Missing You

by Shereen Vedam

  “You could help me find her,” he said to Brenda, hoping his desperation hadn’t let his thinking get carried away. “You know Conroy, her boss, don’t you? I could see there was a history between you. Then I wondered if Janet not being able to find any background on you was somehow connected. If you, too, could have once been a spy.”

  BY LATE EVENING, MORGAN couldn’t believe he was on a plane traveling half way across the world to find the woman he loved.

  While at his house, the idea of finding Phoebe and telling her how he felt had seemed reasonable. He had to make her understand that he wanted her back. Yet, now that his wish had materialized, he realized the danger he had put not only himself in, but others whom he loved, because he wasn't traveling alone.

  Life had moved fast once Brenda confirmed that she was in fact an ex-spy. She said she still had contacts at Company headquarters in Langley. Conroy wouldn’t readily give up the details of Phoebe’s whereabouts, but she knew of ways to get around him.

  “They didn’t call me the best field agent ten years running for nothing,” Brenda had said.

  The note of pride in her voice had made Morgan wonder if she missed all this cloak-and-dagger stuff after she settled into married life. Would Phoebe, if she really did give up the spy game?

  Brenda then gave Morgan a stern look and added, “I won’t allow you to endanger my daughter. The most important thing about working in the field is to keep our cover. As an amateur, you could inadvertently put her life on the line.”

  “You’ll have to be our guide then,” her husband said, in a confident tone.

  “Agreed,” Morgan had said, shocked by the development that both of Phoebe’s parents planned to accompany him to Sri Lanka.

  “We’ll have to act quickly.” Brenda had appeared thrilled by the prospect of an adventure. “It won’t take Conroy long to figure out what we’re up to. I’ll call the airport and book us a flight out of the country tonight.” She paused to study both Morgan and David. “If anyone wants to back out, now is the time.”

  In the end, it was decided that Phoebe’s parents and Morgan would pretend to be tourists hitting the white sandy beaches of Sri Lanka and, if necessary, turn the country upside down to find Phoebe. The trick would be to do it covertly, so her mission wouldn’t be compromised.

  Within a few hours, Helen and Tucker were on their way back home to watch over Walter, while Phoebe's parents and Morgan prepared to leave the country.

  Brenda called another meeting later that day to outline their itinerary. Their flight would take them first to London and from there, they’d board an Air Sri Lanka flight to Colombo, the commercial capital of the tiny island country.

  Wanting to be prepared, Morgan paid for inflight internet service. Once on board, as soon as they switched off the warning light, he began to Google their destination, vlogs and tourist hot spots, while his two companions slept. Before he realized it, they’d arrived in Colombo.

  They entered the city’s Ratmalana Airport. The crowded building added to Morgan’s immediate sense of claustrophobia.

  The chatter was nonstop. People spoke in at least two or three different foreign languages, as well as English. He couldn’t distinguish most of it except for the occasional English word thrown in.

  Morgan’s ears were ringing and the crush of people made it hard to breathe. His admiration rose for Phoebe’s ability to not only learn foreign tongues but blend in with this culture enough to spy on these people. He had fallen in love with a talented woman.

  The sheer number of tourists surprised him. There were as many English, French and Germans present as there had been at Heathrow, where they’d changed planes.

  Luckily, since he was a good head taller than the sea of dark heads, he could check out how far it was to the exit and keep his party to a steady forward progress. The airport was like any other international port, down to numerous signs and announcements in English.

  Brenda said it was the tail end of the tourist season for this coastal city. Shortly, the monsoon season would begin.

  “Hope we make it outside before then,” he muttered.

  She gave him a sympathetic glance and went to convert some of her American dollars into rupees, the local currency.

  Once outside, Morgan felt better. Taxis and what looked like a variation of pedicabs, called rickshaws, lined the road. Several drivers haggled for their custom.

  Once they were underway, Morgan rolled down the taxi window to let in a breeze and was surprised to find he enjoyed the hot and balmy wind that blew into the vehicle. The driver spoke fluent English in a singsong accent while flashing them a cheerful smile. Smiles seemed to come easily to Sri Lankans. In contrast, outside, aside from the sounds of traffic, was the constant intermittent rude blare of horns.

