I realized that Gabriel was handling things pretty well. I didn’t know if it was the indomitable French spirit, or if he knew something I didn’t. But whatever the case, he seemed pretty hopeful, and I was grateful to leave him and all these people to it.
Darkness had fallen while we were inside. It took me by surprise but, in a way, I was relieved the day was almost over. After everything that had happened, I could hardly believe that just last night, I’d been listening to a concert of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in the Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral. Who would have thought?
Since then, I’d nearly been killed three times... or was it four? If I counted getting away when Blake and Mason got caught as one of the times, it was four. Sheesh! No wonder I was a little shaky. At least the two times today I had Ramos by my side. Or should I say three? It worked if I counted the shooters from the car, as well as the car bomb, and Cypher and his goons. That totaled up to five all together. That was insane! My legs got a little shaky again, so I decided it was best not to think about it.
Suzette took us to Ramos’ hotel first, so he could check out and get his things. We waited in the car, but I didn’t feel much like talking. Suzette didn’t have any problems though, and told me some of her favorite things about Paris. It took my mind off my close brushes with death, but also made me a little sad.
“I hope I live long enough to see some of those places,” I said, feeling a little sorry for myself. I mean, here I was in Paris, and I hadn’t been able to do hardly anything fun. Plus, I knew about a bomb that could kill a lot of people. It was just wrong.
“I’m sure you will,” Suzette said. “We’ll get him. And a lot of it will be thanks to you.”
Did she really believe that? I listened and decided she did. “Thanks Suzette. I appreciate that.”
Suzette was just about to ask me about my relationship with Ramos, but he opened the door before she got the chance, and I let out a relieved breath. She could tell that we cared for each other, but she didn’t know if it was more than that. He seemed especially devoted to me, but wasn’t that his job?
Then she wondered if we’d be offended if she offered us separate rooms. She’d noticed my wedding ring, but not one on Ramos’ finger. If he was my bodyguard, like Gabriel told her, then she’d better go with separate bedrooms and see what happened.
I swallowed, grateful that I’d just dodged another bullet. Today was hard enough without dealing with those sorts of issues. She drove through the streets, deliberately passing the Eiffel Tower in all its sparkling glory. Then we pulled up to her gate, and she put in the code.
As the gate shut behind us, we continued up the drive onto the well-lit grounds, and the tension went out of my shoulders. After today, it felt good to be someplace safe. Suzette took us inside, showing us to our separate rooms which were situated right next to each other on the second floor.
“Go ahead and get changed and rest up a bit, if you like,” she said, sending a glance at my torn jeans. “I have an excellent cook. Dinner will be ready at seven. You can look through my books on French architecture after that.”
Ramos carried my luggage inside my room for me. The large bedroom was decorated with flowered wallpaper in hues of spring green and pale pink. Dark blue drapes covered the windows, and a queen-sized bed, with pink and green bedcovers and blue accent pillows, took up most of the space.
“This is great,” I said, totally enchanted with it.
“I’ll just put this on the floor,” Ramos said, thinking I wouldn’t want to get the bed dirty.
“Oh, right. I should probably go through it and see what’s salvageable. But right now, all I want to do is take a... um... nap.” I was going to say bath, but really didn’t want to know what Ramos thought about when I said that.
His lips twisted in a smile. I hadn’t fooled him. He checked his watch. “We’ve got a little over an hour before dinner, and I’ve got to make some phone calls. Go ahead and take that bath. After what you’ve been through today, you probably need it. I’ll see you at dinner.”
With that, he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. I let out a sigh, grateful to have some alone time, then went straight to the bathroom. As I filled up the tub, I knew I should call Chris. It was around ten or so in the morning at home, so at least he’d be awake.
Now that I had some privacy, I could tell him what was going on, although I could leave the worst of it out, since he’d be at work and wouldn’t have enough time to hear it all. That way he wouldn’t worry about me so much. Deciding that was a good plan, I placed the call.
