Mendoza’s breathing grew shallow. “You have to stop,” he whispered. “You’re helping Gadaire.”
Kirov’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“We’re trying to get him . . . but . . . you’re screwing it up.”
“He shouldn’t be talking,” Hannah said.
Kirov crouched beside the man. “What do you mean?”
Mendoza tried to speak, but no words came. He tried again. “Gadaire . . . the scientist . . . Trinity. India. Stay out of . . . it. We’ll get . . . him. It’ll be okay . . .”
“Just relax,” Hannah said. She looked at Kirov. “I’m going to get him help. Stay here with him, and I’ll run to one of the—”
“He’s dead.”
Hannah’s gaze flew back to Mendoza. The agent’s eyes were still open, his face frozen in that last tense, urgent expression. Shit. This was no way for a person to leave the world.
Kirov stood up and took her forearm. “Let’s go.”
“Shouldn’t we stay and—”
“No. Quickly.”
Before Hannah could process what had happened, she was on her feet and moving through the passageway. They emerged on the sidewalk and passed the dozens of excited pedestrians who had heard the noise and seen the smoke rising from behind the row of shops and restaurants.
Kirov nodded toward the crosswalk. “This way.”
Hannah and Kirov walked to the next block, rounded the corner, and made their way to his rental car. They climbed in and drove off as the sirens wailed in the distance.
Kirov checked the rearview mirror. “I think we’re okay now.”
Hanna drew a deep breath as she leaned back in the seat. “Who just tried to kill us? Gadaire?”
“I’m guessing it was his people. They must have figured out that we’re here in Greece.”
“Then what was the agent saying about your helping Gadaire?”
“Maybe just that I’m interfering with his and Baker’s investigation. I’m not sure. I was more interested by what he was saying about Gadaire’s working with the Trinity College scientist.”
“Lampman? But we knew he was doing research for Gadaire.”
“But it sounded like he wasn’t working for but with Gadaire. A subtle change in status. And what was Mendoza trying to say about India?”
Hannah shook his head. “We can try to figure that out later. What disturbs me most is that apparently everybody in the world seems to know we’re here.”
“Yes. Evidently our red herring has played out. We’ve got to leave Athens right away.”
“That opens up a hell of a can of worms,” Hannah said. “We can’t just walk away. It must be fairly obvious to Gadaire what we’re doing here. Melis’s people in the lab are still working on those samples, and we have to guarantee their safety.” She bit her lip. “Ronnie. That’s what scares me the most. I want to send him home on the next flight, but if Gadaire’s people have been watching us, that might be the worst thing to do. By now they know who he is and what he means to me.”
“Then what do you propose we do?” Kirov asked.
Hannah thought for a long moment. Every solution had dangers. Just try to pick the one that had the least number of threats.
“We leave right away. All of us.”
“All of us?”
“Yes, we take the lab with us.”
“How do you think we’ll do that?”
“We take Melis’s boat. Melis and the lab guys can take whatever they need from here and move it to the lab on Fair Winds. It’s one of the most advanced laboratories anywhere. We move fast and hope that those men who attacked us in the alley will be slowed down by having to wait for orders. With luck, we can be hundreds of miles away before nightfall.”
“Where do we go?”
“Nowhere. The middle of the ocean. The one place we can go and not be found.”
Kirov shook his head. “Technology is too good for you to say that. You know that.”
“I know it’s not a perfect solution. But we can move if we see a threat. Planes can search areas for days without spotting boats in distress on the ocean. And would Gadaire really waste time to go after us if it proved that difficult? He appears to have other more urgent plans in mind.”
“It could be the safest bet for the time being,” Kirov said slowly.
“If you can think of any way that would be safer, tell me. I’ll listen. But we can’t keep looking over our shoulders, and that’s what will happen if we stay here.”
“India . . .”
“You want to go to India? You don’t even know what Mendoza meant.”
“No, but Lampman might know. Lampman might know a lot.”
