‘That’s too dangerous, Eva. You have no idea if you can trust him.’
‘I have to try, Decker. I have to find out what’s going on.’
‘Then work fast,’ he said, standing and collecting the empty plates. ‘Before we run out of time.’
Chapter Twenty
‘Who is Scott Lancaster?’ asked Nathan. ‘I’ve never heard of him.’
‘He was the cultural attaché for the American embassy when Douglas was alive,’ said Eva, taking a dish he handed to her and wiping it. ‘A CIA operative, of course. He used his position to help the secret services of both the US, and the UK when they deemed it appropriate.’
‘Which unfortunately wasn’t the same as telling us when they knew Douglas was in danger,’ growled Decker. ‘Otherwise he’d still be alive today.’
‘Is that true?’ Nathan’s hands hovered over the soapy water.
‘Yeah,’ said Eva.
She handed the dishcloth to Decker, picked up her mug of coffee and leaned against the kitchen table as the two men finished the washing up.
‘That’s terrible,’ murmured Nathan.
‘Bastards,’ spat Decker. He glared over his shoulder at Eva. ‘Which is why I stand by my original comment. You can’t trust him.’
‘I’ll be careful.’
‘What’s your plan?’ asked Nathan, drying his hands and joining her.
‘I did a bit of research earlier while you were keeping Alex occupied. There’s a new gallery opening tonight on Nekázanka. He’ll be there, I know it.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘People come out of the woodwork at these things. You never know who’s going to be there, what contacts you might make,’ she said. ‘It’s not a case of simply attending a gallery opening; it’s a networking opportunity, and everybody that has something to buy or sell – including secrets – will be there.’
‘Not to mention the fact it’ll be held in such a public place, so you stand a fair chance of keeping out of trouble,’ said Decker. He leaned against the workbench and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I’ll need to get a tuxedo. What time does it start?’
‘You’re not going,’ said Eva. ‘You might be recognised. On my own, I stand a chance. The two of us there, together, after everything that’s happened?’ She shook her head. ‘Too risky.’
His arms dropped and he took a step forward. ‘You’re not going on your own.’
‘I know. Nathan can come with me.’
‘I can?’
‘You can stay here and guard Alex,’ said Eva to Decker, ignoring the wide-eyed look Nathan wore. ‘He’s more important. I won’t be able to concentrate if I think someone will come for him while I’m out.’
Decker ran a hand across his closely-cropped hair and swore, and Eva knew she’d won the argument.
‘You can watch cartoons, if you like.’ She laughed when Decker’s stony gaze met hers, and pointed at Nathan. ‘We’ll be fine. We’ll have a glass of champagne, eat some canapés, congratulate the gallery owner on a successful opening, and then ask Scott some questions. We’ll be in and out in under an hour, promise.’
‘I hate this plan already,’ said Decker.
Nathan snorted. ‘So do I.’
* * *
Eva slid back the plastic shower curtain, climbed over the edge of the bath and pulled the threadbare towel from the metal hook on the back of the bathroom door.
Steam filled the small space, creating whorls of cloud that enveloped her body as she towelled herself dry. She reached out and flicked the switch for the extractor fan, her lip curling as it rattled once, and stopped.
She tucked the towel under her arms, pushed the twisted end between her breasts, and rubbed a hand across the mirror over the sink.
She blinked at her reflection.
The hunted eyes that had stared back at her in the interview room at the embassy in Berlin were gone. The old ruthless calculating look had returned; the one she hadn’t seen for years.
After she and Alex had gone on the run, it had taken her nearly a year before she’d even contemplated sleeping in a different room to his. Instead, she would read to him until he fell into a deep slumber, and then curl up next to him.
When he’d begun to complain that she took up too much room, she’d simply put a pillow and a blanket on the floor next to his bed and slept there.
Until they’d moved to Cyprus.
Somehow, with a large British military presence on the island, she’d thought she could relax, that no-one would find her, or dare to attack.
A ragged sigh escaped her lips, and she sniffed, once.
‘Pull yourself together,’ she said, then picked up her hairbrush and began tugging at the wet tangles that framed her face. ‘Concentrate.’
She applied a bit of make-up, put on clean underwear, then opened the door to the bedroom, stepping over the threshold through the cloud of steam that followed.
She snapped off the power, silencing the pathetic attempts of the extractor fan to restart, and padded across the floor to the bed where she’d laid out a dress for the evening.
Eva pulled the satin material over her head, zipped up the back, and then cursed as her fingers struggled with the clasp of her necklace.
She turned at a knock at the door.
‘It’s open.’
The handle turned and Nathan peered around the door.
‘Nearly ready?’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Just a minute.’
‘Here,’ Nathan said, and stepped closer. ‘Let me.’
‘Thanks,’ said Eva, and turned, holding the ends of the necklace until she felt his fingers over hers. ‘Whoever designs jewellery clasps definitely doesn’t wear them.’
He chuckled, his warm breath brushing her neck. ‘But it’s a perfect piece of engineering.’
She felt her lips twitch. ‘Is that so?’
‘It’s modelled on a lobster claw – very effective.’
