SHIRLEY, NEW YORK
Laura had banished Rick to the family room with Marissa where they were catching the end of the first game of a Mets doubleheader. She’d retreated to her office and its computer.
They’d argued all the way home from Hari’s office, but she’d finally prevailed: He wasn’t going to Cape Town alone; she was coming along. She’d used all the basic arguments of two heads being better than one, how she’d act as his Gal Friday and his sounding board.
She didn’t give him the real reason: that he’d need her along for protection. Not from any external threat—he was eminently qualified to handle that. No, he needed someone to protect him from himself.
Rick had become emotionally invested in finding his brother. That was fine when operating from afar, but it could cloud his judgement when he reached South Africa.
She’d volunteered to book the flights. He might book only one seat if she left it up to him.
She heard someone enter the office behind her.
“How’s it going?” Rick said.
“The best time to Cape Town out of JFK is nineteen hours via South African Airways.”
He gave a low whistle. “All nineteen in the air?”
“Mostly, except for a layover in Johannesburg. No nonstops. In all your travels, you’ve never been to South Africa?”
“Never set foot on the African continent.”
“With ‘Rick’ as a name, you should have made a point of stopping in Casablanca at least once.”
“Never had a chance.”
“Well, then, it’ll be the first time for both of us.”
“Hey, about that…” He lowered himself into the chair beside the desk. “Can we rethink your coming along?”
“No.”
“This could be dangerous. We know little or nothing about this Jeukens guy. I can’t see how he’s done all this alone. He’s got to be working with other people. Hell, for all we know, he’s been blackmailed into acting as a front. The situation’s too unsettled. Too damn risky for me to feel comfortable taking you along.”
“I’ll stay in the background, out of danger.”
“That’s not gonna help Keith, so why come at all?”
Didn’t he see? Didn’t he get it?
“I’m not going along for Keith, I’m going for you.”
“For me?”
“Yeah, you big dummy. What if you discover…” How to say this? “What if it’s the worst news?”
He looked away. “You mean if Keith’s dead.”
“Yes. Exactly. I want to be there for you.”
“Oh.” His expression softened. Obviously no such thing had occurred to him. “Well, I appreciate that. I really do, but—” His cell phone gave off a faint vibrating hum. He pulled it out and checked the display. “Text from Stahlman.”
“On a Sunday?”
“Answering mine. I need to arrange next week off. Want to do it face-to-face. Says to meet him in a warehouse in Long Island City.” He pocketed the phone. “Can we finish this conversation later?”
“Of course. You go see Stahlman. We’ll talk when you get back.”
He stared at her a moment. “Why do I get the feeling that as soon as I walk out that door you’re going to reserve two seats to Cape Town?”
“Why, whatever do you mean?”
“Wait, okay?” he said, pointing to her. “Just … wait.”
“Uh-huh.”
With an exasperated sigh he headed for the front door.
As soon as she heard it slam, she logged onto South African Airway’s website where she snagged two first-class seats nonstop to Johannesburg—expensive, but worth every penny on a flight that long. From there they had only a short hop to Cape Town.
Next she called Steven. She needed someone to stay with Marissa and who better than her own father? Fortunately she and her ex were still on good terms. When Marissa had been recovering from her stem cell transplant, Steven would come and spend his designated weekends in the Shirley house, while Laura would move into his Manhattan apartment.
“Sure,” he said. “Always glad to spend some extra time with my best girl. How long we talking?”
He was good that way—loved Marissa like crazy and would do anything for her. His public relations business allowed him to work anywhere. His laptop, his phone, and a wi-fi connection to social media were all he needed. He’d told her the only reason to have an office these days was as a place to meet clients.
“A few days should do it.”
“Where is the world traveler off to this time?”
“South Africa.” Using the KISS rule, she added, “A friend’s brother has had some sort of breakdown and we’re going to go bring him back. You might have heard of him. Keith Somers? The author who disappeared a while back?”
“Oh, right. I do recall something about that. He had a bestseller, right? Look, if he wants to make hay from his disappearance, send him to me. I’ll have his face and the title of his book all over the place once he’s back. That’s my thing, you know.”
Laura knew. And he was very good at his “thing.” He could seduce public opinion into buying anything he told them to. If he’d limited his seductions to public opinion during their marriage, he and Laura might still be together.
“I’ll be sure to ask. Meanwhile, I’ll get her off to school in the morning and you be here when she comes home.”
“No problem. Or better yet, I could come over tonight and—”
“Tomorrow will be fine.”
He laughed. “Okay. Safe trip.”