  “It’s how local drivers signal each other here,” Brenda said. “Car signal lights are mostly just for show or for use by tourists.”

  Following Brenda’s instructions, their driver dropped them off outside a hotel on Galle Road. It looked to be a Colonial-style mansion. Getting out of the fast-moving windy taxi and into the still humid air was an experience in heat.

  They walked through large carved doors that lead to a lobby tastefully decorated with antique furniture. Balcony doors were open, letting in fresh cool air, and ceiling fans swirled a refreshing breeze. The painted concrete floor had red and black borders with an intricate swirling and curving design in the center.

  The reception desk looked like any he’d find in Oregon. There was a computer and the dark-skinned male receptionist wore a smart blue and black uniform. Brenda signed them in and asked for pamphlets on local holidays. The man went into the back room to fetch a map and Morgan and David watched amazed as she calmly picked up the computer keyboard, twisted the monitor around and searched the listing.

  He looked around to see if anyone was watching but the few people who were in the lobby this early seemed otherwise occupied. By the time he turned back, the keyboard had been returned, the monitor turned back and Brenda impatiently tapped her fingers as if she were tired of the long wait.

  The receptionist apologized for the delay and gave her the information she requested, pointing out places and entertainments she might want to check out. She asked him which side of the building they’d been assigned their suite, and then requested a different view. By now, Morgan caught on to the way Brenda worked. He’d bet his last rupee she knew which room belonged to Phoebe and maneuvered the receptionist to get them one nearby.

  After a bit of a discussion, the receptionist rang a bell and a boy ran around the corner, picked up their bags and led them toward the elevator. Once on the fourth floor, they waited in their room until the bellboy had received his generous tip and left.

  Brenda then unscrewed a bedroom doorknob.

  “What are you doing?” Morgan asked.

  “I couldn’t smuggle a gun into the country,” she said. “We need some other type of weapon in case there’s trouble.”

  “A doorknob?” he asked, unable to hide his shock.

  “We must work with what we can.” Weapon in hand, she led the way two doors down and across the hall to Phoebe’s room.

  After Brenda fiddled with two long narrow tools, the catch released. She hesitated before opening the door, checking it all around the edges. Slowly, she eased the door in. They entered and shut it behind them.

  The room was dark and quiet. From the little moonlight coming through the window, Morgan identified a bed with a mosquito netting covering it and next to that, a side table. Long see-through curtains lay on either side of the only window, and a small round dining table and chairs were placed beside that.

  “Phoebe?” Brenda whispered. “It’s Mom.”

  Lights flashed on and Morgan was blinded. Once his eyes adjusted, he spotted Conroy.

  The man moved away from the side of a closet and strode toward them. He stopped before Brenda, arms folded. “I knew you couldn’t stay away. You’ve kept her from thi
s life, David, for thirty years.” He wore a Cheshire smile. “Must be quite the love you two share.”

  David shifted beside Morgan. A glance confirmed his friend wasn’t any happier with those provocative words. Morgan went in search of a sign that Phoebe had been here.

  “Where’s my daughter?” Brenda asked.

  “Not here.” Conroy chuckled. “Do you really think I’d be so foolish as to let you get confidential information so easily?”

  “She was here.” Morgan picked up a pair of glasses from the floor beside the bed.

  “That’s a spare pair,” Conroy said. “This used to be her room. It wasn’t safe to send her back here. We were sure this hotel was being watched. I hope you realize you’ve likely blown her cover?”

  “Where is she?” Brenda repeated.

  Conroy turned back to her. “I allowed all of you to come for two reasons,” he said. “First, to prove Brenda’s interest in espionage is alive and well. I have an opening for a contact person in head office.” His gaze caressed her. “You can have your own team of field workers to oversee.” When she would have spoken, he shook his head. “Please think about it before you answer. The second reason is to show Morgan, here, that Phoebe excels at this work. For her, it isn’t a game. It’s a living, her career and her life. She’s good at it. Do you really want to take that from her?”

