Hide and Seek (The Sisterhood: Rules of the Game, Book 1)

by Fern Michaels

  Jack extended his hand to pull Harry out of the two holes he was standing in. “You heard my end. He volunteered nothing. The way I see it, we’re on our own. Or, we can walk away and pretend everything is normal and we’re just two dumb working schmucks who don’t have enough sense to come in out of the rain.`”

  “Screw them all. I’m with you, Jack.”

  Jack nodded while he scrolled down on his cell phone to find Mark’s number. He called the number and extended his invitation to meet at the dojo.` He slapped the phone back into his pocket as he followed Harry inside.

  “This isn’t good, is it Jack?”

  “No, Harry, it isn’t good. Good old Charles has hung us out to dry. Do you agree or disagree?”

  “Do you want me to kill him, Jack?”

  Jack made a sound that could have been laughter. “Don’t think I haven’t thought about it.”

  Harry’s shoulders sagged. “When Yoko gets here, I’m going to try and talk to her about going away with me.”

  “Get real, Harry. It ain’t gonna happen.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Chapter 12

  Nikki twirled the twig in her hand before she snapped it in two and then snapped the pieces again. She looked over at Yoko, who was wringing her hands. Neither said a word.

  Directly in front of them, but off the path, two little brown birds were pecking in the dirt. Both women watched them intently, waiting to see what would happen. When nothing happened and the birds flew off, Yoko finally spoke. “I’m not coming back.”

  Nikki nodded but said nothing. Some instinct told her Yoko just wanted to talk without comments from her.

  “All my life I hungered for someone to love me. Really love me. I almost gave up thinking it would happen and then Harry came into my life. He is everything I ever dreamed of. My life was complete for the first time ever. He gave up everything to join us just the way I gave up everything. As you did and all the others, too. And then it was all ripped away. I can’t do this anymore. I want to marry Harry and have a family. Someplace far away. Maybe Japan.”

  Nikki nodded again as she watched the birds, who suddenly were back but this time they perched in the middle of the path. She wondered if they were hungry.

  “I thought you felt the same way about Jack. You must be stronger than I am. But then I hear you crying in the night so I think to myself you are not that strong. Then I told myself you had a lovely childhood with people who loved you and still love you. You have experienced something I never had. True love is putting the other person first. That’s what you and I did when we agreed with Charles to send Harry and Jack away to keep them safe. We agreed, Nikki, because we don’t want the men we love to be outcasts the way we are. In addition, Charles said they would be able to better help us back home. We were willing to suffer the pain, the loss, so that they would be safe. But that was then and this is now. I don’t care anymore.”

  Nikki knew it was now time to speak when Yoko reached for her arm, her wet eyes imploring her to say what she wanted to hear. “You have to care, Yoko. You have to be strong. Harry’s a wonderful man. He’s safe now, thanks to Charles. You don’t really want to turn him into a fugitive, do you? It doesn’t matter where or how far you go, you can’t erase what we’ve become. No, I’m not stronger than you. And, yes, I cry at night. I love Jack too much to…I just can’t, Yoko. Maybe in time—”

  “Time is always our enemy, Nikki,” Yoko said sadly. Her tone turned defensive. “We could get lost in Japan.”

  “And in time Harry would come to hate you just the way Jack would come to hate me. Living on the run would get real old real quick. I don’t want to risk that. I don’t think you do, either. Charles is right, we’re thinking with our hearts and our emotions. It’s hard to turn it off but we have to do it. The bottom line is we committed to the others and we have to live up to that commitment. I know that’s not what you want to hear.”

  “No, it isn’t what I want to hear. It’s not the same. At first it was such a relief to be safe, to be here in this paradise on top of this beautiful mountain. We were all happy. No one is happy these days except Myra and Annie. What is it Kathryn says? Oh, yes, both of them could be happy in a bubble. Charles is angry with all of us. We’re snapping and snarling at each other. It’s a terrible situation. I don’t know if we can make it right again.”

  “I don’t know, either, Yoko. What I do know is we have to try. We don’t have a Plan B. This is what we have for now.”

