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Pinch leaned back in his chair.“Agreed.However, he’s our best lead at the moment.Until such time as we determine another viable suspect, receive a ransom request, or the NRO is able to track the transport vehicle, he’s all we’ve got.”
“Copy that,” I muttered.
“Hey, Pinch, George, I just found something interesting on Seshat,” said Wren.
“What’s that?”I asked, standing to walk over to her work area.
“Not only was she born in the States, but her birth record is sealed.I’m followin’ up with some of my contacts now to see if they can get me a copy.”She looked at her watch.“Only eighteen thirty there.No one should be too irritated with me for callin’.”
“If you don’t get anywhere with your buddies, let me know, and I’ll see what mine can do,” Ares offered when he and Nemesis joined us.
My eyes met Pinch’s.“Wouldn’t her employment record indicate she was born outside the UK?”
“It would if neither of her parents were citizens.Otherwise, no.”
Nemesis was standing close enough to me that when the door to the situation room opened, I felt her tense.
I was about to check who’d come in when I saw her shake her head.“What?”I whispered.
“Iris.”
I could see Ares’ face from where I stood, and his expression mirrored his wife’s tension.
When the woman approached Pinch, Nemesis walked out of the room and I followed.Neither of us spoke until we reached the ladies’ room.
“What was that about?”I asked.“Did something happen between you and Iris that I’m unaware of?”The truth was, I didn’t care for her, either, but my feelings weren’t strong enough that I felt it necessary to leave the room.
“Not between Iris and me, between Iris and Ares.”
My brow furrowed.“I see.”
“Better put, she went out of her way to make me believe they were sleeping together.She didn’t stop there.According to Cayman, she also showed up in the middle of the night at the hotel room he and Ares were sharing.Scantily clad, by the way.”She folded her arms and shook her head.“I know it’s ridiculous that I’m reacting this way.Ares and I are married, for cripes’ sake.I just don’t trust her.”
Not trusting a fellow agent was nothing to trifle with.Our lives were dependent on believing that every person we worked a mission with would have our backs.
“Have you talked to Pinch about this?”I asked.
Nemesis shook her head.“I’ve had far more important things to deal with than Iris Beachum.”
“Understood.However, if her presence interferes in any way with our finding Z, I feel I must intervene.”
Nem’s eyes scrunched.“Wait.I recall Puck coming to her defense once or twice.Perhaps the two were alsoclose.”
I raised a brow.“Interesting.”
“Indeed.”She motioned with her head toward the door.“Let’s get back in there before we miss something.”
9
Z
Ididn’t see Puck again for several hours, and when he did enter the room, he brought what looked like a takeaway container.
“Either tell me how you expect me to help you or release me, for God’s sake,” I snapped, my voice tinged with irritability from lack of sleep and sustenance.However, I questioned the wisdom of allowing myself to rest or eat.
Adding to it was remembering one of the last happy Christmases Katherine and I had shared.I shook my head and looked down at the floor, recalling, as I had last night, how perfect I’d believed our life was and would continue to be.It had become everything but.
Without responding to my outburst, Puck set the tray on the floor, then approached and released my wrists.He handed me a paper cup.“It’s tea.”
