Beatrice sat in Tobias’s study. Joe was there and so was Tobias. She was showered, rested and fed. The clothes she’d worn since the snatch, the only ones she had with her at the moment, had been laundered while she got a full eight hours’ sleep. Joe had cleaned up also, she noted.
“Well?” Tobias said pointedly.
Beatrice knew what he wanted. He wanted to know if they believed Susan had been set up. She responded with an “I don’t know what to tell you” shrug.
Joe shook his head, letting Tobias know he was undecided, as well.
“We must ask ourselves,” Tobias said, his tone taking on that of a lecturer addressing his students, “what is the purpose of the exercise—of all the exercises you have been through these past weeks?”
Tobias paused but received no response. They knew from experience he was not ready for them to interrupt yet.
“The purpose has been to cast guilt in every direction, hoping it would stick. But why didn’t the person we’re after simply take their ill-gotten gains and flee to some country without extradition laws and live out their life in luxury?”
“Because, once they discovered Coyote was still alive, they knew he’d never rest until he’d brought them to justice,” Beatrice replied, rewarding Joe with a wry smile.
“Yes,” Tobias agreed. “And because they wanted the freedom to move around when and where they wished.” He looked toward Beatrice. “Here is how I see the situation. Our mole is not only crafty but likes playing games. She also thinks she’s smarter than we are. When Coyote was first captured, I believe that was a shock to her. He was supposed to be dead. She’d thought she had all of her bases covered. Now she had to ask herself if he was working with someone in a covert operation of which she was not aware. If so, she needed a scapegoat. That was when Knight was drawn into the game. However, Coyote was able to convince her that he was working alone. At that point, I believe our mastermind was going to simply have him killed, then you showed up. You’d been Coyote’s partner in the past. The mole had to wonder if he’d fooled his interrogators and was still working with you. The plan to set him against you was devised. Next we have Knight, thwarted in his attempt to kill Coyote, he directs suspicion at Harold. Now we have Susan. Another frame? Or a very clever villain?” He nodded toward Beatrice. “Ladies first.”
“You discovered money in the Caymans under her name. However, that could have been planted. It’s not much if you consider what our mole must have amassed during the past years. Provided the three of us had been killed in the boat explosion and the real mole went into retirement so the activity Joe was investigating came to an abrupt halt, the most likely assumption you would have drawn was that Susan was the culprit and had caused her own death in a botched attempt to escape. Thus, our real traitor would be free to live out her life in peace without the worry of being hounded.”
Tobias shifted his gaze to Joe.
“But we weren’t killed in the explosion,” he said, taking his cue. “My maneuvering could have been the reason we were able to beach the boat and get safely ashore. Or we could simply have gotten lucky. There have been a lot of times when luck has been a determining factor in my survival. On the other hand, if Susan is the one we’re after, we could have been meant to seemingly barely escape with our lives.”
“And Susan knowing how to fly a helicopter was certainly a convenient coincidence,” Beatrice added.
“But if she is our mastermind would she have used so many coincidences? Not only did you escape the boat, but suddenly there was convenient transportation,” Tobias pointed out.
“She left a trail that was easy to follow. And she claims she was duped by a man. When we made the snatch, she was surprised but put up no resistance. She simply continued to proclaim her innocence.” Beatrice frowned as another thought struck her. “Maybe we were supposed to escape the boat and steal the helicopter. But not because Susan is our traitor. Maybe Julia knew Susan could fly and thought those coincidences would cause us to feel certain we had the right person.”
“So you think Susan was set up—that she was made to look innocent at first, duped by a clever man. Then she was made to look guilty by too many coincidences piling up on top of each other?” Tobias asked.
“Or maybe that’s what we’re supposed to think.” Beatrice’s frown deepened. “I feel like I’m being manipulated by an expert puppet master, and I don’t like it.”
“Have you found anything incriminating against Julia?” Joe asked.
“She travels a lot. The Caribbean seems to be a popular spot with her, but she’s gone to Europe and all over the United States, as well. She talks to everyone—the cashiers and baggers at the grocery, the attendant at the gas station, the waitresses at the restaurants she frequents, strangers on the metro. Any of them could be her way of getting messages to Sanchez.”
“I never thought of Julia as being so outgoing,” Beatrice mused. “At work she rarely puts more than a few words together and even then they always have to do with business.”
“A lot of people are different outside their office environment.” Tobias studied her thoughtfully. “I’d never have pictured you being content to be a housekeeper for your grandfather in a secluded little valley where the most exciting topic of conversation is whether it will rain or not.”
