“But that’s not the area he wants us to go,” Finn said.
“Where are we going?” AJ glanced over his shoulder, and Oz was once again grateful for her family. AJ hadn’t even batted an eye at the thought of going with them into an open war zone.
“We’re going to Eilat. It’s a resort town on the Red Sea. It’s a global tourist destination with Egypt on one side and Jordan on the other.”
“Does that help us or hinder us in this?”
Oz rubbed her chin. “Actually, it might be a help.” She keyed her mic, hoping her dad would still have the comms active. “Hey, Pops?”
“Go ahead, Ladyfish,” he answered, and Oz glared as Finn sniggered.
“I wish you’d quit with that.”
“Sorry, it’s a habit born of years of use, baby girl. Now what can I do for you?”
“Find me Ariel Katz.”
“Who’s he?”
She could hear his pencil scratching on the paper and said the word that would stop his note taking. “Mossad.”
There was a long pause over the comm line before Billy cleared his throat. “You sure?” At one time or another, each of them had run into Mossad agents. They were fierce warriors, tenacious, strong, and lethal. The elite Israeli fighting force was feared and respected across the globe. They were patriots and did what had to be done without asking questions. She and Ariel had history, and she knew she could trust him.
“Yes. If you can track him down. He might be able to get us access to an inconspicuous vessel and someone with good local knowledge that we can trust.”
“I hear ya, baby girl. I’m on it.”
The comm line went dead again.
“Who’s Ariel Katz?” Finn asked. “And don’t just tell me he’s a Mossad agent. I already got that bit. Who is he to you?”
Oz let her head fall back against the headrest. “He’s a good guy. He was assigned to liaise with the ship I was stationed on for a while. We got to be pretty good friends. For a while.” She grimaced. “The one thing about Mossad agents that you have to remember is that Israel is always, and I do mean always, their focus. Nothing else detracts from that. Our boat intercepted a vessel trying to make it out of the Gaza Strip. It had landed illegally, and we were asked to detain it by the Israeli prime minister. We were told they were smuggling Hamas terrorists out of the country, and there was reason to believe they had plans for terrorist attacks on US soil. We got close enough to order them to surrender.”
“What happened?”
“Ariel did what he had been ordered to do by his direct supervisor.”
“Oz, this is like pulling teeth. What did he do?”
“He broke into the missile room, overrode the safety protocols, and torpedoed the vessel. He jumped overboard, and was picked up by a Mossad RIB.”
“And this is the man you want to bring on board this mission? Are you nuts?” Finn stared at her incredulously.
“He has nothing but the safety of Israel at heart. If Mehalik gets his hands on a weapon like this, then Ariel will do everything in his power to stop him. It’s in his best interest.”
“Yeah, and who cares if we get in his way.” Finn shook her head. “Un-fucking-believable.”
“Baby, trust me. Ariel is the kind of man we need here, and I know exactly what he’s going to do, what he can do, and we won’t have anything capable of sinking a vessel anywhere close to him.” Please let this be the right decision.
AJ caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “It’ll be okay, all right? We won’t let anything happen to either of you. You know that, right?”
Oz felt the tears well in her eyes but refused to let them fall. AJ was always the one to know exactly what was bothering her. He had since they were kids and she loved him for it, but damn if he didn’t have a knack for making her cry more than his brothers and their roughhousing ever did. “You just watch your back out there, kid, and we’ll all be fine.”
Finn unbuckled her seat belt and slid onto Oz’s lap, wrapped her arms around Oz’s neck, and kissed her cheek softly. “You’re crazy if you think this isn’t asking for trouble, so it’s a damn good thing I love you.”
She clung to Finn. “I love you too.” She ran her hand over the emerald green satin that covered Finn’s thigh.
“Was that the last time you saw him? Ariel?”
Oz shook her head. “He came and apologized to me. Told me he was following orders and wished he hadn’t had to betray our friendship but that sometimes there were bigger things at stake and we have to make the tough choices.”
