“Smartass.”
Cassie grinned. “I have been accused of that before.”
“I bet. I meant your research.”
“I can’t talk about my current work.”
“CIA?”
“I can’t say.”
“Understood.”
“But I can tell you some of the older stuff I’ve worked on if you’re interested?”
“Please.”
“Okay, but tell me if I bore you.”
“You could never bore me.” Bailey’s cheeks flushed again, and she quickly looked down at her plate.
Cassie let it go. “I study nerves. Over the years, I’ve worked on a number of projects to help with nerve regeneration in subjects with paralysis. Sometimes paralysis that has resulted from trauma, sometimes from disease, and sometimes in subjects who were born with one of many birth defects that cause paralysis. We made some pretty big advances into studies on myelin sheath degradation diseases, ways to stimulate regeneration, and arrest the loss of myelin sheaths in patients suffering from diseases like multiple sclerosis, ALD, transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, central pontine myelinolysis, pernicious anemia, and many, many more.”
“I’m sorry. What’s a myelin sheath?”
“It’s a part of every nerve in the body. It sort of covers the outside of the axon and allows the nerve to conduct the electrical current and make the muscles work. Without it, the sodium potassium exchange doesn’t work and the muscles don’t react to signals from the brain.”
“Okay. So this was pretty big stuff?”
“Well, we were trying to do some good work.”
“I don’t recall seeing the news that all those things have been cured, so I’m guessing it wasn’t a complete success.”
Cassie smiled and sipped her iced tea. “There’s still work to be done, but we made a lot of progress. I’m hoping that what I’m working on now will also help.”
“But you can’t talk about that.”
“No. Sorry.” She grinned.
“Not even a clue? I mean it’s not like I’m even going to know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m looking at a way to reroute the signals from the brain to the muscles if the nerves are unable to be regenerated.”
Bailey looked at her blankly. “I was right. I have no idea what you just said.”
Cassie laughed. “Good, then I won’t have to kill you.”
“I’m very pleased about that. What made you become a scientist and why this field?”
“My grandfather suffered from Parkinson’s disease. When I visited as a child, I always wished I could help him. I decided I was going to be a doctor. While I was studying pre-med, I discovered I had an aptitude in the lab, and I also realized that in the long-term, I could help more people though a microscope than at the end of a scalpel. It just made sense for me.”
Bailey frowned. “How did you end up married in England?”
“I studied at Cambridge. That’s where I met William. We married the summer between my third and fourth year, and we opened the London lab straight after that. It was something of a dream job. I was working with some of the other scientists that I had studied with. Siegfried Jensen, Ethan Lyell, Rebecca Moore, and myself. We were so young and so idealistic.” She smiled. “We thought we were going to save the world.”
“What are they doing now?”
“No idea. I lost track of them all along the way, and I haven’t read any papers that they put out, so I have no idea.” She shrugged. “It was a lifetime ago.”
“Do you miss it?”
“What?”
“That life. You were obviously privileged, studying at Cambridge, your own lab, I’m assuming the big house and everything that goes with it all. You had it all.”
“No, I didn’t. There are more important things than money, Bailey. You know that. What I needed then, and what I need now, have nothing to do with money. I was young and stupid, and I was charmed by William. Before I left university and long before I learned I was pregnant, I knew it wasn’t working—that it wasn’t going to work. But I also didn’t know how bad it was going to be. I was too naïve. I trusted him.” She scraped at the inside of her baked potato with her fork. “I was a fool. Daniela was just one more weapon he could use against me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I told you that William wanted to expand Sterling BioTech in a way I wasn’t comfortable with.”
“Yes, and that when you refused you were left with no choice but to fake your own death.”
“I was already planning that. I was going to take Daniela with me to the cliffs. Karen would be waiting, and we’d push the car off the cliffs. The two of us.”
“What went wrong?”
“He knew I wouldn’t agree to what he wanted. He knew it was so far away from everything I’d ever dreamed about, and that there was only one way that he could make me do it. Before he spoke to me about what he wanted me to do, he took Daniela away from me.”
“I don’t follow.”
“He showed me pictures of her in a room coloring in a picture at a table, but it wasn’t anywhere I recognized. There was a man in the room with her wearing a mask. I don’t know how they explained the mask to her, I have no idea what she thought was going on, but he was also holding a gun in his hand.”
“Oh my God.”
“He told me what he wanted me to do, and told me that if I didn’t he’d kill her.”
“His own child?”
“I didn’t believe him. No, that’s not true. I didn’t want to believe him. But after what he wanted me to do, part of me knew he’d do it. So I told him I would do what he wanted me to. I told him I’d do anything as long as he didn’t hurt her. It was the only thing I could think of to buy myself some time. I needed time to think.”
“And he let her go?”
“No.” Cassie put her fork down, her appetite gone. “He said I’d see her again when I completed the project.”
“Which was?”
“In a nutshell, he wanted me to create a weapon he could sell.”
“But you’re not a weapons developer.”
“He wanted a biological agent.”
“Holy fuck.”
“I knew I had no choice. If I stayed and didn’t make it, he’d kill my daughter. If I made it…” Cassie shuddered. “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.”
