“Where did you get this?” Devin asked. “And why do you have it?”
Fai’s only response was to smooth out the second paper he held beside the first. Again a photocopy of a job offer lay before him, and again his signature was at the bottom. This time, however, the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency was emblazoned on top.
“Is this a joke?”
“As you can see, the signatures match,” Fai said calmly. “And as you can see, I know where your allegiance lies.”
Devin reminded himself that he had been expecting this, waiting for it even. That reminder didn’t manage to calm his pounding heart. “What exactly is it that you want from me? If you believe that document is real, you could take it to the authorities and have me deported.”
“I know it’s real.” The corners of his lips curved up ever so slightly, but rather than resembling a smile, the motion looked purely evil. “And if you want to see your precious Grace again, you’re going to help me.”
Ghost was right. Grace was his heart, and his one true vulnerability.
“I don’t know how you heard about Grace, but you should know we broke up last week. I haven’t seen or heard from her since then, nor do I expect to.”
“I know what you said, but we both know that isn’t the truth.” He leaned back on the couch and pulled out a thin cigarette. As though he was very much at home in Devin’s apartment, he pulled out a silver lighter and lit the tip. He blew out a stream of smoke before he continued. “Grace tried calling you a few days ago, and an e-mail followed the day after that. The contents made it sound like you are still very much a couple.”
“I never got an e-mail from her.” Devin forced his muscles to remain relaxed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“We intercepted it. I’ve been screening your e-mail for weeks.”
“Then you should know that I don’t have any women e-mail me except those we work with.” Devin stood. “And why would you be screening my e-mails? Isn’t that against the law here? Or is it only in the United States that people are entitled to privacy?”
“When you work in intelligence, there is no privacy.” He took a drag on his cigarette and blew out another stream of smoke. “It’s all an illusion.”
“I don’t know what your game is, but I think it’s time for you to leave.”
Fai didn’t move. “I believe we were discussing your wife.”
Devin felt his face pale.
“My government has been watching you for a long time.”
The implied threats against Grace rattled Devin to the core. How could this man possibly know of his marriage when most of his friends and extended family didn’t even know about it? He reminded himself to respond. “Why would anyone want to watch me? I have nothing to offer you or anyone else. I’m a financial analyst. That’s it.”
“And a spy.”
“I only finished graduate school a few months ago. What is it you think makes me so valuable to you?”
“You are more connected than you know.” Another drag. Another puff of smoke. “I understand your father has a business trip to Tokyo in a few weeks.”
“My father?”
Fai stood and crossed to the dinner table. He extinguished his cigarette by dropping it into Devin’s water glass. “Grace is safe for now. I believe she will remain that way if you take some time with your father. I’m sure it will be very informative for us both.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to.” He took a step toward the door. “And, of course, you know that I expect this conversation to remain between us. Your wife’s life depends on it.”
He pulled open the door, stepped into the hall, and closed the door with a quiet click.
Devin dropped onto the couch and stared at the empty room. Was Chee lying to him about Grace being safe? Or was Fai lying about her being in danger? Why would Fai care about his father’s business trip? And what was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t spy on his own country, but what would happen to Grace if he didn’t? What would happen to his father if he did?
Dropping his head into his hands, he offered a silent prayer to whatever god was listening to help him know what to do and to keep Grace safe and protected no matter what.
Chapter 23
Grace opened her eyes when the truck stopped and the engine turned off. The two-story structure in front of her sprawled across the clearing, the windows strategically placed so the occupants within could enjoy the mountain views. To the right, a long wooden stable fashioned in the same wood as the house stretched along the base of the valley, a split-rail corral attached to one side of it. “This is it?”
“What do you think?” Quentin asked in response.
“It’s enormous. How can you afford something like this?”
“I actually went in with a couple of partners. I put up half, and they put up the other half. In exchange for managing the place, I get to live here.”
Red flags went up in her mind. “How did you set up the partnership?”
“Don’t worry. I learned plenty from listening to you complain about your classes over the years. We set everything up as a business, and I had my attorney look over the partnership agreement. I also have the option to buy out my investors after the first five years.”
“That’s great, but I imagine you would have to make a pretty hefty profit to pull that off.”
“I thought I could get my brilliant MBA granddaughter to help me figure out exactly what my options are,” he said.
“I suppose I could take a look.”
“Come on. Let’s get you settled in.” He climbed out of the truck and circled around to open her door. He took her by the elbow and helped her down, his eyes lowering to her growing abdomen. “I have to admit, I didn’t expect you to look pregnant already.”
“I guess it happens earlier when you’re carrying twins.” Grace followed him inside and looked around in wonder. High wood-beamed ceilings soared above her, and her grandfather’s long leather couches were already situated opposite the open fireplace.
He motioned to a hallway off to the left. “The master bedroom is through there, but there’s a second master bedroom upstairs I thought you would want to claim.”