  “That’s my daughter’s decision, not yours,” David said.

  “You still don’t get it.” Conroy said. “These women love this life. Allow them to do what they do best.” He took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “I’ve booked us a flight back tonight. I’ll arrange for your things to be brought down.” He pointed to the door. “Shall we go?”

  Morgan captured Brenda’s glance. “He’s right. You are good. You did find the right information about Phoebe’s whereabouts and he’s trying to cover himself for letting you outsmart him.” He sensed Phoebe’s presence. Perhaps it was her scent. He sniffed but couldn’t distinguish anything. “I’m not going back until I talk to her.”

  “Do you want to see her killed?” Conroy’s voice whipped out at Morgan. “If you don’t leave with me right now, that’s exactly what will happen. I’m finished playing nice with you three. Get your things and go downstairs or I’ll have you all taken forcibly to the airport.”

  “And tip your hand?” Morgan asked. “Show everyone who’s watching or listening that we’re more than tourists? I don’t think so. I’m with David. If Phoebe wants this life, it’s up to her to tell us, not you.”

  “There is nothing you can do here.” Conroy’s hands moved in emphasis. “She’s gone to find Matt and she won’t come back until she does.”

  “Then you won’t mind if we wait for her return?” Morgan pushed the mosquito curtains aside and sat with his back to the headboard.

  “You’re leaving now.” Conroy reached into his breast pocket. Before he could pull out whatever he had hidden there, Brenda cracked him on the head with the doorknob. He slid to the ground, a stunned look on his face.

  David bent to check his pulse. “He’s still alive.”

  Morgan could have sworn there was regret in his voice.

  “A knob takes down a bigger knob, how apropos, my sweet,” David said with glee.

  Brenda dropped her weapon on the side table, where it rolled until it hit a light stand. “Never good to approach a strange place unarmed.”

  “Good to know,” Morgan said, a little stunned.

  She indicated Conroy on the floor. “We’ve set our course now. Might as well follow through.”

  Morgan helped David tie up Conroy with a scarf they found in the dresser. Morgan circled the room, picking up a brush and a compact, and turning the items over in his hand.

  “Is it possible Conroy was telling the truth?” David asked. “Could he have sent Phoebe somewhere else?”

  Brenda shook her head. “He was covering himself, as Morgan said. I know I found the right information. He didn’t have time to plan a set up. Phoebe was here recently.”

  “I agree.” Morgan went over to the window and peered outside. The sun had set since their arrival. He may not be able to see much, but this exotic country was filled with strange sounds and smells. The breeze brought a pungent scent and the constant chirping of insects and birds was oddly soothing.

  Conroy could be right about one thing. They might have been spotted entering this room. It was too late to worry about that. He trusted Phoebe’s skill and talent for this cagey business. She would find a way to stay alive. She must.

  It was difficult to explain why he felt Phoebe would return. He just knew. When she did, he intended to be here.

  “What now?” David asked.

  “We wait,” Brenda said. “It’s what spies do best.”

  Chapter 14

  Morgan and his friends chose to remain in Phoebe’s hotel room to await her return. Conroy, gagged and tied up, sat on the floor against the far wall.

  Earlier tonight, Brenda had procured a flavorful curry and rice dish for them from a nearby restaurant. She even fed Conroy a few bites until he impatiently shook his head and harangued them on the foolishness of their actions. She then gagged him while David and Morgan disposed of the remnants of their meal.

  Brenda and David had then taken the bed while Morgan lazed on a wooden chair positioned by the window. His feet rested on another chair. It was not the most comfortable of positions. The lights had been turned off as they waited for Phoebe to return. Leaning back on the chair’s hind legs, he slowly rocked in the dark.

  Hours ticked by.

  The hotel sounds quieted as people slept. She’s safe. Morgan repeated the mantra to shut out Conroy’s warning that their presence here endangered Phoebe. She’s safe.

