He’d been busy since she and Filip had left his suite at the hotel. He’d dug deep to find out everything he could about her, but in the end what he’d learned was even more a puzzlement—Allegra Nightingale didn’t exist.
But everyone was from somewhere. So who the hell was she, and where did she come from—this woman who didn’t exist on paper anywhere in the world?
Ash took her hand and tugged her down the last two steps. Not letting go, he said, “So, Miss Nightingale, you never mentioned where you and Filip met. You’ve got a French accent, so is that home?”
She pulled her hand away. “You’re right—I never mentioned where Filip and I met, and I have a French accent.”
“A little hostile this evening, are we?”
“It must be the company.”
Ash grinned. “Touché,
señorita
.”
His gaze drifted. She was dressed in shimmering gold, and it lit up her slender curves like a neon sign.
“I see the bruise on your neck is almost gone.”
“Surprised there aren’t more?”
Ash frowned. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t you?”
“No.”
“If that’s the way you want to play it.”
“Play what?”
“You don’t have to keep me company, Toriago. I’m capable of surviving this party on my own. In fact, I’m sure I’ll do better on my own.”
She attempted to walk off and Ash stopped her by taking hold of her arm. “I wouldn’t think of leaving you alone. Not dressed like that.”
She jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me.”
She was overly chippy with him. He caught her glance across the room and he followed her gaze to where Filip stood in the middle of a group of men. He was listening to what was being said, but his attention was on them.
“Did something happen after you left the hotel?”
She glanced up at him. “No. Nothing that concerns you.”
Ash spotted Sly sipping a glass of champagne against the wall. It hadn’t been hard to get his comrade inside. The ballroom was congested—Casso’s guest list had to be at least three hundred. Sly looked like just another suit in the room—overdressed and anxious for the evening to end.
Because Ash didn’t know what he might be up against tonight, Sly had suggested that he be the one to nose around Salavich’s bastion.
Allegra was still standing next to him at the bottom of the stairs when a couple tried to squeeze past them. It forced her into him, and Ash reached out to keep her from being knocked over. When he grabbed her, he heard her suck in a sharp breath of air—a reaction someone would make if they were in pain.
He glanced at her face and saw that she was biting her lip. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll see if I can find a viper to play with. It will certainly be safer than talking to you.”
Allegra was about to make her escape when she saw Sophia Salavich headed their way.
“Mrs. Salavich is on her way over. I suppose it would be too much to ask for you to be polite. She’s nothing like her husband.”
“I’ll be whatever you wish,
señorita,
as long as you promise to dance with me later.”
Allegra feigned a laugh. “You’re joking, of course.”
“Dead serious.”
“No.”
“Say yes, and I won’t embarrass you by bringing up that sexy mole on your left breast.”
She glared at him, but she knew better than to challenge him. He’d already proven that he didn’t make idle threats.
“There you are, Allegra. How lovely you look tonight.”
Allegra turned to Sophia, smiled. “Thank you. I wanted to tell you that you did a wonderful job decorating the house. It’s beautiful.”
Casso’s wife was dressed in green velvet, her midnight-black hair piled high on her head. Three strands of diamonds circled her neck, and matching chandeliers clung to her ears. As far as the house went, no expense had been spared, and everywhere you looked, there were bouquets of pink roses and spider mums.
“I haven’t seen Dominika yet, but she must be excited.”
“She’s spoilt, is what she is, but then she’s an only child, and Casso is determined to give her the world.” Sophia glanced at Allegra’s dress. “I’m a bit surprised with your choice. I imagined you would choose the black silk.”
“Actually I favored the black, but Filip preferred the gold.”
“Without seeing the black, I’m with Filip. A man doesn’t always like to imagine everything.”
Allegra gave Toriago a black look.
Sophia, on the other hand, was a gracious host. “We haven’t met, have we?”
“No. I would have remembered if we had. Marco Toriago.”
“I’m afraid that doesn’t mean anything, and if that offends you, I’m sorry.”
“No offense taken.”
“I admit half the guests are Casso’s business associates. Are you one of them?”
“A new friend.”
“Oh, dear. One of my staff has just signaled me. I hope nothing’s wrong. Excuse me, please.” Sophia reached out and touched Allegra’s hand. “Enjoy the party.” She started to walk away, then stopped. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Toriago.”
