Iris Johansen - Final Target

She hadn't. "I'll get us a couple of towels after I put on the coffee."

"I'll get them. Tell me where they are."

"The armoire in the powder room down the hall to the left."

"Right."

Jessica had put the coffee on and set cups on the table by the time he came back.

"Nice house." He tossed her a big white towel and started drying his hair with the one in his hand. "It's not often you see antique armoires in a powder room. It must be like living in another age."

"Sometimes." She wiped her face and neck before dabbing at her hair. "Particularly when the electricity goes out." She tossed the towel aside. "Do you take cream or sugar?"

Travis shook his head. "Does the power go out often?"

"No, my parents had the place rewired when I was a kid, but it still has its quirky moments." She poured the coffee. "The President said you lived in Europe, so you must be familiar with ancient houses."

"Only in the slums." He sat down and cradled his cup in his hands. "The houses I grew up in usually fell down before they had a chance of becoming historic landmarks. When I became an adult, I usually preferred modern houses with all the conveniences because I was moving fast and hard." His eyes twinkled. "And I didn't have time to fix quirky electricity."

"Who does? It's a choice you make." She sat down across from him. "I want to thank you for helping me with Cassie. I know I must have seemed like a crazy woman when I came pounding on your door."

"It was definitely unexpected."

"But you came with me anyway. I'll always be grateful. I was terrified."

"I could see it." He sipped his coffee. "Tell me about Cassie."

"Everyone in the world knows that she's suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome."

"But everyone doesn't know about those nightmares. Does she talk about them?"

"She doesn't talk, period."

"Then how do you know she's dreaming about Vasaro?"

She glanced down to her cup. "It's logical, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"And you were able to bring her out of it because you were at Vasaro."

"Also very logical. Why did you think she'd react to me?"

"You were a new element. It shook up the structure of the dream. When the President first told me about you, I had an idea you could prove useful."

He smiled mockingly. "I'm glad to have been of service. However, I don't think Andreas would agree I was the right candidate for the job."

"You're the only candidate Cassie will accept. He'd agree to anything to help his daughter."

"Then if you want to use me again, you'd better get on the horn and tell him so. I'd make a bet the Secret Service guys will be reporting in."

"What?"

"Call him and tell him you need me. He can't be any more stubborn than that Secret Service man you were ready to take on to get me into Cassie's room."

She had been so tired and numb, she hadn't thought past this one episode. But evidently Michael Travis had already been considering the next step. "I might not need you."

"Do you want to take that chance?"

No, she didn't. "It might not work a second time."

"And then again, it might."

Her gaze narrowed on his face. "Why are you so willing to help me?"

"Why do you think? My kind, generous spirit?"

"I don't know anything about you except what Andreas told me."

"That should be enough. Though it may be a little unfair, since I've made a study of you since I arrived at Juniper."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm no Peeping Tom. I read your book. It was very revealing."

"Oh."

"I didn't have anything else to do. It's been a very boring week. This is the most exciting thing that's happened to me since I left Amsterdam."

"You sound exhilarated. I'm glad what happened to Cassie furnished you with amusement."

"Amusement? No, but I have to admit that helping the kid did bring me a certain rush. I'm sorry if that offends you, but it's the nature of this particular beast. I can see you believe I should be as profound and selfless as you obviously are, but you won't find that in me. I don't get involved."

"Then why are you offering to help me?"

"I have a passion for disrupting the status quo. It interests me to change what most people think of as set in stone."

"How very…cool."

"You mean cold." He smiled. "I'm not cold, Dr. Riley. And changing the status quo isn't always bad. You had no objection to my doing that with Cassie."

And he hadn't been cold when he'd been talking to Cassie. His passion and forcefulness had jerked Cassie out of that deadly nightmare.

"Many things aren't black or white." He was reading her expression. "I promise I won't hurt your Cassie."

"She's not mine."

"Isn't she?"

He saw too much." I want her well."

"And, unlike me, you do get involved."

"Most people do." Jessica studied him. Strength. Intelligence. A hint of recklessness. What else lay behind that face? "Why do you want to help Cassie? It isn't only boredom."

He chuckled. "You drew me into the situation as a pawn. I forgot to tell you that I also have a passion for control."

She stiffened. "I'm the one in control of Cassie. No one else."

"Cassie's in control of Cassie." His smile faded. "You need me, but you're not going to get me as a pawn."

"You couldn't stand aside and let that little girl die."

"You don't know that. I'm a wild card to you. I could be anything. Do you want to take a chance?"

He knew she couldn't, damn him.

Travis shook his head. "I'm not going to move quickly. We'll start out with me being humbly at your beck and call. I just want an understanding."

She thought about it and then nodded jerkily.

"Good." He finished his coffee and stood up. "Now I'll get back to the gatehouse and you get on the phone to Andreas. Okay?"

"I'll think about it."

"Up to you. It will be harder if he calls you after hearing from the guards here." He waved and moved toward the door. "See you."

She sat there for a long time. She wasn't accustomed to taking orders, and Travis's suggestion had been dangerously close to an order. It seemed he had spoken truthfully when he said he liked control.

He wouldn't get it. She had no intention of yielding one iota of supervision over Cassie's treatment. From the moment he had sat down on Cassie's bed, she had seen a change in him. The challenge had seemed to electrify him, every cell in his body had taken on a force. She might need his determination but not his domination.

But, annoyingly, Travis had been right about calling Andreas. She'd been tempted to ignore his suggestion just because he'd made it, but that would be counterproductive. Call Andreas, get it over with, then sit down and consider how she could use Michael Travis.

It was still raining, but Travis hardly felt the drops as he ran back to the gatehouse. He was still charged with the explosive energy of the battle with Cassie…and Jessica Riley.

Fascinating.

The struggle with Cassie and then the interesting interchange he'd witnessed between Jessica and her sister, Melissa. Pieces of a puzzle were coming to light that he found very interesting.

And dangerous.

Maybe he hadn't gotten his fill of walking on a tightrope after all.

Andreas was silent when Jessica finished.

When he did speak, his voice was thick. "You think she could have died?"

"I wouldn't have brought Travis to the house if I hadn't thought there was a strong possibility."

"Christ." Another silence. "What the hell is happening to her?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

"I want to be with her. I hate being thousands of miles away."

"You couldn't help her, sir."

"But Travis did."

"I don't believe there's any doubt he saved her life." She paused. "I may need to use him again."