by Bryn Bauer
“I’ve already taken care of that. That rabble will be at the bottom of the sea by the end of the month.” Mr. Winston assured them. They all looked at him. Interpol didn’t send people to the bottom of the sea, usually. He looked sheepish and addressed Helena. “I, uh, I didn’t give it to Interpol until yesterday. My first delivery was to Mr. Aldama in Coral Gables.” He saw Helena’s look of disbelief and rushed to explain. “My dear, he’s technically your client and has the right to know what the outcome has been. You were distraught, I didn’t want to ask.” Then turning to Quint and Sofia he said, “Helena’s been staying with me since it happened, poor lamb.” He looked at Helena with such open love and earnestness that Sofia had to look away as though she were witnessing a private conversation. Helena’s look softened.
“I know, it’s alright. You’re always trying to protect me. Sometimes more than I deserve.” Then Helena moved topic and directed her comments to Quint and Sofia.
“What will you do next?” They were both quiet for a moment, trying to wait it out and get the other to answer first. Quint succumbed to the pressured silence.
“I was thinking,” he began slowly. “I was thinking that maybe I would take some time and sail up the intracoastal, or maybe lease a boat in the Mediterranean for a while.” Then he turned to Sofia keeping his eyes lowered. “I hoped you would come with me.” Sofia was so relieved to hear him say it. But, now that the prospect was in front of her, she wasn’t so sure. Quint looked at her directly now, sensing her hesitation. She put a hand on his knee in reassurance.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you, I do. And to be on the water again would be like going home. It’s just that, I don’t know that I have a home right now. Or rather, I don’t know which home to choose.” She made a sound of impatience. Here she was, the man she loved just offered her what she had fantasized about all the way to Charleston and now she was gibbering. She took a deep breath. “What I mean is that I don’t think I can turn away from this type of work. It’s part of me now, like you are. I can’t just give it up when I’ve searched for years to find where I belong, what I’m good at. Do you see?” Quint nodded but didn’t speak. Suddenly, Helena spoke, voice more firm than it had been since she started her account.
“I’d like you two to work for me. Or rather, with me. I’d like us three to be partners.”
Quint and Sofia were both stunned. Mr. Winston broke in with a good humored rebuke. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you that it’s rude to sit with your mouths gaping open? You’ll catch flies.” He exchanged an amused glance with Helena and then addressed Sofia and Quint again. “Did you not hear what this fine woman is offering?” Sofia regained her voice.
“Yes, but, are you sure? I’ve only been on one mission and only just managed to get it right and it was at least in part by accident.” Helena grew serious.
“Look Sofia, you,” and she darted a flashing look to Quint, “and you, are the most talented people I’ve worked with in many years, maybe ever.” Mr. Winston made a mock offended harrumph.
“Yes, except you dear friend. Now, I wouldn’t have anyone else with me. Would you both really rather spend endless boring days on a sailboat or worse, back here at the law school?”
“No.” They both spoke in unison but Quint kept talking. He spoke in a rush as if talking faster would make it less painful.
“You two should go, but as much as I’d like to Helena, I can’t accept.”
“Why not?” Sofia hadn’t known she’d said it out loud until everyone looked at her. Quint took both her hands in his.
“I love you Sofia Koury. There’s no place I’d rather be than right next to you. I love the job too, but you’re more important.” He swiveled his head toward Helena. “I know you have a rule about this and I can understand why you don’t want two operatives working together if they’re involved with each other. But, that means I stay here. I won’t give her up.” His voice was polite but decided. The luminous smile returned to Helena’s countenance, making her more beautiful than usual.
“I wouldn’t ask you to. That was Joe’s rule. I went along, but now, well, if we’re to be partners, we will make the rules together. Besides, I think I would welcome a little more love in my life.” Sofia and Quint promised to deliver their answer the next day.
TWENTY
Sofia cooked dinner on Mr. Winston’s yacht moored in the harbor. This was the only place Mr. Winston would go and the only place her father would allow the security detail to leave her. That was in part because Mr. Winston’s yacht was better protected than the Federal Reserve. It should be, Sofia reflected, Mr. Winston has more money.
