Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this. My muse apparently went on vacation, and then I thought I would do some research, before deciding that a) I was too lazy and b) I didn't want the FBI knocking on my door asking about my suspicious Internet history. That would only be fun if they sent Jane and Lisbon. Or Cho. I could get into being interrogated by Cho. :) So please just suspend your disbelief, plot wise. And thank you for your feedback—it keeps me going!

Chapter 7

Lisbon looked crisp and cool in her white capris, loose white blouse over a green tank top, and matching gold sandals and belt. She'd bought a white straw hat with a black and white checked ribbon to complete her ensemble, and Jane thought she was the very picture of an affluent woman on vacation. Except that she didn't look very happy. But given that they were waiting for Erika, who was running late, he couldn't blame her.

Still, he wanted to cheer her up. "I think we may be the only happily married couple in this lobby," he murmured in her ear. "Look around."

She did, shrugging. "They look like people on vacation."

"None of whom are holding hands, or even touching each other."

Lisbon smiled a little. "I knew you didn't read the guidebook. Public displays of affection are frowned on in this culture."

Jane had known that, of course; he simply thought it best for their cover—and his peace of mind—to touch Lisbon at every opportunity. Pushing boundaries was what he excelled at, after all. He grinned a little, slipping his hand from Lisbon's waist to her ass.

She reached behind her and firmly put his hand back where it had been. "Do you have everything?" she asked.

It was the third time she'd asked, so he knew she was trying to distract him. He patiently recited, "Sunscreen, lip balm, books in case we get bored, money for a cab back if we get sick of the company. A change of clothes for me." He repositioned the small drawstring bag on his shoulder. "Stop worrying."

She slipped an arm around his waist, toying with the belt loop of his jeans. "I just hate boats."

"This isn't a speedboat, darling. It's a yacht. Give it a chance." He watched a black Mercedes pull up to the entrance, and a pair of familiar legs emerged from the back door. "Our ride's here."

"Great," Lisbon muttered, before pasting on a big smile that couldn't be more obviously fake. Jane was amused; he wasn't sure what she had in mind for Erika, but he was more than willing to back her play.

"Patrick, Teresa," Erika smiled, standing beside the car. "So considerate of you to be ready. Shall we?"

Jane gestured for her to get back in, then murmured to Lisbon, "Would you rather sit in front?"

"No. I might sit in your lap, though," she replied, a smile quirking her lips.

"Feel free," he replied, standing back for her to slide in. Then he got in behind her and closed the door.

Lisbon leaned up against him, and he slid an arm around her to draw her closer. "Thanks for the ride," he said to Erika as Lisbon settled herself in his embrace.

"Thank you for coming," Erika replied. "Mansoor is very interested in getting to know you. He likes Americans. And Teresa, I'm so glad you're feeling well enough to join us."

"A good night's sleep was all I needed," Lisbon said. Jane admired the sincerity in her voice as she continued, "Thank you for looking after me. I don't know what came over me."

Erika hesitated only for a moment. "Travel can be so tiring. Hopefully you'll find the yacht more relaxing. There's plenty of shade on the deck if the sun bothers you."

"I'm excited to see it. Patrick loves the ocean. Maybe we'll buy a boat of our own one day."

Jane grinned. "Would you like that, darling? We can stop in Monte Carlo and I'll win us the down payment."

Lisbon glanced at him, a warning glint in her eye. "We'll see."

Jane decided to change the subject. "How far is it to the marina?"

"Not far," Erika assured him. "Mansoor loves the water, but Joumana doesn't care for it. He seizes every opportunity to take the yacht out."

Jane thought Ajram might well do business on his yacht in addition to enjoying it. It wasn't far to the coast of Syria and its brutal civil war, where both sides were in the market for weapons. If he was in the business, it was likely safer to transfer cargo at sea. He hoped to find out for sure if Ajram was the arms dealer they'd been sent to find, a man known only by his alias, though such an urbane man seemed an unlikely candidate to be called the Golden Jackal.

For the hundredth time, he wondered what Erika's game was. She'd promised the CIA she could lead them to the Golden Jackal, reducing the flow of U.S. made weaponry into Syria in advance of the American trainers and military support to be sent there to root out religious extremists. So her claim that she didn't know exactly who the boss of the operation was seemed odd. She was either lying about having good information or concealing the target's identity for her own reasons. Perhaps she was holding out to make sure the CIA held up its end of the bargain, forcing Jane to spend time with her so she could win him over? If so, drugging Lisbon had destroyed that plan. He had no desire to see her go free, and definite incentive to make sure she could never harm Lisbon again.