Allegra didn’t waste time. The minute Sophia was gone, she said, “Filip’s signaling me as well. Enjoy the party, Toriago. Maybe you’ll get lucky and choke on a sandwich.”
When she joined Filip, he said, “Toriago looks as bored as I am tonight. What did you two talk about? A rendezvous later?”
This time she was not going to lie. If Filip didn’t like what he heard maybe he should break a few of Toriago’s ribs. She said, “He asked me to dance. I told him no.”
“I just learned from Casso that Toriago’s trying to set up some kind of big deal. I want to know what it is.”
“Then ask him.”
“I think it would be better coming from you. Accept the dance, and see what you can find out.”
T
o say the ballroom looked like a pink parade was an understatement. There was pink linen on the banquet tables, and pink frosting on a giant birthday cake. Even the six-piece band that played in the far corner was wearing pink satin suits.
Sophia had thought of everything…in pink.
Allegra eyed the dancing guests. She knew how to dance, but that didn’t mean she wanted to take a spin around the dance floor with Toriago.
No, she didn’t want to dance, or talk to him, but Filip would want an answer by the time the party ended.
She saw Dominika sitting alone at a table, and she wondered why the birthday girl wasn’t enjoying the music on the dance floor. But then she realized that only a few of the guest were her own age.
Like everything else, Dominika was dressed in party pink, a strapless gown with a full skirt that made her look like a prom queen. Suddenly the birthday girl was smiling as a man walked toward her carrying two glasses of punch.
Allegra watched as Toriago offered Dominika one of the glasses, then he pulled something out of his pocket and set it on the table in front of her. It was a small velvet box, and the gesture piqued Allegra’s curiosity.
She continued to watch as Dominika set her punch down on the table, picked up the gift and unwrapped it. She came to her feet quickly and wrapped her arms around Toriago’s neck.
Allegra shoved away from the wall and shouldered her way through the guests. Toriago was speaking to Dominika, at the same time helping her put his gift on her wrist, when she arrived. She waited until Dominika looked up and when she did, she was beaming.
“Allegra, look, isn’t it fabulous?” Suddenly Dominika thrust her arm forward. “Marco bought me a diamond bracelet.” Smiling up at him like a young girl who had lost her heart for the first time, she said, “How did you know that diamonds are my favorite?”
“Yes,
Marco
. How did you know?” Allegra parroted.
“I thought they were every woman’s favorite.”
“Oh, I forgot to do the introductions. Allegra, this is—”
“It’s okay, honey, we’ve met.” Allegra ignored the grin on Toriago’s face, and continued to give Casso’s daughter her full attention. “I wanted to wish you happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
Suddenly Allegra was hit by a memory.
Diamonds are forever, baby-doll. Don’t ever forget that. Collect them like stamps, and remember, if you have to sleep with a snake, make sure he’s a rich one
.
“Allegra, did you hear me?”
She blinked. “What?”
“I said, women like diamonds because they sparkle, right?”
For a pretty girl she was terribly naive, Allegra thought.
Toriago must have read her mind. Sporting a slippery smile, he said, “Do you have some words of wisdom for Dominika on her eighteenth birthday, Allegra?”
She certainly had an opinion.
Why not, she thought. “It all goes back to Eve in the garden surrounded by snakes,” she said, giving Toriago a droll smile. “It wasn’t really about the fruit. Adam tempted Eve with a diamond, never realizing that he had just given her the key to her freedom.”
“How?” Dominika asked.
“Diamonds are a good investment, and being the smart woman Eve was, she took the diamond knowing its value surpassed seven minutes of pleasure.”
Dominika blushed. “But she did pay for it? I mean, she said yes. That’s what the story is about…sinning.”
Allegra leaned closer, and whispered, “It wasn’t really about sinning, it was about sacrifice and independence. So my wisdom for today is make sure the sacrifice is worth the price, never work cheap and stockpile your diamonds. Oh, and one more thing. Snakes come in all shapes and sizes.”
Toriago laughed out loud. It was a rich laugh, and Dominika was completely taken in by it, and him.
So much for the lesson on snakes, Allegra thought.
“I have to show Mother.” Dominika suddenly kissed Toriago on the cheek. “Thank you…Marco.”
Left alone with Mr. Snake, she said, “Very smooth, Toriago. You have a fan.”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t my intent.”
“Wasn’t it?”
“That was quite a story.”
“Words to live by, if she’s smart.”
“Is that how you live?”
“It’s the way I would like to live.”
