Andy McDermott - The Tomb Of Hercules

“Yeah, he must have,” Nina admitted, thinking back. “Still doesn’t explain how his men knew about the Brotherhood’s safe house, though.”

“All sorts of ways. Your phones could have been bugged, your computer hacked; he could have had people following you, maybe even paid off someone within the IHA itself. Believe me,” Sophia sighed, “he’ll stop at nothing to gain the advantage in business. Or any part of his life. My husband always gets what he wants…and he wants the map to the Tomb of Hercules.”

“Unless we get the rest of the map from him first. You think the guy who attacked me will have taken it to him in Botswana?”

Sophia nodded. “Your description of him sounded an awful lot like a man who works for my husband, Fang Yi. He takes care of security problems-the unofficial kind of security problems. If he has the pages, he will have taken them straight to him-and since my husband is in Botswana right now, that’s where Fang will have gone too.”

“So what’s he doing in Botswana?” asked Nina. “I remember he said he owns a diamond mine there…”

“It’s not just a diamond mine,” Sophia said, “it’s the diamond mine, the biggest in the country as of…well, now. That’s why he’s there. The Botswanan government takes a cut from the sale of every diamond mined in the country, and my husband’s mine has been extremely productive. There’s going to be an official ceremony to mark its becoming the biggest mine-the president will be there, various other bigwigs. I was supposed to attend it with Richard, actually. In my role as the perfect wife.”

“You’ll still be there,” Nina pointed out. “Just not up onstage with the guest of honor.”

Sophia shifted in her seat. “It’s a risk, I know. But if we can get to him when he’s not expecting it…” She looked across at Chase, seeming to brighten a little. “Eddie can be extremely persuasive.”

“Yeah, I know.” Nina sat back, silently having an internal debate before finally coming out with the question that had been on her mind ever since she’d first spoken to the Englishwoman. “So how did you meet Eddie?”

Sophia glanced at Chase again, as if to check that he was asleep. “From what I gather, it was similar to the way you met him. He told me that he was hired as your bodyguard?”

“Yeah,” said Nina, wondering what else Chase had told her.

“He was my bodyguard as well-in a manner of speaking. He was still in the SAS at the time, about six years ago. I told you that my father paid for me to travel the world?” Nina nodded. “One of the countries I went to visit was Cambodia, to see the ancient temples at Angkor Wat and other sites like it. Unfortunately, at that time an Islamic militant group, the Golden Way, was trying to gain attention. The method they chose was to kidnap and threaten to execute a group of British visitors unless their demands were met. I was a member of that group.”

Nina’s eyes widened. “My God…”

“At the time my father, Lord Blackwood, was a very important man. He was a member of the House of Lords, obviously, but he was also a former government minister and an influential businessman, with connections on both sides of the House of Commons. The kidnapping of his only child was something that was not going to be allowed to stand.”

“So the government sent in the SAS to get you? Including Eddie?”

“Yes. The Cambodians were dithering, they wanted to negotiate, but that fell apart when the Golden Way killed one of the hostages. So the SAS were secretly sent in. Their mission was simple: locate and rescue the hostages… and kill every one of the kidnappers.”

Nina suppressed a slight shiver. She knew enough about Chase’s military career to be aware that he had seen combat in clandestine missions, and that he could-and would-kill to save the lives of those under his protection. But hearing such a blunt order was something new, and far from pleasant. “Since you and Eddie are both sitting here, I kinda guess they succeeded!” she said with forced levity.

“They did. But…” Sophia looked over at Chase once more. “The Golden Way had reinforcements nearby, and when the SAS withdrew with the hostages Eddie and I got cut off. We had to get away on our own, through the jungle. It took three days for us to reach safety, with the terrorists after us. Eddie protected me the whole time.” Her expression turned wistful, eyes focusing on something beyond the cabin walls. “He was a hero. He was my hero. And by the time we got back to England, I was completely, utterly, head over heels in love with him. We were married within a month.”

“Wow.” Nina’s mind was reeling; Chase had never even hinted at such an intense event in his past. She also couldn’t help but feel a sting of jealousy. She and Chase had come through an equally dangerous adventure and also ended up together, but there had been no suggestion of marriage. “So what happened?”

“My father, for one.” Sophia’s face darkened. “He was absolutely appalled that I would get married without consulting him. Especially since I was the daughter of a lord-you know, that sort of thing just isn’t done!” A single, somewhat bitter, laugh. “He was furious. And he despised Eddie. Never mind that he’d saved my life-he was just some lower-class nobody, a commoner . He wanted nothing to do with him. And because I was married to Eddie, and loved him, he all but cut me off too.”

Nina couldn’t help but feel a rising anger at the criticism of Chase, even secondhand. “Not meaning to be rude, but your dad sounds like kind of an asshole.”

Sophia bit back a harsh rejoinder, gathering her composure before speaking more calmly. “He made mistakes; he was wrong about some things. But he was still my father, and he’s no longer with us, so I never had the opportunity to set things straight between us. You didn’t know him, so I’d prefer it if you didn’t criticize him. I’m sure you feel the same about your parents.”

“I’m sorry,” said Nina, stung with guilt. Sophia was right-she would have reacted the same way.

Sophia closed her eyes and sighed. “That’s all right. My father passed away three years ago. Much as I try, I still feel some lingering resentment.” She opened her eyes again, resolute. “But my father’s attitude definitely put a strain on the marriage. And it didn’t help when my initial euphoria started to wear off, and I started to see Eddie… as Eddie.”

“What do you mean?” But she already knew.

And Sophia knew that she knew, Nina seeing the understanding in her brown eyes. “I married my hero,” Sophia said softly. “But it didn’t take me long to realize that behind the hero… was just a very ordinary man. It was absolutely heartbreaking. But it was also undeniable. And once I realized that, then…”

“It was over,” Nina finished for her.

“Yes.” Sophia looked away. “Excuse me.” She got up and walked back down the aisle.

Nina remained still. She wanted to look across at Chase, but didn’t dare.

In case the sight of him brought her to the same realization as Sophia.

Well, hey,” said the towering African woman, arms folded sternly. “If it isn’t Edward Chase.”

“Tamara Defendé,” Chase replied as he walked up to her. They regarded each other with apparent mutual suspicion for a few moments… before she swept her arms around him.

“Eddie!” she cried, squeezing Chase tightly, creasing his leather jacket. “Great to see you!”

“It’s been awhile,” Chase wheezed. “Okay, TD, you can let go now. I need my lungs.”

Nina and Sophia exchanged glances. “Was it like this for you too?” Nina whispered.