Mind Game

by Iris Johansen

  Lisa’s gaze flew to the two men coming toward them. “Good heavens. The Highlander and a Greek god.” Her eyes went to Jock. “Why isn’t he in Hollywood? He’s spectacular.” Her gaze shifted to MacDuff. “He’s the one who might throw me in the lake?”

  “That’s the laird,” Jane said. “But neither of them are easy, Lisa.”

  “Sharp…” she murmured. Her eyes never left the men as they approached. “They’re important to you, Jane?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you sleep with the Greek god?”

  “No, I do not sleep with Jock. Nor MacDuff. I told you that we’re not discussing my sex life.”

  “I just thought that might be the reason you don’t sleep with Seth.”

  Jane had a sudden thought. Lisa was both vibrant and beautiful, and it wasn’t unusual in this day and age for girls her age to have sex. “And I don’t believe Caleb would like it if you decided that you should sleep with either Jock or MacDuff to get what you want.”

  “I wouldn’t like it, either. Sex … confuses me.”

  Confuses?

  But she dismissed the thought because Lisa was taking a few steps forward and holding out her hand to Jock. “I’m Lisa Ridondo. You’re perfectly wonderful-looking, but I’m sure you’re much more than that if Jane is your friend.” She shook his hand. “I just want you to know I won’t get in your way and I’ll do anything you need me to do.”

  Jock’s brows rose as he gazed at her curiously. “Thank you, Lisa.”

  But she was already turning to MacDuff. “And you allowed me to come here, and I’m grateful. You’ve probably been told that I can be difficult, but you’ll never see it. I can keep it hidden.” She smiled. “And Jane says that you might throw me into the lake, and that’s okay if it makes you feel better. I can handle it.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said drily. “Welcome to my Gaelkar.” His gaze raked her from head to toe. “Should you be wandering around? I hear you were wounded.”

  “I’m fine. You’ll be surprised how quickly I’ll heal.” She turned and moved away from them. “But you’re tired and hungry and don’t need someone like me getting in your way. I’ll go to my tent and rest if Jane will show me the way. I just wanted you to know that anything you want done, I’ll be glad to do. Phone calls, computer work. I could probably translate, if you needed it. Anything. I know you want to be freed from that kind of drudgery. You have something more important to do.”

  Jock chuckled. “What an offer. Maybe a little too generous?”

  “You think I’m conning you?” She gave him a level look. “I’m absolutely sincere. Cira is important to all of you. I think she’s important to me, too. I’ll have to see. But until I have the opportunity to find out, I’ll do whatever I have to do to get you to accept me.” She turned away. “But I’m tired and hurting a little, so I’ll have to start tomorrow.”

  “Or maybe the next day.” Jane was right beside her, helping her up the slight hill leading to the tents. She glanced behind her and saw Jock and MacDuff still looking after them. “Well, I do believe you made an impression.”

  “That doesn’t matter. I don’t think either of them is going to believe words. I’ll have to show them that I meant what I said.” She looked at Jane as they stopped beside a tent. “Just as I’ll have to show you.”

  Lisa was standing very straight, but Jane could see the paleness of her face and the tightness of her mouth. Not only was she obviously struggling with pain but she was alone here with strangers and she had temporarily lost even Caleb, who was the only person she loved.

  “Right now you don’t have to show me anything.” Jane whisked her inside the tent and lit the lantern. “We’ll get you to bed and then we’ll start new tomorrow.”

  Lisa nodded. “Tomorrow.” She started to unbutton her shirt. “It’s been kind of a long day.” She was fumbling with the buttons due to the bandage on her thumb. “But a night’s rest and I’ll be ready again.”

  Jane brushed Lisa’s hand away and unbuttoned her shirt. “That’s right.” She finished helping her undress and tucked her in the bedroll. “There you are. I’m in the tent next door. If you need me, call.”

  Lisa bit her lower lip as she gazed up at Jane. “I hate to be this helpless.”

  “I know you do.” She headed for the tent door. “So get well so you can tell me to go to hell.”

  Lisa shook her head. “I couldn’t ever … do that. Too late.” She closed her eyes. “Not you, Jane.…”

  5:50 A.M.

