Friends In Spy Places

by Diane Henders

  Good Lord, if he didn’t stop soon I was going to either gag or fall on the floor laughing. Maybe both.

  “Oh, that would be lovely.” Nora smiled up at him. “Please excuse Aydan’s rudeness. Obviously her upbringing suffered from my absence.”

  Eddy gave her a serious look and leaned in. “Mrs. Taylor, Aydan is a wonderful woman with a great sense of humour. She has nothing to apologize for, and neither do you. I’m sure that when you get to know her better, you’ll be proud of her.”

  A lump rose in my throat. “Thanks,” I mumbled.

  Nora gazed up at Eddy. “That’s very kind of you,” she said. “Thank you.”

  He gave her a nod and a smile and withdrew.

  “What a lovely man,” Nora said. “Are you dating him?”

  “No.”

  “You should. He’s not married; I checked his ring finger.”

  “I’m pretty sure he has a girlfriend,” I muttered. “And anyway, I’m seeing somebody else.” Two ‘somebody else’s, but she didn’t need to know that.

  “Oh, yes, that ugly man. Artie, was it…?”

  “Arnie,” I gritted.

  She waved my reply away. “Eddy is much better looking. And I’m sure he’s nicer and more educated, too. And a successful businessman.” She eyed our surroundings as though calculating resale values. “He’s obviously-”

  Fortunately my phone rang before I could respond. “’Scuse me,” I snapped. “I have to get this.”

  Nora’s nose lifted, but she said nothing as I punched the Talk button.

  “Hi, Aydan,” Eddy’s familiar voice said.

  As I glanced over, he gave me a wink from behind the bar and casually turned his back, his phone to his ear.

  “Are you driving?” he asked. “I could bring you a non-alcoholic beer if you’d like.”

  Thank goodness Eddy was watching out for me. Getting drunk out of sheer irritation wouldn’t do anything for my mission or my credibility as an agent.

  I let out a breath of gratitude. “That would be great. Thanks.”

  “And your mother’s cocktail…” He hesitated. “How alcoholic should it be?”

  “Very,” I said fervently.

  I could hear the smile in his voice. “One very special drink, coming up!”

  Stowing my phone back in my waist pouch, I faced Nora again.

  “Good news?” she asked, and I realized I’d been smiling.

  “I hope so.” Leaning back in my chair, I gave myself yet another attitude adjustment. Be nice. Suck up.

  “So…” I began at the same time as Nora said, “Dani-dear, I’m afraid I owe you an apology.”

  I stared at her. “Um… okay…?”

  “I’ve just realized that I’ve been terribly critical of you, and I’m sorry.” She attempted a smile, but her lips wobbled. “The last time I saw you, you were only seventeen; and somehow, I… forgot that time doesn’t stand still. In my heart, you’re still seventeen and I’ve only just left you…” She stopped to compose herself, touching a delicate fingertip to the corners of her eyes. “I’ve dreamed of reuniting with you for so long, I built up this rose-tinted fantasy where we fell into each other’s arms and picked up where we’d left off.”

  She sighed. “It was foolish of me; and it was even more foolish to take out my disappointment on you.” Reaching toward me, she said, “I’m sorry, Aydan. Can you forgive me?”

  My guts clenched. “Of course.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I took her hand. “And I’m sorry I’ve been such a disappointment. I just… don’t trust people very easily.”

  “And I’m sure the events of the past week haven’t improved that,” Nora said regretfully. “I am so sorry, Dani-dear. Can we start over?”

  “I’d like that.”

  We were smiling at each other when Eddy arrived at the table bearing a tray. “Your beer,” he said, placing the mug in front of me. “And…” With a flourish, he placed a tall frosted glass containing pink-tinged liquid in front of Nora. “A unique creation for a unique woman. I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Nora sipped, her eyes widening in pleasure. “Oh, my, this is lovely! It tastes like…” She sipped again, closing her eyes. “…cherries and lemonade.” She opened her eyes to gaze up at Eddy with admiration. “You are an artist.”

