The Spy With the Silver Lining (8 page)

Lazie grinned. “It’ll be a pleasure,
mon ami.
It’s been years since I’ve had a chance to go a little crazy.”

“When you get to the Glitterbug and settle our friend, hire Frog to guard him overnight. Tell him there’s a grand in it if he wants to play.”

“He’ll play for less.”

“But he’s worth a grand. Tell him I said so.”

Lazie dried his hands, and untied the dishcloth from around his waist. “I’ll take off right away.”

“Remember, these guys enjoy playing rough. Watch your back.”

“And you watch
da
ladies. I want
ta
learn more about Cookie. She’s
da
kind of woman a man meets once in a lifetime.”

Pierce didn’t comment, though he wasn’t sure when Lazie learned the story behind the famous stage actress he would like any of it.

This mission was a can of worms, as his friend Bjorn Odell would say. He didn’t like the way Merrick and Polax had chosen to keep Casmir in the dark. Maybe Lazie was right. Maybe when he called Merrick about the two men spying on them in the woods, he’d express his feelings. She should know the game and how she was supposed to play her hand. And there was also the possibility that she could take off with her mother before the game started.

“You said you picked up their luggage?”

“It’s in
da
car. I’ll toss it out before I take our friend for a ride.”

After Lazie left, Pierce called Merrick. He told him that Petrov knew their location, and that he’d apprehended one of Yurii’s spies. He told Merrick he could pick up the man at the Glitterbug in New Orleans in the morning. He also told him that he wanted to share the mission information with Casmir.

Merrick didn’t agree that it was necessary, but Pierce turned stubborn in his argument, and in the end Merrick conceded.

“All right, I’m giving you clearance to tell her just enough to keep her butt grounded in Le Mystère until Petrov makes his move. Lev won’t be happy about it, but I’ll tell him what you said. We can’t afford for her to take off. Balasi is this mission. Without her we have nothing.”

“Exactly.”

Pierce hung up, then picked up the luggage off the porch where Lazie had left it before he’d rounded up their hostage and headed for town. He stepped back inside and set Ruza’s bag down behind the couch, then hooked a finger through the straps on Casmir’s sexy blue shoes.

He grabbed her travel bag, and had just started down the hall when he saw her dart out of the bathroom and into the bedroom wearing nothing but a towel.

W
hen Casmir spied Pierce in the hall she didn’t say anything; she breezed into the bedroom never expecting that he would follow her. Her hand was on the door when he pushed his way inside.

“Why don’t you come in?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” He handed her shoes to her, then dropped her bag on the bed next to her clothes.

“A nice gesture. My gun?”

He pulled it from his pocket and laid it on the nightstand. “We need to talk.”

She noticed his jaw was set. He was here to tell her something she wasn’t going to like.

She closed the door, then bent to set her shoes on the floor.

“Another shower?”

When she straightened, she caught him eyeing her thighs. “My feet were dirty. Do you have a robe I could use?”

“Never owned one.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“Shy in front of your fiancé.”

“Very funny.”

She rounded the bed and unzipped her bag. Much to her disappointment, she saw that she was going to have to live without a robe, and a lot more than that. Whoever had packed for her obviously didn’t know where she was going, or how long she was staying. There were three outfits inside—none of them appropriate for the swamp. Ditto on both pairs of shoes.

When she looked up, Pierce had grabbed her teal blue bra from the bed.

“Interesting color.”

If he got a thrill fondling her bra, let him. If he was trying to intimidate her, let him try.

Casmir went to sit in the wicker chair in the corner of the room. She settled her butt down and tucked the towel firmly into place above her breasts. As she relaxed and crossed her legs, she noticed Pierce’s eyes zeroing in on the edge of the towel. Any second now he would begin to picture what he couldn’t see.

She raised her hand and ran her fingers through her hair, spreading the wet strands over her shoulders. “You wanted to talk.”

“I didn’t come to play one of your games.”

“Then maybe you should put my bra back where you found it.”

“Territorial? That wasn’t in your file.”

“Neither was your fetish for lingerie.”

He smiled, then tossed her bra back on the bed and walked to the window. He pulled the curtains together, and when he turned to face her he was no longer smiling.

“Since I was recruited this morning I haven’t agreed with the agenda for this mission. When an agent steps into a snake’s den you don’t go in with your eyes closed.”

“Are we on a mission, Pierce? I was told I was on vacation.”

“
Oui,
we’re on a mission.”

“Are you here to open my eyes and tell me what kind of snake den has brought us together?”

“
Oui.
The why of it, at least. I told Merrick a little while ago that I don’t care how good the reason is—deaf and dumb, in my book, gets you dead.”

“In this case I’m the deaf and dumb one, right?”