  What on earth?

  Jane stood outside her tent, her stunned gaze on the scene at the campfire below. MacDuff and Jock were sitting eating before the fire and Lisa was sitting across from them, drinking a cup of coffee. She was smiling and talking and her demeanor was a world away from the fragile girl Jane had tucked into bed last night. The scent of bacon and coffee drifted to Jane and she heard MacDuff laugh at something Lisa had just said.

  Jane slowly started down the hill, her eyes still on the three at the campfire. She had gotten up, prepared to go in Lisa’s tent and help her again before she went down and made the coffee. But it appeared that Lisa didn’t need help, or if she did, she was hiding it with amazing efficiency.

  “Good morning, Jane.” Jock had seen her and rose to his feet. “Let me get you a cup of coffee.” His eyes were twinkling. “Otherwise, our Lisa will be jumping up and waiting on you, too. MacDuff and I are feeling quite guilty enough as it is.”

  Our Lisa?

  Jane took the cup of coffee and sat down beside Lisa. “Really? We wouldn’t want that.” She looked at the remains of food on the men’s plates. Something that looked like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and a delicious hash brown casserole. “I take it you’re feeling better this morning, Lisa?”

  She grinned. “I felt better before the hash brown casserole. That took a surprising amount of arm movement. I didn’t think it would.”

  “You must have gotten up early to prepare a feast like this,” Jane murmured.

  “Not too early. It’s all in the prep.” She smiled at MacDuff and Jock. “I wanted them to get a good start on the day.”

  “Aye,” Jock said. “And so you did.” He finished his breakfast. “What else could a man need?”

  “I’m certain you can think of any number of things,” Lisa said. “And I’ll guarantee to try to supply them. Dinner will be much better than this once I can send someone for the ingredients I need and pick up a camp oven.” Her gaze shifted to MacDuff. “And I’ll get those Munich contracts you mentioned translated and ready for your signature by the end of the day. You say they’re in the briefcase in your tent?”

  MacDuff nodded wryly. “Where they’ve been sitting for the last two months. I’ve been preoccupied.”

  “With Cira.” Lisa nodded. “But I’ll try to make certain you’re not disturbed by things like this again. You’ll have to make decisions, but I can do the donkey work.”

  MacDuff studied her for a moment and then smiled. “We’ll see how it goes. You don’t remind me of any donkey with whom I’ve made an acquaintance.”

  “But she does remind me a little of her brother,” Jock said quietly. He lifted his cup in a mock toast to Lisa. “Drive and determination. Long may it reign.”

  “It will,” Lisa said. “You know Seth. Are you friends?”

  “Sometimes. We have a good deal in common.” He finished his coffee and set his cup aside. “We understand each other as much as either one of us can bear being understood.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Lisa was frowning as her gaze searched his face. “I want Seth to have friends. He’s always been alone. If you understand him, then you should realize that he’d be a good friend.”

  “And if you understood him, you’d realize that he’d still be alone even if I called him my friend.” His smile was suddenly gentle and lit his face with a warm radiance. “But it’s good that he has you, Lisa. You give him a gift beyond compare. That’s one thing that
we’ve both learned to appreciate.” He got to his feet in one lithe movement. “And now it’s time we got to the task of giving MacDuff a gift beyond compare.” He turned to MacDuff. “Come on, you’ve indulged yourself too long. We have to get to work. Do you believe that treasure is just going to emerge like Venus from her shell?” He grabbed his backpack and headed toward the north bank.

  “I wasn’t the one who had seconds on those pancakes,” MacDuff called after him as he got to his feet. He gave a half bow to Lisa. “My compliments to the chef.” He glanced at Jane. “Keep an eye on her. She’s one of those who will go until they drop.”

  “I know,” Jane said. “But it didn’t stop you from taking advantage of that gourmet breakfast.”

  “She wanted to be tested.” He grinned. “So we tested her.” He headed down the bank after Jock.

  She turned away from watching them to look at Lisa. “And how did you survive the test? You look … normal.”

