Germany—Berlin
In The Know with Rubi Cho
Über-Geek in Love.
Model/actress Sabrina Morgan and scientist Uther Magnusson have embarked on a whirlwind romance, tripping the light fantastic last night at Cream. Miss Morgan wore an almost-see-through sheath designed by Vera Wang, and was not afraid to dance beneath the disco ball. Uther, puppy-eyed and stylish in Zegna, attended his lady all evening. Who says molecules and atoms have to be dull?
Uther kept the month-old clipping from Rubi Cho’s New York gossip column in his front jeans pocket. He liked to find his name in the newspapers—even the gossip column. Now he gripped the clipping and squeezed until he heard the paper tear.
He’d just hung up after talking to Sabrina. He hadn’t called her for days, and had been missing her. She hadn’t missed him, obviously, because she’d suggested he not take an early flight home, but instead remain in Berlin for his final day.
What she had been excited about had shocked the hell out of Uther. She’d found the diamond.
And he’d thought he’d hid it in the perfect spot.
How could Sabrina have made such a way-out guess what it was for? An engagement gift? Sure, they were recently engaged, and he had planned to buy her a gift, but why did women’s minds go there?
And for him to have allowed her to believe it?
He had to do something.
Sabrina had put herself in danger.
The DomAquarée Radisson was located on the River Spree, although Becca knew to pronounce it schpray. The German language, oft considered abrupt and rough, fascinated her. She had visited the biosphere reserve Spreewald, about fifty miles southeast of Berlin, a few years ago, and would never forget the gorgeous rain forest cut through by various streams and tributaries from the major river.
The hotel had opened in 2004. Its main attraction, the Aquadom, coaxed visitors from far and wide. It featured a massive aquarium that ran down the center of the hotel lobby. Twenty-five-hundred tropical fish swam in one million liters of water, amazing young and old alike. Visitors could take an elevator ride right up the center. It was the German equivalent of a budget Sea World.
The cab let off Becca and Dane outside the hotel. The streets, as well as the sidewalks and rooftops, were coated with snow. Cars each wore a white toupee, and a man across the street riding a wobbly bicycle drew a wavering black line in the snow behind him.
Though it was early morning, it actually felt a little warmer here in Germany than in Paris. Becca guessed it must be in the low thirties. The air smelled clean, fresh and icy. Holding out a gloved hand, she watched as thick flakes landed on the brown leather and slowly melted into a darker stain on her palm.
Dane, stomping snow from his shoes, stepped up beside her. “You willing to expose your cover to get close to this guy?”
She’d told Dane she’d known Uther when they were younger, but they were far from friends.
“I have no intention of doing so,” Becca said. “We’ll have to go after Uther in a roundabout manner. I don’t know if he’ll remember me, but I’ll play it by ear until I can be sure.”
“Pretty convenient the CIA picked a freelance gemologist who just happened to know the key figure in this mission.” Dane walked onward, leaving Becca startled as hell.
“What are you implying? That I was—”
“Picked as bait? Clever Americans.”
“We had no idea Uther was involved. Zeek just—”
“Suit yourself,” he called back, and strode inside.
Dane’s ideas were farfetched. The road had led to Uther only this morning. And Zeek was telling her all she knew.
There was not time to debate Dane’s theory. Becca joined him alongside one of the lighted media stations in the lobby. White epoxy flooring stretched like a calm sea. Red, blue and green lights illuminated the base of each modern white reception station, flashing in rainbows across the floor.
“We’ll have to get a room,” she said, forming a plan. “Just for cover. We are so not staying here.”
“Why?” Dane asked. They both looked up at the eight-story-high column of water and fish and…terror. “Ah. Your hydrophobia thing.”
A shiver crept across Becca’s scalp. “It’s so much water.”
“But it’s contained.”
“What if the glass cracks?”
“I suspect the tank is made of high-impact plastic. Tell me, is it rational or irrational, your fear?”
“What’s the difference?”
“Rational—you almost drowned as a child. Irrational—you think you will drown.”
“A little of each.”
“Some fear is good, you know. But just in case, you can hold my hand.”
“That’s nice, but—” she slipped her hand from his seeking fingers “—I’m a big girl.”
After some flirtation with the male clerk at registration, Becca was able to procure a room right next to Uther Magnusson’s.
“He’s staying on the sixth floor,” she told Dane. “Let’s go up and check it out.”