He relaxed against the wall next to the window and crossed his arms over his chest. Casmir didn’t like the direction this conversation was going. She had been suspicious from the beginning, and now Pierce had just confirmed that Polax had conned her in some way. He would only do that if he knew she wasn’t going to like the outcome.

Needing to keep the ill feelings at bay, she went into survival mode. She was beginning to feel like a cat with one paw in a trap and the other three in quicksand.

“You know, Pierce, I never liked you in Austria. You thought I was a dumb blonde then, too. I assure you I’m not as dumb as you think. And I never go anywhere with my eyes closed.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb,
amant.
What you are is loyal, and that’s what Polax was counting on when he cooked up this subterfuge with Merrick.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning he didn’t have to spill his guts to make you pack your bags.”

“They were already packed.”

“
Oui,
there you go. He was damn sure of you. So sure, he mapped out this mission knowing you would go wherever he sent you.”

“And are you going to spill your guts and tell me why I’m here? At the same time maybe you could explain why Lazie kidnapped my mother and brought her here in his trunk?”

“Today didn’t go as planned. You took off and—”

“You didn’t show up when and where you were supposed to.”

“Okay, so I should have met you.”

“What was that? You’re admitting you made the mistake?”

“If it makes you feel better.”

“It does.”

“At the Glitterbug I told Lazie to get Ruza out of there and bring her here. My guess is he felt she wasn’t going to cooperate, so he made a decision.”

“One I’m having difficulty explaining to her.”

“That can’t be changed now. Let’s talk about Yurii Petrov.”

Casmir’s body tensed. “Let’s not.”

“I know what happened between you two. I read the report.”

If he had read the report, he didn’t know the half of it.

“If you have the details then you talk and I’ll listen.”

“I got clearance from Merrick to summarize the mission’s agenda. Like I said, Polax should have been up-front with you.”

“Spill your guts. I’m all ears.”

“You’re the bait.”

She’d heard that word before. Polax had used it in Prague, and on the phone when they’d last talked.

“I’m the bait?” A knot gripped Casmir’s stomach. She now understood. “I’m here to lay a trap for Yurii? He attempts to kill me and you recapture him in the process, is that it?”

“Not exactly. Simply returning him to prison isn’t enough to crush his operation.”

“I’d say they learned that a little late. I spent four months in his—”

“Bed.” His eyes stared her down.

“I did my job.”

“
Oui.
Quite well. I heard you had Petrov eating out of your hand.”

“No, it was actually one of my shoes.”

“He asked you to marry him.”

To that, Casmir made no comment. She had done what was necessary to complete the mission. All anyone needed to know—including Polax, and now Pierce—was relevant facts.

He continued to stare her down.

It was the eyes of judgment, at least that was what it felt like. And it pissed her off. “You’re a real tough guy, Pierce. You play with guns and knives, move in quick and get out quicker. If you feel like screwing it’s on your own time and you don’t have to fill out a report afterward. Well, screwing is my job, tough guy, not my hobby. I did my job, and filled out a report. It’s not my fault it didn’t solve all Quest’s problems with Yurii Petrov. Maybe they should have had a backup plan.”

“No argument here.”

“You said I’m the bait. Obviously Quest thinks Yurii will come after me, or at least send someone to kill me. What am I missing?”

“His headquarters is believed to be in the Mediterranean, but no one knows where. He keeps an extensive database on past and current clients, as well as his own diverse business information. While you were taking Yurii down months ago, I was coming off a mission in Greece. You’ve heard of the Chameleon?”

“Yes. Onyxx’s nemesis who refuses to die.”

“Petrov launders the Chameleon’s money. That connection is Onyxx’s interest in this. As Merrick told me, when agencies work together, good things happen.”

Casmir stood. She had never expected to see Yurii again after she had sent him to prison. Had prayed she would never have to face him again. Then four days ago he’d shown up in Bratislava, and all those days and nights with him had come flooding back.

Be careful when tempting the devil. Especially when you’ve stolen his soul.

Pierce was still talking. She stopped pacing and faced him, suddenly realizing the game. “You want me to lead you to Yurii’s hideout.”

“That’s right. He takes the bait, and we follow once you’ve been captured.”

The perfect bait. The perfect worm on the hook.

“What if he simply wants me dead?”

“You don’t believe that, do you?”

She didn’t know what to believe right now. “I suppose you’ve figured out a way to let him know where to find me.”

“He already knows where you are. Tonight the noise you heard was me. Two men have been watching the cabin since the moment we arrived. I let one get away. We don’t want this to look too easy.”

“You think he’ll take me to Nescosto Priyatna.”

“Oui.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Right now Yurii’s a wanted man. His hideout is the safest place for him. We think he’ll send someone after you, with instructions to bring you to him.”

