“Paolo wouldn’t want you to pay him.” Janessa shook her head. “In fact, this will be great for everyone. Paolo will expect them to help out with the horses if they want to ride, and I know he’ll enjoy their company.”
Alora let out a nervous laugh. “I just can’t get over how great everyone is here. I feel like we’re living in a fairytale.”
Janessa simply grinned. “Don’t look now, but I think we are.”
* * *
“I can’t tell,” the young nurse said, repeating the words like a chant. “I can’t tell. I can’t tell.”
Caspar Gazsi stepped away from where Belinda Parnelli was bound to a chair, bright lights shining overhead. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and a trickle of sweat beaded on his brow. He rubbed a hand idly over his neatly trimmed beard and considered his options. He turned to the man standing in the corner and lowered his voice. “We may have to resort to more drastic measures.”
“I already told you we can’t leave any evidence that she was being pressed for information.”
“Are you sure you really need this information?” He glanced over his shoulder, staring at the woman. She was slumped forward, her head hung low, her hair disheveled and curtaining part of her face. Turning his attention back to the man beside him, he continued. “What difference does it make if the prince knows? Certainly he’ll keep it quiet.”
“He will, but we need to know if anyone else might have gotten ahold of it. If someone sells it to the press, it could throw the timing off for all our other plans.”
Caspar lowered his voice even further. “If it’s that important, we can always dispose of the body so she won’t be found.”
He shook his head. “Bodies have a tendency of popping up at the worst possible time. Besides, I think we’re going to want hers to be found.”
“Then you’d better get your hands on a pentothal agent.”
“Wouldn’t an autopsy be able to reveal that?”
Caspar shook his head. “Not if we keep her alive long enough for it to get out of her system.”
* * *
Janessa sat between Garrett and Giancarlo in the dining hall and reveled in the knowledge that, for the first time in a week, she wouldn’t be expected to help with the after-dinner dishes.
When Marie walked in carrying cannelloni, she grinned across the table at Alora. “Have you had Patrice’s cannelloni yet?”
Alora shook her head. “No, but everything I’ve had here has been incredible. We’ve been so spoiled already that I’m afraid the boys won’t want to eat my cooking anymore.”
Dante patted her arm. “I still like your raisin cookies the best, Mama.”
Alora chuckled and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Thank you, Dante.”
“What can I get you to drink, Your Highness?” Marie asked Stefano. “Would you care for a glass of wine?”
Stefano nodded his assent only to have Giancarlo shake his head disapprovingly at him. “Mama says we aren’t supposed to drink wine.”
“Oh really?” Stefano glanced briefly at Alora, and Janessa was sure he couldn’t miss the color rising to her friend’s cheeks. Before Alora could fumble over an explanation, Stefano gave Giancarlo his full attention once more. “Well, then. What do you suggest I drink with dinner instead?”
“Apple juice,” Giancarlo announced with conviction.
“Okay.” Stefano nodded thoughtfully. Then he looked up at Marie, who was struggling to keep a straight face. “I’ll have some apple juice.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Marie took everyone else’s drink orders and left to fill them.
Alora leaned toward Stefano, probably to apologize, but he merely shook his head and offered her a smile filled with humor. Janessa watched the silent exchange, pleased to see her friend and her future brother-in-law appeared to have developed a friendship over the past week.
Janessa took a roll out of the bread basket Garrett handed her and passed it to Giancarlo. He took out one for himself and immediately climbed onto his knees so he could reach across the table to give it to his mother. Alora took it from him, buttered it, and then handed it back. Janessa’s eyes widened when Alora then reached her hand out to Stefano, who passed his roll to her. Alora buttered it and passed it back before proceeding to butter another roll for Dante.
Janessa looked over at Garrett, who was already so focused on his dinner that he had apparently missed the unexpected familiarity between Alora and Stefano. Curious now if perhaps more had been happening over the past week than she had realized, Janessa looked at her friend. “Alora, I didn’t get a chance to ask you how you’ve been spending your days since you arrived. Have you and the boys spent much time on the beach?”
“The boys have,” Alora began.
“I’m afraid I’ve been dominating her time,” Stefano interrupted before Alora could continue. “She’s been helping me sort through all of those environmental reports. We were able to send the final summaries out yesterday.”
“Did anything concerning pop up?” Garrett asked.
“Everything was pretty much what we expected,” Stefano told him. “I sent you an electronic version, but I’m sure it’ll take you a few days to sort through all of your e-mail.”
Conversation over dinner centered on the upcoming construction at the naval base, mixed with a few stories from the children about their adventures on the beach that day.
When the meal concluded, Garrett reached for Janessa’s hand. “If everyone is finished, we have something to show you upstairs.”
“What’s going on?” Janessa looked at him quizzically and then caught Alora’s blank stare, the one she always wore when she was trying to hide her emotions.
Rather than answer her, Alora spoke to her boys as she stood up. “Come on, boys. It’s about time we head to our rooms.”
“Do we have to?” Giancarlo asked, disappointment in his voice.
