Iris Johansen - Final Target

"And you could be wrong."

"Yes, but if I'm right, I'll make her face her demons and bring her back. I'm stronger than she is now, and I'm growing stronger every day. I'll nag her and block her at every turn."

"Tough love?"

"I do love her. You can't imagine how close I am to her. She's like…my other self." She closed her eyes. "I know I'm being hard, but I have to make her come out. For her sake and for Jessica. You see, I have one more advantage Jessica didn't have with me. I'll do whatever I have to do." She opened her eyes, now stinging with tears. "Because I'm no saint like her, Travis."

"You don't have to be like her." He covered her hand on the table. "You do fine on your own."

"I hope so." His grasp felt warm and comforting, and she let herself take that comfort for a moment before she moved her hand away. "I hope I'm not rushing Cassie because I want to use her to get Andreas to help with Deschamps."

"I don't think you are."

" But neither of us is sure." She pushed back her chair. "I'm going for a short walk on the beach before I wake Cassie and give her supper."

"I'll do it."

She shook her head. "My job."

"I don't mind helping. Are you closing me out?"

"If I've really managed to get rid of the nightmares, then you're closed out anyway. You should be glad there's a chance your responsibility is over."

"It's not over. It's just shifted." He grimaced. "And I'm not at all comfortable with it. I prefer to be an observer."

"I've noticed that. Then maybe you're living in a tunnel as much as Cassie is."

He smiled. "Maybe I am. It's an interesting thought. Do you see any other similarities between me and the kid?"

"Oh, yes. But you're more complicated. It would be difficult to-" She stopped and looked at him. He was sitting there, still smiling, and yet she could sense…what? Pain? Loneliness? She wasn't sure, but he had once again been kind to her. She wanted to do something, but she wasn't even sure what. " I'm…sorry your friend died." The words came haltingly. "And I'm sorry I was ugly about it. Since you don't let many people close to you, it must have hurt you very much to lose him."

"Yes, it did."

" Perhaps you'll tell me about him sometime."

"Sometime."

Because the pain was too deep and he wasn't a man to show his feelings.

"Did he know you loved him? Did you tell him?"

"No, I didn't tell him. But I think he knew."

"Good. That was one rule I made for myself after Jessica brought me back. Life's too short not to have every emotion out in the open. If someone deserves love, then they deserve to know they have it."

"That's a very perilous philosophy."

"It's more perilous not to tell someone they're loved. I would have regretted it all my life if Jessica hadn't known I-" She cleared her throat to rid it of huskiness and headed for the door." I won't be long. I just need to clear my head. Thirty minutes or so…"

She walked very fast along the beach, her back straight and her head high.

She looked like a soldier going into battle, Travis thought.

She's a fighter.

They were the words she had used to describe Cassie, but they also applied to Melissa. A scarred warrior going forth to fight Cassie's monsters.

What the hell was he doing standing there watching her? She was absorbing entirely too much of his attention, when he needed to focus on getting himself out of this mess and going after Deschamps. He couldn't even give lust as an excuse, although that had been there between them from the beginning. How could you lust after a woman who made you want to heal and protect at the same time? Come on, admit it, he was a man and, hell, yes, he wanted to get her in bed. It didn't matter that she was hurting and he was torn with compassion. Maybe because sex was the safest relationship he could have with her. Anything else would involve him in ways that could change his life, and he had long ago opted out of the path she was traveling. He didn't need to let himself in for the role of knight trailing at the heels of a damsel fending off dragons.

He had his own monsters to subdue, and there was nothing idealistic about that battle. It was going to be dirty and fraught with greed and violence.

And it was time he set about doing it. He reached for his phone and dialed the number Galen had given him for Stuart Thomas.

"I've found a trail," Galen said when Travis answered his phone the next evening. "Danielle Claron's parents, Philip and Marguerite Dumair, still live in the village where she grew up. Jeanne Beaujolis lived on the next block, and she was in and out of Danielle's house all during their childhood. She visited them frequently even after she took the job of nurse to Cassie. From talking to the neighbors, I gather she boasted a lot about her fine position and was a trifle patronizing to the villagers."

"Have you been to see the Dumairs?"

"Not yet. I've been scoping out the neighborhood to find out if anyone's seen anyone of Deschamps's description in the village."

"And?"

"No luck."

"Then talk to the Dumairs and give them your phone number. They don't have to tell us where their daughter is if they don't trust us. They just have to give her the message that we're offering money and protection from Deschamps if she'll come out of hiding and tell us anything she knows about him."

"How much money?"

"The limit."

"Our pockets are pretty lean right now unless you want to use the diamonds."

"If I have to, I'll tap the Swiss account."

"And chance having the CIA breathing down your neck?"

"I can't use the diamonds and I've already promised Thomas cash in exchange for the diamond. Send him ten thousand from your fund, will you?"

"Thanks. I live to please. Why?"

" It's safer than my going into my accounts. As far as we know, Andreas isn't aware you're involved yet."

"A state that can't go on forever." Galen sighed. "Danley must have heard of my cleverness and brilliant ingenuity. Such perfection doesn't go unnoticed. It's only a matter of time until he decides I'm the only one who could successfully keep you out of his clutches."

"True."

"You're agreeing only because you want me to send Thomas the money."

"Also true."

"Have you talked to Karlstadt yet?"

"After you pick up the diamond from Thomas. I want to be able to tell Karlstadt it's been retrieved."

"He may decide to cut your throat regardless."

"Not as long as I have the rest of the diamonds."

"Except the ones the CIA are holding."

"I'll have to do some negotiating there. All you have to worry about is negotiating with the Dumairs."

"I'd judge that a little safer." A pause. "I had some other news. I think I'm on track to find out where Deschamps stays when he's in Paris."

"What?"

"You told me to put out feelers. I made contact with Pichot, who was with the Sons of Liberty group about the same time as Deschamps. He may be able to tell me something."

"For money?"

"No, he owes me a favor."

"When will you know?"

"It may take a while. Pichot wants to make sure Deschamps won't find out he was the one who told me." He changed the subject. "How are Melissa and Cassie doing?"

"Better than expected. Cassie hasn't had any more nightmares. Melissa believes there's a chance she won't have them again."

"And she should know. Our Melissa is a little on the fey side."

"Why do you say that?"

"You may not regard her tiny idiosyncrasies as unusual, but my mum taught me to always be wary of things that go bump in the night."

"You never knew your mother."

"You really know how to spoil a story." He paused. "Melissa…sees too much, Travis."

"Some people say the same of you."

"But I don't go bump in the night."