His fingers moved away, and she let her hair fall.
‘How do you know all this stuff?’ she asked. She leaned across the dresser and picked up the matching bracelet.
‘I like learning,’ replied Nathan, and held out his hand for the bangle.
She handed it over, then turned her wrist upwards, and concentrated on his hand as he looped the bracelet over hers.
A wave of emotions and memories washed over her.
Douglas dashing around the bedroom of his official residence in Malá Strana, cursing as he tried to find a matching silk handkerchief to his tie, their car waiting downstairs as they tried unsuccessfully to get to the opera on time.
Dancing with him on a polished floor, the lucid notes of a string quartet on the radio filling their senses.
Afterwards, laughing their way through the apartment, past the kitchen, to here—
‘Eva? Are you okay?’
She shook her head, and pressed her fingertips to the skin under her eyes. ‘I’m fine.’
Nathan had her hand between his fingers, a look of concern etched across his features. ‘You’re not,’ he murmured. ‘But you do a good job of pretending you are.’
She went to snatch her hand away, but his grip was firmer than she’d imagined. She tipped her chin upwards until their eyes met.
‘Don’t,’ she whispered.
‘Why not?’
His black eyes shimmered as he held her gaze.
‘I’m not going to discuss it.’
‘So, you push everyone away, is that it?’
‘You’re going to be late.’
Eva jerked away from Nathan’s grip at the sound of Decker’s voice.
He stood in the doorway, one hand on the frame. ‘Everything okay in here?’
‘Yes.’
‘Taxi’s outside the Chinese takeaway.’
Eva snatched up a small handbag from the bed, checked its contents one last time, and led the way from the room, brushing against Decker’s arm as she passed. She stopped, squeezed his hand,
then made her way to the living area.
She pursed her lips and blew some of the tension away, squaring her shoulders.
I can do this.
‘Alex, Nathan and I are going out for a few hours. Decker’s going to stay with you,’ she said, crouching down to where the boy had sat on the carpet leafing through a book. ‘Behave yourself, okay?’
‘’kay,’ he said, then reached out for a hug. ‘See you later.’
‘You’d better be in bed by the time we get back,’ she teased, then straightened and nodded to Nathan. ‘Okay, let’s go.’
Decker followed them to the front door, opened it and stood on the threshold for a moment. ‘All clear,’ he said, then stepped aside to let them pass. ‘Call me with updates.’
‘Will do.’ Eva followed Nathan down the steps and towards the waiting taxi.
He stood holding the back door open for her, and held up his hand as she approached.
‘Are you sure you want to do this? Be out in the open like this?’
She nodded. ‘There’s no other way. Let’s go.’
Chapter Twenty-One
South-east Poland
* * *
Maxim paced the bare wooden floorboards, and chewed at his already destroyed nails. It was a tick that he had developed while in prison, and while he detested the constant reminder of his time being incarcerated, he couldn’t stop.
His rage was all-encompassing. If his men hadn’t been killed in Cyprus by the bitch, he would have killed them himself. Even Parkes, supposedly once the Section’s best assassin, had failed.
He had one advantage over the Section, however. He traded using money and fear. It was only a matter of time before his network of contacts found her.
He had to be patient.
He spat out the ragged end of another nail, and spun around at the sound of footsteps in the hallway outside.
‘What is it?’
Vadir hovered in the doorway, as if afraid or unsure whether to enter. ‘We just received word that the Section’s analyst, Nathan Crowe, was seen boarding a train to Prague late yesterday afternoon. He never arrived, nor did the woman and child.’
Maxim shivered as goose bumps spiked his skin. It was an interesting development, and one that he hadn’t anticipated.
The thought worried him further. Was he losing his edge? Surely after three years out of active duty, she shouldn’t be outwitting him like this?
‘Was he alone?’
‘At first, we thought so. We went back through some CCTV images though, and it looks like they split up. She went with the boy, and got in a different train carriage.’
‘Have they been any sightings of them in Prague?’
‘No. Because of the migration crisis, the border checkpoints have stricter controls. They must have disembarked the train before reaching it, and made their way to Prague from there.’
‘Have there been any reports of stolen vehicles?’
‘We’ve been through all the police reports. There’s nothing. She can’t have walked all the way to Prague from there, not with the boy. She must have hitchhiked.’
‘You have lookouts at the house in Malá Strana?’
‘Yes. There’s been no sign of her, but we’ll keep them posted there until you order it otherwise.’
‘Let me know as soon as you hear anything. In the meantime, arrange for a strike team to be on standby in Prague. They need to be ready at a moment’s notice.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Prague
* * *
‘Remind me again why you think this is a good idea,’ said Nathan as he opened the back door of the taxi for Eva, and held out his hand to her.
She took it, climbed from her seat and waited on the kerb while he paid the driver.
As the car sped away, she led Nathan towards the gallery, the façade lit up with strategically-placed lanterns to welcome the guests. ‘Scott worked closely with Douglas,’ she said. ‘They socialised together as well, away from their embassy duties. I’m hoping he might tell me a bit about those private conversations that will shed some light on what’s going on.’
‘How well do you know him?’
