to do is tell him she’s not interested.”
“I’ll mention it to her.”
“We’ll see you in the morning. What time do you want us at the restaurant?”
“Why don’t we meet around seven? The lunch crew won’t start showing up that early.”
Piper rolled her eyes and I grinned. “That’s pretty early, but we’ll be there.”
James had stopped to talk to Chris and Chris, Sr., but now joined me and Piper.
“Let’s go, babe. We have a lot to talk to Rick about, and plans to put together.”
The Hathaways looked up and down the street, and left with Rick following them.
I joined the two Cross men. “What are we getting ourselves into?”
Chris rolled his upper lip under and studied me for a moment. “I don’t think we got ourselves into this, unless you consider the one phone call I made to Simon. Who knew his relative at the agency would be in the know about the Hathaways?”
“What if something happens to us? What about Mikey?”
Chris, Sr. spoke up. “Nothing is going to happen to any of us. I’ll make sure of that. And, God forbid, if something did happen, he’d go to your parents. They’re the more stable set of grandparents.”
My stomach felt queasy. “We’re talking about going after an assassin – an old assassin. What if he’s not right in the head?”
Chris pulled me close. “Worse than that, what if he is? From the sounds of it he’s a calculating man.”
“There’s one of him and…” Judith joined us and counted on her fingers. “…ten of us. We’ll be fine.”
“Judith, bring those cows with you tonight.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Chris, Sr.’s lips were tight, but this time it wasn’t a grin.
“Constance, can I borrow your magnifiers? I’m sure I’ll need them tonight.” I never took my eyes off of Judith while I spoke and I used the tone of voice I occasionally use on Mikey when he doesn’t listen to me. The tone that says I mean business.
I spoke to everyone in the room. “No one is to let Mikey know what’s going on. Understood?”
The twins nodded, Judith and Chris, Sr. gave me a look that said they already knew they should keep a lid on comments, and Constance gave me a thumbs up.
“That includes you, Bogey Man.”
He rolled his eyes, mimicking me.
Chapter Twenty-one
While Chris went home to change clothes and leave for the supper club, Constance and I drove to Mikey’s bus stop and waited for him. I watched my son climb down from the bus and admired him. Yes, I admired my son. He looked so happy and he seemed to have so many friends surrounding him.
I honked and he came running, waving good-bye to his buds.
On the way to Constance’s house I told him it looked like he might be taking a trip to see his grandparents.
“Mom! Really? How come I get to go? Has it snowed in Virginia yet? How long will I get to stay there? Do you think they’ll let me work in their store? Can I – “
“Slow down, Mikey. I haven’t called your grandma yet, but I know they’ve really missed you and want to see you. The school is having some special teacher conferences so you’ll be out of school for a few days. And I have no idea if it’s snowed yet, but I doubt it. I’m sure they’ll let you work in the store.”
Constance glanced over her shoulder at my son. “I’ll miss you, but I hope you have fun.”
Mikey grinned and sat back in his seat, mulling over the coming trip.
After dropping the two of them off at my friend’s house, I drove home and called my mother. Knowing how much time my parents spend at their mom and pop store, I dialed the number there.
My mother answered on the third ring. “Monson’s Grocery. This is Elaine. May I help you?”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Pamela! I was just thinking about you. It’s so good to hear from you. Hold on just a second while I… Never mind. It can wait. What’s going on out there in California?”
“It’s good to hear your voice, Mom. You’ve been wanting Mikey to come for a visit and school is going to be out for a few days. I know this is kind of sudden, but how about if he leaves here tomorrow? I can get him a plane ticket this afternoon.”
She hesitated before answering. “Are you and Christopher involved in another one of your little mysteries?” What a suspicious woman my mother can be.
Little mysteries? Death and mayhem… Well, maybe not quite mayhem, but our cases certainly haven’t been little.
“Uh, why no. Why would you think that?”
“Because this is so sudden. Not that I’m complaining,” she said quickly. “I’m happy to have Michael any time you want to fly him back here. But is there something going on? Be honest with me.”
Yeah, like that was going to happen – especially when I’d be talking about an assassin and spies. “No, Mom, it’s just time for him to spend some time with you and Daddy, and the restaurant has been busy, so now’s the time.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Will you call me back with the details?” My mother is a perceptive woman and I knew she didn’t quite believe me, but what could she do? She knew I wouldn’t blab even if she nagged me.
“Of course I will. He won’t be taking a taxi to the store, for heaven’s sake.” I laughed, trying to keep things light.
Mother didn’t laugh, but they spend so much time at the store that they don’t have time for humor, or at least that’s my opinion. “I’ll tell your father Mikey’s coming. He’ll be so excited. He adores that grandson of ours.”
“Has it snowed there yet? Mikey asked me about the weather. Besides, I need to know what to pack for the trip.”
It hadn’t snowed but it was getting cold. She gave me a detailed list of what to pack, which was typical of my mother.
She put her hand over the receiver and called to my father. “Carl, come talk to your daughter.”
My father took the phone from her and we talked for a few minutes while she took care of a customer. She was right. He was excited about Mikey’s visit. He said he hoped the weather would stay nice enough for him and Mikey to play catch and do a few “boy things”.
I grinned, thinking about how much I loved my parents. I truly missed seeing them on a day-to-day basis. I wasn’t sure what ever possessed them to move to Virginia, but they loved it there, cold weather and all.
I hung up feeling just a tad melancholy. I almost wished I could go with my son, but I shook it off.
The computer only took
a minute to boot up and I went through all the steps to buy plane tickets for my son. I dreaded the process at the airport, but it would certainly be worth it. I wanted – needed – to know my son would be safe. Past experience told me if he stayed home he’d involve himself in our latest fiasco. Unfortunately, I was thinking in terms of major fiasco.
He’d be leaving the following afternoon, Friday, and he’d miss at least one day of school when it was back in session. I called him at Constance’s house and reported what I’d set up. It was a mistake on my part; he probably wouldn’t sleep a wink all night.
After talking to him I changed clothes, loaded the dogs in the car and left for work. I fed Sherlock and Watson and checked their water before busying myself with restaurant duties.
My in-laws showed up around six o’clock. I noticed Judith carried a medium-sized cardboard box and I smiled, realizing she’d brought the purple cows with her. I sat them in a corner where we could have some privacy while we talked, and where the box would be safe.
Our George Raft lookalike was their waiter. After a little flirting with Judith, which the customers seemed to expect, he brought back drinks and took their orders.
Chris looked at them before taking a long look at me and he just shook his head. He knew, I had no doubt, that we were already getting started on our new case. Well, it wasn’t actually a case, but more of an assignment. Unfortunately we didn’t know what our assignment was yet. We’d probably find out in the morning.
Things were busy for a while and when they finally slowed down I planted myself on a chair at the Cross table, holding out my hand. I set the magnifiers on the table with my other hand.
Judith stared at my hand for a brief moment before opening the cardboard box and lifting out the calf. “Oh, here. You’re sure a determined woman.”
I waved the calf away. “No, I want to see the mother cow. That was the important one. I noticed there might be more to it than just a ceramic cow.”
She took her time pulling it out of the box and finally handed it to me, grudgingly.
I turned it over and studied the underside, but there wasn’t enough light. I knew there was a small flashlight at the Reservation Desk so I stood and turned in that direction to retrieve it.