“What’s stopping you?”
Allegra didn’t answer. “I came to ask you two simple questions. Why are you here tonight, and what is your business with Salavich?”
“Are those your questions, or Filip’s?”
“Does it matter?”
“Afraid I’m going to interfere with your business with Salavich?”
“You don’t know what my business is.”
“Exactly. I’ll share with you, if you share with me. Should we go somewhere quiet and discuss it?”
He took her hand, noticed her bracelet, and brushed his thumb over the large round stone. “Gold amber.” He looked up. “Not diamonds?”
He was studying the Greek inscription on the silver band when someone yelled
Toriago
from across the room. The gunshot exploded into the crowd a second later, and Marco jerked Allegra sideways, then shoved her to the floor.
Another gunshot turned the ballroom into a stampede of screaming guests as the room suddenly turned into chaos.
“Get under the table and stay there,” Toriago said, then he was off and running as more shots fed the hysteria.
Allegra didn’t crawl under the table. Instead she pulled her .22 from her garter. Her ribs were on fire from Toriago shoving her to the floor, but she ignored the pain and tried to keep from being stepped on as the crowd swarmed toward the exit.
She heard a woman scream, and she searched the room and saw Dominika standing in the middle of the ballroom frozen in fear.
Allegra bolted to her feet, and shoved through the crowd to reach Casso’s daughter. She grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her behind the long banquet table just as a shot hit the birthday cake and sent it into a million pieces.
A fire had broken out to add to the mayhem—several candles had been knocked over in the foray, and now the linen tablecloths were on fire.
“Stay here,” Allegra instructed.
“I’m afraid.”
“I know. But it’ll be all right. Just stay here.”
Allegra saw a man dressed as a guest tucking a gun inside his jacket as he tried to get lost in the crowd. She started after him just as the lights went out.
Undeterred, she pushed her way through the crowd. There was a side door that the caterers used, and she felt her way along the wall, then slipped through it into the hallway.
Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she watched and waited as the crowd scattered once they exited the ballroom. Casso’s guards were trying to usher them outside as they came through the door.
She wasn’t standing there for more than a couple of minutes when she saw a man veer away from the guards and head for the courtyard.
She slipped off her shoes and hurried after him. The good news was, when she reached the garden, she saw it was lit by a dozen torch lights. But the bad news was, stopping to take off her shoes had cost her time, and she had no idea which path the gunman had taken.
She took a wild guess, and headed down the first path she came to. The courtyard was a maze of twists and turns—paths leading into private gardens, paths leading to several stone fountains.
She moved quickly, her gun out in front of her as she listened for a sound that would give her a clue as to which path the gunman had taken.
She skirted the pool, and turned down another path, then another. The garden was as dense as a jungle, with plenty of places to hide.
She had almost given up when she heard footsteps. When she realized that they were behind her, she spun around, but it was too late. The gunman had already spotted her, but he didn’t shoot.
“Hell of a dress, baby. But then you would look good in rags.”
Allegra recognized his voice. Unable to believe who was standing twenty feet away, she said, “Chanler, is that you?”
“It’s me. Hello, Jaz. Drop the gun or I’ll shoot you here and now.”
“Shoot me? Why?”
“Don’t play stupid. We both know you’re far from it.”
“Did Stillman send you?”
“No. I’m here on my own. By the way, you look good as a brunette.” He stepped closer. “I see you’ve had some work done, too. Not a lot, but enough to fool the world. But not me, baby. Who knows you better than your old partner?
“How did you find me?”
“I just followed the stench. It’s true what they say. You can smell a traitor a mile away.”
Allegra frowned. “What do you mean, a traitor?”
“I tried to tell Stillman something was wrong with you when you came back to headquarters after you’d gone missing. He wouldn’t listen. He just wouldn’t accept that the perfect Jazmin Grant would sell out the SDECE. I’ll bet he’ll listen now.”
“I never sold anyone out. It’s not what you think, Chanler. I’m under deep cover.”
He laughed. “And I’m James Bond’s son.”
Allegra suddenly felt light-headed. Traitor… How could Chanler ever think that she would betray the SDECE?
“I had to let Jazmin Grant die, Felton. I had to take a new name and a new face. But I’m no traitor. You have to believe me.”
“Tell it to Stillman. I’m taking you back.”
“No. I can’t go with you. I’m in the middle of a mission and I can’t walk away.”