Bailey’s fork was poised over her plate, seemingly forgotten. “I understand.”
Cassie could see the tumblers of the puzzle falling into place and realized she did indeed understand. She just hoped her little girl would be as understanding.
Cassie stared as Bailey wrapped her fingers around Cassie’s, but she didn’t flinch. Rather than fearing Bailey’s touch, she found herself craving it. Like a plant that hadn’t been watered in far too long, her fingers uncurled and their fingers entwined so naturally, so easily, it felt as though they had done it a thousand times before. Her small hand slipped into Bailey’s strong, warm one. The slightly rough skin of Bailey’s palm felt good against her own, and the tiny callous on her thumb scratched slightly on her skin as Bailey rubbed it back and forth, hypnotizing her with the slow, gentle motion. “Thank you.”
Cassie looked up from their joined hands and almost wished she hadn’t. Bailey’s eyes were soft as they watched her, and she felt like she was falling into a pool of molten chocolate. She swallowed thickly, and her voice was hoarse as she said, “What for?”
“For trusting me.”
“I do trust you, Bailey. And I wish I could tell you everything.” She was surprised to find how true those words were as soon as they left her mouth. Well, almost everything. “But there are things I simply can’t say.”
“I heard you before, Cassie. In Boston. But now I believe it.” The smile on Bailey’s lips pulled at Cassie’s heart. It made her look younger, softer, and Cassie felt she was looking into her soul. She saw the wariness and the grouchy exterior falling away as they s
tared at each other across the table. “You aren’t the only one who finds it difficult to trust, Cassie.”
“I know. That’s why I was amazed when you said you’d help me. For that I can’t thank you enough.”
“You haven’t seen her yet.”
“No. But we’re nearly there.”
“Just a few more hours and we’ll be in the Florida Keys.”
“Yup. And you can get rid of me.” She smiled, desperately trying to lighten the mood, but her words seemed to have the opposite effect on Bailey. The smile slid from her mouth and her shoulders drooped.
“I guess so. Mission complete.”
“Well, almost.” She wiggled Bailey’s hand, which was still wrapped around her own. “There’s still the trip back to Boston.”
Bailey sighed. “The things I do to feed my dog.” They both laughed as Bailey let go of her hand and signaled for the check. “Come on. Let’s go meet your daughter.”
Cassie’s heart pounded at the thought. I’m going to meet my daughter. See her face-to-face. Holy Christ, I’m not ready for this.
Chapter Twenty-seven
“Zip me up?” Finn turned her back to Oz and watched her approach through the mirror. Oz tucked the pale blue shirt into her pants and dropped kisses along Finn’s shoulder, her gaze never leaving Finn’s.
“I’d rather pull this down the rest of the way,” she whispered seductively as she slipped her hands around Finn’s waist and pulled her in close. She flicked her tongue over her earlobe, and Finn wanted nothing more than to let Oz lead them both on a journey to their bed rather than the Top of the Rock, but she knew she couldn’t.
“Sweetheart,” she whispered, “we can’t.”
Oz gently turned Finn’s face and kissed her. Finn moaned when Oz finally ended the kiss and she could no longer remember why she had objected.
“You look beautiful.” Oz placed a final chaste kiss on her lips and slowly eased the zipper closed. “It brings out your eyes.” Finn had chosen the above the knee, off the shoulder, emerald green cocktail dress because she knew it looked good. They were making a statement with her attendance, and seeing the appreciative look on Oz’s face assured her the statement would be clear. “Do you want me to put that on for you too?” She pointed to the diamond platinum necklace on the dresser.
“Please.” She scooped her hair off the back of her neck and shuddered slightly when the cold stone touched her heated skin. “How long do we have?”
“Dad wants to leave in about ten minutes, but we’re still waiting for Whittaker to arrive.”
Finn frowned. “Has he called?”
“Not a word from him.”
“And what does Agent Knight say?”
“He says he’s working on something for the mission but he can’t give us any details.”
“Meaning?”
“He doesn’t know what’s going on either.”
Finn laughed and dropped her hair. “Good to know.” She kissed Oz’s cheek. “That shirt looks good on you.” She winked playfully. “Good enough to eat.”
Oz groaned. “Have I not taught you that it’s cruel to tease the lesbian like that?”
“I’m not teasing.” She stepped into her heels. “Just preparing you for later.” They left the room with Oz grumbling.
Knight was standing over the table looking at the schematics again and pointing to something as he spoke to AJ. Billy was checking over several pieces of equipment at the other end of the table and grinning at Charlie.
“Ah, Finn, good. There are a few more details we need to go over before we leave.” Knight motioned her closer to the table. “Have you been to the Top of the Rock before?”
“Yes.”
“Good, then I don’t need to orient you. You’ll be in close proximity to Junior at all times. Oz and I will be on the floor below. With AJ and Whittaker—”
“If he ever shows up,” Junior said.
“Guarding the lobby at ground level.”
“I know all this, Mr. Knight. What are you expecting from this evening?”
“In all honesty? Nothing. It’s just to let you be seen acting in an official capacity for Sterling Enterprises.”