Erika pointed out various sights along the drive, showing off her local knowledge. Jane wondered idly how long she'd been here and, if she liked it as much as she claimed, why she'd want to leave it.

At last they reached the marina and walked a short distance to a small yacht, which Jane judged to be top quality without being showy. It fit with his profile of Ajram as old money.

Erika led them aboard, where Ajram was waiting. He welcomed them with a smile. "Please help yourself to drinks while I tell my captain to get us underway."

Jane quickly ascertained that the crew consisted only of the captain and one steward, who served them lunch on the deck as they headed out into the Mediterranean. The view was breathtaking, and the sea air was invigorating, but Jane made sure to keep an eye on Lisbon despite the wealth of distractions. She was holding up her end of the conversation, but he could see she was uncomfortable. He made sure to touch her frequently and make plenty of eye contact to reassure her.

When the meal was over, Ajram invited Jane on a tour of the yacht, and he accepted eagerly. But as he got to his feet, he asked Lisbon, "Will you be all right, darling?"

"Sure. It's not like Erika's going to push me overboard," she replied with a smile.

He grinned. "I know who'd win that fight," he chuckled, because not only was it true, but he wanted Erika to realize it as well. Lisbon wasn't carrying her weapon, but she was formidable even unarmed. "You girls have fun."

Erika smiled. "Stop fussing, Patrick. I'm sure Teresa and I will be fine." She stood and removed her wraparound dress to reveal a white bikini.

Jane was careful not to let his glance linger, immediately looking at Teresa. She smiled a little wryly and said, "Have fun, sweetie."

The endearment made his smile stretch until he was sure he was in goofy territory. "See you soon."

mmm

As Jane and Ajram left, Lisbon waited to see what Erika was up to. Having failed to get Jane's attention with her display, Erika shrugged a little and went over to a lounge chair on a sunny patch of deck. After a brief application of lotion, she lay down, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Feel free to join me, Teresa."

Lisbon smiled. "No thanks. I'd just end up with a hideous sunburn instead of your lovely tan."

Erika smirked. "I guess I'm just fortunate in my genetic makeup."

Lisbon silently asked forgiveness for her brief wish that Erika would develop skin cancer in the not too distant future. "I guess so."

"Of course," Erika mused, "fortune means nothing if you don't capitalize on it. You do very well with what you have, Teresa. You've made the best of the passing years since we last met. It's no surprise that Patrick fell into your arms when he decided to get back in the game. But you won't hold him, you know. Not for long."

Lisbon reminded herself not to pay attention to what Erika said about Jane. "Patrick isn't a man who can be held against his will." Numerous people, including the Sacramento County Jail staff, could testify to that. And she knew very well that if Jane wanted his freedom, he'd take it. But she would never try to stop him. She wanted his happiness even more than her own. Erika would never understand that.

"True. I'm glad you're so reasonable. It will save you some heartache."

"No one knows him better than I do," Lisbon said, trying to keep the edge out of her voice. Erika had spent a handful of days with Jane; what gave her the gall to think she knew him better than his partner of more than a decade?

Her extensive knowledge of men, of course, she answered her own question. Erika had studied them so she could manipulate them, much like Jane had acquired his skill at reading body language so he could con people.

But Jane was no ordinary man. He gave very little away. And Erika's knowledge of him was out of date; she'd known him when he was obsessed with vengeance, forcing himself to stay aloof, his better feelings firmly buried. He was healing now, opening his heart little by little and rediscovering happiness. She was happy to be the woman he trusted enough to be with on that journey, and she knew that whatever happened, she would always have that.

Erika adjusted her sunglasses. "I'm sure you know him as well as anybody can know a conman."

Lisbon smiled wryly, then decided to stop playing defense. "And who knows you, Erika? It must be a lonely life you lead."

"It has its perks," Erika said with a shrug. "There's a certain freedom in not having anyone to lose. I hope Patrick realizes he's the cause of those little lines on your forehead. You've worried about him a lot, haven't you?"