“Hi honey,” he answered. “I’m so glad you called. I’ve been thinking about you all morning. How are you doing?”
“I’m good,” I said. All at once, tears flooded my eyes, but I blinked them back and cleared my throat. “It’s great to hear your voice. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
“How are the kids?” I asked.
“Good. They’re taking care of themselves in spite of me. It’s made me realize how fast they’re growing up. So, can you tell me what’s going on?”
“I think so. How long have you got?”
He chuckled. “A good half hour. Is that long enough?”
“Probably not, but I’m sure I can leave the worst parts of it out.” This time I laughed.
“Yeah,” he said. “No doubt about that. So did you meet with that guy?”
I took a deep breath and told him about our meeting with Mason, and how I’d picked up that something pretty awful was going down. “Blake was thinking it was a bio-weapon that the terrorists were planning to set off at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change here in Paris, because it had been stolen from someplace in Turkey, I think.”
This was met by total silence, so I continued. “Anyway... to make a long story short, it turns out he was right. The conference is day after tomorrow. So... a lot’s happened since then, but I think I’ll skip to the end and just tell you that I’m now working with French Intelligence and a British spy to find the bomb before it goes off. Oh... and Ramos is here. It’s a good thing, because he saved my life from the guys who shot Blake.”
“What?” Chris sputtered. “Ramos is there? And Blake got shot?”
“Yeah, crazy, huh? But we’re staying with Suzette in her mansion, so it’s all good. She’s the British spy. Oh, and Mason is... dead. Blake almost died too, but he’s here with us where Cypher can’t get to him, and there’s a doctor to help out, so he should be fine. On the plus side, I’m alive, and I know the identity of the terrorist, so we’re hoping to catch him before the conference... and you know... before the bomb goes off.”
“Holy hell! Are you freaking kidding me?”
“Uh... no,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I wish I was, and I wish this hadn’t happened. It’s been pretty awful, and I nearly died...” I took a shuddering breath and tried to hold back the tears.
“Shelby... I’m sorry I yelled, but this is a lot to take in. I mean... you’re talking about terrorists and bombs. For real. I know I joked about it, but I never thought it would actually happen. Now it sounds like you’re right in the middle of it. How could I not be upset?”
“Well, yeah... of course you’d be upset, but I think the worst is over. At least for me. The police and French Intelligence are handling things, so I’m not involved right now. With the information I’ve given them, they should be able to stop the terrorists.”
“So you’re safe now?” Chris asked.
“Yes. I am. But... you probably shouldn’t tell anyone about the bomb or anything.”
He let out a huge breath and took another before answering. “Uh... okay.”
“And try not to worry... I know that’s asking a lot, but I’m safe, and I’m not planning on going anywhere... or doing anything dangerous from now on.”
Chris sighed, and I could picture him rubbing his forehead like he does when he’s upset. “Yeah... well, I’ll do my best not to worry, b
ut this is... I mean, considering there’s terrorists and a bomb involved... it’s huge, and I’m pretty sure there’s more going on that you haven’t told me.”
“Well... yeah, but it would take about two hours to tell you everything, so I had to give you the short version.”
Chris sighed again, and this time I was pretty sure his eyes were shut in frustration. “Just do me a favor, and don’t take any chances, all right? Do it for my sake... or at least for the kids. I love you, Shelby. I’d die if anything happened to you, so make sure that it doesn’t. Okay?”
“I love you too, honey, and I won’t do anything reckless. I’ll be fine... I promise. Give the kids an extra hug and a kiss for me, okay?”
“Sure,” he said.
Our half hour was up, but I wasn’t ready to let him go. “Hey... I know this is probably not going to work because it’s such short notice, but... could you think about coming here, to Paris? I mean... once this is over? Which should be by day after tomorrow. I’d really like to stay and see the city... with you. Just think about it, okay? It might not be too hard since you’re a partner now. Plus, you just won a big case. That should earn you a few days off, right?”