  Suddenly the small cluster of birds in the middle of the path took wing. Voices could be heard on the path below the rise. Nikki cocked her head to the side to hear better. “It’s Myra and Annie.”

  Huffing and puffing, Myra was the first to emerge at the top of the little rise, Annie right behind her. “Darling girls, what are you doing out here?”

  “We decided to go for a walk since it’s such a beautiful day. Now that we don’t have to do those horrible runs anymore it’s a pleasure to walk and enjoy the environment. Is that what you and Annie are doing?”

  “Yes and no. Oh, dear, isn’t this the place where I threatened to push you off the cliff, Annie?”

  “I believe it is. I was so stubborn that day. So wrapped up in myself, in my own misery, I let the world go right by me. I’m so glad you talked sense to me. It’s such a tranquil spot, so perfect for contemplation. Are we interrupting anything important, girls?”

  “Yes,” Yoko said.

  “No,” Nikki said.

  She patted the huge rock she was sitting on. Myra and Annie perched on it, their legs out in front of them.

  “Is it possible you want some of Annie’s and my aged wisdom?

  “Yes,” Nikki said.

  “No,” Yoko said.

  Myra threw her hands in the air. “Which is it, girls?”

  Yoko looked away. Nikki shrugged.

  “Well, whatever it is, girls, get over it and get over it quickly,” Annie said briskly. “Charles sent us out to find you. He’s ready to announce our mission and our travel plans. If there’s one thing I cannot abide in this world it’s a moody female. We’re sisters and it’s time to start acting like it. Don’t make me think I made a mistake by joining up and giving you all a blank check. We’re alive, we’re well and we’re safe. Keep that in mind the next time you get your panties in a wad. Now, let’s go. Charles is waiting for us.”

  Nikki looked first at Myra and then at Annie before she got to her feet. She stretched out her hand to pull Yoko to her feet, and then took off at a dead run, Yoko hot on her heels.

  “Well, that went well, Annie,” Myra said sharply.

  “I thought so,” Annie replied cheerfully. “You did notice neither one of them had a comment. That means I won the debate.”

  “Shut up, Annie. I’m worried.”

  Annie’s voice was still cheerful. “Yes, I know. What will be will be.”

  “I can still push you off this cliff and no one would ever know,” Myra snapped.

  “No, you can’t do that. Today I would fight you. Have you really looked at all of my muscle mass these days? It’s awesome.”

  “Shut up, Annie.”

  “Did anyone say what we’re having for dinner?” Annie called over her shoulder as she sprinted ahead.

  Myra sat on the moss-covered rock a moment longer, her heart aching for the two young women running ahead. How well she remembered the day she’d sailed from England, leaving Charles behind. She remembered the pain, the deep sense of loss, the tears that never seemed to stop. And yet, somehow she’d survived and had been reunited with Charles later in life. She couldn’t help but wonder if Nikki and Yoko would be that lucky.

  Her thoughts turned to her daughter and how much she missed her. “I miss you so much, darling girl.”

  “I know, Mom. I’m always with you. Just call me when you need me. Right now Nik needs you, Mom. I mean she really needs you. She cries herself to sleep at night.”

  “I know, Barbara. I’m trying. I’ll t
ry harder. Charles needs you, dear. Do you think you could—?”

  “I’m on it, Mom. Rest easy.”

  Myra blinked away her tears as she swabbed at the perspiration dripping down her neck. She ignored Annie’s dinner comment as she got to her feet. She let loose with a long, tortured sigh as she struggled to keep up with her long-legged friend.

  Charles stood at his workstation five minutes longer than planned. He needed to gauge the women’s attitude. While he put on a brave face, he was worried. Women as a rule were unpredictable. Seven unpredictable women made him itch in places he couldn’t scratch. At least in public.