  Eddy smiled. “I’m glad you approve. Now, here’s a menu for you, and today’s special is…”

  I tuned him out, studying Nora’s rapt face while she listened to him.

  Had her apology been sincere? Or was this just another attempt to manipulate me? Dammit, this would be so much easier if I could just hook her up to the lie detector…

  “Aydan?”

  Blinking back to the present, I found Eddy eyeing me inquiringly.

  “Um, sorry… what did you say?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “I asked if you needed a minute with the menu. I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”

  “Oh. No, I’ll have the special. It sounded great.” I gave him a smile, hoping to hide the fact that I hadn’t been listening.

  When he hurried off to place our food order, Nora and I regarded each other over our beverages for a moment.

  How could I ask her about Sam’s secrets? If she didn’t know anything about the darker side of the VR network, telling her about it would be a massive security breach.

  Another reason to be jailed for life. How fucking many did I need?

  But this was my last chance. I’d have to give away something to get something.

  God, I hope I get something…

  I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “Can I ask you about Sam’s other mages?”

  Nora took a gulp of her drink, then let out a delicate cough. Eddy must have taken my request for high alcohol content seriously.

  Or was she hiding her reaction to my question?

  “I’m afraid I don’t know much about them,” she replied, matching my quiet tone. “But I’ll answer your question if I can.”

  Thank God. She knew about the other mages. I hadn’t committed treason yet.

  Hiding my relief behind a serious expression, I asked, “How much do you know about the way we get into the network?”

  She hesitated. Took another drink.

  Stalling.

  “Is this place… secure?” she asked.

  Opening my waist pouch, I activated my bug detector and tipped the pouch in her direction so she could see the green light.

  “Ah.” Shoulders easing, she drank again before leaning forward and speaking so quietly I could barely hear her over the music. “I know that you use tiny electronic devices. Sam called them keys. But I don’t know how they work.”

  Truth or lie?

  “Okay, good,” I said. “So do you know if any of the other mages had a… reaction… to going in and out of the network?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can go in without a problem, but every time I come out I get this hellacious headache that lasts for about five minutes. It feels like my head’s going to explode.”

  Nora’s brows snapped together.

  “And if I go in and out a lot…” I faltered as her knuckles whitened on her glass. “…um… is something wrong?”

  “Go on,” she said in a steely voice. “What happens if you go in and out a lot?”

  “Um… the headaches get worse. And last longer. The more I do it, the more they run together until I have a permanent headache.”

  Her voice came out in a venomous hiss. “Damn him! He promised he wasn’t hurting you!”

  “Um… you mean Sam?” At the vicious jerk of her chin, I added, “Well, he wasn’t hurting me; it’s just the way the system works for me. So did that happen to any of the other women?”

  I already knew the answer, but what would she tell me?

  Sweet motherly Nora was gone, replaced by a woman who looked perfectly capable of murder. “That… liar! If he wasn’t dead already, I’d kill him!”

  C
hapter 39

  Nora took a gulp of her drink, and an instant later the dangerous light was gone from her eyes, replaced by a regretful frown.

  “Oh, Dani-dear, I’m so sorry!” She reached over to squeeze my hand. “If only I had known, I would have left my job and come here to stop him!” Her voice trembled with sincerity.

  Doubt seized me.

  Why did this feel like the truth? Had she messed me up so much that I was actually starting to believe her lies? Or was my pain and anger finally subsiding enough for me to hear her side of the story?

  Shit, what if I’d been wrong about her all this time?

  “It’s okay,” I said cautiously. “So are you saying all the mages have headaches when they come out of the network?”

  “I don’t know. Sam didn’t tell me much, but I know of at least one other woman who had terrible nausea. She vomited every time she came out.”

  I winced. “That would suck. I’ll take the five minutes of pain.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t suffer at all!” Nora snapped. “Who knows what it’s doing to you? It might be damaging your brain! Damn Sam and his obsession!”

