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She bites her upper lip and glances around as if she's looking for an escape route. Finally, she slumps against the truck and bows her head. "Yes, I've been in love with him for a long time. I knew Thane didn't feel the same way. When he announced he was leaving the DIO and the army, I knew I'd lost him forever."
"Until he called you for help."
"Yes. I had no idea he'd become involved with you in the meantime." She squirms and curls her fingers around the truck's grill, refusing to look at me. "Hearing from Thane again... Well, I can't deny it gave me a thrill. I did a bit of digging and managed to find out where he lives now."
"Stalking isn't sexy, Ava."
"I have not stalked him." She snaps her spine ramrod straight and lifts her perky little nose. "I had a legitimate reason to come here. You know as well as I do that I'm in a far better position to help him resolve the Holden situation."
"Bullshit. You're here because you've been obsessed with him for years. Isn't that right? Or do you honestly believe you're in love with him?" I tip my head to the side and narrow my gaze on her. "Give it up, Ava. Thane doesn't want you."
"I'm aware of that. But I can be far more useful---"
The door bangs open behind me.
While Ava gapes at Thane, I whirl around and race up the steps. "What's wrong?"
"Not a bloody thing." He grins. "I found Holden. He's in Oban right now, and he's heading this way."
"And you're thrilled about that?"
Thane slings an arm around my waist, tugging me close. "Aye, lass, it is. We can lay a trap for the riatach. That means 'bastard,' by the way."
I smack a hard kiss on his lips. "You're a genius, Thane."
"Best wait until my plan works---if it works---before you praise me." His attention veers to Ava, who still stands in front of his truck. "We could use your help, but only if you can work together with Rebecca."
"I can do that."
"Good. Then let's go inside and talk about my plan. We won't have much time."
Thane keeps his arm around me as we hurry back into the house with Ava scurrying after us. The black box she had given Thane sits on the coffee table with the lid open and the built-in screen ready to go. I notice it's displaying a map of what I assume is the area around Oban, wherever that is, and also Loch Fairbairn. The screen faces the sofa.
Ava drops onto the chair she'd sat in earlier.
Thane and I settle onto the sofa.
I glance at the screen, then look at Thane. "What's the big plan?"
"We need Holden to believe we're unaware that he's coming this way. But we also need defensive measures, the sort Holden would never expect."
"Do you want to activate your security system?"
"Aye."
"Okay. Just tell me what I can do."
Ava surveys the living room with her brows pulled together. "What security system do you have? I can't see anything of that nature."
"That's precisely the point. No one expects to run into my type of security."
He's talking about Odin, but Ava clearly hasn't met the llama yet. Ohh, I'd love to see her reaction when Odin starts screaming at her.
That brings up a question, which I whisper into Thane's ear. "Why didn't Odin make any noise when Ava arrived?"
"He must not have seen her. I put him out in the pasture after Errol and Evan left so he could browse."
Not sure if I believe Ava the stone-cold spy would freak out at the sight of a llama, but my impression of her might be inaccurate. Maybe she does have a girlie streak hidden under that iron-maiden facade.
