Jake and Alex looked at each other as they stepped from the private jet. They were supposed to arrive second to Frank and Litha. So where were they?
Geraldo Montcalvez stepped out of the limo on the tarmac and smiled. Things were happening smoothly. He held an ace that these American's didn't know about. But in due time he'd play it. For now, better to play the inviting host and potential business partner.
"Bienvenidos! Welcome to Sao Paolo! I regret that we could not meet in my home country, but I find the climate and locals here much more inviting. I have a limosine waiting for the two of you, if you will step this way."
"Senor Montcalvez" Alex stepped forward as Jake slid behind her. "We were told that another investor was on the way down. I don't like being second guessed in my business dealings."
Montcalvez turned and looked at her. "They ran into a headwind over Baja Mexico. They will be arriving shortly. My driver will take you back to the hacienda where you can settle in before dinner."
Alex looked at Jake again. This wasn't right, didn't feel right. But they had to wait for Frank and Litha to show up before anything could be done. Maybe they did hit a headwind on the way down... Both of them sank into the back of the limosine and were whisked off towards the Montcalvez private residence.
--
"Agents Donovan and Sinclair, we'll be arriving within the hour." The pilot looked back. Since Agent Sinclair had made a beeline for the bathroom, things had gotten kind of dicey with the weather outside. Then all of a sudden it fell silent in the cabin.
Frank nodded to the pilot from where he sat. When Litha made her statement, he sank like a rock back onto the seat. She had a baby? His mind flashed back to when he first saw her a few days ago. He'd thought she looked different, now he supposed he knew what it was. His sister had always told him that being a mother changes the way a woman looks to the rest of the world.
He looked up at her. She was watching him with her mismatched eyes. What was he seeing in there? Fear? Not Litha... or yes? 'There is a baby there too. A little 9 month old baby girl...' her words to him mere moments ago struck him. 9 months old... He stood up and walked back towards the lavatory.
Litha watched him silently. There, it was out and she'd said it. Well, most of it. She still hadn't told him that Angelina was his. She wasn't sure how he'd take it when she did.
"Agent Sinclair..."
Litha turned to the other agent in the cabin, her friend Darrin... "Yes?" her voice was soft, on the verge of defeat almost. Or was it just her honest voice, the one that'd been hidden for so long? She didn't know anymore. 'Why won't he say something?'
"Your eyes." He nodded towards her and held out a mirror for her to see.
Frank listened to them, his back still to Litha as he did the math in his head. 9 months old... average pregnancy is 9 months unless the baby was premature... 18 months give or take a month either way... She left him 18 months ago, almost to the day... even so, was it possible? No way, Litha would have told him... wouldn't she?
"You will also need to change clothing Sinclair. I don't think you want Montcalvez ogling your legs and I doubt that Mr. Richards would take too kindly to that. There is a spare set of colored contacts in your bag, I packed them just in case, along with a change of clothing. I'll close the curtain for you." Darrin ushered her past Frank into the rear of the plane cabin and whisked the curtain closed. He then turned to Frank.
"Talk to her. You are the reason she was afraid of taking this case. I've known Litha since we went through the Academy together. I know how hard it was for both of you for her to go through what she did for three years. I make no excuses for her keeping secrets from you, Agent Donovan. But I'm sure she had her reasons all the same."
Frank looked at the younger man. The kid had to be only a few years younger than Litha, if that. If they went through the FBI Academy together then he couldn't be that much younger. With a nod, he pushed past him and through the curtain.
Litha was nude save for a black silk thong and matching bra. The suit she had been wearing was laying on the seat next to her, the twin holsters on top of that. She froze as he entered, not quite turning to look at him.
"Look at me."
She slowly turned around, unembarrassed by her lack of clothing. His eyes swept down her. It'd been over a year since he'd seen her this close to naked. Even this morning she already had her skirt and camisol on when he walked in. His dark eyes lingered on the slightly pink scar just above the edge of her thong.
Litha blushed and automatically moved one hand to cover the scar as she looked away.
"Look at me Litha."
After a moment, she turned her head back and looked him square in the eyes. He was mere inches from her and moving her hand from the scar. His hand flattened out over the scar, warm and firm. "Is she mine?"
