I held onto the bed, my feet not wanting to function. “How’s Elizabeth?” I asked.
She walked into the bedroom. “Much better. Whatever they did seemed to help.”
I yawned and studied all their faces. “What’s been going on all day long?”
“Well, we called about your tutoring at ten,” Jim said.
It suddenly hit me. “My tutoring? You can’t cancel that. Those kids were depending on me.”
Jim chuckled. “Someone was there. And the kids learned more than they ever thought possible.”
“You?”
“Yep. It was fun—you’re right about that. I had about ten students, and they want me to come back.”
“You’re replacing me?” I knew I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.
He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I could never replace you. You’re one of a kind.”
“What time is it?” I looked at my watch, but my eyes wouldn’t focus. I held my arm out farther, but no deal.
“Five. The party’s at seven.”
“I’ll be there,” Elizabeth said.
Holden shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I have to be there or I’ll pay the price.” She turned to me. “I’ll be there to protect you.”
“Elizabeth, I have protection. Don’t put yourself in danger because of me. I’ll never forgive myself.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I have protection, too, with a guard from more than one country willing to watch over me.”
Yeah, but would Sami be able to take on Russia’s and China’s guards? I didn’t like it. But from the look on her face, I wasn’t going to win, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Let’s get some dinner.” Jim put his arm over my shoulders and directed me toward the kitchen. “I bet you’re hungry.”
I yawned and leaned my head on his shoulder. I just wanted to go back to sleep. “Not really. Do I have to go to this party?”
He leaned closer to me. “Yes. Remember? World Peace?”
“Yeah. Beauty pageants. I get it.”
After a dinner of soup and sandwiches, I took another shower and put on a dress from my closet—a long black dress with spaghetti straps. I fixed my hair up on my head in a bun, with a few stray tendrils of hair falling around my face. Elizabeth went home with Holden, and Jim dressed in a tuxedo. Once ready, we both headed off to the party at the Russian Ambassador’s home.
While riding beside him in the little red sports car with Dr. Bond on the plates, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
“Do you have a problem?” he asked.
“Hmm…a problem. Let me think about this.” My mind was a million miles away, thinking about making out with this man and not even remotely thinking about any problem I might have. What was wrong with him interrupting my thoughts?
“Yes, a problem.” He snapped his fingers near my face and I ignored it. “Harley, are you here?”
“Nope.”
“Where are you, then?”
I popped back to reality and stared out the front window, leaning back on the seat. “Oh, you know, somewhere else.”
“Like where?”
I reached over and touched his jacket sleeve, then stared up at his face. “Nice outfit.” Nice, hot outfit for a doctor cop.
He pulled on the lapel. “This? It’s very uncomfortable.”
I moved over and leaned up to his face. “We could always take it off, Doctor Bond.”
His belly laugh filled the car while he kept glancing at me. “I wonder if that sedative was a little bit too strong for you.”
I inched toward him. “Keep talking, Dr. Bond.” I kissed his cheek and he swerved, almost running the car off the edge of the road. I held on to the seat with white knuckles until he righted the car back to where it needed to be.
“You scared The Living Daylights out of me.” I moved back to my seat with my hands in my lap.
He wasn’t happy. “Keep it up. 007 movie titles—very funny—hilarious in fact.” He kept glancing at me, then at the road. “We don’t have to be on time, you know. I can find us a little hotel room—”
I lowered my eyes. “No, I’m back now. I have to concentrate.”
“I wonder if I can get you back to la-la land.”
I noticed the smirk on his face, then looked out the side window. I had too many things to think about and the list kept growing. How would I ever survive this latest crisis? The party wasn’t going to be fun in the least.
Jim took my hand and held it in my lap, only moving his hand away to change gears. “You like tuxedos, don’t you?”
“They’re not just hot, they’re scorching.” I glanced toward him. “Just like doctors and cops. But if you put a cop doctor in a tuxedo, my brain can’t function. It’s on overload. So, I just won’t look at you or talk to you and I’ll be fine.”