"It's mutual. Everyone needs someone to worry about them." Lisbon smiled as she thought about how Jane fussed over her, making sure she ate and slept, cheering her up if she was unhappy. In his own way, he'd looked after her even back at the CBI, bringing her coffee or snacks, joking around when she needed to relax, and even trying to protect her. She would never forget that he'd followed her to that high school where she'd been knocked out and had a bomb strapped to her, how he'd refused to leave her even when she'd ordered him to, the chance he'd taken grabbing for the detonator. He'd risked his life for her, risked dying without getting his vengeance. He'd loved her even then, as much as his shackled heart could.

Pulling herself back to the present, she asked, "Do you miss home, Erika? You don't have anybody waiting for you, do you?"

"I find plenty of company when I want it," Erika replied. "There's nothing specific I miss. But after a while, travel gets old."

Lisbon thought of how many miles she and Jane must have logged over the years. "Not if you're traveling with the right person."

Erika smirked. "Enjoy your honeymoon while you can, Teresa. Nothing lasts forever."

"Love does," Lisbon said reflexively.

Erika laughed. "Oh, that is too precious. Patrick really has you under his spell, doesn't he? That's quite a trick, turning a jaded cop into a starry eyed romantic."

"Yes, it is," Lisbon smiled, unperturbed. It was true, after all, though she probably wouldn't admit it to anyone who knew her. Jane had turned her into a romantic in some ways. And for their cover story to work, people had to believe she'd thrown her life away for love. "It's wonderful. You should try it sometime."

Erika gave a forced chuckle. "No, thank you. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll work on my back."

Lisbon smiled sweetly at her. "Of course. I have my book to keep me occupied."

As Erika rolled over, Lisbon felt a sense of satisfaction. She might not have won this round, but she definitely hadn't lost.

mmm

The tour was interesting, but Jane paid more attention to his host than the boat. He was intrigued by the fact that he couldn't decide whether Ajram was shady or merely so highly socialized as to be opaque.

They ended up at the bow of the ship, watching the sparkling water slide past. Ajram pointed out a pod of dolphins frolicking nearby, to Jane's delight, and they made small talk about the sea life for a bit. Then, after a pause, Ajram said, "She is a modest lady, your wife."

Jane grinned. Modest wasn't the first word that came to mind when he thought of Lisbon, though she was. "Yes."

"And kind, yes? She has kind eyes."

Jane wondered where this was headed. "She's the kindest person I know."

"Then you are a very fortunate man."

"I can't deny that," Jane agreed.

"A modest, kind wife is the best treasure a man can possess." Ajram glanced at him, then looked back out over the water.

"She is my pearl of great price." It was true, Jane thought. There was nothing he wouldn't give to keep Lisbon. And given their cover as a newlywed couple madly in love, there was no reason to hide it. Still, he wondered what Ajram was getting at. "I'm sorry I didn't get to meet your wife last night."

"It is a pity you had to leave so soon. I'm pleased your wife is well again. Nothing serious, I hope?"

"Just fatigue," Jane replied.

"Ah. Am I to congratulate you?" Ajram gave him a friendly smile.

It took Jane a second to realize Ajram thought Lisbon might be pregnant. "Ah. No. I think all the travel just got to her."

"A shame. Children are one of the joys of life. I have three sons and a daughter."

Jane smiled at the pride in his voice. "Congratulations." Then he sighed. "I'm not sure we will have children. I...had a daughter. But she died." He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.

"I know," Ajram said, surprising him. "Erika told me about you. I am very sorry for your loss. But it's good you have found a kind woman to comfort you. She is not what I expected an FBI agent to be."

Jane recovered his calm. "She is exceptional. Kind to the innocent and hurting, and merciless to the cruel and unjust. And she isn't an agent anymore. You see, the only reason I worked for the FBI was because I killed the man who murdered my family, then escaped the country. They found me through my letters to Teresa and offered me a deal: come work for them and they'd drop the charges. I accepted so I could be with her again. But I pulled one too many schemes, and our boss decided to break the deal. Teresa ran away with me rather than be separated again. We can't go home."

"Yes, Erika told me this as well. Also that you are looking for work."

"Well, I have enough money to keep us going for a while. And Teresa doesn't want me to go back to pretending to be a psychic. But I wouldn't say no to some work if it's not too taxing." Jane grinned. "I have an eclectic skill set."

"You sense truth or deception in a man."

