The Tulip Terror

by C L Bauer

  “I knew him in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and a few other ‘Stans’, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, oh and I can’t forget Israel. He and I had a good night in Cairo once.” He paused as though he was recalling the excitement. “There was also a night in Tel Aviv that was quite memorable.”

  “I’m doubting you were in our Army or Navy.”

  “What gave it away? My looks, my charm, or my accent?”

  Lily searched his eyes. Lord, they twinkled too. “Your lack of boundaries, especially personal space. Your condescending nature, even though you may not be trying to be rude. Oh, and I think you act quite a bit. A soldier wouldn’t be so glib about the danger he has been in, well at least the soldiers I know.” Why was she taunting him? What was she thinking? She was thinking she could walk to the hotel from here very easily.

  “Touché,” Ari said softly. “I wasn’t trying to be rude, or to invade your personal space. I do pretend quite a bit in my line of work and I’m glib because I have given all my tears to God for safe-keeping for all the men and women who have been destroyed in the years of hate.”

  Lily saw a spark of humanity. “You were a soldier.”

  “Everyone in Israel serves. It is our duty and our honor.”

  “You’re an Israeli?”

  His head bobbed back and forth. “Yes and no. I have a diverse pedigree that allows me to move freely between many worlds. I met your husband on one such occasion. He arrested me, after he tried to kill me.”

  Lily gulped. “That’s not like Dev to miss.”

  He laughed loudly once more. “No, you are right. I didn’t say I wasn’t injured. He doesn’t miss. He wanted intel so he just shot me in the shoulder. He is a good shot.”

  Lily was dreading the day Dev took her to the shooting range, but that day would come. He had guaranteed it. She had to at least know how to shoot a gun for her own safety. But she had her own bodyguard sitting across from her in the limousine. Oh thank God. They had arrived at the hotel.

  She tried to dismiss him, but he insisted he would go up to the room with her. Apparently, he wanted to wait for Dev. “I really don’t think this is a good idea,” Lily explained as they stepped onto the elevator.

  As Lily hit the button for her floor, Ari watched her carefully. He knew what she was thinking. “I’m not going to hurt or ravage you. I promise. I am only here with you to protect you, to keep you safe. I just need to explain to your husband why I was chosen to do the job.”

  “Good luck with that,” Lily muttered.

  “You don’t believe I can soothe his beastly heart?”

  Lily turned to face him. Even though he was distant, he was softer than Claude, much easier to read. Surprisingly, she did trust him.

  “Perhaps you can convince him with all your fancy words,” Lily admitted as they departed the lift.

  Ari followed behind her to the suite. “Words have never really worked on your husband. Actions, perhaps, but he isn’t very patient or understanding.”

  As they entered the sitting room, Lily headed toward her favorite window seat. She kicked off her shoes, removed her coat and laid her bag on the side table. “I’ve found Dev to be one of the most patient and understanding men I have ever met.” He had to be. The poor man had understood her even when she didn’t understand herself. As far as patience, God bless Dev Pierce. He waited for her.

  Lily sat in her window seat; Ari sat on the small sofa with his arms extended on the back. His body filled the entire space. He’d unbuttoned his jacket and seemed more casual. He didn’t look like a wolf now. A few minutes later someone was at the door. Ari opened it, retrieving the dress for tonight. “Claude wanted you to have this dress for tonight. You are to keep it. It doesn’t go back to the salon.”

  “What?”

  Ari handed it to her. “Yes, she was quite taken with you today.”

  Lily removed the outer wrap and saw the gift. “Oh my. I can’t take this kind of a gift. It’s too much.”

  “Nothing is too much in the city of light, Lily, nothing.”

  Lily tried to keep herself busy. She hung up the dress. She found shoes that would go with it. She moved her purse, until finally, Ari requested, almost demanded her to sit down across from him.

  “Now, how did you and Devlin Pierce meet?”

  “He just walked into my life one day,” Lily answered blandly without emotion. She was back on guard. She wanted to like him; supposedly he was safe, but she knew he oozed danger. He’d be the double-agent in her Tom Cruise movie!