  “Pretty normal. A little rouge on the cheeks helped quite a bit.” She was watching Jock and MacDuff. Her back was ramrod-straight and there was a smile fixed on her lips. “And I believe I came out of the test with flying colors. I gave them something wonderful to eat, we got to know each other a little better, and they know that I won’t stop until I’m part of Gaelkar.” She watched the two men disappear into the mist. Then she gave a deep sigh, her smile vanished, and she slumped over. “But the test is done now.” Her hand was shaking as she put her coffee cup down. “They’re very, very smart. Both of them. Did they see through me?”

  “Probably. But they liked what they saw,” she said. “Did you eat anything yet?”

  “No. I was onstage. Besides, I was afraid I’d get sick.” She swallowed and said wryly, “I wouldn’t tell anybody else that. Aren’t you lucky?”

  “I think I am.” She put bacon and a small bit of egg on a plate. “Eat this. Do you need that wound rebandaged?”

  “No. I told the truth. I’m getting better. I’m healing.” She was eating the bacon. “And I spent time last night concentrating on repairing. Seth taught me how to do that.”

  “Well, good for him. Now all he has to do is teach you how to avoid exhaustion.” She took two slices of bacon herself and then one of the pancakes. The pancakes really were excellent. “What’s this about Munich contracts?”

  “It’s something of value for me to give. Food is good. But I had to go a step further.” She finished the eggs. “And it was easier for me to get MacDuff to talk about it after he’d eaten his breakfast.”

  Jane chuckled. “Lisa, I believe you may have the makings of a temptress. I’d never have believed it, from where we began.”

  She made a face. “That kind of thing is easy. It’s more like business negotiations than seduction. And you only saw me when I was fighting for Seth’s life. You couldn’t expect me to act reasonably around Santara.”

  “Which you certainly didn’t.” She sat back on her heels. “Are you planning on doing this every morning?”

  “Yes. It’s a gift I can give. I’d judge people like MacDuff and Jock like to return gifts.” She smiled. “Even though MacDuff’s already given me one in this safe haven here.”

  “But you want something else,” Jane said. “Cira?”

  “Cira. It’s something to look forward to, something to work for,” she said simply. “It’s going to drive me crazy worrying about Seth until I’m well enough to go to him. I have to keep busy. Nothing about Cira is easy.”

  “You’re right. Not one thing.” Obviously, Lisa had been captured like the rest of them. “So by all means wriggle your way into working with MacDuff and Jock in the mist if you can.”

  “You won’t mind?” She hesitated. “I won’t try if you do. After all, Cira does belong to you.”

  Jane laughed. “Cira belongs to herself. If anything, she sees that we belong to her. By all means, if she welcomes you, then who am I to put obstacles in your path?” She looked out at the lake. “Eve told me that I might have been chosen to find and save you. That sometimes we’re given those choices. It’s strange that all this happened at the same time I was planning on going into the mist to find Cira’s treasure.” She smiled. “Maybe you were chosen, too, Lisa.”

  “That’s all a little too mystical for me,” Lisa said as she unfolded one of the blankets beside the fire. “All I want is to keep busy until I’m ready to go help Seth. Cira will do that.” She lay down and pulled the blanket over her. “But one step at a time. First, I have to prove myself so that when I’m ready, MacDuff will be ready for me. I got too tired today and I have to take a nap. It’s only smart to ration my strength. When I wake up, I’ll make out a grocery list. Can you send one of those guards to a town close by and fill it for me?”

  “If you don’t get too fancy with ingredients.”

  “I won’t. But I think I’m going to need some kind of portable oven, too. It was kind of hard today. I’ll have to think about it.” Her eyes closed. “And while he’s gone, I’ll tackle those Munich contracts.”

  “You do that.” Jane got another cup of coffee and sat back down, her eyes on Lisa. She could see that the girl was drifting off. She’d planned to go down into the mist herself today, and she might later. But right now it seemed to be more important to get Lisa settled at the camp. Or maybe just to do what MacDuff had said and keep an eye on her. She was settling in herself at lightning speed and probably doing too much. She might not be able to stop Lisa, but she might be able to modify her behavior. Lisa was being more thoughtful and accommodating toward her than she had dreamed possible. Astonishing in a girl as willful as Lisa. At moments she had touched her and amused her and frustrated her, but she had not bored her. Of course, she might be lulling her into a false sense of security, but somehow she didn’t think so. She thought perhaps Lisa was beginning to reveal facets of her personality that were as complex and changing as the sketches she had made during that last week.