“I’ve decided that was the wrong choice. But your point is understood.”
Tobias smiled. “If that was an admission of boredom with your current life-style, perhaps you’ll consider returning to The Unit. I’m sure Harold will welcome you with open arms.”
“No, she won’t,” Joe interjected curtly.
Ignoring him, Beatrice smiled at Tobias. “As a matter of fact-”
“I think we should keep our minds focused on the case at hand.” Joe cut her off.
“Coyote’s right,” Tobias agreed. “You and I will continue this discussion later.”
Ignoring the disapproving scowl on Joe’s face, Beatrice nodded.
“So, children, do you have any ideas on how we can resolve our dilemma?” Tobias asked.
“I have noticed that Harold is not present,” Joe said, a question in his voice.
“Until we have positive proof of the identity of our turncoat, he is still a suspect.” Tobias leaned back and sighed tiredly. “He was the one who found the bank account in the Caymans.”
Joe frowned. “You think he might have set it up just so he could find it?”
“That’s always a possibility. If so, he’s been thinking far ahead. However, I would expect him to. After all, he is my - protégé. If anyone could set up the elaborate charade we’ve been caught in the middle of, it would be him.”
“How long ago was the account begun?” Beatrice asked.
“Five years ago. One deposit was made. There’s been no activity since.”
A knock sounded on the study door.
“Enter,” Tobias called out.
The door opened to reveal Susan, accompanied by Raven. “She says there’s something she wants to tell you,” he said.
“It’s about the money in the Caymans,” Susan blurted. “I lied. It is mine.”
Tobias motioned for her and Raven to enter the room and for Raven to close the door.
Susan’s gaze shifted between those present, and her nervousness visibly increased. Beatrice couldn’t fault her for that. Joe and Raven were both intimidating and, although Tobias had a fatherly air, his reputation left no doubt in anyone’s mind that he could be a formidable foe. The woman’s shoulders straightened and she met Tobias’s gaze. “The money is mine. It was given to me by a friend.”
“A very good friend, I would assume. Tell me more about this friend,” Tobias said with an encouraging smile.
A light tint gave color to Susan’s cheeks. Then defiance sparked in her eyes. “He was an elderly gentleman. Very wealthy. Highly respected. Widowed. But that wouldn’t have mattered to his children. They would never have accepted me. Besides, he wasn’t interested in remarrying. I think having a younger woman on the side gave some spice to his life.” Her chin tightened. “But we did care for each other.” She paused as if finding this difficult to relate.
“Go on,” Tobias coaxed, when the pause lengthened into a silence.
“He told me he was worried about my future but he didn’t want to cause any friction within his family. A bequest in his will would have revealed our relationship and embarrassed his children. So he insisted I take the money and put it away for a rainy day. At first, I refused. But he was insistent. In the end, believing that he was doing this because he honestly cared for me, I relented. He gave me the money in cash and told me to put it in an account in the Cayman Islands. He said his son was suspicious, and he didn’t want me depositing the money in a bank here in the States where his son could find out about it.” The tint in her cheeks darkened. “He also said he didn’t see any reason for me to pay taxes on it. He said it was more an insurance policy than a gift.”
Anger replaced her embarrassment. “What it was, was a buy off. Less than a week later, he terminated our relationship. He said it was because he was afraid his family would find out. But he’d hired a new chauffeur—a woman—and I’d seen the looks passing between them. I was tempted to give the money back, throw it in his face in front of his children, actually. But that would only have embarrassed both him and me. So I decided to keep it and just let it sit there, like he’d suggested, for a rainy day.” Her back stiffened even more. “I’ve worked hard all my life. And I figured I’d earned the money. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. I told myself I deserved this little reward.”
“I’ll need a name,” Tobias said.
For a moment she hesitated, then named a prominent industrialist who had died a couple of years earlier.
“It was wise of you to tell me this,” Tobias said. “Are there any other secrets I should know.”
She shook her head.
“Thank you.” His voice held dismissal.
She looked to Beatrice, then Joe and Raven. “Nobody’s perfect. Everyone cheats a little once in a while. But I’d never do anything to bring harm to another person.” Her head held high, she exited with Raven accompanying her.
“What do you think? Was she telling the truth?” Beatrice asked Tobias.
“The man she named lived a very private life but there were rumors about the possibility he was a philander. The scenario she painted could very easily be true. It would be his style. He believed in paying for what he got.”
“If that’s the case, she should be flattered,” Beatrice replied. “A hundred thousand is no pittance.”