  They looked alert. They even looked interested. But, he could see the simmering anger underneath the façade they were presenting to him. For some reason he thought of Adam and Eve at that moment and for the first time in his life he felt real fear. He felt a shiver ripple down his spine. He told himself there was nothing to fear but fear itself. Then he looked at the seven women seated at the round table. If the occasion warranted, they’d turn on him in a heartbeat. He knew it, accepted it. It went with the territory. He squared his shoulders before he picked up his stack of colored folders. One for each of the women. He stepped down off the dais and handed the folders to Myra to pass around. He was back at his workstation within moments.

  The plasma screens came to life, with Lady Justice in the center of the screens. As always, the women took a moment to salute the lady with the scales of justice and the blindfold.

  “As I stated earlier, you’re all going stateside. I’m going to present the pros and the cons and let you make the decision if you wish to get involved in this particular mission. You will be in danger, make no mistake about that. Personally speaking, I think all of you are up to this mission, but ultimately the decision rests with all of you.

  “As you know, our last mission was a bit of a fiasco. That’s why we’re all sitting on this mountaintop hiding out from the world. There are special people who helped us survive and now one of those people is in danger of having her world ripped out from under her. I’m speaking of Judge Cornelia Easter. Or, Nellie, to all of you.” A picture of a smiling Judge Easter in her black robe appeared on the screen. Myra gasped as Annie reached for her hand.

  “The assistant director of the FBI, Mitch Riley, and his special task force have ten more days to solve the case of the missing vigilantes or it will be turned over to the CIA. That will give AD Riley a black mark on his record, one that will not go unnoticed in his quest to become the youngest director of the FBI in history. In short, he’s under the gun. My information is that he is so desperate he’s trying to frame Judge Easter to take the fall for a faulty arraignment and your escape. Your lawyer, Lizzie Fox, is about to be tarred with the same brush. Jack and Harry have been under FBI scrutiny since their return to Washington. A trifecta, ladies. In addition to that bit of information, your two old nemeses, Maggie Spritzer and Ted Robinson, are hot on everyone’s heels, although at the moment, Miss Spritzer appears to be going solo. There seems to be some kind of personal…uh…tiff between them. Any questions so far, ladies?”

  “Just one, Charles,” Isabelle said. “I want to make sure I understand what you just said. Are you saying this mission is about taking on the assistant director of the FBI and shutting him up or…or what, Charles?”

  Charles beamed. “That’s what I’m saying, ladies. Are you up to it?”

  Annie’s arm shot in the air like a laser beam. “I am. Ohhhh, this is soooo exciting. Female power against male power. All we have to do is figure out what his Achilles’ heel is. It’s sex. I just know it’s sex. Do you have any idea how many men have been brought down by…? Well, you know…”

  Isabelle reared back and said, “You better not be telling us we have to have sex with someone like that. That’s not what you’re saying, is it, Charles?” Her voice was so shrill with indignation that the others cringed.

  “Of course not, Isabelle. But that is indeed the man’s weakness. He thinks he’s been discreet, but everyone inside the Beltway knows about his women. He’s a bully, just like his idol, J. Edgar Hoover.”

  Nikki’s face was grim. “Where does Lizzie Fox come into this? Is he framing her, too? What does he have on her?”

  “Well, for starters, when they were in law school, they had an affair. We think he traded on that to meet up with her again, since she was your attorney. We aren’t sure what he promised her. Whatever it was, I’m sure she didn’t fall for it. She’s playing the game and reporting back to me when she can. That’s one of the reasons I wanted Jack and Harry back in the States, so they could monitor the situation. Lizzie already made contact with Jack. He’s playing the game just the way he should. Everyone is on edge. No one knows who to trust and who knows what. Just for the record—Nellie, Lizzie, Bert, Jack and Harry are the good guys. Those that are left are the bad guys.”

  “And if we get caught?” Kathryn demanded. “The FBI that I’ve read about is not a friendly organization.”

  “No, it isn’t. If you get caught, there won’t be a friendly judge or lawyer to save your hides this time around. I think you should consider this the ultimate challenge. You will be on your own and there won’t be a thing I can do to help you. You need to know that.”

  “It’s the damn FBI, Charles. Are we a match for them?” Kathryn demanded.