“Is this one of those choices for you, sweetheart?”
“Yeah.” The word barely made it past her lips.
Finn gulped and her face paled. “Oz, speaking of tough choices and doing things for a greater good and all that, I need to…well, you see…” Finn pulled back slightly to look in Oz’s eyes. “When he extended his invitation he was flirting with me.”
“Okay.”
“And he was, at least it seemed to me that he was…”
“Extending more than just an invitation to enjoy his pretty boat?”
Finn sighed. “Yeah.”
“And you’re going to have to play along with that.”
“Probably.”
“Maybe even flirt back a bit.”
“Possibly.”
“I know.”
“You do? How did you know he was flirting with me?”
“Baby, you’re gorgeous, and you went there single. Why wouldn’t he flirt with you?”
“You’re not upset about it?”
“Well, I’m not exactly overjoyed, but I’d be more concerned if he hadn’t, to be honest.”
“Why?”
“This gives us options on how to play him. If he wasn’t interested in you, then we have very limited choices.”
“I see.”
“Are you okay about that? Having to maybe flirt with him?”
Finn shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not exactly a big flirt.”
AJ laughed from the front of the car.
“Quiet in the cheap seats,” Oz shouted at him.
“Sorry.”
Finn stared at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. “I’m not.”
“Baby. You’ve been doing a pretty good impression over the past few weeks.”
“I have? But when? How? I don’t…how?”
Oz nodded. The stunned look on her face would have been comical had she not been so genuinely shocked. “Well, since we’ve been together you certainly have been, and I’d say it’s probably because you’re feeling more confident in yourself as a sexual being. It’s been beautiful to watch you blossom and really come into your own, baby. Being loved agrees with you.”
Finn’s cheeks were flushed in the low light of the limo, and she smiled shyly. “You agree with me.” She looked at Oz, her eyelashes batting slowly, and Oz swallowed hard.
“See? That right there. That was flirting.” Oz tugged at her collar and coughed to clear her throat. “That was major flirting.” She shifted her hips under Finn’s weight as her clit swelled and pressed uncomfortably against the seam in her pants. She wished she could reach down and tug them away from her skin, but she didn’t want to move Finn. She knew they were going to be busy planning over the next few days, and their intimate time together would be seriously compromised after that. After all, Finn was going to have to pander to the ego of a middle-aged Arab with a hard-on for her girlfriend. She growled and tugged Finn’s head down to hers. Her kiss was full of passion, love, desire, and need, and it took all her willpower to pull away from it when they both needed to breathe.
“Wow. I guess I am a big old flirt after all.”
“Better tame it down for the general.”
“Yeah, I don’t want him reacting like that.”
“Hell, no.” Oz leaned in and claimed another sweet kiss. “These kisses are mine and mine alone.”
Finn leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Just like the rest of me.”
Chapter Thirty
The newspaper on the porch hadn’t moved, unless you counted the wind rustling the corners of the pages, and Cassie didn’t. The curtains were still drawn, the driveway still empty, and as far as Cassie could tell, there was no one home. She waited in the car as Bailey knocked on the door, rang the bell, and peered through windows again, her spirits sinking with every passing second.
“Can I help you, young lady?”
Bailey turned around at the strong voice, the look on her face clearly questioning the moniker of young lady, and Cassie couldn’t stop herself from chuckling. But Bailey smiled broadly and approached the elderly lady.
“Hi, my name’s Bailey Davenport. I’m trying to find Daniela Finsbury-Sterling. I don’t suppose you know her do you?”
The woman’s back was to Cassie, but the mention of her daughter’s name caused a change in the woman that even Cassie could see. Her back straightened and her shoulders seemed to tense. Her hands balled into fists at her side, and Cassie worried she was going to chase Bailey from the lawn. Apparently, the woman not only knew her daughter, but also cared about her. It meant more than Cassie could have ever imagined. Daniela had people in her life who loved her. Whatever else, her little girl wasn’t alone.