The elevator stopped off at the sixth floor, opening to reveal the spectacle of refracted blue light shimmering across the curved white walls that embraced the lobby. Becca strode down the hallway, with Dane in tow.
Arriving at room 612, she paused and listened. The faint buzz of a television was muffled by the door.
Stepping slowly backward to room 610, she inserted the keycard and entered, but remained by the open doorway, one eye on Uther’s closed door.
Lemon scent wafted through the room. A double bed blocked a direct path to the desk neatly arranged with a small steel lamp, alarm clock and phone. Everything was done in dark woods, with white linens and padded chairs. Asian-inspired and clean.
“So what’s the plan, love?” Dane smoothed his thumb over her wrist. The silver band he wore was warm, a part of his flesh. That he took such liberties touching her didn’t trouble her as much. It actually eased the aching inner part of her that needed consolation. “You going to stand there all day and wait? Not very covert.”
He knew her secrets.
Becca looked at Dane with new wonder. He knew her secrets. Every bit, about living the covert lifestyle and the life of an heiress.
So why didn’t he feel like more of a threat? Instead, he felt like a missing piece. A part that could easily fit into her life.
Right. But not both of my lives.
Because the socialite would never date out of her social set. And the spy, well, she preferred Zen sessions to commitment.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked her.
“No,” she said. Instead she tapped his ring. “But tell me about this.”
He shrugged. “It was my dad’s. His wedding band. Mum wanted me to wear it.”
“She’s alive?”
“Yes, and well.”
Uther’s door suddenly opened and Becca shoved Dane into the room. She called as if she were leaving, “I’ll take a coffee with two creams, honey.”
“What?” Dane answered.
Becca stepped back into the hallway and collided with Uther, dropping her keycard. “Oh! I’m so sorry.”
Uther bent to retrieve it. All arms and legs and loose-fitting khaki jeans, he looked more a pimply skateboard freak than a scientist. Three-inch-long brown hair was gelled to a scruffy yet alert bouffant at the front of his head and left to fall helter-skelter halfway back.
In his early twenties now, he’d graduated high school at twelve and from MIT summa cum laude at sixteen, Becca recalled reading.
He handed her the plastic entry card, avoiding eye contact.
Becca touched his shoulder, forcing him to look at her. “Do I know you?”
Dane opened the door and leaned against the door frame. Uther shot him a fleeting glance. He shuffled a hand up one arm and, bouncing from foot to foot, tilted his head and studied Becca. “You do look… Becca?” His sullenness abruptly faded and his mouth spread in a thin-lipped smile. “I can’t believe this. Becca Whitmore, Reinhardt’s daughter?” He did a quick imitation of playing the piano keys. “The twentieth century Mozart?”
“Yes! Oh, my gosh. Uther? Little, precocious Uther Magnusson, who will never be allowed back in our house after the piano incident?”
“Piano incident?” Dane repeated from the doorway.
“Oh, Uther, this is my…boyfriend, Aston. We’ve arrived for a weekend. Aston, this is Uther Magnusson. He once took piano lessons from my father.”
Dane offered his hand, and Uther shook it magnanimously.
“And the incident?” Dane prompted.
“I took apart their grand piano,” Uther said proudly. His spread-legged stance might be what held up his loose jeans, Becca mused. A bit of striped boxer shorts peeked above his waistline. “After finding the neatly arranged parts, her father chased me out of the house, a freshly penned symphony rolled into a tight weapon. I would have stayed and put it all back together.”
“And I’m sure you could have,” Becca said. “So Uther, funny running into you halfway across the world. Let’s see, you are some kind of scientist now.…”
“Nanotechnologist with a focus on biopolymers and quantum manipulation.”
“Oh, yes! Lately Rubi Cho has been reporting your and Sabrina’s every move.”
“When she’s not reporting on you. You’re always hosting a bash and raising money for—what is that charity?”
“Grace Notes.”
“Right, right. I never thought the paparazzi would have an interest in me. It’s all Sabrina.” Uther sighed. “She’s so beautiful. She’s a model, you know.”
“I think I read that about her. You’ve dated for a while?”
“Two months!”
“Ah, so it’s a whirlwind romance?”
“It’s true love.”
“So why aren’t you at her side right now? Are you here for some sort of symposium, or whatever it is you scientists do?”
“Um…” He ran the heel of his palm through his gelled hair, flattening the left side. “I come to this hotel a lot. When I…you know…need to think.” Suddenly animated, he bounced on his heels. “It’s my favorite place. I’ve got an in with the aquarium elevator operators and they let me ride it by myself.”