“You’ll walk, or I’ll carry you out. Choose, Jaz. Dead or alive, you’re leaving with me.”
Burgess Stillman left the corner cafe in the heart of Paris unaware that he was being watched. He walked slowly to the car that idled along the curb, and as he opened a rear door, Merrick left the alley.
He wore his disguise well—dressed poorly, and walking like he’d been plagued with a back ailment most of his life, he shoved his gun into Stillman’s face the minute he climbed into the car.
“Slide over,” he demanded, “slowly.”
“What the—?”
“I said slide over.” Merrick had taken on a French accent, and he sounded as desperate as he looked.
Stillman moved over and Merrick climbed in. Closing the door, he said, “Tell your driver to leave his phone and gun on the dash and get out of the car.”
“Do what he says, Louis.”
“But, sir—”
“Do it. He’s armed.”
“
Oui
, Louis, I’ve got a gun pointed at your boss. Go stand under that lamp post, and put your hands around the post. Hug it good, hands together.”
Stillman’s driver opened his door and climbed out. He walked to the lamp post and hugged it like he was told. Inside the car, Merrick pulled off his black stocking cap and revealed himself to Burgess Stillman.
“Merrick. You bastard, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“That’s a good question, Stillman. That’s what I would like you to explain to me. How did you find out Ash Kelly’s real identity? I want a name.”
“He’s been in contact with you?”
“No. I made contact with him.”
“How did you know where to find him?”
Merrick grinned. “How do you think?”
“You had him followed.”
“As you said in my office two weeks ago, whatever works. Blackmail, or just a little innocent deception. It’s all part of the game, no?” Merrick’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “The name of your informant, or I’ll kill you here and now.”
“That’s extreme. It would ruin you for sure. You and Onyxx.”
“I’m in Washington right now. Your death will be reported as a random robbery by a desperate thief.”
“You’re crazy,
mon ami
. You can’t kill me.”
“If you don’t think so keep stalling, or convince me I shouldn’t pull this trigger and scatter your brains all over the inside of your car.”
“You have to understand, I… Kelly was the only man who could pull this off. As Marco Toriago of course.”
“I want to know how you found out who he is, and then I want to know about Grant and the stolen disk. Start talking.”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Wrong answer.” Merrick pulled the hammer back on his Beretta.
“Hell, Merrick!”
“My patience is running thin. I’m old, remember, and should have retired years ago. Maybe I’ve decided to take your advice. Maybe I’ll just blow your head off and disappear.”
“You’re talking crazy.”
“Crazy. Maybe I am.”
“All right. The disk Grant stole is the SDECE’s access code index. Locations, agent profiles, future mission agenda. You name it, it’s there.”
“A terrorist’s Christmas list.”
“Exactly.”
“Who is behind this?”
Stillman shook his head.
Merrick pressed his gun against Stillman’s temple. “Who?”
“We don’t know.”
“I used to be an assassin, remember? A damn good one. And before that, a mercenary for hire. Who?”
“Dammit, Merrick. We don’t know who.”
Stillman was sweating. Maybe he didn’t have all the answers. Merrick eased the hammer back on the Beretta. “Let’s talk about Grant. The agent you claimed died at Nescosto. But she didn’t die, did she? You fabricated the entire story. A fabrication to me, the press, and your superiors.”
“I had no choice,
mon ami
. If today you could get your hands on your wife’s killer, what would you do? If it required you to blackmail someone, or falsify information, would you take the moral road, or cross the line?”
Merrick considered the question.
“I know what you’d do, Merrick. You’d cross that line in a second. We are alike in many ways, you and I. No price is too great to avenge a betrayal. Grant betrayed her country, and I’ll do whatever it takes to save the SDECE.”
“And yourself.”
“I don’t deny that I want to come out of this on top. It beats being buried.”
“Tell me about Grant.”
“What do you want to know? Besides her being a beautiful woman, she was a superb agent. I tell you, she was the best I’ve ever seen.” Stillman filled Merrick in on how she’d disappeared in Munich. “Months later, she walked into my office and I almost fell off my chair. She said she had been held captive by a rebel group. She said she’d managed to escape. I guess I was so damn glad that she was back, I didn’t see that there were subtle changes in her. Chanler noticed them, but I refused to examine why that might be. I made the excuse that she’d been busy trying to survive with criminals who were probably threatening to slit her throat every day. It was a good enough reason for her to be a little off her game.”