“No, I think you should stick to me like glue tonight. I want to see this happen. You’re in really bad shape and there’s only one cure I can think of to help you out.”
I sighed, took my hand from his, and stared out the side window. “Figures. Men think one thing cures everything.”
He tried to stifle his laughter, but it wasn’t working. “Yep. That’s what we’re best at and I’m sure that’s where your mind was before.”
I snapped my head toward him. “Do you mean you can’t read my mind? I thought you were all powerful, being a cop doctor in a tux and all.”
“I’d love to try to read your mind. I bet you were thinking of making out with me.” He laughed. “I’d tell you more but you might jump on my lap. It’d be hard to drive if that were the case.”
I felt my face heat up, still staring out the front window. He was exactly right, but I wasn’t about to tell him. “Who said it was you?”
He chuckled. “You did. Cop doctors in tuxedos. They’re a turn-on, right?”
“Yes, but there are other doctors who wear tuxedos.”
“Ah, but they’re not cops and in this car. You also didn’t make them almost swerve off the road. You’re in really bad shape, and I’m going to make it my personal mission in life to take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself,” I murmured, looking out the side window.
“Not for this you can’t. It takes two to tango, so to speak.”
“You sound just like Billy.”
He threw me a glance. “Sorry.”
“Besides, you can’t get involved with clients,” I added.
“I can, but it has to be very discreet. No one can find out, and with you, that’s a challenge in itself.”
I turned toward him. “So are you going to get involved with me, or should I ignore all advances from you?”
He stared out the front window. “I’d like to get involved, but I don’t think that’s what you really want. It’s a dilemma.”
“Some dilemma. I hate limbo.” People who couldn’t decide drove me nuts. They straddled the fence so they could have their cake and eat it, too. Well, I say decide so the rest of us could get on with our lives, with or without the keepers of the cake.
Chapter 18
The scenery changed from the city to more of a suburban feel. Jim drove for a while, finally turning down a long driveway.
The house was a gorgeous white mansion, located north of New York City. As soon as we pulled up to the front of the house, a valet opened Jim’s door and took the keys. Jim got out of the car, walked to my side, and helped me step out by placing his hand on my waist. When he started to inch it lower on my long black dress, I shot him a nasty glare and lifted his hand to my waist, to his amusement, the brat.
We entered the beautiful ballroom and stood on the white marble floor while I admired the golden railing going up the winding staircase on the left. Portraits of famous Russians hung on the walls, and four giant golden chandeliers with multiple hanging glass facets lit the room. I could only guess the cost of a home like this, all probably paid for by the poor laborers in Russia.
I approached a few guests I knew and introduced them to Jim. He seemed to be taking mental notes on everyone, even though I’d only been talking to the janitors and various other secretaries.
We finally saw my friend Felix, and I figured, since Jim had already met him, he wouldn’t be taking as many notes. I was just waiting for Jim to pull out some paper and begin grilling these people.
I gave Felix a hug as he kissed my cheek. “Felix, you remember Jim?”
“Oh yes.” Felix shook his hand. “How’s the dating scene? Did Harley train you yet?”
Jim shot me a dirty look. “No, sir. That’s not going to happen. I think we have the control issue straightened out. I’m in charge and she knows it.”
I took a step closer, lifted my foot over his, and applied my heel right to the top of his foot. He winced and I backed off. I just loved high heels and I think he got the message. I continued to smile, so Felix would have no idea what was going on under the glass he held in his hand.
“I understand that you’re our new Arabic interpreter,” Felix said to Jim.
Jim moved to stand on his good foot while trying not to wince. “Just for a while. I spent time overseas traveling around to figure out what I wanted to do. I learned Arabic from a nomadic tribe in Yemen.”