“How did you get your furniture here already? You said you just closed on the old house this morning.”
“I hired a couple of guys to help me bring it up earlier this week. The stuff in the truck and trailer is what didn’t fit in the first load.” He turned to the wide stairwell to the right of the entryway. “Let me show you your room.”
Grace followed him upstairs. She looked past the stack of boxes right inside the door with her name on them, appreciating the tall windows and the light streaming onto the hardwood floor. A queen-sized bed was centered on the far wall, the oak frame matching the dresser on the opposite wall. Two leather rocking recliners occupied the space by the corner window, an antique side table she recognized as her great-grandmother’s situated between them.
Still in awe of the open room, she moved forward and discovered a wide doorway leading to the master bathroom. She passed by the two walk-in closets, where more boxes were stacked, and stared at the gleaming granite counters, the large bathtub, and the separate shower stall.
She moved back into the bedroom and lowered her backpack onto the bed. “Are you sure you don’t want this room for yourself? It’s huge!”
“Mine’s just as big. The only difference is I have one closet instead of two.” He winked at her. “I think I can live with just one.”
“This is wonderful. I love it.”
“You should be able to find some clean clothes and towels in these boxes. Let me make sure you can get into them.” He moved some of the boxes so they weren’t stacked more than two high. “Why don’t you take some time to freshen up, maybe catch a nap. We’ll talk some more once you’ve rested.”
“Thanks, Grandpa.” She moved into his embrace.
“Welcome home.”
* * *
Devin paced his room, he checked his e-mail, he replayed his conversation with Fai. He needed a way to find out if Grace was really in jeopardy, but he didn’t know what it could be. For all he knew, Fai and whomever he was working for could be trying to use him to find Grace so they could indeed exploit his weakness.
He barely managed to sleep Saturday night, and by six o’clock Sunday morning he was dressed and out the door.
He didn’t have a specific destination in mind, but within an hour, he was out of the city and on a ferry to Lamma Island. He knew a little about Lamma, the low-key getaway of only about fifteen thousand residents, in comparison to the city’s seven million. He leaned on the railing of the ferry, his mind still mulling over Fai’s words.
Why would anyone care about his father’s travels? Admittedly, he knew little about his father’s business, except that he always seemed to be flying somewhere. He called himself a consultant, and Devin had seen him poring over spreadsheets and thick contract proposals over the years. Yet every time Devin asked him about his work, his father told him his work was confidential. He also kept his home office under lock and key.
The memory of that locked office raised a sense of trepidation. Could his father somehow be involved in working with classified material? Could he be connected to the intelligence community in some way?
Devin leaned on the rail and watched the water churn by. After a moment, he felt a presence beside him, and the familiar voice caught him by surprise.
“What did Fai Meng say when he visited last night?”
Devin turned to see Ghost standing beside him. “I’m starting to understand where you got your name. It’s like you appear out of thin air.”
Ghost didn’t change his position, his eyes remaining on the water. “What did Fai want?” he repeated.
Devin mirrored his pose, his mind spinning. Could he trust this man beside him? Someone was lying to him about Grace, and yet he knew he needed help to find her.
“Has anyone managed to find Grace?”
“No.” Ghost hesitated before he asked, “Do we need to make that a priority?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you what he wants from you?”
Devin wanted to confide in someone, but the threats from last night pounded too loudly in his brain. Instead of answering Ghost’s question, he said simply, “Find Grace.”
* * *
Grace awoke with a start, images of the men invading her apartment fresh in her mind. She looked around the unfamiliar bedroom, fear melting away and being replaced by a sense of home she hadn’t experienced since Devin had left for Hong Kong.
She swung her legs over the side of her bed and considered what she wanted for her future, or at least her future until Devin returned. New York had lost its appeal the moment she’d seen her apartment. Her job also hadn’t turned out to be anything like she had expected, and her dreams of working with people to plan for their futures had never materialized. Instead, her days had been filled with research and reports for other people in the company. Rarely did she have the opportunity to meet with clients of any kind.
She crossed to the window and took in the breathtaking views. Two bungalows were visible along the edge of the clearing not far from the stables. Undoubtedly, her grandfather would be much happier now that he no longer had cattle to tend and could focus on his beloved horses.
An idea began to form as she thought of his shifting business interests. Perhaps she needed to consider some changes that went beyond a new address.
She looked down at the rumpled clothes she had traveled in. Desperate for a shower and a change of clothes, she headed for the closet where her grandfather had stored the boxes she and Devin had sent him. Though she had painstakingly labeled each box, they had unfortunately been arranged with the majority of the labels facing the wall instead of her.
With a sigh, she lifted a flap of the box closest to her, disappointed to find a bunch of old school papers. She had kept more random papers and correspondence than she probably needed, but it had been easier during finals week to pack everything and ship it than to sort through it all first. Now she was about to pay for that decision.