“You know... you make a good point, and I’d like nothing more than to be there with you. Let me see what I can do.”
My eyes filled with happy tears. “Really? That would just be so great. And don’t forget to throw in the fact that I helped you win that case.”
He chuckled. “That’s true. All right, I’ll talk to Larsen and Pratt and see what’s up. In the meantime, promise me you’ll be careful.”
Filled with elation, I was willing to promise him anything. We said our goodbyes and disconnected. Knowing there was a chance he’d come to Paris helped settle me down, and gave me something to look forward to... as long as the bomb didn’t go off. That kind of ruined my good mood, but it also made me more determined to do whatever I could to make sure it didn’t happen.
I had to add more hot water before the temperature in the tub was hot enough, but once I settled into the soapy water, I finally relaxed. I didn’t have my soothing, aromatherapy bath salts, but I’d found some rose-scented bubble bath that smelled just as good.
Before I was ready, it was time to get out. I rinsed off in the shower and toweled dry. Now came the moment of truth, and I unzipped my luggage to see the damage. The box of chocolates had been in front, so it was riddled with bullet holes. I picked through them and managed to salvage two chocolates, which I promptly ate, and threw the rest away.
The clothes beneath the chocolates didn’t fare well either. I pulled out my favorite shirt to find a bullet hole right through the middle and nearly cried. With trepidation, I found my black jeans and examined them. Besides being my favorite, they were the only other pair of pants I’d brought, and I loved them. After a quick search, I could hardly believe my luck. No holes! That had to be some kind of a miracle.
Everything else sported some damage here and there, but at least with my underwear, no one would see the bullet holes but me, so I figured I could wear them anyway. I found a t-shirt that had a bullet hole in the front, just below the waist, but decided it would have to do, and quickly got dressed.
As I pulled on my pants and then my shirt, I noticed my hands shook a bit. That’s when the realization flooded me that those bullets had nearly killed me. My heart picked up speed and I sat down, then broke into a cold sweat. How could I go down to dinner like this? Then an idea struck, and I rummaged through my cosmetics bag until I found my anti-anxiety pills intact. If I ever needed one, it was now.
After gulping half of one down with a glass of water, I took a few deep, cleansing breaths and focused on blowing my hair dry. Done with that, I felt a little better and even managed to put on some lip gloss, but that was the most I could do for now. It was seven, and time for dinner, so I took a deep breath and opened the door.
Taking the stairs to the main floor, I followed the sound of voices and found the dining room where Suzette and Ramos stood talking. Ramos sent me a smile, thinking I looked a lot better, and the that bath had done me some good. Then he wondered if I knew there was a bullet hole in my shirt.
I glanced down and realized it was more obvious than I thought, even showing a little skin. “Hey, if you think this is bad, you should see my other shirt.”
Ramos froze and his eyes widened. Suzette’s brows drew together. “What?” she asked.
Oops. That was probably the pill talking, but I knew I’d better roll with it. “Oh, I was just explaining the bullet hole in my shirt, because Ramos was looking at it. He didn’t say anything, but you know how easy it is to pick up on all those non-verbal cues, right? I think about ninety-eight percent of our communication is non-verbal. Did you know that? I remember reading about it in a study or something.”
“Yeah... ” Suzette nodded like it made perfect sense, but she was thinking that I was sure talking a lot. Almost like someone who’d been caught lying and was trying to cover it up. “Well, dinner is ready. Let’s sit down and we can begin.”
“Sounds great,” I said, as cheerfully as possible. “I’m starved. I... uh... had to take an anti-anxiety pill because my hands were shaking so much, but I think the food will help.”
“Oh... that makes sense,” Suzette replied. “You’ve had a trying day. I’m sure a good meal will help.” We began with an appetizer and went from there, with Suzette explaining each dish with relish. She shook off my weirdness, thinking it was explained by the pill, and clearly enjoyed our company.
