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“Nice night,” the guy said.
Shaw walked back up the darkened path to Gordes. He took the shortcut, taking the ancient steps two at a time. The plane left from Avignon at eight in the morning. Avignon was about a fifty-minute drive, so he would have to leave Gordes early in the morning. And Janie Collins would be off to Roussillon with a man who made a fortune by selling girls into sexual slavery and who also wanted to sell nukes to fanatics.
He could opt not to go, but then Frank’s men would come for him and he’d have to go on the run, which meant he would be no help to Janie. He could see no way out of this dilemma. But then again, as Frank had pointed out, he wasn’t her guardian. He was here on a mission. That mission had been canceled and he was being deployed somewhere else. He had turned his back on Katie James, a woman who had risked her life for his. So what was making him want to stay and defend the honor and perhaps the life of a woman he barely knew? It was all irrational behavior, and if Shaw had always been one thing it was logical. But he also couldn’t ignore what he was feeling.
And then in a burst of extreme lucidity it all came together. The villa next door, the gun, the kick to the kidneys, and continuing to swim in the pool when she knew people were watching. And, finally, playing him against Waller. For that, Shaw suddenly realized, was what she was doing. She was setting the guy up for some reason. But she’d let it be known to Waller’s man that Shaw was leaving. The only explanation was that she was trying to make sure Waller would do nothing to harm Shaw. She was protecting him.
So engrossed was he in these new troubling thoughts that he never had time to block the descending blow. It connected squarely with the back of his head. His feet went out from under him and he struck the pavement, cutting his knees and elbows on the hard stone. He tried to rise but another blow sent him down face first. He felt himself being bound and then picked up and thrown into a small compartment.
Then for Shaw it all became black.
CHAPTER
45
REGGIE ROSE EARLY; the night sky was still in the process of burning into dawn. She opened the window to her bedroom and gazed out. From habit she peered toward the villa next door but saw no activity. Still, she was sure his men would be on guard outside. Roussillon today and dinner at his place tonight and she dreaded all of it even though it could immeasurably aid in bringing Kuchin down. She was steadfastly counting the minutes to when they would end the man’s life. It couldn’t come soon enough for her.
She showered, dressed, and left her villa by the side door. She had something she wanted to do. No, something she needed to do. She walked up the hill to Gordes. There were a few people already about, including the man hosing down the streets. He nodded to her as she passed. Her feet carried her past the town square and around the curve of the road. The hotel was located on the left, through a set of double glass doors. She roused a sleepy-looking clerk at the front desk.
In French she said, “Can you ring Bill Young’s room, please? Tell him it’s Jane Collins.”
&n
bsp; The clerk, an older, thin man with puffy white hair and slack cheeks, looked a bit miffed and even suspicious. “It’s very early, young lady. I doubt he’s even up.”
“He’s expecting me,” she lied.
“At this hour?”
“We’re having breakfast together.”
The clerk didn’t look convinced but he rang the room.
“No answer,” he said, putting the phone down.
“He might be in the shower,” said Reggie.
“He might be,” said the clerk defensively.
“Could you ring him again in a few minutes?”
“I suppose I could if it’s necessary.”
“It is necessary,” Reggie said politely but firmly.
The clerk tried again five minutes later.
“Still no answer,” he said in a tone that indicated their discussion was over.
“Did you see him go out?”
“No.”
Reggie had a sudden thought. “He hasn’t checked out, has he?”
“Why would he if he was going to have breakfast with you?”
“Plans sometimes change.”