Tobias didn’t smile. “It would seem we are back to square one.”
“If only Knight would come out of his coma. He’d be able to point us in the right direction.” Beatrice looked hopefully at Tobias. “Has there been any change in his condition?”
“None.”
“I heard the doctors think he is showing signs of regaining consciousness. They believe he could wake at any moment,” Joe said unexpectedly.
Beatrice grinned mischievously. “I heard that same thing.”
“I think you should share a cup of tea with Susan and pass that information on to her,” Joe suggested.
Beatrice’s smile faded. “In case she is merely a pawn, I’ll break the news about his resurrection and current injury slowly.” Her gaze leveled on Joe. “If she did feel something for him, learning that he has been alive all along will be a shock. Learning how badly he was hurt will be an added jolt.”
“Deception and loss are a part of this business,” he returned.
Tobias frowned at them. “Obviously you two have a few differences to work out. But you can do that later. I think you’re right. It’s time we played a game of our own.”
Beatrice jerked her gaze away from Joe and glanced at her watch. “It’s nearly four.” She smiled beseechingly at Tobias. “Do you think your cook could brew a pot of tea and put a few of those sinfully rich pastries she is always making to keep you happy on a tray?”
“At my age a man deserves to have one vice,” Tobias defended, picking up the phone beside his chair and punching the button for the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Beatrice stood, food- and tea-laden tray in hand while Raven knocked on the door of Susan’s room.
“If you’ve come to bribe me into making a confession,” the blonde said, eyeing the pastries, “you won’t succeed but I’ll enjoy the attempt.” The hint of tears glistened in her eyes. “I have nothing to confess.”
Beatrice smiled sympathetically. “Actually, I’m here to relieve Raven for a while. And I decided to make my guard duty as enjoyable as possible. Would you like to share this in the solarium at the end of the hall?”
“Gladly.” Susan grimaced at the interior of the bedroom in which she was being held. “As luxurious as this room is, it still feels like a prison.”
Beatrice smiled encouragingly, and motioned for the woman to precede her down the hall.
Raven followed, waiting until Beatrice had set the tray on the table, freeing her hands in case her weapon was needed.
“And now I’ll leave you ladies,” he said.
“That man scares me. Does he ever smile?” Susan asked when they were alone.
“Every once in a while,” Beatrice replied. “Not often, though,” she admitted.
Susan stood at the windowed wall of the second-story room, gazing out over the wooded landscape beyond. “The only thing that is keeping me sane is knowing that Tobias is a fair and just man.” She turned to face Beatrice. “I am innocent.”
Beatrice poured the tea. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”
Ignoring the offer of the teacup, Susan paced the floor. “How much longer am I to be kept a prisoner here?”
“Perhaps not much longer.” Letting her words hang in the air, Beatrice took a bite of one of the pastries.
Susan came to an abrupt halt. “Honestly?”
Beatrice set aside the pastry. “How well did you know Knight?”
Susan gave a noncommittal shrug. “I knew him by sight. It’s my job to know all the agents by sight.”
Beatrice said nothing, choosing to wait to see if Susan admitted to a more personal interest in the man.
Returning to the window, Susan again stood with her back toward the interior of the room. “Why did you mention Knight?”
Again Beatrice said nothing.
Susan swung around to face her. “All right. So I dated the man a couple of times. That’s no crime. We’re all allowed our private lives. I never asked him his real name or anything like that. And I never pried into his work or tried to get him to tell me any secrets. After a couple of dates, we both agreed we had no future so we stopped going out. That’s all.”
Pity more than sadness showed in her features. “At the memorial service, I felt sorry for him. Harold, Tobias, Julia and I were the only ones who attended. I guess I wasn’t really surprised. There was an insular quality about him, as if he was used to standing alone…and preferred it that way.”
Listening and watching, Beatrice felt certain Susan harbored no lingering tender feelings for Knight. His death had been merely the sad passing of an acquaintance. Deciding that easing into Knight’s deception was unnecessary, Beatrice said bluntly, “He wasn’t dead at the time of the memorial service.”
Susan frowned in confusion. “What do you mean, he wasn’t dead?”
“He’d gone into deep cover. He thought he was under The Manager’s instructions.”
“But he wasn’t?”
“No. He’d been set up by someone in The Unit to take the fall in case we got too close to our gunrunning traitor.”
“Just like me,” Susan said defiantly.
Beatrice made no response, implying by her silence she was still uncertain of Susan’s innocence.
“Do you honestly think I’d arrange for men to fire live ammunition at me and nearly blow me up?” Susan demanded.