"Usually, yes," Jane said modestly. He waited for Ajram to continue, but when he didn't, asked, "How long have you known Erika?"

"A month, more or less. And no, she is not my mistress. I prefer my women less calculating."

"Wise of you," Jane said.

"Besides, she is the mistress of a man I do not care to cross," Ajram continued.

Ah, now they were getting somewhere, Jane thought. "Friend, or business associate?"

Ajram smiled thinly. "Some men do not have friends."

"True," Jane mused. He had been such a man, once upon a time. Though he supposed that wasn't entirely true—he'd always had his carnie friends. But he hadn't made friends as an adult until he came to the CBI. Being a con man didn't lend itself to healthy relationships. "I wonder why Erika hasn't mentioned him?"

"Ah, perhaps you are less smart than I believed," Ajram chuckled. "What woman talks of her lover to a man she wishes to seduce?"

"She's wasting her time. I'm not susceptible to seduction. I'm a happily married man," Jane remarked. "And I wouldn't hurt my Teresa for the world."

"Very wise. Men like us, we know what is important in life. The happiness of those we love is far more precious than money."

"Infinitely more precious," Jane agreed. He decided he liked Ajram. "The world is full of unhappy rich people."

Ajram chuckled, then sighed. "True. And sometimes I think this part of the world has more than its share of them. As well as those who believe any atrocity is justified if it advances their aims. Such men make uncomfortable neighbors."

"I imagine so," Jane said. "Hard to ignore."

"Impossible, in fact." Ajram straightened and pointed toward the horizon. "Here they come. I hope your powers of discernment do not work only in English. They will speak only Arabic, though they understand English."

Jane felt his heart rate accelerate. "You're meeting terrorists?"

"You would call them such, but I advise you not to do so in their presence. Stay quiet and observe, and they will not see you as a threat."

"I wish you'd warned me. I wouldn't have brought my wife," Jane said, a little more sharply than he intended.

"Not to worry. These are not men who do business with women. Erika knows to stay out of their sight."

"Teresa doesn't. I need to tell her." Jane was seized with a heart-stopping vision of Lisbon attempting to arrest a gang of terrorists.

"She will not listen to Erika?"

"She doesn't trust her."

Ajram laughed. "Wise as well as kind. Take a few minutes with your wife, then, Patrick. But I would like you with me when they board."

Jane sensed it was not a request. He pushed off the railing and went quickly back to the upper deck where he'd left Lisbon. She was absorbed in her book, looking cool and comfortable in the shade, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into her arms and rest there, like he often did after a nightmare. But the nightmare lay ahead of them, he suspected.

She smiled as she looked up at him, then frowned as she took in his expression. "Everything all right?"

"No. We're about to have company. You need to make yourself scarce."

She got to her feet, dropping the book into her bag. "Bad company?"

"The worst."

Erika lifted herself up on her elbows. "Oh, don't be such a worrywart, Patrick. They're not interested in us. We can sit in the bedroom. It won't take long." Yawning, she got up languidly and put her wraparound dress back on.

Jane hardly noticed, focused on Lisbon. "Promise me you'll stay out of sight."

She lowered her voice. "But will you be all right?"

"Right as rain." He summoned a confident smile. "Our host is a delightful conversationalist. He merely wants my opinion about our visitors."

Lisbon looked dubious. "You'll be careful? No inciting them to punch you in the nose?"

"No inciting, I promise." He held her gaze. "Promise not to take any chances."

"I promise," she said reluctantly.

Jane pulled her into his arms and kissed her, calming himself with her taste and the feel of her strong arms wrapped around him. She grounded him, as she always had, but now he was acutely aware of how much he had to lose.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear.

He tightened his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. "I love you so much," he whispered back. After a moment, he kissed her lips again, then lifted both her hands to press a kiss into the back of each.

The look in her eyes made him want to lock himself in the yacht's bedroom with her and leave Erika to fend for herself, but instead he smiled and stepped back. "See you in a few minutes," he assured her.

Erika was already inside, apparently finding them insufficiently entertaining. Jane set his hand on Lisbon's lower back and walked her to the door, pausing for another see-you-later kiss at the threshold. She glanced over her shoulder at him as she went in, her eyes clouded with worry, and he smiled reassuringly.

Then he went to rejoin Ajram, hoping to get this assignment over with quickly.