“Polax should have told me.”

“I agree.”

If he had, then maybe she would have found a way to share with him the reasons why this mission wasn’t going to work out the way they had planned.

She turned away. Pierce was right; her loyalty to Quest had kept her in Polax’s pocket. He’d sat in his big chair and lied to her. He’d set her up and pretended to be concerned about her safety. And what about Mama? How dare he risk her life!

You’re in the deep freeze until we can find another use for you.

Well he had certainly found a use for her. The term
bait
wasn’t the right one, however. She was their sacrificial lamb.

“Once you’re in, and we have the location, I’ll retrieve the data, and pick you up on the way out.”

What an arrogant ass. Casmir turned to face him. “If you think it will be that easy, you’re even a bigger fool than Polax. If you’re lucky enough to get out, I suggest you leave my body there. It will slow you down on your escape.”

“Have a little faith,
amant.
”

“I never go into a job riding on the wings of faith, Pierce. If I did, I wouldn’t have survived my first mission. I know the intelligence world places little value on women operatives. I’ve heard the jokes, and the comments. Most agencies consider us expendable. I just didn’t know Polax felt the same way. I guess prostitution in any form is legal when your pimp is the government.”

“As I said, you should have been told up front, but that’s something you’ll have to take up with Polax when we get back.”

Casmir crossed the room and pulled her phone from her jacket pocket, but before she could use it, Pierce stripped it out of her hand.

“Calling him isn’t going to change anything. Petrov already knows where you are. The game has started.”

“Give me my phone.”

“No.”

“Give me my phone.”

When she grabbed for it, he reached out and pulled her against him. She fought him, shoved hard, and that was when the towel went to the floor. Before she could rescue it, she was on the bed, Pierce flattening her out on her back.

“Listen to me.”

“Get off.”

“I don’t like this any better than you do, but it is what it is. Trust me. I’ll get you out of this alive.”

She looked away, so angry that she felt like crying. That wouldn’t do. She didn’t cry in front of men.

“You’re hurting me.”

“Look at me.”

“Just get off and get out.”

“I want your promise that you’ll do this. Merrick warned me that if I told you you might turn chickenshit. Prove him wrong. Prove them all wrong. And when this is over—”

She looked at him, willing strength back in her voice. “And when this is over you’ll send flowers to my funeral. Agreed?”

“There isn’t going to be any damn funeral.”

“I’m partial to orchids. And don’t be stingy. A dozen is a nice gesture, but two is always more impressive. At least I deserve that much.”

“I won’t let you die.”

“Orchids. Two dozen. Promise me.”

“Sonofabitch.”

“Promise me.”

“All right. Orchids. Two fucking dozen.”

“When you ride to my rescue, remember to bring along a body bag to pick up the pieces. Yurii isn’t going to let me go home beautiful.”

He swore again, then climbed off her. Naked, feeling his eyes on her, she curled into a ball on her side. Seconds later she felt the towel that had dropped to the floor cover her.

“I’m leaving the phone. Don’t call Polax. Trust me instead,
amant.
”

Pierce had smoked close to a pack of cigarettes by the time Lazie got back from New Orleans. He stood on the porch leaning against a newel post as his friend got out of the Eldorado.

Once Lazie climbed the steps, he said, “I got our friend settled.”

“Did Frog agree to guard him?”

“He was happy to do it. He told me
ta
tell you, whatever you need, just give him a call.”

“Good.”

“Been
tinkin’dis
situation over. When you gonna tell me all of it?”

“I figure now is as good a time as any to tell you how you figure into this.”

“Am I going to like it?”

Pierce lit a cigarette.

“I’ll take one of
dem.
”

“Thought you quit.”

“I did. Now I’m what you call a social smoker. I only light up when I’m socializin’.”

“You socialize at the Glitterbug every day.”

Lazie grinned. “
Dat
I do. But now I
don
hear the criticism. Folks
tink
I’m smokin’ with
dem
to be nice. Sacrificin’ for
dem.
Makes
dem
feel special, and I
don
hear any lectures on health issues.”

Pierce smiled. “You’re crazy, Lazie.”

“So tell me what I should know. What’s got you upset?”

“How do you know I’m upset?”

“It’s a fact you
don
show it much. But I know you better
den
most.
Da
way your puffin’ and grippin’
dat
life saver says it all. You have words with
une belle femme?
”

“A few.”

“It didn’t go well?”

“Horseshit. She hated me before. Now we’ve turned the corner and headed down an even blacker alley.”

“
Dat don
sound like you. You always could charm
da
pants off of a
fille
no matter how tight
da
fit.”

“This is a squeeze all right.”

“A nice word, squeeze. It reminds me of what’s sleepin’in my bed. So what do you want from me?”