“You idiot. Dammit, you promised me. That’s right, go back to Dublin. They’ll be waiting to cut your throat.”
“Probably.” He thought about it. “No, I’ll go with you on the Fair Winds. I can always helicopter out later. I want to make sure that Gadaire’s people aren’t trailing you. But I have another idea about Ireland . . .”
“I’m sure you do.” She was just grateful he was going to stay out of danger for the time being. Hannah reached for her phone. “I’ve got to have Melis call the lab and get them moving down to the ship. I want to be out of the harbor within the hour.”
Kirov nodded. “Good plan. I have a few calls to make myself . . .”
CHAPTER
16
The deck of the Fair Winds was already teeming with activity when Kirov and Hannah pulled up to the dock. The crew was preparing to weigh anchor, and Aziz was speaking animatedly to Melis. He turned to Hannah as she boarded the boat. “There you are. You appear and I lose my beautiful civilized lab and I’m thrown back into the primitive.”
“Primitive, my foot,” Hannah said. “I’ve seen the facilities on board, and they’re awesome. You’ll do just fine, Aziz.”
He grinned. “I know I will. I’m far enough along so that I don’t require all the sophisticated testing equipment. I can bring along what I need.”
“How fast can you move?”
“I have my assistant packing up right now. I told him that if he didn’t have everything on board in an hour, I’d get a new assistant.” His eyes were twinkling. “That’s a fate worse than death for an eager young scientist. I know just how he’d feel. This project is the job of a lifetime.” He turned back to Melis. “It will work out. I’m so close. Give me another day or two, and I’ll have your answer.”
“You’ll have the time. As long as those days are on the briny deep.” She turned and walked toward the captain, who was motioning to her.
“You’re that near to an answer?” Hannah asked Aziz.
He nodded. “I wouldn’t con Melis. I’ll hand it to her on a silver platter.” He turned and strode down the gangplank. “But now I’ve got to go back to the lab and help pack up.”
She turned back to Kirov and found him talking to Eugenia and Charlie, who had just come on board.
Eugenia smiled as Hannah came toward them. “It seems I missed some excitement. How disappointing. But to make up for it, Kirov has promised me that I won’t have to go on another boring boat ride. I do hate boats.”
“So you told me,” Charlie said. “You were stinging me with that tongue so much that I hardly noticed the journey.”
“Just a little to wake you up a bit.”
Kirov glanced at Hannah. “Eugenia and I are going to do a little reconnoitering. We’ll be back before it’s time to leave.”
“Reconnoitering?”
“The boat is probably being watched. We need to find Gadaire’s man and take him out before he can report any activity.”
“I’m going with you,” Charlie said.
“No.” Eugenia’s voice was firm. “This isn’t a learning exercise. Kirov and I are experienced and know what we’re doing. You’re an amateur. We can’t risk mistakes.”
Charlie’s face flushed. “I won’t make—”
“No.” Eugenia said again. “Stay here and keep an e
ye on Hannah.” She smiled. “You’ll get enough action in Dublin.” She turned and walked down the gangplank with Kirov. “I think I spotted a possible near the office of the marina,” she told him. “I’ll go there, and you head for the museum. It would be logical that they keep an eye on the lab.”
Two of a kind.
Hannah watched them walk down the dock and felt the same frustration that Charlie must be experiencing. Dammit, she wanted to run after them and try to help.
No, her place was here. She had to make sure that Melis and Ronnie were safe.
“You’re going back to Ireland?” she asked him.
“According to Kirov.” Charlie’s hands clenched on the rail. “I’m surprised Eugenia is letting me trail along. After all, I’m just an ‘amateur.’ ”
And Hannah was surprised that Charlie was obeying Eugenia’s orders when he obviously wanted desperately to join them. Charlie was changing, she realized. He was more mature, a little less egocentric. “We could use help setting up Aziz’ lab. Unless you’d prefer to stand here and glower at Eugenia as she goes about her business.”