I stared at him with a puzzled look on my face. He was lying and I could tell. He’d been taught Arabic from the CIA, I was sure, and probably had only spent time in Yemen to kill someone. Nomadic tribe my foot…or in his case, his sore foot.
His hand slipped around my waist and he pulled me to him. The scent of his aftershave had me trying not to swoon, while standing next to the tuxedo-clad cop doctor. He was hot with a capital H. I wanted to lean my head on his shoulder, but that wouldn’t have been professional. I guess he’d forgiven me for breaking his foot with my heel, from the smile on his face. Either that, or I was holding him up.
“And you met over lunch?” Felix asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Jim’s been a real help and we’re having a great time.”
“Sure are, sweetheart.” Jim kissed my cheek. It was obvious he knew what he was doing to me, but I kept my cool, and looked at anything but his face. If I looked at him, I knew I wouldn’t be in control.
Mr. Wing approached me and touched my arm. “Boris wants to see you,” he said in Chinese. “And I understand you met my nephew.”
“Yes, we did,” I said, also in Chinese. “The food was excellent at the restaurant too.”
Mr. Wing stared at Jim. “You know Chinese?”
Jim nodded and answered him in Chinese. “Yes, I spent some time overseas and learned a lot.”
“Want to sit in on the meeting? You could make sure Harley interprets the right way.”
Jim glanced over at me. “I’d love to.”
I turned toward Felix, who appeared perplexed, because he didn’t know Mandarin Chinese. “We have a meeting, but I’ll be back,” I said in English.
“I understand.” He leaned forward and kissed my cheek again. He was a true friend, and I knew he’d never understand what was going on, as much as I wanted to confide in him.
Jim and I followed Mr. Wing into a small office where Boris was waiting.
“What’s this? I only wanted to see Harley.” Boris spoke in perfect English while Jim and I stared at each other.
Mr. Wing pointed toward Jim then sat down. “I want him here, to make sure she does what I ask. I don’t want to be tripped up by words I don’t know.”
“But he doesn’t know Russian,” Boris said.
“No, but I know Arabic, Chinese, and English,” Jim said. He also knew Spanish, at least, and did know Russian, but if he told them that, they might get suspicious, because he didn’t know it in the grocery store. I know I’d be suspicious at the Arabic and Chinese, as well, because they weren’t well-known languages for Americans to know.
“Arabic?” Mr. Wing asked. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He must have known something about the Arabic delegation and their wish to take on the Chinese. Either Mr. Wing was suspicious, or he saw Jim as a possible interpreter between him and one of the Arabic Ambassadors.
“Yes, sir,” Jim answered in Chinese. “I’m the new Arabic interpreter at the U.N. after Ali’s untimely demise.”
Mr. Wing showed surprise on his face. “Untimely demise? What happened?”
For every comment I translated into Russian, Boris didn’t seem shocked at all but was almost grinning. Interesting development.
“He was killed,” Jim said in English, glancing toward both men. “And someone threw his body right near Harley and me. I’m not sure what they intended to accomplish, but it was shocking, to say the least.” He turned toward me. “I don’t think either of us has recovered from seeing his body. I couldn’t save him, either.”
Boris bit back a smile, and I hoped Jim saw it.
“Why would someone kill the Arabic interpreter?” Mr. Wing asked, in Chinese.
I translated into Russian, and Boris looked satisfied.
“He had outstanding debts,” Boris offered, in English.
“I see.” Mr. Wing studied Jim, speaking in English. “He stays. I want him here for various reasons.”
“Fine,” Boris answered, in English. “Be seated.”
Jim and I sat down in front of the two men, and the first question out of Boris’ mouth was a toughie. “Where does your allegiance lie?” He looked up at Jim, who sat back and studied the man. It seemed as if Jim was playing psychological games or poker with the Russian Ambassador. I was worried Boris might figure it out.
“Are you asking me if I have an allegiance to a certain person or a country?” Jim asked.
“Country.”