Or maybe it was Ramos’ company? She kept her gaze trained on him and smiled a lot, but I tried to keep my shields up so I wasn’t sure. In any case, by the time we got to the main course, she’d forgotten all about my faux pas.
We finished our main course of poulet nicoise, which I enjoyed immensely. Then the cook brought out something called a tarte tatin for dessert. It was a delicious, caramelized, upside-down apple pie served with crème fraiche that was to die for.
“How’s Blake doing?” I asked, as I finished the last bite.
“Much better,” Suzette replied. “But it will take a few weeks before he’s back on his feet. I told him what you found on Mason’s computer, but he doesn’t have a lot more to add.”
She was thinking that she’d mostly asked him about me, and if I was the real deal. He’d told her that I’d exposed a killer and uncovered an operation involving the attorney general and a drug ring... all because of my premonitions. Impressed, she’d tried to get more out of him about Ramos, and who he was as well, but Blake had shut down tighter than a clam, and told her to leave it alone.
That didn’t discourage her in the least. She liked mysteries. Even better, she liked solving them, and knew she’d figure it out at some point. Not from Blake, of course. Once he quit talking, she knew it was pointless, but she had lots of other resources.
I didn’t like the sound of that, but there wasn’t a whole lot I could do about it. Right now, I needed to concentrate on the bomb and stopping Cypher, especially if Chris was coming. That thought sent a fresh wave of anxiety through me. What had I done inviting him here before we found the bomb? What if he got on a plane tonight?
“Have you heard anything from Gabriel?” I asked, trying to keep the panic at bay.
“Not yet. I’ll call him later and let you both know what progress he’s made.” With his resources, she hoped they’d find something, but she didn’t expect any news until morning. If I could identify the building I’d seen with my premonitions, that would certainly help. “Would you like to look through my books now?”
“Sure,” I agreed. “I need to find that building.”
Ramos sent me a smile, thinking I’d had a hard day, and it wasn’t over yet. Maybe he could help. He turned his warm gaze and sexy smile onto Suzette. “I was wondering if you have any more gun collections you could show me.”
Her face lit up with enthusiasm, and a heartfelt smile curved her lips. “I happen to have a great
collection that I think you’d enjoy. I even have a couple of flintlock dueling pistols from the eighteen hundreds.”
“Nice,” Ramos said. “I’d love to see them.”
“Let’s do it. First, we’ll get Shelby set up in the library.” After showing me her architecture books, she led Ramos off to visit her gun collection in another part of the mansion. He left with a parting wink at me and I shook my head. He was quite the ladies’ man, wasn’t he?
I grabbed several books from the shelves and took them to the couch and got comfortable. Soon, I was lost in the history of each building, reading more than I should have of the time frame and facts that led to the building’s conception. Still, even as amazing as they were, I found it difficult to pinpoint the exact building I’d seen in Cypher’s mind. Discouraged, I propped a pillow behind me and settled in for a long night of scanning pages. Before I knew it, my eyes closed, and I fell asleep.
“Babe,” Ramos said, waking me. “Let’s get you to bed.”
I pulled my eyes open and squinted up at him. “Oh... sorry, I guess I fell asleep.”
“Yeah, you’re wiped out. Come on.” He pulled me up and wrapped an arm around my waist. With complete trust, I leaned against him and let him lead me up the stairs and to my room. He opened the door and sat me down on the bed.
“Thanks Ramos,” I said. “I think that pill affected me more than I thought.”
“Yeah.” He was thinking that if I wanted to keep my secret, I should only take something like that right before I went to bed.
“You’re right. I’ll do better next time.” I smiled up at him. “Did you have fun with the gun collection?”
“Sure did.” He smiled, then wondered if I needed help getting into bed... and taking off my clothes.
My eyes widened, then narrowed. “Ha, ha. Goodnight Ramos.”
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