“If it’s okay with you, Alora, I would love for you all to join us,” Garrett invited.
“Can we, Mama?” Dante jumped out of his chair and looked up at her hopefully.
Alora hesitated a moment before nodding at Garrett. “We would love to join you.”
“Is anyone going to tell me where we’re going?” Janessa asked as Garrett started leading everyone out of the room.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Garrett told her.
Janessa narrowed her eyes as they left the dining hall and walked through the parlor. “What is it with you and surprises lately?”
Garrett grinned down at her. “I love a challenge.”
“He always has,” Stefano agreed as he followed behind them.
They walked up the stairs and then started down the main hallway that led to the chateau offices. Janessa expected him to stop at his office or even the security office, but he continued past them both, not stopping until he reached another office, one she knew to be unoccupied.
“The family decided that you should have your own work space here at the chateau.” Garrett pushed the door open, and Janessa’s eyes widened as she looked inside and caught the scent of fresh paint.
She stepped through the doorway and turned in a circle. The chair railing and crown molding were painted the same cream color as the upper part of the wall, contrasting with the warm beige below the chair rail. A large ceramic vase held three miniature palm trees, and on the walls an original Monet hung opposite a modern seascape. The furnishings were a mixture of old and new: a new office chair behind a polished antique desk, a sleek laptop and a wireless printer resting on an aged credenza in the same honey oak as the desk.
“This is incredible. It looks nothing like it did before.”
“Can we play for a minute, Mama?”
“Just for a minute,” Alora agreed. Both boys raced across the office to an armoire on the far side of the room. They opened the bottom section and pulled a bin of toys out onto the thick carpet.
“We thought Alora could work in here,” Garrett said and then moti
oned to the door leading to the interior office. “Your office is in there.”
Janessa followed him through the doorway, and her breath caught. “Oh wow.”
“Do you like it?” Alora asked as she and Stefano joined them in the inner office.
“Did you do all this?” Janessa asked with wonder in her voice. The room had been completely transformed. Like the exterior office, the walls had been repainted in warm neutral tones, and the artwork had been replaced with a tasteful combination of classic and contemporary.
Alora motioned to Stefano and Garrett. “They spearheaded the remodeling. I only helped a bit with the decorating.”
“She’s being too modest,” Stefano insisted. “I just gave her a list of contractors and then stayed out of her way.”
Janessa looked around the room once more in admiration, and she didn’t miss the way Alora’s cheeks flushed at Stefano’s compliment or the way Stefano’s eyes lingered on her a bit longer than usual. She reached out and ran a finger over a round cherry table and continued through the room until she reached the exquisite Chippendale desk positioned near the window. “Thank you all so much. This is a wonderful surprise.”
Alora let out a sigh of relief and stepped closer to the window. “Can you believe this view?”
Janessa turned and looked out the window, which was now framed by elegant lace curtains. Her smile came quickly. “It appears I have the best of both worlds. I can see the Mediterranean from my room when I wake up in the morning, and we can see the country landscape from here.”
She noticed Stefano’s quick smile, and her eyebrows drew together. “What?”
“Nothing.” Stefano shook his head, his eyes shifting to Alora before he spoke to Janessa once more. “I’m just pleased that you’re happy with your new space.”
Chapter 22
His eyes narrowed as he studied the piece of equipment on the table and then looked up at Prince Elam. “You told me days ago that you recovered the transmitter. Where is the other half?”
“That’s all there was.”
He shook his head. “There were two pieces.”
“No one told me that.” Elam’s voice tightened. “I had to break a hole in the wall to get that one. By now the renovations must be complete. There’s no way I can retrieve the other piece without raising suspicions.”
“If the other half was discovered, we need to know about it.” His voice darkened as he added, “If your intelligence service is able to trace it back to my supporters, all of us will be exposed.”
“This is already getting out of hand. I didn’t sign up for this.”
“No, but we have an agreement. You don’t want to find out what will happen if you break your end of it.” The unspoken threat hung in the air.
Elam swallowed hard. “I already told you, my brother doesn’t confide in me about security matters. There’s no way I can get that information.”
“Perhaps there’s another way. With the right technology, you would be able to scan the wall in your old office, and no one will ever be the wiser.”
“No one will know?” Elam asked.
“Your secrets will stay safe with us,” he promised, a slow smile spreading across his face. “But there is one more thing we need.”
Elam drew a deep breath. “What do you want me to do?”
* * *
After getting a glimpse of Janessa’s ever-changing schedule, Alora expected her own routine to be turned upside down. To her surprise, her days played out very much like they had before Janessa arrived home. She and her children still started their day in the breakfast room with Stefano. More often than not, Janessa and Prince Garrett joined them, and Alora was pleased to see the strong bond between her friend and the man she intended to marry.
Patrice still supervised the boys as they did their chores each morning, simple tasks that typically included helping take out the trash and clearing the table. More and more, Alora noticed that Patrice was also letting them help when she baked. She also now insisted that Giancarlo and Dante speak to her in French so they could practice.