“Do you have some sort of microphone for me to wear?”
Knight shook his head. “You won’t need that. Junior will always be able to see you. No one can get in or out without us knowing about it. You’re safe, Finn.” He put a hand on her shoulder.
“Safe or not, don’t you think it would be a good idea to have me in communication with you all at all times? There may be people there tonight who worked on all kinds of deals with my dad, and finding out if any of them are approaching me for something less than scrupulous would surely be in the government’s best interests.” Finn was incredulous at the poor planning that seemed to be accompanying the evening’s event and couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being dropped in the water as bait—without the shark cage—while the great whites circled.
“Finn, there’s really nothing to worry about here. This is a charity event, with a huge amount of security, in a secure location. We have no reason at all to believe that any of Mehalik’s men are even in the country, so there is nothing to worry about, or get excited about. This will simply be a boring evening listening to rich guys full of their own self importance.”
“Just like now,” Billy said. “We don’t have a picture of Mehalik. No one knows what he looks like. How can you be sure he’s not in the country?”
“I’m certain my informant would have told me if that was the case.”
“So let me just get this absolutely clear.” Billy leaned toward Knight. “You don’t know who you’re looking for, but you want to send her in there with us all blind and deaf.”
“You won’t be blind or deaf, Billy.”
Billy cocked his head and waited for him to continue.
“You’re running your own comms from the van, remember? You’ll have all the video feeds. What more do you think we need on a first show like tonight?”
Finn felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees as Knight and Billy stared at each other. Was that what this pitifully poor plan was about? Trying to show Billy he was still in charge, or was he really trying to sabotage their plans from the get-go, as Billy seemed to think?
The door buzzed and Andrew Whittaker was let in.
“You’re late.” Billy scowled at him.
“I was held up at a meeting.” He scowled at Billy in return.
“And last night?”
“It was a long meeting.”
Finn knew she wasn’t exactly up to speed on the inner workings of the intelligence and security services, but even she had expected something better to explain his absence at important meetings on a case he had brought to them and claimed was vital to national and global security. His attitude was surly at best, and she realized why it was that Billy, Junior, and Oz had taken such an intense dislike to the man. To them his behavior and attitude must have been ringing all kinds of alarm bells. No wonder they didn’t know who to trust here. Knight seems hell-bent on screwing things up, and Whittaker is acting more and more suspiciously.
Knight pointed to AJ, but his eyes never left Whittaker’s face. “You’ll be guarding the ground floor with him. He’ll run you through the protocol while we drive. We’re already running late.”
Finn suppressed a grin. Either Stephen Knight didn’t like him either, or he was playing a very good role. He’s CIA, she reminded herself. Either was possible.
“I’m fully aware of what the protocol will be.” Whittaker was the first to leave the room. Billy travelled in the back of the blue van that Knight had procured for the mission, with Charlie at the wheel. Junior climbed behind the wheel of the stretch limo and Oz followed Finn into the back. Whittaker quickly followed them in and pulled the door closed behind him, leaving Knight and AJ to follow in the second car.
“Nervous?” Whittaker asked from the seat opposite Finn.
Something abou
t the excitement in his face didn’t sit right. She didn’t want to tell him her concerns, despite his question. Whereas he’d been downright rude toward everyone else, his attitude toward her was almost solicitous, and it made her skin crawl. “A little. But tonight’s just about showing my face, letting the world know that I’m heading up Sterling Enterprises. I’ll be fine.”
“You need to be able to maintain your character, and stay focused all night,” he said quietly to Finn. He looked like he was going to say something else, and he drew in a deep breath, then shook his head, obviously changing his mind. “Just be careful what you say and to whom. There’s a lot riding on tonight.”
Finn smiled. “I will.”
She found the strange behavior disconcerting. She could see there was more he was trying to tell her, and she wished he’d just come out with it. Guessing games weren’t something she relished, and she really didn’t want something else to distract her right now. She already wished she was in the lab rather than going to an overpriced party. Or better yet, back in the apartment wrapped in Oz’s arms. She felt goose bumps erupt over her skin. Not a good train of thought either.
“Here, put this on.” Oz handed her a small lapel pin.
“The American Flag? It won’t exactly work with the dress, sweetheart.”
“It’s a personal panic alarm fitted with a GPS transponder. If you feel something’s wrong, you lose sight of Junior, you feel anything’s off, push it, and we’ll be there. I can’t get you on an open channel like I want, so I won’t be able to hear what you say, but you can call for help if you need to. I’m not sending you in there helpless, no matter what Knight says.”
“I love you.” She wrapped her hand around Oz’s, handing back the pin. “Put it on for me.”
Oz’s hand slipped inside the bodice of her dress, brushing against her breast as she pulled the fabric away. “Certainly. Don’t want to cause any damage.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously and Finn’s nerves melted away with Oz’s smirk.
“Thank you.”
“I love you too.”
The car stopped and she was surprised to find Junior opening her door for her, she’d been so preoccupied with her thoughts. He looked especially handsome in his tailored suit as he smiled at her and helped her from the car.
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