Her eyes turned glassy with unshed tears as she nodded. "The very spitting image of you."
****
Geraldo Montcalvez stepped out of the limo on the tarmac and smiled. Things were happening smoothly. He held an ace that these American's didn't know about. But in due time he'd play it. For now, better to play the inviting host and potential business partner.
"Bienvenidos! Welcome to Sao Paolo! I regret that we could not meet in my home country, but I find the climate and locals here much more inviting. I have a limosine waiting for the two of you, if you will step this way."
"Senor Montcalvez" Alex stepped forward as Jake slid behind her. "We were told that another investor was on the way down. I don't like being second guessed in my business dealings."
Montcalvez turned and looked at her. "They ran into a headwind over Baja Mexico. They will be arriving shortly. My driver will take you back to the hacienda where you can settle in before dinner."
Alex looked at Jake again. This wasn't right, didn't feel right. But they had to wait for Frank and Litha to show up before anything could be done. Maybe they did hit a headwind on the way down... Both of them sank into the back of the limosine and were whisked off towards the Montcalvez private residence.
--
"Agents Donovan and Sinclair, we'll be arriving within the hour." The pilot looked back. Since Agent Sinclair had made a beeline for the bathroom, things had gotten kind of dicey with the weather outside. Then all of a sudden it fell silent in the cabin.
Frank nodded to the pilot from where he sat. When Litha made her statement, he sank like a rock back onto the seat. She had a baby? His mind flashed back to when he first saw her a few days ago. He'd thought she looked different, now he supposed he knew what it was. His sister had always told him that being a mother changes the way a woman looks to the rest of the world.
He looked up at her. She was watching him with her mismatched eyes. What was he seeing in there? Fear? Not Litha... or yes? 'There is a baby there too. A little 9 month old baby girl...' her words to him mere moments ago struck him. 9 months old... He stood up and walked back towards the lavatory.
Litha watched him silently. There, it was out and she'd said it. Well, most of it. She still hadn't told him that Angelina was his. She wasn't sure how he'd take it when she did.
"Agent Sinclair..."
Litha turned to the other agent in the cabin, her friend Darrin... "Yes?" her voice was soft, on the verge of defeat almost. Or was it just her honest voice, the one that'd been hidden for so long? She didn't know anymore. 'Why won't he say something?'
"Your eyes." He nodded towards her and held out a mirror for her to see.
Frank listened to them, his back still to Litha as he did the math in his head. 9 months old... average pregnancy is 9 months unless the baby was premature... 18 months give or take a month either way... She left him 18 months ago, almost to the day... even so, was it possible? No way, Litha would have told him... wouldn't she?
"You will also need to change clothing Sinclair. I don't think you want Montcalvez ogling your legs and I doubt that Mr. Richards would take too kindly to that. There is a spare set of colored contacts in your bag, I packed them just in case, along with a change of clothing. I'll close the curtain for you." Darrin ushered her past Frank into the rear of the plane cabin and whisked the curtain closed. He then turned to Frank.
"Talk to her. You are the reason she was afraid of taking this case. I've known Litha since we went through the Academy together. I know how hard it was for both of you for her to go through what she did for three years. I make no excuses for her keeping secrets from you, Agent Donovan. But I'm sure she had her reasons all the same."
Frank looked at the younger man. The kid had to be only a few years younger than Litha, if that. If they went through the FBI Academy together then he couldn't be that much younger. With a nod, he pushed past him and through the curtain.
Litha was nude save for a black silk thong and matching bra. The suit she had been wearing was laying on the seat next to her, the twin holsters on top of that. She froze as he entered, not quite turning to look at him.
"Look at me."
She slowly turned around, unembarrassed by her lack of clothing. His eyes swept down her. It'd been over a year since he'd seen her this close to naked. Even this morning she already had her skirt and camisol on when he walked in. His dark eyes lingered on the slightly pink scar just above the edge of her thong.
Litha blushed and automatically moved one hand to cover the scar as she looked away.
"Look at me Litha."
After a moment, she turned her head back and looked him square in the eyes. He was mere inches from her and moving her hand from the scar. His hand flattened out over the scar, warm and firm. "Is she mine?"
Her eyes turned glassy with unshed tears as she nodded. "The very spitting image of you."
****