“And just why might you be looking for her? If you’re one of them damn reporters, I’ll have you for trespassing. She’s been through enough, that poor sweet girl.” She stepped toward Bailey, arms raised with the clear intention of shooing Bailey off the property. “Damn reporters, like a pack of vultures. Haven’t you got anything better to do with your time?”
“Ma’am, I’m not a reporter.” Bailey held her hands up, whether in surrender or to ward off a potential attack Cassie wasn’t sure. Either seemed a distinct possibility.
“Then who are you and what are you doing here?”
“My name is Bailey Davenport. I’m a private investigator.”
“And why are you looking for Finn?”
“I’m sorry. Who?” Bailey frowned, her hands still held out in front of her.
“Daniela.”
“Oh. Right.”
Cassie climbed out of the car. She gave the old lady a wide birth as she approached. “Because I hired her to.”
“And just who in the hell are—” The woman’s demeanor changed as soon as she saw Cassie. Her face paled and her arms dropped to her sides. “Oh my good Lord, she’s the image of you.”
It was Cassie’s turn to be shocked. “You know who I am?”
The old lady laughed. “I sure do. She had a picture of you on my wall when she stayed with me. Well, you were a bit younger then, but so was she. Precious little tot she must have been.”
Tears sprang unbidden to Cassie’s eyes as she understood what the woman was saying. Her little girl had a picture of her—of them together—that she’d not only kept, but cherished enough to display. She hadn’t been forgotten, or dismissed. Her little girl cared.
“Is she—” Cassie’s voice cracked and gave out.
“She isn’t here right now. I can get a message to her, but I don’t know when she’ll be back.” The elderly lady wrung her hands, and Cassie got the distinct impression that she knew far more than she was willing to tell them. “I’m Emmy Richmond. I live just down there.” She pointed a couple of houses down the street. “Finn lived with me when she first came to Florida.”
“Finn?”
“She hates Daniela. Said her dad chose it and she wanted nothing to do with it. Everyone calls her Finn for—”
“Finsbury.” Cassie smiled even as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“She’s a wonderful young woman. You can be proud of her.”
“Thank you. How do you know her?”
Mrs. Richmond laughed. “Well, that’s a bit of a story. How about I make us all some coffee and we can have a chat? I don’t know about you young ones, but it’s still early and I could use a cup.” She turned and walked toward the house she had pointed to. Cassie and Bailey looked at one another and Bailey mouthed “young ones” to her, eyebrows raised. Cassie chuckled and wiped the tears from her face. Her heart felt lighter than it had in decades.
“I haven’t been called that in…actually, I don’t think I’ve ever been called a young one. In fact, I remember one social worker telling me I was one of those kids who was born old. Whatever the hell that means.”
She put her hand on the small of Cassie’s back and guided her across the lawn. Cassie breathed deeply, the warmth of Bailey’s hand offering her silent support and strength. And yet again, she was surprised by her own lack of reaction. Maybe I’m just getting used to her. “You’re a young one to me.” Cassie winked and followed Mrs. Richmond into the house. The space was light and airy and there were pictures all over the walls, on shelves, and the mantel shelf in the living room. There was one photograph on the bookshelf that drew her gaze, and she smiled. A familiar face grinned into the camera, long auburn hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, green eyes twinkled in the setting sun, and her hands were wrapped loosely around those of another woman. The tall blonde rested her cheek on the top of Daniela’s head, her crystal blue eyes stared into the camera, and the look of adoration on her face took Cassie’s breath away.
“That’s Olivia. The picture was taken at my birthday party a couple of months ago.” She chuckled. “They hadn’t started dating then, but I think you can tell it was pretty inevitable, can’t you?”