He grimaced and turned away. “You sound just like Eugenia.”
“That’s not bad. I respect her.”
“So do I. Where is this lab I’m supposed to set up?”
“Go see Melis. She’s in charge.” She gave one last glance at the direction in which Kirov and Eugenia had disappeared and turned away. She had her own work to do.
But first she had to find Ronnie. She hadn’t seen him since she’d come on board, and it wasn’t like him not to be in the middle of things. She went to look for him.
She found him alone at the rail on the starboard side of the ship.
“Ronnie?”
He didn’t look at her. “You lied to me.”
She had half expected that reaction. He was too smart not to have realized what was going on after she had called Melis. “Yes, I did. I’m sorry. I just wanted to get you out of there so I could find out what was going on.”
“You should have told me. How can I protect you if you don’t let me know what’s happening?”
How to explain in a way that he would accept? “It’s instinct, Ronnie. Caring for people is a two-way street. You want to protect me. I want to protect you. Think about it. If you had to lie to me to keep me safe, would you do it?”
He thought about it. “Maybe. But it’s wrong.”
“Yes, it is.” She paused. “I should have trusted you. I was in a hurry, and I didn’t want to make explanations. After I saw those photos you took, I just wanted to get both of you away from there.” She smiled faintly. “By the way, that was very clever of you to be so observant. I was impressed.”
“No big deal. I was a little scared about him.” He scowled at her. “But you seemed not to be worried. So I thought it was okay.”
And damaged his trust and pride. She had to get that trust back. “Will you forgive me if I promise never to lie to you again? Not even if I’m scared and want to keep you safe?”
“You treated me like a kid. Oh, I know I am a kid, but you should have—”
“You’re right. I’m wrong.” She covered his hand on the rail with her own. “I’ll never lie to you again.”
He was silent a moment. “And you’ll let me help if something like that happens again?”
“That’s a hard one.” She sighed. “Yes, I promise.”
He turned and buried his head against her. “Good. I hated to be mad at you, Aunt Hannah. But I couldn’t let it happen again.”
Her brows rose. “By any chance, did you just manipulate me to get what you want?”
“Maybe. But I didn’t lie.” He lifted his head and smiled. “I wouldn’t do that.”
She gave him a quick hug and pushed him away. “Make yourself useful. Go to Melis and have her give you something to do. We need all hands to get this ship under way.”
“Aye, aye.” He started down the deck. “And I think it’s smart to go out to sea. Much less chance of anyone finding you.”
“Harder anyway. I’m glad you approve.”
“Oh, I do. Was it Kirov’s idea?”
“No, it was not.”
She watched him as he headed down the deck toward Melis. Had there been a hint of mischief in that last question? Possibly. Ronnie was growing up and fully capable of subtle humor . . . and manipulation. But hopefully the agreement that they’d struck wouldn’t be uncomfortable for either of them.
Her smile faded as she started after Ronnie. Time to get busy. Like Charlie, she wanted to stand waiting and watching for Kirov and Eugenia to return. But the time would pass quicker if she kept busy.
Kirov returned alone almost an hour later. He was . . . charged. Every muscle of his body seemed wired. She had seen him like that a few times and knew what it meant. She dropped what she was doing and walked toward him. “Mission accomplished?”
“We got rid of two. I don’t think there were any more.”
“Dead?”
He shook his head. “We weren’t sure if either of them were Baker’s men. Didn’t want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. So we put them to sleep for a good long time. They’ll wake up with ferocious headaches when we’re far out to sea.” He turned to Charlie, who had strolled up to him. “Eugenia is waiting for you at the museum. Take off.”
Charlie nodded and headed for the gangplank.
“And we should take off too,” Kirov said. “When do we sail?”
She turned away. “We’re ready to go. You were keeping us waiting.”
The sun was going down in a purple-scarlet explosion on the horizon, turning the sea into a glory of shimmering color.