Eva shifted her purse from one hand to the other. ‘I don’t,’ she admitted. ‘But he and Douglas got on really well, so I’m banking on that.’
‘Seems like one hell of a gamble.’
‘It’s the only idea I’ve got at the moment.’
‘I don’t speak Czech,’ hissed Nathan as they drew closer to the reception line.
‘Neither does anyone else here,’ Eva assured him. ‘Speak English, tell them you’re a freelance computer analyst, and you’ll be fine.’
‘Great.’
‘And smile,’ said Eva. ‘Put your party face on.’
‘Come on then,’ said Nathan, as Eva looped her arm through his to climb the short flight of steps up to the entrance. ‘Before I change my mind.’
A suited doorman smiled as they approached, and opened the large wooden and glass-panelled door.
As she stepped over the threshold, Eva’s senses were overcome by the scent of too many different perfumes in one space, conversation that assaulted her hearing, and a pervading tone of one-upmanship from the conversations she overheard as they passed.
‘Smell that?’ asked Nathan.
‘This year’s signature fragrance?’
‘No. Bullshit.’
Eva bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing in the crowded space, and glared at Nathan.
Despite the dangers of the past forty-eight hours, his eyes were sparkling.
‘Admit it,’ she said. ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’
He shrugged. ‘Eva, I’m used to being cooped up in an office all day with a computer. Hanging around with you, I could be dead tomorrow, so I might as well enjoy myself. Here,’ he said, taking two champagne flutes from a passing waiter. ‘Let’s drink to a successful mission.’
Eva clinked her glass against his and savoured the cool liquid as it cleansed her parched throat. She’d tip the rest into an ornamental plant at the first opportunity, but she allowed herself the pleasure of one taste without guilt.
She touched her glass lightly against Nathan’s once more. ‘Make it last,’ she warned. ‘No more than one of these, okay? Just in case,’ she added, when he choked on his drink.
‘You do realise you’ve spoilt the taste of vintage Krug for me forever?’
‘I’ll make it up to you,’ said Eva, before movement at the back of the room caught her eye. ‘Come on. There’s our man.’
Eva led him around the perimeter of the room, slowly closing in on her quarry. Each time he was waylaid by another guest, she pretended to be deep in conversation with Nathan about one of the works of art on the wall.
Her senses alert, she was jerked back to attention at a tap on her arm.
‘You do realise this is a Lavert, don’t you?’ Nathan said, wonderment filling his voice as he stared at one of the paintings.
‘Never heard of him,’ said Eva, keen to move closer to the tall American that held court in the corner of the room.
‘The latest enfant terrible out of Paris,’ explained Nathan. ‘I’d hate to think how much this collection is worth,’ he added, as his gaze breezed past Eva and onto the surrounding walls. ‘Hey – your man is free. Quick.’
Eva snapped to attention, and strode towards the American cultural attaché.
He became aware of the crowd parting before her, such was her determination to reach him before anyone else, and his eyes opened wide as she approached.
‘Eva?’
‘Hello, Scott.’
She accepted the kiss on her cheek with decorum, then introduced Nathan. ‘This is my friend, Nathan,’ she said. ‘Have you got a minute?’
‘What are you doing here?’ asked the American. ‘How are you? It’s been what, three years?’
Eva took a deep breath. ‘Whoever killed Douglas found me,’ she said.
‘Christ, E
va. You could’ve tried small talk first.’ Scott’s jaw clenched, and his gaze swept the room. He drained his drink before placing his glass on a small table next to him. ‘Come with me,’ he said, taking her by the arm and steering her towards a door at the back of the room from which the staff reappeared with trays full of drinks and canapés. ‘It’s not safe to talk out here.’
Eva made sure Nathan was following, and waited until Scott had taken them through the doors, along a short corridor, and into a room that turned out to be the office for the gallery.
‘You shouldn’t have come here,’ he hissed, slamming the door shut. ‘It’s not like the old days. It’s not safe.’
Nathan raised an eyebrow. ‘That would be the old days, when Douglas got shot?’
Scott ignored him. ‘Where are you staying?’
Eva shook her head. ‘You know I’m not going to tell you that,’ she said, keeping her voice even. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but someone’s tried to kill me twice in the past three days.’
‘What’s going on, Eva? Is this about Douglas’s murder? They never found the killer, did they?’
‘No. Care to elaborate?’
‘I know nothing about that. I found out about Douglas’s death after it happened, and you were already gone by the time I got to the house. I couldn’t get to you because your own government officials wouldn’t let me through the door.’
‘I didn’t accuse you, Scott. I simply want to know what else Douglas was working on. It might help me find out who wants me dead, after all this time.’
‘I have no idea.’
‘It’s okay, you can tell me,’ said. Eva ‘I realise there were some things he couldn’t tell me at the time, but I’d really like to know.’
‘Where have you been, Eva?’ Scott’s brow creased. ‘What did they do to you?’
Eva rubbed at the goose bumps prickling her skin. ‘I can’t tell you,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry.’
Scott sighed and checked his watch. ‘I’ve got a room full of guests out there, Eva, so why are you here? What do you want?’
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