Cassie nodded as Mrs. Richmond spoke to her, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from the picture. Daniela looked so happy. Cassie turned to look at Mrs. Richmond, and noted the wary look in her eye. She’s waiting to see how I react to my daughter dating a woman. She smiled. “Yes. They look so happy and in love.” She reluctantly walked away from the picture and sat across the table from her. “That’s a beautiful look for a mother to see on her daughter’s face.”
Mrs. Richmond nodded and smiled, and Cassie felt enormously pleased that she had passed her test. Mrs. Richmond poured the coffee.
“What should I call you, dear?”
“Cassie’s fine.”
“And what are you doing here, Cassie?”
“I’ve come to see my daughter.”
“Why?”
“She’s her daughter. What does it have to do with you?” Bailey sat next to Cassie, bristling.
“Bailey, it’s fine.” She covered Bailey’s hand with her own. As much as she wished it wasn’t necessary, she was actually very pleased that Daniela had people around her who were so protective of her. “I’ve come to see my daughter.”
“You already said that. Why? Why now?”
She had no way of knowing how much this woman knew about her, or about the family history. The woman hadn’t seemed too shocked to see her on the lawn—well, she had, but not shocked like Oh-my-God-you’re-alive shock. More like what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here-now shock and that made Cassie wonder how much she knew. How much Daniela had told her. How much does Daniela know? “How well do you know my daughter?”
“Well enough to know that you’re supposed to be dead. And well enough to know what a bastard her father was. The father you left her with.”
“I had no choice.”
“But you do now?”
“Yes. I do now, so here I am.”
“So you know that he’s in prison?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know why?”
Cassie frowned. “The newspapers said terrorism charges.”
Mrs. Richmond nodded. “That was one of the charges. But not the only one.”
Cassie fought the wave of nausea that threatened to engulf her. The room was spinning and her breathing was coming in short pants. “Oh God.” Her fingers felt stiff and she couldn’t bend them. She stared at her hands, the shape was odd, the angles all wrong, and she tried to ignore the memories that pulled at her. But they were too strong. The instant she looked up away from her locked fingers, she was back in the small house she and Karen had last shared in
the UK.
The line of the cracked tile they hadn’t noticed filled her vision as she tried to ignore the fact that she was face down on their kitchen floor. She couldn’t look at Karen. She couldn’t bear the look of horror, anger, and fear etched into every line of her face. She couldn’t stand to see the tears on her cheeks. Instead, she stopped fighting what was happening and she planned her shopping list. They’d need something to fill the crack with, and some paint to go over it. It was only a small patch. It would be easy to fix. The white gloss on the skirting board was chipped, nothing a little sandpaper and the half-used tin in the cellar couldn’t fix.
Fingers gripped her hair and yanked her head off the ground. “You don’t get to pretend this isn’t happening. You’re still my wife and this is my right.” William pressed his mouth against hers in a grotesque parody of a kiss while he thrust inside her.
“Please, stop.” Karen begged from the chair she had been tied to. “You don’t need to do this.”
William laughed and let go of Cassie’s hair. “You’re right. I don’t need to. I’m doing this because I can.” He slammed into her with enough force to shift her body six inches across the floor and Cassie cried out in pain. She tried again to block it out, but there was no let up in his assault. There was no time for her to breathe between one pain and the next, and she was ready to beg for him to kill her. To end it. To make it stop. But she refused to cry. She refused to let him see the tears that welled in her eyes. Tears of pain, anger, frustration, and fear. Tears of guilt, shame, and humiliation. But they were her tears. And they were all she had left to control.
When he finished, he dragged her to her knees, pulled her back against his chest, and whispered, “I needed you all those years ago and you deserted me. I don’t need you now. I could kill you.” He wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed, hard enough that she could feel her heart beat in her skull. “Put you out of your misery. But you caused me problems, Cassie.” He eased his grip on her neck and she could feel the tender spots that would bruise. “So I want you to suffer. If either of you comes near Daniela again, I’ll show her what happened here tonight.” He placed a gentle kiss on Cassie’s cheek. “Firsthand.”
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