“That’s nice,” Ronnie said as he leaned on the rail. “I left my camera in my bunk, or I’d take a picture of it. We’ve been sailing for hours, Aunt Hannah. Are we safe now?”
“I think so.” Don’t lie just to make him feel safe. Damn, that was difficult. Every instinct with children was to keep them secure and happy. “No sign of pursuit, and Kirov made sure that no one reported our departure. Yes, there’s an excellent chance we’re safe.”
“So we just sail around out here? Why don’t we go to Marinth?”
“Because Marinth isn’t safe right now. We’ll go later.”
Ronnie was silent a moment, his gaze on Melis’s silhouette a few yards away framed against the scarlet sky. “She’d like to go there, I think. She’s sad, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she misses her dolphins.”
“I know, she told me. It’s hard to have a dolphin for a pet. It’s not like they’ll come whenever you whistle.”
“She does have a whistle, but she seldom uses it. They’re not her pets. She regards them as friends. They’ve saved her life more than once. Not many people understand dolphins. They’re a very strange species. Pete and Susie like humans, they even interact with them; but they still have a strong family herd instinct with their own kind. Particularly the dolphins of Marinth. It’s as if they call Pete and Susie back to them.”
“She looks lonely. I think I’ll go to her and see if—”
A high, shrill sound broke the silence. Another followed.
Then the shrillness broke until it sounded like laughter.
Melis straightened at the rail. “Pete?” She was peering down at the sea below her. “Pete!”
Ronnie and Hannah hurried to stand beside her.
“They’re here?” Hannah asked.
Melis nodded. The soft rose flush on her face was from the setting sun, but the luminous glow was pure happiness. “Pete and Susie. We’re so far from Marinth, I didn’t expect to—but here they are.”
“They came looking for you,” Hannah said softly.
“Yes.” She fell to her knees, her gaze on the dolphins, who had both come close to the ship and were chattering up at her. “It’s about time you wandered out here. I’ve missed you.”
Ronnie dropped to his knees beside her. He was staring in fascination at the two sets of hug
e dark eyes gazing up at them. “They’re . . . beautiful.”
“Don’t flatter them,” Melis said. “They’re already too vain. Particularly Susie.”
“Which one is Susie? They look the same.”
“Susie is on the left. She has a dorsal fin with a V in the center. Pete is larger and has darker gray markings on his snout. It won’t take you long to get to know them at a glance.” She laughed. “Susie is going to make sure that you do. She’s flirting with you.” Susie had swum over to Ronnie and was chortling up at him. Then Pete swam close, nudging her aside to get to Ronnie. “I believe you’ve made a hit, Ronnie.”
“Look at their eyes. They’re glowing like cat’s eyes.”
“They’re brighter than cats’. They have to function in depths and withstand light levels that would hurt human eyes.”
“I . . . want to touch them. Would that be okay?”
“I think they’d like that. Dolphins can’t smell, and they swallow everything whole, so they don’t taste it. But touch is important to them. They spend about thirty percent of their time in physical contact with other dolphins.” Melis sat back on her heels. “Would you like to swim with them?”
Ronnie’s eyes lit up. “May I?”
Melis nodded. “Go get your swimsuit on. Hurry.”
He jumped to his feet and ran toward the stairs.
“Is it safe?” Hannah asked.
“Yes, I’ll be in the water with him, and the dolphins won’t let anything happen. I’ve seen them cradle a swimmer between them to keep him from drowning.” She pulled off her swim dress. “And it’s an experience he won’t forget.” She kicked off her thongs. “They like him and took to him right away. I don’t know quite what’s happening, but I think they want him to come to play with them. Maybe they sense . . . I don’t know. They have wonderful instincts.”
And Ronnie was ecstatic, Hannah thought. Why not let him forget the threat hanging over them and enjoy all the beauty and wonder of this moment?
“I’m ready!” Ronnie was running toward them. “Do I just jump in?”
“Be my guest.” Melis dove into the sea.
Ronnie was laughing with excitement as he followed.
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