  Once in a while, Morgan looked over at where Phoebe’s boss should be, but even to his night-adapted eyes, Conroy was difficult to make out. Morgan sensed his gaze was focused on him, though, as if the older man was trying to transmit a message. He didn’t need extrasensory perception to know what he wanted to convey. Every second they stayed here was a threat to Phoebe and her case.

  The muscles in Morgan’s back and neck stiffened and ached.

  He glanced over at the Clays. They were a large lump on the bed. A stray beam of moonlight showed David’s arm tucking Brenda securely to his side. Unlike her softly snoring husband, Brenda was wide awake.

  To Morgan, they were the epitome of the perfect couple. Would he and Phoebe ever share such closeness?

  He pushed the curtains aside to glance across the street. Balconies were either packed with crates and boxes or had clothing hung up to dry. A reptile, maybe a lizard or gecko, scooted across a nearby rooftop, claws scraping tiles. Then a large hawk-like bird swooped on top of it. A death keen rent the air and Morgan cringed, dropping his chair on all four legs.

  “Sorry,” he whispered to Brenda when she sat up. “It’s nothing, just a bird of prey indulging in a midnight snack.”

  She nodded and lay back.

  Soon, he was back to gently rocking, his ears attuned to the night sounds: David’s snores, the creaking chair, and the slow and steady trickling rain outside occasionally interrupted by a lightning strike and followed by the rumble of thunder. Once the rain stopped, the chirp of insects took over the night sounds. He looked over toward Conroy and faced the barrel of a gun. His chair legs dropped back to the floor.

  “Phoebe.” Brenda turned on the bedside lamp.

  His gaze flicked up and he, too, recognized her. Phoebe’s head turned in her mother’s direction as her gaze focused through those adorable glasses.

  She nodded in acknowledgement to her mother and then put away her weapon before she squatted until she was eye level with him. There was fear in her gaze; for him, for her family, and for her lost friend. “Morgan, what are you all doing here?”

  “I forgot to tell you something before you left.” He brushed the side of her face with his fingertips. “I love you, Phoebe. Once you’ve rescued Matt,
come home to me.”

  PHOEBE LEANED INTO his gentle touch, her blood soaring at his loving words. He didn’t hate her. He’d come looking for her. Heat from his fingertips surged into her cheek, down her face and through her body. A moment ago, she’d been exhausted and would have gladly flopped onto a bed and slept. Now, she felt recharged.

  Could Morgan have really come all this way to tell her he loved her? She wound her arms around him and held him close. “I’m sorry I left. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  Morgan pulled her onto his lap, settling her comfortably and kissing her cheek, chin and neck. “I understand why you feel responsible for Matt’s safety.”

  The very words she’d been longing to hear. I understand. “You came to find me because you love me,” she replied and kissed him back, awed by that knowledge.

  Her father cleared his throat and they both looked over.

  Phoebe couldn’t believe Morgan had come to Sri Lanka, and brought her parents. “Hi, Dad. I thought you didn’t like to travel.”

  He slid off the bed. “This was your mother’s idea. I couldn’t let her go haring off across the world without me.”

  “Did you find Matt?” Her mother stood, taking her husband’s hand.

  Phoebe slid off Morgan’s lap and hurried over to hug them. They were really here. Their arms enclosed her in a loving hug.

  “Were you able to locate Matt?” her mother asked.

  “Yes,” Phoebe said, stepping back. “He is being held at the home of a Tamil family I once spied on. He and the entire family are prisoners of a man named Ashoka. When I tried to get Matt out, a bullet struck his leg and he was captured again. Then Ashoka brought in reinforcement. Now there are three armed men guarding him.”

  “How badly is he hurt?” her father asked, the doctor in him coming alert.

  “I spied one of them binding Matt’s leg,” Phoebe said. “I don’t think they want him dead and add the murder of a foreign agent to their list of crimes. They’re looking for something in that house. The place had been ransacked. As for Matt, he won’t bleed to death just yet, Dad, but he does need medical attention. The bullet will need to be removed and his wound cleaned to make sure it doesn’t fester. I came back to meet Conroy tonight to pick up a medic, supplies and backup.”