  “No doubt he was doing something dangerous or looking for someone nefarious.” His words were again precise with a distinct English tone. She’d noticed his French spoken earlier was that of a native.

  “Something like that,” Lily answered evasively, “and what about that arrest with you?”

  “He had me, and I was the wrong guy. He actually wanted one of my relatives, Khalid. We look similar, but my nose is more French, more German.”

  “My, you really do have an unusual pedigree. In America, we call someone a mongrel, or a mutt. I don’t mean any disrespect.” Maybe I can get a rise out of him with that rude comment.

  Ari smiled. “None is taken. No you are right. I am not pure. My maternal grandparents lived right here in Paris. In fact, I purchased their home a few years ago. My mother was born here. I’m French and German. Then on the other side, my father’s family is mostly from Saudi Arabia with a long pedigree with alliances and marriages to the royal family. I grew up in France, Israel, and Jordan. There were a few visits to Saudi Arabia, but they were very few.”

  He had been smiling, but now his face was drawn. Lily saw a softening. She saw the little boy, and the man who was attempting with all his might to forget some awful days.

  “Would you like a glass of something? I know we have water or wine, or we could order something?”

  The smile returned to his face. “Water, wine, anything would be fine.”

  Lily walked to the wet bar area of the suite and found a chilled bottle of white wine. “We have wine. Woo hoo.”

  She heard his chuckle. She poured two glasses and walked back to the man. As she handed him his glass, their hands touched slightly. He pulled back quickly, probably out of habit? But he had touched her neck, her shoulder.

  “You know, everyone has a bad relative or two,” Lily commented as she took a drink. His laughter filled the room.

  “We had Nazis years ago and now I have an entire tribe! And they’re terrorists.”

  “Bummer, and I bet you don’t even celebrate the holidays together.” She was laughing before she finished the sentence, and then she snorted. Her hand went quickly to cover her mouth.

  “Did you just snort?” Ari was bent over in laughter as Lily tried to compose herself. And that’s when Devlin Pierce entered the hotel suite, with gun in hand. He had it pointed at Lily’s guest.

  “Hi honey.” Lily saluted her husband with her glass held high.

  He shut the door slowly, the gun still had Ari as it’s target. “Claude said she was sending someone, but you? I just knew you were in Paris. I was trying to find you today.”

  Ari nodded and took a slow drink of wine. “And so I am here. You have found me. We’ve been having such a good time. Your wife is delightful. Now put that gun down and let’s talk about the good times.”

  “I don’t remember too many of those, but I do remember we always had our hands full whenever you were involved. Here you are in Paris, and I have a feeling you have partnered up with another agent. I haven’t figured it out yet, but so help me, I will. You better be working with the good guys this time.” Dev holstered his gun under his jacket. He walked slowly to the table to pour himself a drink. He found the bourbon. Claude picked Ari, of all people, to protect Lily. Really, Claude? Had the woman been hit by an old piece of pottery and damaged her brain?

  “You’ll have your hands full with this one,” Ari said as he pointed toward Lily. He ignored Dev’s rant completely. “She is very surpr
ising. I’m not sure you understand yet what a rare jewel you have.”

  “I understand that Claude chose you to look after Lily,” Dev began as he sat in the other chair near Lily, “but you have to understand, I didn’t sign off on it. My wife, and anything about her is out of bounds, got it?” Ari hadn’t acknowledged his suspicions, nor denied his concerns.

  Ari saluted him. “Yes, Major, I understand. Oui, je comprends, ja.

  “Show off,” Lily muttered. She had her glass held up to her mouth. Ari winked at her. He’d heard. Strangely, she thought she might be some volleyball in-between two of the best players in the world. She knew for sure she was in the middle of two very strong men, and it seemed like her husband had issued an ultimatum to the other to keep his hands off of her. She giggled at that thought. Wow, if her highschool classmates could see her now, what would they say? At least she would’ve had a date for the prom.

