chapter five: the lost
Angel occupied the same table as the previous night. This time Kilmer sat next to her, assuming the role of her bodyguard. When Alexandru and Kasim arrived, they looked suspiciously at Kilmer.
"Don't mind Raoul," Angel said with a dismissive wave. "He's a little overprotective."
"You do not trust us?"
Angel arched an eyebrow. "I do not trust anyone."
"Understandable." Alexandru and Kasim sat down. Alexandru slid a folder across the table. Angel flipped it open and studied the photograph inside.
Kilmer forced himself to remain calm when he saw the picture. They wanted to blow up The Hague!
Angel smiled. "Perfect."
"You haven't told us your price yet," Alexandru said.
"Two million dollars. Half before, half after. No negotiation."
The men exchanged a glance. "Very well."
Angel scribbled a number on the back of a napkin then gave it to Alexandru. "You can deposit the money in this account. When I receive it, I will make your bomb."
The men stood. "It was a pleasure, Nathalie. We will be in contact soon."
When they left, Angel turned to Kilmer, wide-eyed. "Oh, my God. The Hague!"
"Let's get back to the hotel. Atkins is going to love this."
As they left the restaurant, Kilmer felt the barrel of a gun pressed against his neck. He and Angel were shepherded to a van, then shoved roughly inside. The woman in the front passenger seat turned around and smiled.
"Bonjour."
Shit, Kilmer thought as he met the gaze of the real Nathalie Argeneau.
Faye, to Frankie's amusement, was still trying to play matchmaker. Frankie had just told her about meeting Angel but conveniently omitted what happened after Angel left the room. Why make it too easy, she thought, hiding her smile.
"And now they're halfway across the world together," Frankie said.
Faye laughed. "Frankie, honey, I can assure you that you're worrying for nothing. I'm sure John is aware of the effect he has on women – he's definitely his father's son – but the day he met you, he stopped caring about anyone else." She smiled. "He'll never admit it, of course, but you're the only woman whose opinion matters."
"That's not true. What about you?"
"I'm his mother. It's different." Faye gazed affectionately at Frankie. "Do yourself a favor and watch John when he's around other people. Then take note of how he looks at you." She chuckled. "And hurry up with this reconciliation. I want grandkids before I die."
Frankie went cold all over.
"Gosh, I'm sorry, Frankie. You'd think I'd have learned by now to think before I open my mouth." Faye was silent for a moment. Then she set her coffee cup on the table and took Frankie's hand. "It's been ten years."
"Am I supposed to just forget?"
"No. But you're not supposed to stop living either. You're not the only woman who's lost a child."
Frankie squeezed her eyes shut, lost in the pain of the past. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "When it happened, one of my friends said it was foolish to grieve a child who hadn't even been born."
"Oh, Frankie."
"But she had a name already. And we loved her . . ."
Faye hugged Frankie, rubbing her back in slow circles.
"Frankie, I – Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had company." Lark stood at the door.
"It's okay. Come in." Frankie wiped her eyes. "Lark, this is Faye Kilmer. Faye, Lia Larkin. She works with us."
"Good to meet you." Faye smiled.
"You're Kilmer's mother?" Lark nervously approached the bed, something in her expression setting off warning bells in Frankie's head.
"What's happened?"
"We've, uh, we've lost contact with Kilmer and Angel. They were supposed to check in an hour ago and they didn't. Atkins thinks their cover was blown somehow."
"Is someone looking for them?"
"Their contact, Fareeda Abrams. She's promised to keep us informed."
Frankie looked at Faye, who was horribly pale. "Faye, sit down. Maybe they just got delayed. I'm sure they're fine."
Faye nodded, her grip on Frankie's hand tight. "Yes, yes, of course."
It was ironic, Frankie thought, that they'd just been talking about losing children. "They're fine," she repeated.
They had to be.
Kilmer realized there was a possibility that they might not make it out of this alive. Just before the van had driven away, Nathalie Argeneau had climbed out, asking them to excuse her. "I have an important meeting to attend," she'd said. "Enjoy your evening."
Now they were headed out into the desert, Fareeda smiling apologetically from the passenger seat. She said something in Arabic to Kasim, who was driving.
"Angel, do you have any idea what they're talking about?"
"Something about the best place to dispose of our bodies."
"Really?"
"Do you honestly think I would make jokes at a time like this?"
No, Kilmer thought, she probably wouldn't. When Kasim had tied him up, he'd tensed his muscles as well as he could. Now that he'd relaxed them, the ropes were a little looser. He resumed trying to free himself.
A few minutes later, his hands were loose. He took the ropes off his feet, keeping a careful eye on Fareeda and Kasim. Then, slowly, he moved to Angel's side and freed her.
You take Fareeda, I'll take Kasim, he signed.
Angel nodded. Kilmer picked up a piece of rope and used it as a garrote. When Fareeda tried to intervene, Angel snapped her neck. She climbed to the front and grabbed the steering wheel, sliding her foot down to press the brake.
Kasim would not go without a fight. He lashed out at Angel causing her to release the wheel. Angel grabbed the handbrake and the van skidded, heading straight for a rock. It tipped over, rolling down a slight incline before hitting a tree.
No one moved.
Frankie kept her promise to visit Bella again, even though she was worried about Kilmer. The child had undergone another round of chemotherapy earlier and Frankie walked in to find her throwing up into a bedpan. When the nurse took the bedpan away, Frankie sat on the edge of the bed and fed ice chips to Bella.
"I wanna go home," Bella said.
"I know."
"Daddy says I can go home when I'm better. But I don't think I'm gonna get better this time."
Frankie blinked back tears. "Of course you are."
"What's a miracle?"
"It's when something happens that's very difficult to explain. Why?"
Bella looked up at Frankie. She'd lost weight in the past two days, and her eyes were huge in her face. "I heard Daddy talking to the doctor and he said it was a miracle I was still alive."
Frankie had nothing to say to that. She stroked Bella's fine hair and continued feeding her ice chips.
"You look sad," Bella said.
"I'm worried about John."
"Is he your husband?"
There was no point trying to deny it, Frankie thought. She nodded. "He has a very dangerous job and I'm scared that he might be hurt."
"Nurse Hatcher said he rescued you from very bad people. Did he really?"
"Yes, he did."
"Then he's a knight." Bella's voice was dreamy. "He'll come back. In the fairytales, the knight always comes back for the princess."
"I hope you're right."
Bella rolled onto her stomach. "Frankie, could you tickle my back? Mommy does when I can't sleep, but she's only coming back tomorrow."
"Sure thing. Sweet dreams, Bella." Frankie gently tickled Bella's back, wondering if she'd ever been this innocent.