Beatrice shrugged. “That’s not my decision to make.” She took a sip of tea. “However, this matter is going to be cleared up soon, we hope. The day you left the country, Joe and I cornered Knight. He was shot but not fatally. When a second attempt was made on his life, we spread the word that he’d died. This wasn’t true. However, he did lapse into a coma. Now the doctors think he’s coming out of it. Joe and I leave in an hour to see him. He should be able to tell us who relayed the messages, claiming they were from Harold.”
“He will tell you I’m not the one.”
Beatrice saw the hesitation and then the flash of icy anger in the woman’s eyes and knew the truth. Give her rope, she told herself. “I’ll be glad when this business is cleared up. It isn’t easy suspecting people I’ve known for so long.” She smiled to imply that she was beginning to believe Susan’s claim, then reached for a pastry, her manner relaxed as if she were comfortable in Susan’s presence and did not see any threat there.
“I haven’t been able to sleep. I’m feeling dizzy.” Susan clutched for the back of a chair.
“I realize this had been a terrible strain,” Beatrice cooed sympathetically, hurrying to catch her.
In the next instant, Susan had grabbed the gun from Beatrice’s shoulder holster. “Actually, Knight won’t vindicate me,” she admitted coldly. “So you and I are going to walk out of here together.”
“Tobias won’t let you leave,” Beatrice warned.
“He will unless he wants to see you die in front of his eyes.” A sly smile played at one corner of Susan’s mouth. “Even if Tobias is willing to sacrifice you, Coyote won’t. I’ve seen the way he looks at you and I’ve noticed how he always puts himself in the line of fire to protect you.” Her scowl deepened. “Any other agent would have bought my original setup. Coyote should have believed you were the traitor, killed you and put an end to his hunt. Then I could have retired in peace. Instead, he and you have been nothing but trouble.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Susan snorted. “Let’s go.” She motioned toward the door.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Joe said, opening the door and entering.
“I’ll kill her,” Susan threatened, grabbing Beatrice by the arm and holding the barrel of the gun to her head.
“It’s empty.” Jerking free, Beatrice took a position beside Joe.
Susan stared at the weapon with disgust. “The oldest trick in the book and I fell for it.” Tobias had entered, along with Raven and Harold. She glared at them. “Knight is dead, isn’t he?”
“No. But thanks to you, he’s in a coma and doesn’t show any signs of coming out of it,” Beatrice snapped.
Susan swung her gaze to Tobias. “You owe me. If it wasn’t for me, Sanchez would have killed Coyote. I’m the only reason he’s alive today.”
Tobias scowled. “As fond as I am of Coyote, I don’t consider that a debt to be repaid. You thought you were trading his life for Thistle’s in order to retain your freedom. And there is Knight to answer for, as well.”
“Sanchez must have been very unhappy when your first plan didn’t succeed,” Joe said. “I’m surprised he allowed you to use his people again.”
Susan shrugged. “Men are so gullible when it comes to money and women. I promised I’d make him rich.”
“He’s not going to like this turn of events,” Joe warned.
“You would be safer if he was behind bars, as well,” Tobias cautioned.
“If I give you information you can pass along to the federales that would put him away, I want a deal. I want a slap on the wrists, along with early parole.”
“No,” Beatrice said sharply. “No deals.”
The men all looked at her, clearly startled by the venom in her voice.
Fury etched itself into her features. “I’ve been thinking. That hundred thousand in the Caymans, it was for tipping off the people we were after five years ago…the ones who tried to kill Coyote with the car bomb, wasn’t it?”
Susan shrugged, then glowered at Joe. “Too bad they didn’t succeed. You’ve been nothing but a thorn in my side.”
“It seems we are definitely two of a kind,” Beatrice whispered to Joe.
Ignoring her, he concentrated on Susan. “You’re going to need protection. Sanchez knows you can put him away for life. He’ll be willing to pay well for your death.”
“When no one comes knocking on his door to arrest him, he’ll know I didn’t talk,” she replied.
“He might not be willing to take that chance,” Joe cautioned. “Especially when I fly back to Mexico to meet with Manuel at the same time word of you being taken into custody leaks out.”
Susan issued a string of expletives. Then, sinking into a chair, she turned to Tobias. “He’s very careful about covering himself. Much more careful than Palma. He’s smarter than Palma and learned from Palma’s mistakes. However, I can give you a little information that might lead to something the federales can nail him on. But I want protection.”
“You’ll have what I can offer,” Harold replied.