  Ari drank the rest of his wine and placed it on the small table in front of them. “It was so nice to meet you, Lily. So nice to see you again, Devlin. It was wonderful catching up. I’ll be seeing you.” He headed quickly to the door and then looked back. “And Lily, if you need me, all you have to do is whistle. You do know how to whistle, don’t you?”

  Dev rolled his eyes. “Really? That old line from Casablanca?”

  But his wife was enjoying every word of it. She pursed her lips and let out a small noise. Dev turned his head to offer a displeased look, almost a reprimanding gaze.

  “Ah, but it still works, my friend. Au revoir, Lily.” He swept out like a wave.

  “I like him.”

  “Honey, we don’t like men like him.” He gathered her hands in his. “We stay away from men like that.”

  Her brow rose. “If that were the case, we wouldn’t be married.”

  Dev hung his head down in defeat. “Touché.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Lily, you can do this.” If she kept saying it out loud, wouldn’t it come true? Lily was still looking at herself in the mirror. The woman before her was much different than the one she knew six months ago. But she was still faking the confidence. She took a deep breath before she walked into the suite’s seating area where Dev was waiting.

  “We should be on time if we leave now,” he commented as he looked up from his watch. Time stopped suddenly, without one word spoken.

  “Wow.” He was literally staring at her with his mouth open.

  “Wow good or wow bad?” Lily tugged at the left side of her dress. One breast showed more than the other. I never knew I was lopsided.

  Dev stood up slowly as he examined her from bottom to top. He wasn’t sure what he was seeing. There was a metamorphosis of the woman he loved into another woman he loved. Did that make sense? Lily was Lily, but this Lily was--he had no words.

  “Wow, just wow, good, very good,” he stammered. He was speechless. On her wedding day, his wife had transformed into a beautiful bride; the Lily before him was sophisticated, ready for a night out in Paris.

  Lily’s eyes narrowed. His eyes were roaming every curve on her body, and he began to remind her of Ari. That’s scary. “You are still just a guy under all that, oh Lily, it doesn’t matter what you weigh or what you look like, aren’t you? We need to go.” She grabbed her purse and coat and headed for the door.

  He caught her wrist gently and pulled her toward him. “You’re wearing my favorite color.”

  She looked up into twinkling eyes. “I know, well actually, Claude knew. I’m not sure how she knew, but I’m sure that’s some secret between the two of you.”

  Dev wrapped his arms around his wife. “It’s not really a secret. My friends all know. I had a couple awful light blue tee shirts that had different Virginia phrases on them. Ask Dan. He’d tell you. I guess I never expressed to my wife what my favorite color is. I know right now, I would very much like to express my love to my wife and forget about going to dinner.”

  Lily gently tapped him with her purse. “Wake up. We need to go. It’s just some makeup, nice shoes and a dress, well it is an amazing dress that I would never wear. But it is still me under all of this stuff. It’s all just window dressing.”

  “Then let’s stay here and get that all off.” He reached for the back of her dress. “And I don’t know what fragrance that is, but I love it.”

  “It is called soap. Now stop it.” He began to nuzzle her neck. “Stop it for now, Dev. We need to go.”

  His head pulled up quickly. “Ah, for now?”

  “Come on, we’re on our honeymoon. I told you I was a sure thing. Let’s go.” Lily literally shoved him out into the hallway.

  He smiled down at her in the elevator. His view of her made him forget any intrigue, any secrets.

  Lily could feel him admiring her bustline. “Dev, if you don’t stop it, there will not be a later.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Wow, you just sounded like a wife.”

  She smiled. She tugged at the bodice of her dress again and buttoned her coat before they left in the taxi. It was certainly satisfying to surprise her husband. She’d have to make a note to continue to do that in the future. Her surprises were much easier to take than his. At least they were enjoying themselves, and he wasn’t using her as bait to catch the bad guy.

  They arrived at the restaurant before Claude and her benefactor. Dev continued to nuzzle her neck romantically while she was looking over the very large menu in her hands. She playfully slapped him with the large menu.

  “Honey, I love it when you do that, but not right now, not here. Now, help me with the menu. My French is a little rusty and I don’t want to end up eating swordfish.”