Over dinner, all discovered that Joe had tried to access their accounts, but luckily had stolen very little. Being no fools, Quint and Helena had multiple accounts, only one of which Joe had been able to access. Sofia on the other hand had lost all the money in her checking and savings accounts which amounted to three hundred and seventy four dollars, along with the money that had been wired from the Mariana which Helena vowed to replace plus a little extra. What Joe didn’t know is that her family money was still in trust behind the extensive firewalls of Koury Communications. He wouldn’t have been able to touch that with a ten foot pole.
After dining on soft shell crab and garlicky collards, Helena discussed her plan for their first assignment, if Sofia and Quint agreed. Sofia knew this was a ploy to hook them in. She still had her doubts. What if it didn’t work with Quint? How would they still work together? Could she just up and leave all her friends and her life?
Helena told them that she had been contacted by some politicos in Europe. Since the debt crises had struck the EU, less than savory entities had been jockeying for control in countries like Spain, Greece and Italy. She hadn’t received particulars yet, but it was likely going to be very lucrative. Mr. Winston would return to London to seek out information among his contacts. Sofia asked if he would join them and he replied.
“No. I don’t think so. You see, I have the good fortune that Helena views me as a doting uncle, or dare I flatter myself, and older brother. And while one does need an older brother, his presence does become wearing after a while.” Helena nudged him in the ribs playfully.
“Winston, you know you’re more than just a brother to me. Guardian angel is more like it but I know you won’t be happy until you’re back in that rain soaked homeland of yours, tinkering with your jeweler’s loupe.”
“Aye. No doubt you’re right.” Helena nodded and continued relating her plan.
“I have a meeting set with the interested parties in a couple of weeks in Rome. I have a villa there, it’s a safe house. I bought it before I ever even met Joe. Nobody knows about it except the four sitting at this table and I expect it to stay that way.” They all nodded assent. “We can use that as our base, at least until we learn more and make a decision about the assignment. Meanwhile, we can sip wine, eat everything in sight and generally make a nuisance of ourselves in town.” She looked a bit dreamy at the prospect and gazing at Sofia and Quint, she saw that they were imagining it too.
After dinner, one of the stewards took Quint and Sofia to a stateroom. Sofia felt sheepish after trying to follow the steward to her cabin before realizing Mr. Winston had put her and Quint together. They laughed, putting their meager luggage away. The laughter died and a shy silence followed. Their first physical encounter had been the outlet of need. Need for reassurance, and confirmation of life. It had been urgent but brief. Now, Sofia pondered, they had all night. She reached out and cupped Quint’s face in her hands. He bent, wrapped his good arm around her and kissed her deeply. They stayed that way for several minutes, relishing the freedom of touch, the leisure of it. They no longer needed to hide their feeling from each other or anyone else.
Quint drew her down onto the bed, still kissing her. Slowly, luxuriously, they undressed each other, taking time to examine each inch of flesh and drink in the beauty of the other. Sofia hesitated for a moment, opening her e
yes to look in Quint’s. Her worry overtook her and the question came out in a sigh.
“What if it doesn’t work?” Quint smiled and put his fingertips to her mouth. Then he took her and the question died, replaced by an electric charge that shivered through her entire being. The boat’s rocking aided Quint’s efforts and the electric charge built until Sofia though she would ignite. And then she did, they both flamed up together in mutual pleasure and agreement that there would be no predictions, no doubts between them.
Sofia lay close to Quint, her eyes heavy with repletion. She turned her head and saw the moonlight blanketing them both. The pale beams highlighted the muscled curves of Quint’s shoulder and thighs. She smiled thinking how much she would like to see him lay like this, with the moon on his body in a Roman villa. She drew a hand down the line of his body where the moon gleamed. He shifted slightly and a sleepy response came. “Hmm?”
“I was just thinking. Do you know, I’ve never seen the Mediterranean moon?”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Ann Bauer has worked as an educational consultant, college professor and child wrangler to her young son and daughter. She is grateful to have a husband who can sleep with the lights on while she gets “just one more page” written. She can often be found travelling with her husband and kids.
Bryn Bauer is a trained historian and former history professor with a love of Latin America. She loves all education, learning and teaching. She is a lover of life and lives with her spunky cat Don Frijole. She can most often be found travelling, reading and researching.
Ann and Bryn are sisters, living in North Carolina.