  “I don’t know. Are you?”

  “Well, I am,” Annie said confidently. “So is Myra.”

  Bug-eyed, the others looked at Annie. Murphy howled and Grady, Alexis’s dog, barked shrilly at the tension mounting in the room.

  “He’s just one man,” Annie said disdainfully. “There are seven of us. I think we’re capable of taking on the whole task force. We’re so in shape it’s mind-boggling. Girls, I repeat, he’s just one man.”

  Alexis weighed in. “I agree with Annie. I owe those Feds a few things for that stretch in the slammer I had to endure for something I didn’t do. Just point me in the right direction and tell me what to do.”

  “Assuming we’re successful, what happens afterward?” Nikki asked.

  “You come back to the mountain unless you want to take your chances in the States. I hate to keep saying this to you, but I’m going to say it one more time. You have to start thinking of this mountaintop as your home,” Charles said.

  “What about Jack and Harry?” Nikki asked.

  “You know the answer to that,” Charles said quietly.

  Her eyes full of tears, Yoko asked, “How are we going to get there unnoticed?”

  “With Alexis’s and the padre’s help. The padre is on his way up the mountain as we speak. He’s bringing monks’ robes for some of you. It seems that a rather large religious ceremony on the Mall in Washington is about to take place. It’s not just for Catholics but for all religious sects. My details are a little sketchy but will be firmed up by the end of the day. You will be traveling as monks. Alexis will alter your appearances. I have it all worked out. I will put the finishing details to our plans once you give me the go-ahead. Your window of time is very short. I want all of you to be certain that you’re up to this mission before you sign on. If you have any doubts, now is the time to voice them.”

  “Won’t seven of us traveling to the States look suspicious?” Kathryn asked. “Especially if we all leave from the same place.”

  “I have it worked out, Kathryn. Four of you will travel together. Alexis, because she is African American, will stand out among the seven of you, just as Yoko will. Bearing that in mind, she will be traveling with Yoko, who will be dressed as a child because she is so tiny. Alexis will be her nanny and Isabelle will be her mother. I think it will work once Alexis works her magic with her Red Bag of Tricks.

  “I’m going to leave you now so you can make a decision one way or the other. I’ll be in the kitchen preparing dinner if you need me.”

  The women looked at one another as they opened the folders in front of them. They started to mutter among themselves, but it was Annie’s che
erful voice that dared them to say no.

  Chapter 13

  With her usual in-your-face style, Kathryn narrowed her eyes as she challenged Annie. “You’re pretty gung ho about this mission, Annie. Do you know something we don’t know, or are you just getting off on the danger of it? We’re talking about the assistant director of the goddamn FBI. Those guys chew you up and spit you out just for kicks. That’s before they kick your ass to the curb.”

  “I’m more than confident in my capabilities. I paid attention all these months to what Charles was training us to do. I might be old in years but my brain is just as good as yours. We can do it if we work together. Now, if you aren’t going to…uh…cover my ass, I don’t think you belong here. Stay here on the mountain and contemplate your belly button. I’m up for this and so is Myra. Read my lips: We…are…not…afraid!”

  Myra squirmed in her seat. When did Annie become her spokesperson? After she felt a kick to her leg under the table, Myra stepped up to the plate. “I agree with Annie.”

  “I’m with them,” Alexis said, raising her hand.

  Isabelle’s hand shot in the air. “Me, too.”

  Nikki looked at Yoko, who was staring intently at Kathryn, her idol. It bothered her that Kathryn had doubts. She voiced her thought as a question.

  Kathryn took a deep breath. “I don’t like to fail. It’s that simple. We failed the last time and here we are. It’s those reporters. They damn well bother me. Now, if you said, ‘Let’s go after them,’ I’d be the first one in line. No one has said that. None of you seem to realize how dangerous they are. Dangerous to us. I want to know what the plan is, the plan about taking on the assistant director of the FBI. How are we going to get close to him? And if we do, what are we going to do with him? Those are the answers I want and need before I say yes to any of this.”