With their newfound interest in the horses, the boys spent the rest of their mornings helping Paolo in the stables, followed by riding lessons. As soon as they were finished at the stables each morning, Brenna stepped in to oversee the rest of their activities. The swimming lessons had been rescheduled for after lunch, following which they played in the pool or on the beach.
Every night when she knelt to pray, Alora was amazed that this life was really hers. She had hoped this move would help her children gain more exposure to the world and give them the opportunity for a better education. Never had she expected private lessons and regular meals with royalty to be part of the experience.
Since Janessa was typically at the naval base in the middle of the day, Alora often still ate lunch with Stefano. She found it a bit unreal that for the past three years she had eaten nearly every meal sitting at a wobbly table in a tiny apartment, and now she was living in a place where each meal was served in a corresponding dining room.
Despite the summer heat, the boys had taken to eating their lunch on the shaded portion of the terrace. They were just close enough to the beach to feel the breeze stir and cool the air, and the scents from the garden always made Alora feel like she was dining on some secluded tropical island. Although Stefano’s schedule now included a steady stream of meetings during the day, typically he arrived to eat lunch with them, often lingering with Alora long enough for them to watch the boys splash in the pool before walking back upstairs to their respective offices.
Somehow Janessa had managed to get Alora’s CIA security clearances reinstated so she could help manage some of the workload on the naval base as well as at the chateau. Besides setting up their new offices, Alora had also been tasked with coordinating the travel arrangements for the CIA’s personnel who had arrived to monitor a suspected bomb maker in Meridia.
The idea of terrorists in this small, picturesque country seemed surreal, but finally the CIA had their people in place, and Alora was free to concentrate on Janessa’s schedules and obligations. Now that she had been living at the chateau for nearly a month, she felt like she had a handle on what was expected of her. She had even learned her way around this structure that she already considered her home.
When a man opened her office door, Alora looked up from her desk inquisitively. He was older, his beard and mustache neatly trimmed, and arrogance hung heavily over him. Her voice was professional when she asked, “May I help you?”
“No, I’ll only be a minute.” The man started for the door leading to Janessa’s office.
Instinctively, Alora stood and moved to block his path. “I’m sorry, sir, but Signorina Rogers isn’t in right now.”
Irritation and disdain hung thick in his voice. “Don’t you know who I am?”
“No, sir.” Alora shook her head, her feet firmly planted in front of the doorway.
“I am Prince Elam. This is my old office.”
“I see.” Alora couldn’t say why his announcement only strengthened her resolve to hold her ground. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I left some things here I need to pick up. Now if you’ll move aside.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but everything that was in there has been replaced. If there is anything you need, I believe Martino can direct you to where your things are being stored.”
“I will see for myself.”
Alora didn’t budge. “I’m sure Signorina Rogers would be happy to show you her new office. Would you like to make an appointment?”
Fury lit his eyes. “Are you trying to get yourself fired?”
“On the contrary. I’m trying to do my job.”
“Move aside.” Prince Elam reached out to put his hand on her shoulder to shove her out of the way just as another man stepped into the office.
“Is there a problem here?”
Elam turned and looked derisively at the new arrival. “Who
are you?”
“Levi Marin. I’m with security here.”
Elam’s jaw clenched, and he appeared to be struggling to keep his temper in check. “She won’t let me into my old office.”
“Sir, she’s just doing her job. If you need something, I would be happy to show you to the storage room where your belongings are currently being housed. Otherwise, you’re welcome to take up your complaint with Prince Stefano. I believe he is in his office across the hall.”
Elam’s jaw clenched, and his face flushed with frustration. “This is an outrage!”
“I’m sorry, sir, but Signorina Rogers’ office is off limits to anyone besides her staff.”
Elam stalked to the door until he was eye to eye with Levi. “It appears everyone wants to lose their jobs today.”
Alora could feel her face pale at the thought, but she kept her head up high as the prince stormed into the hall. She’d been here barely a month, and already she’d managed to alienate herself from a member of the royal family.
Levi stepped farther into her office and closed the door behind him. He waved dismissively toward the door. “Don’t worry about him. He doesn’t have the authority to fire either one of us.”
“Are you sure?” She eyed him doubtfully.
“Positive.” Levi stepped closer and held out an oversized manila envelope heavily sealed with clear tape. “This is a pouch from Langley. The reports Janessa requested are in there.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Langley?”
He glanced behind him at the closed door before turning back and nodding. “I was brought in to help with security a few months ago. My assignment’s been extended for another six months.”
Alora smiled. “I guess you’re right that Prince Elam can’t fire you.”
“Or you.”
Her smile faded. “But I’m not on the Agency’s payroll. Janessa said the royal family is paying my salary to be her assistant.”
“Even if that’s the case, I seriously doubt the royal family would bow to Prince Elam’s wishes. Except for the most public events, he and his family are rarely on the guest lists for social functions.”
Alora lowered into her chair with a sigh. “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to hear you say that.”
Royal Secrets Page 14