“Oh.” Becca turned to Dane to hide her wry expression from Uther. “How fun.”
“Becky loves the water,” Dane interjected. “She can’t wait to check it out.”
“Er, right. Uther, Aston was going to run down to the lobby to pick me up a coffee. Would you like him to get something for you?”
“I’d love to sit and chat for a while. Catch up on what you’ve been up to. Unless you’re busy? Oh, I shouldn’t even suggest—”
“No, I guess that’d be cool, Becca. A few minutes to talk to you. You’re working as a jeweler now, I hear?”
“A gemologist. I’ll take it black,” she said to Dane, who, after nodding and crossing his arms tightly, made his way down the hallway. “Thanks, Aston!”
“Anything for you, Becky! Can I bring back something for you, Uther?” Dane called.
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“So, why don’t we step inside my room?” Becca offered.
“You two don’t have any luggage?” Uther wondered as he strode inside and inspected the room.
“We’re…” Oops “…waiting for it. It was misplaced at the airport. The concierge promised to taxi it right over as soon as they find it.”
Uther nodded. He stood at the end of the bed, arms folded over his chest.
“So tell me about your work, Uther. I always knew you’d go into something like science. You’re so smart.”
“Genius. With a 168 IQ. I’ve been studying nanotechnology since puberty. Ah, it’s kinda boring to a layman.” He wasn’t going to relax too easily.
Becca mock punched him in the arm. “Loosen up, buddy. You look tense. Sit down. Is anything wrong?”
He remained standing, arms seeming to tighten.
“Uther?” She moved in front of him and bowed to look up into his brown eyes. A touch to his chin melted his rigid stance. “You’re nervous.”
“No. It’s just you, Becca.”
“I make you nervous?”
“Not like you think. I mean, you’re pretty and all, but I do have a fiancée.”
“Oh? Oh! You don’t think I was—? What’s wrong, Uther? Is something going on with Sabrina? I really wish you’d sit—”
“I shouldn’t be here right now.” He fled for the door.
“Is it something I said?”
“No, really, I just…” He scrubbed a palm over his scalp again. The gelled hair protested angrily. “I just got off the phone…”
“With Sabrina? If I’m keeping you from anything—”
“No! Well, sort of. I’ve got a speech to work on. I’m speaking on fluorescent nanoparticles in two weeks in Venice.”
Fluorescent nanoparticles?
“Is that like nano code?” Becca said, trying to pry more info from him.
Uther paused in the open doorway to the hall, then turned to walk out onto a balcony that circled the lobby and looked over the aquarium. Shadows and light from the aquarium danced across his face. “You know about that kind of stuff?”
“It’s a guess.” She shrugged. “Is it like ion beam branding?”
“It can be used for that, yes, but on a whole new level. The branding is still relatively new throughout the diamond industry.”
“Yes, DeBeers diamonds, basically. Not a lot of jewelers are familiar with the process. And the equipment to brand the diamonds costs close to a million dollars for initial setup.”
“Wow.”
“What?” she asked coyly.
“You know a lot.”
Becca shrugged. That was the extent of her knowledge. “It is part of my trade to know such things.”
“I suppose.” He looked to the floor, his hand twisting on the balcony railing. Unsure? Wanting to spill something? Or just a quirky scientist?
“Nanotechnology is the ultimate level of finesse,” he announced. “For now. The pico-nuts are starting to come out of the woodwork. Pico is a measurement even smaller than the nano.”
He bit his lower lip.
“What is it, Uther?”
He lowered his voice. “I’m in trouble, Becca.”
“Oh?”
“Deep shit kind of trouble.”
“Maybe I can help.”
“No one can help me. Especially not a gorgeous heiress on vacation with her boyfriend. I shouldn’t have said anything. What an idiot!”
She didn’t want to lose him now that she’d gotten him going. “Maybe talking about it will help?”
“I…” He stared at his stiff and open palm. “I don’t know what to do.” Fingers clenched to a fist. “I should take an early flight back to New York. But what if they follow me? I’d be leading them right to Sabrina. I don’t want to endanger her. But now—she’s got it, Becca. She’s holding the ticking time bomb. They’ll find her. They’ll hurt her to get it. She needs me!”
“Who are they, Uther?”
He held her gaze for what seemed forever. Finally, he inhaled sharply. He loosened his fisted hand with a shake of his fingers. “We can’t talk here. There’s only one place we can go where I’ll feel safe.”
“Let’s go.”