Iris Johansen - Final Target

"That qualifies as the understatement of the year. I didn't expect forgiveness."

"Well, if we get you away, it may be a case of out of sight, out of mind. He's got Cassie and the Wind Dancer back, and Deschamps is dead. He can't have a pound of your flesh too."

"No?"

"I've called Galen. He's going to come and pick us up within the next half hour."

He frowned. "I don't want Galen involved."

"No one has to know he's anything but a commercial pilot. He's taking us to Nice, and from there we'll go to Juniper."

"You've got it all planned."

"Someone had to do something. Since you got yourself shot up and weren't able to lift your head, much less-"

"Okay. Okay." He started to laugh. "But when Galen sees how banged up we are, I'll never hear the end of it for not taking him. He'll swear it would never have happened if he'd been along."

"Maybe it wouldn't have." She shook her head. "I don't know anything anymore. The only thing I'm certain about is that I have to get you out of here."

"And I'm certain I have to go with you." He paused. "Anywhere. Anytime."

She went still. "What?"

"You heard me. It's amazing the revelations that come to you when you think you're going to die."

"What about staying on the outside looking in?"

"I didn't say it was going to be easy." He smiled. "But I believe it's definitely worth a try." His smile faded. "What do you think?"

She said unevenly, "There's a possibility I might think it's worthwhile. Though you're a very-"

"Michael, I've been waiting to see you." Cassie had burst into the room. "You should have come with-Oh, you are banged up. Melissa said you were, but I-"

"I'm just a little torn around the edges." He smiled. "But you look awesome. Welcome back, Cassie. How do you feel?"

She walked slowly across the room. "I can't walk very far or my legs feel funny." She plopped down on the side of the bed. "Daddy says that's because I haven't used them in so long."

"That's probably true."

"Mama's coming here. Daddy told her to stay in Washington, but she was already on a plane when he talked to her. She said she wasn't going to wait any longer to see me." She giggled. "And Daddy said she'll probably have the only baby ever born on Air Force Two ."

"It sounds like everything's good with you."

"Mostly. It's still scary." Her smile widened. "But the Wind Dancer's here. He'll keep me safe. Daddy brought him to me last night. Isn't that wonderful?"

Melissa felt a ripple of shock that Andreas had brought the statue from that scene of death straight to Cassie. No, she guessed it wasn't so bizarre. The Andreas family and the statue had seen centuries of death and joy. If the Wind Dancer could bring Cassie happiness and a new confidence in life here at Vasaro, why shouldn't she have it? "Wonderful, Cassie."

Her smile faded. "But Melissa says you're both going away, Michael. I don't want you to go."

"It's best for us to leave," he said. "We'll always be there for you if you need us."

She frowned. "You promise?"

"I promise." Travis squeezed her hand. "You let me know and I'll come running."

"Most people wait for a formal invitation," Andreas said from the door.

Travis stiffened. "Cassie just issued one. But if you take good care of her, she'll never have a reason to send out an SOS, will she?"

"I'll take good care of her." He crossed the room and picked up Cassie. "I take it you intend to leave here?"

"We have a pilot picking us up in ten minutes "Melissa said quickly." I know you'll be glad to be rid of us with Mrs. Andreas coming."

"There are many ways for me to rid myself of you." He kissed Cassie's cheek. "Where do you intend to go?"

"Juniper."

"What a surprise. Not exactly Travis's cup of tea, is it? He requires a more exciting venue. And it's very close to Washington." His lips thinned. "Maybe a little too close for me."

"We may not stay there," Melissa said. "But I have private business to attend to. Jessica. You'll take care of the release?"

He nodded. "I'll see to it."

"Good." She met his gaze with a boldness she didn't feel. "Then it's decided."

Andreas didn't speak for a moment, staring at Travis. "So it seems. I'll have Danley arrange to bring you downstairs and put you on the helicopter." He started to carry Cassie from the room.

Melissa breathed a profound sigh of relief. She didn't even want to know how close Andreas had been to going the other way.

"Let me down, Daddy." Cassie wriggled out of Andreas's arms, ran back to Melissa and into her arms. "I…love you" she whispered. And then she said fiercely, "Don't you forget me."

Melissa hugged her tightly. "I could never forget you." She swallowed hard. "I'll always be close to you, sweetheart."

Cassie stepped back and nodded emphatically. "You bet you will."

It sounded almost like a threat, Melissa thought with amusement. Cassie's insecurities were rapidly vanishing.

Cassie gave her an impish grin and winked before marching over and taking her father's hand. "I'm hungry. Can we have waffles for breakfast?"

"I believe that could be arranged," her father said as he led her from the room.

Melissa chuckled. "Give Cassie another few months and she'll be running the White House."

"She's not the only bulldozer around here," Travis murmured.

"You and Andreas were both arching like tomcats. Someone had to step between you two and distract him." She wheeled her chair toward the door. "I'll be glad to get back to Juniper and away from all this-"

She stopped as pain rippled through her. "No, I won't. Every inch of the place will remind me of Jessica."

"After the funeral, maybe we'll go away for a while."

"Maybe." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "But Juniper will probably be safer until Karlstadt forgets about you."

"You're protecting me again." He smiled. "I'm handling Karlstadt. I'll send him the money and the disk as soon as we get to Juniper. I've already given him the diamond I gave to Thomas."

"That should satisfy him, right? The only diamonds missing are the ones the CIA confiscated."

He hesitated. "Well, not exactly."

"What?"

"There are three good-sized ones I had to use to negotiate."

"Negotiate with who?"

"Danley."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Danley? What the hell are you talking about?"

" I made a deal with Danley the night he picked me up in Amsterdam. I thought I might need him."

"Danley took a bribe?"

He smiled. "Most people have their price, and those diamonds would have made him a rich man. Though he was very cagey about the amount of help he'd give me. He agreed to help me escape only if I needed it."

"And he actually knew you were going to take Cassie?"

"No, Galen and I took care of that. But after he learned I'd taken Cassie, he damn well knew he'd better make sure I wasn't caught. I'd already told him that if I went down, I'd take him with me. There's no way he wanted to be drawn in as an accomplice."

"So he put stumbling blocks in Andreas's way?"

"What do you think? Galen is good, but the odds were pretty much against us."

"Are you going to tell Andreas about Danley?"

"Hell no, I might need him. You never compromise a source."

She shook her head in amazement. "You're incredible."

"Well, Karlstadt might demand that I get him those diamonds locked in the CIA evidence room. Danley has access."

"And what if Danley decides to sell those three diamonds you gave to him?"

" I'll just drop him a word, tell him what Karlstadt will do to him if the diamonds surface." He smiled. "So stop worrying. Like I said, I'm handling the problem. We don't have to hide at Juniper. We have to think about you."

"I am thinking about me." She opened the door. " I'll see you downstairs."