Iris Johansen - Deadlock

"Does Babin have any family? A mistress?"

"Not at present."

"He has a blond bombshell at the reception desk in his office."

"Nadia Vladar. She's not his mistress. Though he's been known to lend her out to his clients on occasion. She's very accommodating, and he pays her very well."

"She seemed pretty eager to please him."

"Anything else?"

"I'll need in-depth reports on Smythe, Broderick, and Joslyn."

"I'm ahead of you. It's already in the works." He paused. "You know I'm not going to let you make me go at this blind indefinitely?"

"No, but I think you will until you begin to doubt I can give you what you want."

Ferguson didn't speak for a moment, but Garrett could feel the frustration behind that silence. "You son of a bitch. What else do you need?"

"I'll let you know."

"I'm sure you will." Ferguson hung up.

"You heard him, Emily." Garrett turned down the volume on his phone before he hung up. "Any thoughts?" "Babin is a middleman." He nodded. "But for whom?"

"Maybe we'll know that when Ferguson gets back to us with his reports." She shook her head. "But I don't want to wait, dammit."

"You may not have to wait for everything. There's a good possibil¬ity that Babin got in touch with Staunton after Zelov called him. It's almost sure he'll manage to contact him now that he knows we're on his turf."

"And Staunton will come to us." The realization hit home with chilling impact. That was what she had wanted. Yet it didn't stop her from feeling vulnerable. "He still wants to get his hands on me. We can use that to set a trap for him."

"Not yet. We want to gather everyone in at the same time. We just have to sit tight until we're ready."

"And will Staunton let us just sit tight? What if he comes after us?

"We're safe here for a little while. Dardon buried the paperwork for the rental of the farmhouse. And I made sure we weren't followed from Babin's office."

"I don't want to sit tight," she said. "We can gather everyone else in later. I want Staunton."

"I know you do." He leaned back in his chair. "But you also want to find the cause of all the misery he's caused. You want to find the hammer. You told me once you dreamed about it. Do you want some big-time industrialist to find it and get the treasure Joel paid for with his life?"

"Don't be stupid. Of course, I don't." The hammer was like a Medusa's head with serpents stretching out and strangling everything around it. It had struck down Joel. Sometimes she felt as if it were still striking at her. "But I don't want you to be right either."

"I am right, Emily."

She gazed at him in helpless frustration. Dammit, she realized he was right. She knew he was being reasonable and setting goals that would take them to where they had to be, but that didn't stop her from wanting to move faster, reach out for Staunton before he could slip away. "Okay. For now." She turned on her heel. "But if the chance comes to get Staunton, I'm not going to wait." She strode to her bed¬room and swung the door closed behind her with a firm click.

GARRETT STARED THOUGHTFULLY at the door.

Emily had temporarily given in, but it wouldn't last long. Ever since she had arrived here and confronted Babin, she had been in an emotional tailspin. Who could blame her? Every time she turned around, she was faced with a memory of that horror in the mountains. It was a wonder that she was doing as well as she was.

But that tension and horror were going to increase the longer they kept on the trail. He could only help her so far. In fact, he could be part of the problem. She had said he had made her feel alive. Dammit, he had never thought he would want her emotions to be dulled.

Okay, not dulled, just soothed.

But nothing about their relationship was soothing. It was hot and sexual, and they were still learning each other physically and emotion¬ally. Yes, he wasn't what she needed right now.

He slowly took out his phone and dialed the number.

"Is Emily all right?" Irana asked immediately when she picked up the phone. "I had a dream about her last night, Garrett."

"She's fine. Just a little tense. How are you, Irana?"

"Fine. Busy. But Dr. Kaidu has so many assistants that they're tripping over each other." She paused. "He wouldn't really miss me if I moved on. When do you want me?"

He chuckled. "How do you know I do?"

"You called me. Your voice is a little hesitant. You probably don't want to ask a favor of me. You never do."

"It's a big favor. Can you come to Moscow right away?" "Why?"

"As I said, Emily is tense. I'm trying to find a way to keep her from exploding and doing something that could be dangerous for her. You'd be good for her." He added, "But the situation isn't what I'd like it to be here. Things may get very ugly, and you could be in the middle of it."

"That wouldn't bother me. I didn't like the fact that Staunton blew up my hospital."

"He's capable of far worse than that."

"I assumed that the devil had a firm hand on him. He gave Emily nightmares, and she's very tough. She's the only reason that you wish me to come?"

"She's the main reason. You could help with something else if you would. We may have to deal with the Russian Orthodox Church. One of the paths is leading in that direction. You might be able to commu¬nicate with them on a higher plane."

She laughed. "Where did you get that idea? A Roman Catholic nun who renounced her vows? They would probably toss me out."

"You'd know how they thought. You're well versed in the histori¬cal side."

"History?"

"It's only a thread, but it occurred to me that it was strange that the Church was involved in this at all. It may have something to do with Rasputin and his battles with the Church."

"You've lost me."

"Dardon will explain it all to you." He paused. "If you choose to be¬come involved. I didn't want to ask it of you, Irana. I had you safely tucked away where I didn't have to worry about you."

"Only because I allowed it." She was silent a moment. "I will help you as far as my conscience will permit. There are many things we don't agree upon, Garrett. But we do agree that Emily should be loved and protected. I'll come as soon as you want me. I'll make reservations for a plane to Moscow right after I go to church tonight."

"No reservations. Is it necessary that you go to church today? I won¬der if you'd mind skipping attending church and head for the airport within a few hours? Dardon usually uses a pilot, Chad Nalley, in that area. He's in and out of Morocco frequently. He'll contact him, and you can be on your way later tonight. I won't risk Staunton's knowing you're in the country." He added soberly. "I promise I'll keep you safe, Irana."

"Church is never a necessity, it's a solace. I wasn't able to get away from the clinic yesterday, so I thought I'd go today. But instead I'll go to the airport after I finish at the clinic and be ready for your Mr. Nal¬ley." She paused. "I told you I had a dream about Emily last night. You didn't ask me what it was about."

"Threat? Danger?"

"No. Emily was happy, very happy. She was like a butterfly soaring in the sunlight. I woke up smiling. Was Emily happy last night, Garrett?" / feel alive.

"I hope she was, Irana."

"So do I. I'll see you soon." She hung up.

A butterfly soaring in the sunlight…

He had never seen that side of Emily. No, he had seen it but never been included in the world of that woman who loved Bruce Spring¬steen and Casablanca. He had come close last night, but sex had a way of overshadowing everything.

A butterfly soaring…

DAMMIT, AT LAST.

Babin had waited all day until he could get on the road in his car and away from any possible electronic wiretaps. He dialed Staunton with frantic speed. "Where the hell are you?"