She moved to the next box, this time revealing various kitchen items. When she had exhausted the first row, she reached for a box in the next row, intent on sliding it toward her. It was heavier than she’d expected, and the cardboard ripped, sending the contents spilling across the closet floor.
“Great,” she muttered to herself. She picked up the first few pieces of computer paper and realized these weren’t her papers but rather were Devin’s. She didn’t pay attention to the first few, assuming he had saved some of the research he had conducted while in graduate school. She was halfway done cleaning when an envelope caught her eye.
The return address read simply Office of Personnel, Washington, DC.
Curious, she pulled the contents free. At first, she felt like she was invading his privacy. Then she reminded herself that she was married to the man.
One way or another, she needed answers.
She read the top sheet of paper, the letterhead matching the envelope. The text was simple and straightforward, detailing Devin’s travel arrangements for his internship in London last summer. The next sheet bore the letterhead of a different company and repeated much of the same information.
Confused about why he would be sent the same information twice, she scanned the first letter again. Why would the letterhead be so simple, without any mention of the organization that sent it?
Her conversation with Devin’s company came back to her, and her questions resurfaced. If that company didn’t have an office in Washington, DC, why did he say that was one of the cities he could be assigned to?
The memory of the men in her apartment resurfaced too, only this time she tried to remember only the details and not the violation and fear. She would have sworn she was in the middle of some kind of James Bond movie. Could it be that her husband had a similar career? Was he lying to her because of some super-secret profession he wasn’t allowed to tell her about?
She shook her head at the absurdity of the idea. There was another reason for those men to be looking for her and for Devin to be less than forthcoming with her about his job options.
Remembering her original reason for digging through boxes, she finished gathering the spilled papers and continued her search for clean clothing. Three boxes later, she discovered what she was looking for. The old flannel shirt and sweat pants weren’t exactly what she would normally choose to wear in July, but at this point, she decided she would take whatever she could fit into.
She sorted through the box of clothing and shook her head. There was no doubt about it. She needed to go shopping.
Chapter 24
Devin caught a glimpse of Ghost on the tram Monday morning. It was so brief he wasn’t sure it was really him until Devin reached into his suit pocket for his cell phone and found a business card nestled there. He pulled it out, looking at it discreetly, along with his cell phone.
The card was in the Roman alphabet—an address followed by 6:00 p.m.
Their brief meeting had taken place only twenty-four hours earlier. Could he already have information on Grace? Or was he preparing to lie to him to get what he wanted?
He wasn’t sure what was worse, knowing he would have to wait all day to find out what Ghost had uncovered or the thought of seeing Fai today. As though his thoughts materialized instantly, Devin walked in the door and noticed Fai across the lobby.
Fai nodded in greeting and crossed to him. “How was your weekend?”
“Quiet,” Devin said, reminding himself to relax. “How about yours?”
“We missed you Saturday night.” He fell into step beside Devin as both men headed for the elevator.
Devin didn’t respond. How could he?
As though Saturday night had never happened, Fai continued, “A few of us are getting together tomorrow night for dinner.
You should come.”
Though everything in him screamed that he decline, the possibility of Grace being in danger wouldn’t let him follow that instinct. “That sounds good. Let me know the details, and I’ll be there.”
“Excellent.” They stepped into the elevator together, and Devin was grateful they weren’t alone. The possibility of being cornered by the man at work wasn’t something he was prepared to deal with. They rode in silence until they reached Devin’s floor.
He stepped off and hoped he sounded normal. “See you later.”
Without looking back, he made his way to his office and immediately logged on to his computer. Though he rarely checked his personal e-mail at work, today he opened a new tab and quickly checked it in the hope that Grace had tried to contact him that way. When he saw the only new e-mails were junk mail, he knew what he had to do.
Though he hadn’t communicated with his parents since the weekend of his graduation, he drafted an e-mail to his father.
Haven’t talked to you in a while. Any chance your travels will bring you to my part of the world anytime soon? I’d love to meet up with you if we can arrange it.
After signing and sending the e-mail, he logged off. Maybe if he set up the meeting with his dad, he could find some answers, like why someone would threaten Grace to get him to see his father.
* * *
Devin walked into the restaurant at exactly two minutes until six. He wasn’t sure what to say when he approached the hostess, but he was saved from coming up with a response when she said, “I only have seats at the bar.”
“That’s fine.” Devin followed her to a seat at the far end. He was three seats away before he saw Ghost sitting in the chair on the end.
Devin slid into the empty seat beside him and took the menu the hostess handed him. He opened it, staring at it even though his attention was on the man beside him.
“She’s safe,” Ghost said quietly.
Relief swept through him. “Where?”
“We aren’t sure, but we tracked her to Phoenix, then on to Colorado.”
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