Jim never took his eyes from Boris’ face. “None. As a matter of fact, I want to leave the United States as soon as possible and be a doctor to the poor people of the world. This isn’t home to me. Why do you ask?”
“You’re a doctor?” Boris seemed rather surprised.
Oh yes, he was a very scorching cop doctor in a tuxedo, I wanted to say, but I kept my mouth shut.
Jim glanced at me with a smile, then back at Boris. “Yes, sir. I made millions off the stock market and I want to help the poor. That’s my goal.”
“Do you have family here?”
“No. All dead. I’m the last of my kind. Now, why do you ask me that?”
“No reason.” Boris smiled, and turned toward me. “Where does your allegiance lie?”
I’d been practicing my line for a while, and as much as it was a lie, I hoped I wasn’t struck down by lightning or rendered blind like my mother always said would happen if I lied. “Considering I lived in Geneva for a few years and spent time in China, it doesn’t lie here. I’d like to return to Geneva to continue my work there. It was better than here, for sure.”
“But you have family here,” he said.
“True, but my younger brother just left me to live with my older brother. None of us really get along.” I hoped the line didn’t sound rehearsed, because Jim made me practice it over and over again.
Boris smiled. “Good. You’ll both do well for now.”
Jim sat up and faced the man. “What’s this all about? Why do you need us?”
Boris turned toward Mr. Wing with a grin. “We want to talk about some things that will be beneficial to both of our countries, but don’t want anyone to know about it yet. However, we have a language barrier problem and need interpreters.” He turned to Jim. “As soon as Mr. Wing is sure he doesn’t need two interpreters, you’ll be free to leave.”
“I understand,” Jim said with a poker face. I didn’t want him to leave, but knew he’d always be there for me. I just wished he’d stay beside me and not somewhere else. What I really needed was a smoke and a beer, even though the patch seemed to be taking the edge off, somewhat. I guess Jim wasn’t a complete loser for making me wear it, but wished it worked even more for taking all the cravings away.
Boris switched to speaking in R
ussian and turned to me. “I’m going to speak to Mr. Wing, and you interpret between Russian and Chinese between us. Deal?”
“Yes, sir,” I answered, in Russian. I told Mr. Wing what Boris had said, just so he’d know what was going on.
Mr. Wing nodded and Boris continued. “We don’t like what’s going on in the U.N. and want to shake things up a bit from the Russian delegation.” I repeated Boris’ comments to Mr. Wing and he nodded. “Is it okay if we dismiss Jim from the room now?” Boris asked.
I glanced over at Jim and he was smiling, acting like he had no idea what was being said. I interpreted the same line for Mr. Wing, and Jim’s smile turned to a frown.
As soon as Mr. Wing nodded, Jim stood up. “But I didn’t get to do anything.”
“Leave us, please?” Boris said in English.
Jim seemed very put out, but finally leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Yes, sweetheart.” Hot, tuxedo-clad cop doctor sweetheart.
He stared at me an extra second and I was hoping he’d understand that I was terrified of what was going to happen. He turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door on the way out.
“Now, we can get down to business,” Boris said in English. “Harley we’ll pay you well for this work. In fact, I have a small token for you, From Russia with Love.”
A 007 movie title. I wondered if they knew Jim’s last name? It was an odd thing for Boris to say. I was sure the shock showed on my face, but I tried to hide my surprise.
He handed me a long thin box and opened it in front of me. Dozens of diamonds glittered on the eighteen-inch golden chain, and I was sure it cost well over three hundred thousand rubles, probably over five thousand U.S. dollars.
“Thank you,” I said in English, while looking at the chain.
Boris stood, picking up the necklace in his hands. “We’d like for you to wear this in honor of helping us. I’d love to see it on your neck at all times, just to prove you’re loyal to us.”
He clasped it around my neck, and I was sure it had a GPS locator, a transmitter, and who knows what else built into it.
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