  So she’d sit here and have her coffee. Then she’d work on Michael’s sketch.

  And when Lisa woke, she’d set herself to doing what was necessary to keep her promise to Caleb to take care of his sister.

  And explore what new facet Lisa was going to show her next.

  * * *

  There was no way I’d be able to make the shot, Santara thought with frustration as he sighted his rifle carefully on Lisa Ridondo lying by the fire. The distance was much too far and MacDuff’s men would be on him the minute he fired. He had reconnoitered the entire area and the damn place was an armed camp, he thought sourly. And besides, Teresa Romano didn’t want a dead girl; she wanted something to trade.

  But he wanted the bitch dead. Lisa was proof of his failure, and he did not fail. He shifted the sight to Jane MacGuire, who was sitting sketching now. No, not her yet, either. All his work and he couldn’t touch either of them until he got Teresa’s okay.

  His finger caressed the trigger, his gaze on a point in the center of Jane MacGuire’s temple. She had been there on San Leandro with Caleb and been part of his humiliation in front of his men. He had decided that night that no one who had witnessed that degradation was going to live to tell about it. “I’ll have you, too,” he murmured. “Just not right now.”

  He took out his phone and punched in Teresa Romano’s number.

  “I’ve found your Lisa,” Santara said as Teresa picked up the phone. “I located the little bitch today. I traced her through Jane MacGuire, who had to show her passport at the inn on Zakyos when she checked in. She’s some kind of artist, and I went to her gallery in London and questioned the receptionist and found out she’d been submitting paintings of a lake in the Highlands of Scotland for the last two years. That’s where I am now, and lo and behold, who would I find but MacGuire and Lisa Ridondo.”

  “But not Seth Caleb?”

  “I haven’t caught sight of him yet. But I can’t move around too freely. This place is too well guarded.”

  “Of course it is,” Teresa said with disgust. �
��Caleb wouldn’t leave her anyplace that wasn’t safe. I’d bet that he stashed her away and then took off looking for you.” She added harshly, “And me. He’ll have put most of it together by now and he’ll be on the hunt.”

  “He won’t be able to find out anything about Haroun. We were too careful.”

  “You’d better hope you didn’t make a slip. Because if you did, he’ll find it. I won’t have all my plans ruined by your incompetence.”

  His hand tightened on his phone. “No slip. All the people I put in place are beyond reproach. No one will talk. Now what do you want me to do? I’ve told you that I’ve found Lisa and the MacGuire woman. It would be really difficult, but I might possibly be able to pick off one of them to send a message. Or I could get some guys from Liverpool and try to go in and get Lisa. The only problem with that is MacDuff, who owns this property, is some kind of bigwig and it might bring the local magistrates down on us.”

  “That’s all we need,” she said sarcastically. “And that would mean Interpol and publicity.”

  “What do you want me to do?” he said through set teeth.

  “What do you expect me to say? What did I hire you for? Find a way. Find out everything you can about how to get to Lisa.”

  “I’d rather go after Caleb.”

  “Ask me if I care. You’re so angry that you might try to damage him. That’s the last thing I want. He’s the key to Haroun.”

  “You could use me instead. I could do what you want if I’m given enough time.”

  “And you had so much success with Lisa?” She paused. “Haroun is scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow. If you don’t manage to find me a tool to get Caleb here and cooperative by two days before that time, I’ll put all the money I’ve agreed to pay you for this job as a bounty on your head. How long do you think you’ll last among your very greedy and bloodthirsty cronies?”

  “Longer than you will, if I decide to go after you.”

  “We’ll see. It would be more sensible not to put either of us to the test. I’m going to concentrate on finding a way to correct this catastrophe. Do your job, Santara.” She hung up.