  A ‘ding’ came from the kitchen and I spotted Eddy hurrying over to its swinging door. That was probably our food order. Nora was only half-finished her drink, but the booze should be hard at work in her empty stomach. I wouldn’t get a better chance.

  “Was the other mage’s reaction any different if she went in with her Knight?” I asked.

  Nora hiccupped, but the sound seemed delayed. As though she’d twitched first and then hiccupped to hide it.

  Or had I imagined that?

  “Oh, excuse me!” she exclaimed. “This drink is delicious but very strong. I’m sorry, Dani-dear, I don’t understand what you’re asking. Why would it matter whether it was night or day when she went in?”

  Shit, she wasn’t drunk enough to admit she knew about the Knights. But I hadn’t really expected her to blurt out the truth. She was tipsy, not stupid.

  Glancing over at Eddy emerging from the kitchen, Nora added, “Oh, look, here comes our food,” and sat back with a smile that could easily be interpreted as relief by someone as suspicious as me.

  As Eddy placed a gloriously sauerkraut-laden Reuben sandwich in front of me, my cell phone vibrated.

  Tom’s number. Shit.

  “Sorry, I have to get this.” I sprang up and hurried to the lobby before accepting the call.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, it’s Tom. Are you working late today?”

  “Yes.” I gripped the phone a little tighter. “Why? Is everything okay at your place?”

  “Everything’s fine. I was just calling because I hadn’t seen your car go by yet, and Lola made enough of her famous spaghetti and garlic bread to feed half the town. We were wondering if you’d like to come for supper.”

  “I wish I could, but I’m actually having dinner with…” I hesitated. He hadn’t met Nora, so her name wouldn’t mean anything to him. “…my, um… mom. So thanks anyway. Maybe next time.”

  It was his turn to hesitate. “Your mom? I thought you said…”

  Forestalling the question, I broke in, “I thought she died when I was seventeen but I was wrong. Lola will explain it to you.” His ‘okay’ sounded dubious, but before he could ask anything else I went on, “Thanks again for the invitation, and call me if anything out of the ordinary happens.”

  “Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” he reassured me with far too much confidence. “Take care, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

  When I returned to our table Nora was looking miffed, but she gave me a smile as I sat down again. “More important business?” she inquired with a slight edge.

  “Just a check-in to make sure Lola’s safe.” I turned my attention to my Reuben sandwich, my mouth watering.

  “You said someone was threatening her?” Nora made it into a question.

  “She had some worrisome phone calls, and I don’t dare take a chance.” I bit off a big juicy mouthful.

  I had barely swallowed it when my phone vibrated again. “Sorry…” I began.

  Nora gave me a look. “I know. You have to take it.”

  I nodded and hurried back to the lobby.

  “Hey, darlin’,” Hellhound’s sexy rasp greeted me. “How’s your dinner goin’?”

  “Not bad, actually. I haven’t even lost my temper yet.”

  He chuckled. “Good. Just wanted to let ya know I moved over to the bowlin’ alley parkin’ lot. Now that the stores are closed I was too easy to spot parked on the street.”

  “Okay, thanks. So no action on the cameras yet?”

  “Nah. I figure this asshole’ll wait ’til the middle a’ the night before he does anythin’, but I’ll keep watchin’ anyway. If I ain’t in the Forester when ya show up, I’ll be in the bowlin’ alley takin’ a leak. That phone app ya gave me beats the hell outta doin’ stakeouts the old-fashioned way.”

  We said a quick goodbye and I hurried back to the table, hoping my sandwich was still warm.

  As I slid into my chair again, Nora set down her almost-empty glass. “How nice of you to join me.”

  “Sorry. Another check-in.”

  Nora rolled her eyes. “Lola again? Honestly, how much danger do you really think she’s in?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I’m not taking any chances.” I wolfed down several bites of sandwich and a few cooling fries in the ensuing silence.

  When I looked up, Nora was frowning.

  Shit. I knew that look.

  I was bracing myself for a cutting remark when Eddy hurried over.