  Lily looked up briefly toward the door and saw Claude. The skinny French woman was actually smiling and waving at her. That was an improvement, Lily thought. She smiled back until she saw the man standing next to her new friend.

  She didn’t have to worry about her gaping bodice or her lovestruck husband; Lily was stiff as a board. Dev noticed the change and placed his arm around her. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  “Claude is with Bernard Notte.”

  “Shit,” Dev muttered. “You two haven’t met, have you?”

  “Yes,” she faintly answered. “We met last Christmas. Abs and I took over a plant to Mrs. Notte. I told Tom. I told Tom. The FBI knew.” Her eyes told Dev everything he needed to know. He’d placed his wife in danger, again, unwittingly, but again. She was petrified.

  “We didn’t know. Just play this out tonight. Follow his lead and ours. It’ll be alright.” His voice was soothing, bringing her back to this time and place and not one in the past. His arm was strongly around her shoulders now for support. Lily took in a deep breath and placed her shaking hands on her lap.

  “You are in so much trouble, husband,” she muttered through clenched teeth.

  “Seems like I’ve been in trouble since we landed.” Dev smiled at the couple coming toward them.

  “Bonsoir, Lily and Dev. Claude was all smiles as she greeted Lily with the traditional kisses. “May I present a benefactor of the museum, Bernard Notte.”

  Lily and Dev nodded as the couple sat down across from them. Just follow their lead, Lily. Don’t do anything stupid. Where was Ari when she needed him? He was supposed to be her guardian angel. Maybe he was a dark angel instead?

  Bernard Notte shook Dev’s hand and nodded briefly at Lily. She knew what he was thinking. It was similar to what she was thinking. What the hell are you doing here?

  “And your last name, Dev?”

  “Pierce, it is very nice to meet you.”

  Bernard’s confusion quickly set in. He looked at Lily. She was that florist. She helped with the arrest of his son. Now, this man was saying his last name was Pierce. He wasn’t the man Notte had met in the shadows, planning the acquisition of the tulip bowl. What the hell was going on? Was this a trap? Had Claude double-crossed him or set him up for the fall on all this criminal activity?

  The rest of the evening was filled with tentativ
e conversation and knowing glances. Thankfully, the wine and food was good and the foursome could win an award in small talk; very small talk. Lily kept drinking through it. She was following Dev’s lead. She even tried cognac when he ordered one. Drinking numbed her fear. No amount of alcohol could make him disappear. If only he would. Bernard Notte sat passively on the other side of the table seemingly evaluating his next move. This was like some sick, lengthy chess game--and you already knew who the winner would be. Why bother at all?

  Lily felt like that captured mouse again. Squeak, Squeak. Of course, why shouldn’t her honeymoon be like this? Since she had met Devlin Pierce, danger was her middle name. She was currently drinking a glass of champagne and a few of the bubbles made her snort. Lily Catherine Danger Pierce; she snorted once more, this time in amusement. Dev reached over and held her left hand.

  Lily was finishing her last bite of dessert, a very chocolatey one, when Notte finally asked something of substance.

  “Dev, you look somewhat familiar to me. I’ve been acquiring artifacts for various museums. Perhaps you have been involved in art, maybe that’s when I met you?”

  Dev swirled the cognac in his glass, his eyes watching the liquid’s movement. So, it was time to play. “No, I’m actually involved in drugs.”

  Claude spit out the wine she had just placed in her mouth. She quickly brought her napkin up. “Pardon.” Lily was feeling superior right now. She smiled across the table at her newly minted French friend. Squeak, squeak said the little mouse, and the sound was probably the same in French.

  Notte laughed. “Drugs? Well, legal or illegal?”

  Lily heard the tone. Dev was working; Dev was now dangerous. “Both.”

  “That must be interesting.”

  “It is. I meet all sorts of people, rich, poor.”

  “Then, if we’ve never had business together, I wonder who you look like.”

  “It is getting late,” Claude announced.

  Bernard patted her hand. “No my dear, this is bothering me. Dev reminds me of one of my contacts. I wonder how that can be?”