hadn’t known that was coming.
“The doors are just opening now. Clients are arriving,” the manager said. “Can I leave this to you, Robert? So much to do this morning...” He signed the sleeve and handed it to Robert before making his stately way in the direction of his office.
They were standing in an alcove at one end of the large marble and plush carpet interior. Bank staff were arriving at their desks and windows, meticulously groomed, all moving at a measured, graceful pace. It had been a long time since Kip had been in a bank that was so...bank-like. There was a hush like a library and even the arrival of customers didn’t add much to the noise level.
Kip shrank back when she picked out the top of Ted Langhorn’s sandy-haired head. His lanky frame wasn’t quite as relaxed as she’d last seen it, and he appeared to be looking for someone—probably Robert. To his left was his wife, as carefully coiffed and ostentatiously elegant as one of the Real Housewives.
The body and tan were flawless. Kip was sure the ankle-wrapping high heels had cost a small fortune, and she wasn’t thinking the jewelry was fake, either.
“He’ll recognize me,” she murmured to Robert. “And probably cause a scene.”
She didn’t know if Robert heard her, though, because he strode forward to greet Langhorn and his wife with a jovial but restrained air. “Ted Langhorn, what a surprise to see you this morning. And Mrs. Langhorn as well.”
Ted began to speak, but Robert continued talking in the same congenial manner. “I must make introductions.” He gestured to the men now assembled right behind the Langhorns. “Martin LeRoi, this is Ted and Nadia Langhorn. I spoke to you about them just a few minutes ago. Mr. and Mrs. Langhorn, these are members of the United States Embassy staff. They have inquiries and believe you can assist them.”
Kip had the satisfaction of seeing Ted Langhorn turn as pale as the uniforms the embassy officers wore. For the first time since she’d taken on the case, all her instincts screamed that she was 229
looking at someone guilty of something.
Ted blustered, and Kip turned her study to Nadia Langhorn, who hadn’t moved. She gave the impression of unshakable composure.
The officers moved forward as Robert invited everyone to his office. Ted fell into step, but there was a small amount of jostling.
Nadia gave a little cry, stumbling on her high heels. Several arms shot out to keep her from falling, then she was back on her feet, offering smiles and apologies.
From where she was Kip saw something in Nadia’s hand she hadn’t had before, and she was slipping it into her oversized designer bag. She glanced at Robert, who was patting his pockets and looking down at the floor as if he’d dropped something.
Kip gave up her hiding place, but had no sooner started forward than Nadia simply dashed for the nearest doors.
Nothing for it but to make a scene, Kip thought. She thanked her sensible sandals for plenty of traction on the marble floor as she sprinted forward to yell, “Nadia!” Her mind flicked through the thousands of papers she’d reviewed and zeroed in—more loudly, she yelled, “Rachel!”
Nadia skidded to a stop, pivoted in place, eyes wide.
Everyone in the bank stopped what they were doing, except Kip. With a sudden gasp, Nadia shook herself into motion again.
She scrambled toward the door, elegant heels finding poor purchase on the polished marble. She was reaching to push the doors open when Kip clamped her hand around one diamond-adorned wrist.
So she couldn’t pull the trigger on a woman and child. She had far more practical skills. How much of a challenge could pampered Nadia Langhorn be?
The elbow strike to the side of her head told her, and left her ears ringing. The price of overconfidence, she told herself. She clung to Nadia’s other wrist, ducked another strike and went for the basics, sinking one hand into Nadia’s very expensive hairdo while tangling the woman’s arms in her own designer bag. Nadia 230
let go of Kip in an attempt to free her hair. They twisted against each other until Kip hooked one of her sandals around Nadia’s ankles and they both went down with Kip’s elbow in Nadia’s solar plexus.
From the gasp, she was pretty sure Nadia’s stomach felt like her head.
She rolled back to her feet and the embassy officers were around them. One quickly handcuffed the still struggling Nadia.
Kip was dazedly trying to keep her balance and realized, too late, that handcuffs were also being ratcheted around her own wrists.
231
Chapter SeVeNteeN
Tam rose when the door opened. She had expected something to have transpired, but was still taken considerably aback by the sight of Ted and Nadia Langhorn in handcuffs along with a half-dozen white-uniformed guards. Nadia looked somewhat the worse for wear with a heel broken on one shoe and her hair lopsided.
Robert looked both disconcerted and satisfied, though his tone sounded as if everyone was concluding an ordinary transaction. “Let’s just settle our paperwork, shall we?”
Finally, dwarfed by the embassy muscle, she caught sight of Kip—wrists cuffed in front of her and something strangely wispy and yellow in her hands. Kip gave her a wan but encouraging smile. The papers were secure maybe?
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Kip cleared her throat and handed the blonde wad of hair to Nadia. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your weave. I was hoping it was real.”
Tam managed not to laugh. She ought to have been worried sick but right then all she could think was that she wanted Kip there always to make her laugh, to make life less of a grim business. How had she ever thought her humorless?
“Ms. Sterling?” One of the embassy officers had stepped forward. “With the permission of the government of the Bahamas, I’m detaining you on behalf of the United States of America.
We’ll transfer you to U.S. soil in a few minutes.”
Tam held out her wrists—it was a first.
Handcuffs were heavier than they looked. She supposed she should argue that being detained didn’t mean she should be manacled, but it was only a minor detail at that moment.
“I have the paperwork.” Robert pulled a crumpled document sleeve from a large purple bag—had to be Nadia’s. “I know Mrs.
Langhorn was eager to get rid of it, but it’s here.” He held it up.
“Your mark Miss Barrett?”
Kip eased her way past her escorts. “Yes, that’s my mark.
Those are the papers you removed from your files downstairs.”
With a huge sigh of relief, Robert handed the document sleeve to Martin LeRoi. “Please take charge of this. It’s vital evidence. All the other copies you requested will be made as soon as possible and carried up to you. Of course, I’ll be available for any deposition you may wish to take from me. That’s all our business, I believe.”
Before Tam could point out that there was one more matter to resolve there was a knock at the door. A wide-eyed clerk stepped into the room, a printout in one hand.
“I need a signature for these transfers, Mr. Manna.”
Robert glowered. “I think it can wait.”
“No,” Tam said. “It can’t. You should sign off on them. All of them.”
Robert gave Tam his attention. Without the least bit of surprise, he asked, “Why Tamara, have you been using my computer?”
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Behind her Tam heard Kip stifle a laugh.
“I’m so sorry. I did borrow it.”
“Nearly seven million dollars? How enterprising.” Robert initialed the paper and then asked the clerk to bring back a copy right away. “That adds to the considerable sum that arrived on Friday.”