  “May I get you another drink, Mrs. Taylor?” he inquired.

  “Oh, thank you, no. It was delicious but very strong.” She giggled. “I feel quite… bubbly.”

  That wasn’t the word I would have used to describe her a moment ago, but her mood seemed miraculously improved by Eddy’s presence. Seizing the opportunity, I gobbled more of my meal while they bantered.

  When Eddy left, I tried again. “So, when you-”

  “Oh, enough about me.” Nora gave me a smile, and I braced myself in half-hopeful defensiveness. Maybe she did care enough to ask about my life…

  “How is Agent Rand?” she asked. “Did they get the results from his tests yet?”

  Disappointment soured my stomach, intensified by guilt. I hadn’t kept my promise to visit Ian. Hadn’t even called the hospital to see how he was doing.

  A moment later my suspicions sprang to attention. Why was she so interested in Ian’s condition?

  “I don’t know.” I gulped another mouthful of my sandwich without tasting it. “I haven’t had time to check in at the hospital yet today.”

  “Oh.” Nora finished the last bite of her meal, her unspoken disapproval hovering between us. “Maybe we can go and see him after we finish here.”

  “They probably aren’t allowing him visitors yet.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You imposed a ‘no visitors’ order, didn’t you?”

  Dammit.

  I gave her my best fake honesty. “Yes, it’s standard policy whenever someone with diplomatic immunity or a security clearance is hospitalized.”

  “Hmph.” She crossed her arms. “You could have told me that yesterday.”

  “Sorry, but I didn’t know you were going to try to visit him.”

  “You could have told me when we talked about it afterward.”

  I sighed. “You know how security regulations are. Never give out any more information than necessary.”

  “I suppose.” Nora frowned. “So were you lying about his condition, too?”

  “No, that was true,” I half-lied, and took another bite to give myself more time to think if she hit me with another question. He had been vomiting and he had been scheduled for more tests. She didn’t need to know that it wasn’t directly due to the severity of his injuries.

  “Well, I would have thought you’d be more concerned about him, considering how close th
e two of you are.”

  “Close?” I nearly gaped at her, but at the last moment I remembered my mouthful of half-chewed sandwich. I swallowed it and went on, “Hell, no. I barely know the guy. We only met last week.” I chased that lie with a mouthful of lukewarm fries.

  “Oh, please, Aydan; you don’t expect me to believe that, do you?” Nora gave me an affronted look. “Any fool could see the way he was looking at you.”

  I snorted. “Rand looks at all women that way. Some men, too, from what I’ve heard. If you’ve been around him at all, you must know that.”

  “I wouldn’t know,” she said stiffly. “We only met a few days before we left the UK, when I found out he was the agent in charge of our trip.”

  “And you asked him to set up a meeting with me,” I prompted. “Why did you bother? If you’ve been keeping track of our family like you said, you must have known where I was. You could have just introduced yourself like a normal person instead of doing all the cloak-and-dagger stuff.”

  Her chin rose. “And that was my intention. But then I found out you were an agent…”

  Had I imagined a fractional hesitation?

  She went on smoothly, “…and that fiasco happened during the Weapons presentation, so I wasn’t sure whether to trust you.”

  “But you-” I began, then subsided as Eddy arrived to collect Nora’s empty plate and offer her coffee. When he departed, I had just opened my mouth to try again when my phone vibrated.

  A glance at the call display showed a two-word text: ‘Call home’. Dermott’s summons.

  Shit, now what?

  Chapter 40

  As I looked up from Dermott’s text, Nora snapped, “Oh, don’t bother apologizing. Just talk to your precious Lola.”

  “It’s not-” I began.

  “Just go.” She made a shooing gesture.

  “Fine.” I jumped up and hurried back to the lobby.

  Pulling out a secured phone, I punched the speed dial. An unfamiliar voice answered on the first ring, and I let out a breath of relief. Dermott had delegated the secured line to an analyst. Thank God. At least some good had come out of humiliating him in front of everybody.