“I can hardly wait,” she said sarcastically. “As soon as you tell me whom you’re taking me to meet.”
“Well, there’s one person you won’t have to worry about meeting.” Lynch nodded at an alcove off the main house. “I believe that’s Jessie’s motorcycle. It appears that they’ve beaten us here to the cabin.”
ItwasJessie’s bike, Kendra saw with relief. “Thank heavens. Let’s go and see her.” She started toward the cabin again.“I wasn’t sure whether to believe you when you said the person you’d sent was reliable. Who was it?” She stiffened. “Is it one of your political friends you’re trying to schmooze?”
“Schmooze?” He laughed. “I believe I’m hurt. I spend a lot of time and diplomatic effort attempting to make things go right in a wrong world at Justice. That is not schmoozing.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t good at it,” she said sourly. “So who am I going to meet here?”
“At the present time, I’m going to limit it to just one individual. But she’s the most important person you’ll meet. Perhaps that you’ll ever meet.”
“She?” She froze. “A woman?” Her gaze flew to his face. “You want to tell me about a woman?” She swallowed, hard. “You don’t have to tell me that you have some kind of liaison with another woman. We’ve never had that kind of arrangement. And I certainly don’t have to meet her. Who is it?” Then she thought she knew. “Stevie. Her name is Stevie, and she was with you at the safe house in London.” She fought against the shock so that she could force herself to say the words. “I hope you’ll be very happy and you don’t have to worry that I’ll be in the least—”
“Kendra!” He grabbed her in his arms and buried her face in his chest. “For God’s sake, shutup. You’re being so damn generous and reasonable that I want to strangle you.”
“Typical male reaction. It is this Stevie, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s Stephanie Nolan, and that’s the only thing you had right.”
“Stevie.” Kendra said dully. “It was carved on her hairbrush she left at the London safe house. I suppose everyone calls her Stevie.”
“Most people. But it was her father who did the carving andgave her the hairbrush. She was upset that she left it at the safe house when I took her there to stay until I could make sure this would be a secure place for her again.”
“She shouldn’t worry. Jessie intended to return it to you the next time she saw you. She was going to make a point of it.”
He gave a low whistle. “And now Jessie’s involved?”
“No.” She raised her face from his chest to look at him. “That’s what I’m trying to say to you. This is your life and you’re entitled not to have to answer to anyone about who you spend it with. Certainly not to me.”
“Oh, shit.” She could see the frustration in his face as he gazed down at her. “You’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you? Only it’s all screwed up and I’m the one who has to unwind it.” He sighed. “So I’ll start with this photo of her and hope that you can figure out most of the rest by yourself.” He dialed up a photo on his phone. “This is my assignment, Stevie Nolan.” He handed the phone to her. “She told me it was taken last year. She’s a real beauty, isn’t she?”
“I’m not interested in whether or not she—”
“Look at her,” Lynch said softly. “And tell me what you see.”
She glanced impatiently at the photo. “Gorgeous curly black hair. Stunning green eyes and nice features. Is that what you want me to see?”
“No, look again, and tell me what jumps out at you.”
She glanced at the photo again. “What do you—”
He nodded as he saw her pause. “You see it. Say the words, Kendra.”
She was studying the photo in bewilderment before she finally said slowly, “Young. She’s positively glowing with youth and energy.” She looked back at him. “How old is she?”
“That photo was taken when she was sixteen. She’s almost seventeen now.” He tilted his head. “And when have you ever known me to rob the cradle? It would bore me to death. I seem to be destined to only have a passion for brainy, mature sex goddesses like you.”
“That sounds thoroughly disgusting.”
“But very true. Stevie is a remarkable young girl. I admire her and wonder what she’ll end up accomplishing. But if you’d used that keen brain of yours to dig just a little deeper, then you wouldn’t have put either one of us through this quagmire.” He made a dismissive gesture. “And instead you’d have been asking why I think she’s so important.”
Kendra was already asking it, because she was remembering the name of the girl in the photo. “Her name is Nolan. And her father must be Palmer Nolan.”
“Right,” Lynch said. “Which means you must have tracked down that much of the story already. Just what I’d expect of you.”
“With practically no help from you. Now I’ll ask that question I shouldn’t have to ask. Why is a sixteen-year-old kid important enough to cause Justice to send their best agent to keep her safe and happy?”
“No one mentioned happy,” he said soberly. “The kid might have a long way to go as far as that’s concerned. But with any luck, I can take care of the safety factor.”
