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Jasmine’s lips twisted. “But no less dangerous. I researched the jobs before I agreed to take on the more difficult assignments. I studied the location, the people and the security. Then I got in and out before anyone knew I’d taken anything. No one knew who’d done the job except the ones who’d hired me.”
“Apparently, one of your clients spread the word to someone with less scruples and a proclivity toward violence,” Ace concluded.
“They studied me, found my weakness, and now they hold all the cards.” She sighed. “And I have none.” She stared straight ahead, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears. “And because of my life choices and the work I performed, Eli could die in less than forty-eight hours.” She shook her head slowly, side to side. “I can’t let that happen. He deserves a long and happy life despite my failings.”
“What failings?” Ace took her hand and held it gently. “You’re doing the best you can to get him back. What more could a person ask?”
“To actually get him back alive,” Jasmine whispered. A tear slid down her cheek. She didn’t lift a hand to brush it away. “None of this would’ve happened if I’d settled for a job as a secretary or full-time interpreter.”
“After being a member of the Sayeret Matkal, I can’t imagine you being content to sit in an office for hours on end. I’d go insane.”
She laughed. “I tried and couldn’t do it. But I should have,” she said, her voice fading. “For Eli’s sake.”
“We’ll get the scroll.” He squeezed her hand. “And we’ll get your Eli back.”
She stared at where their hands connected. “There’s something you should know,” she whispered.
Her voice was so soft that Ace leaned toward her. “What?”
She hesitated for a moment. “About Eli?—”
A voice sounded over the intercom, announcing that the plane would be landing soon, and passengers should take their seats and fasten their seatbelts.
The first-class flight attendant appeared beside Ace to gather their glasses and take any trash. “Is there anything I can get for you?” she asked, smiling.
Frustrated by the interruptions, Ace smiled tightly and shook his head.
The attendant left, and he turned back to Jasmine. “What about Eli?” he asked.
As she opened her mouth, the airplane shuddered and shook, hitting thermals like speed bumps or ruts on gravel roads.
A voice on the intercom directed the flight attendants to take their seats.
By the time the announcement ended, they were approaching the airport in Athens.
Ace turned back to Jasmine. “You were saying?”
Jasmine shook her head, her lips twisting. “It can wait.” She looked out the window as the ground seemed to rush up at them. A crosswind made the plane’s tail shift to the left as they came in for the landing. At the last moment, it righted itself, and the tires hit the ground hard.
The reverse thrusters engaged, slowing the aircraft and forcing the passengers to lean forward in their seatbelts. Then, they were taxiing to the terminal.
Ace tensed. If word and an image of Jasmine had spread, it was possible they might have a security team waiting as they disembarked from the plane.
The aircraft rolled to a stop, the Fasten Seatbelt sign blinked off and passengers rose to gather their belongings from the overhead bins.
Ace couldn’t relax until they’d cleared the airport. His breath caught and held as the aircraft door was pulled open. The flight attendant stepped back with a smile. “Thanks again for helping.”
Jasmine smiled, passed the attendant and stepped off the plane.
Ace followed, ready to make a run for it if the need arose.
It didn’t.
They made it up the ramp, through the airport and outside, following the signs for ground transportation.
“Where to now?” he asked.
Jasmine’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know. I need to know who the men were who attacked me.”
