“Marina’s hot to go, and I’m afraid that if we don’t manage the investigation, she’ll do it on her own. I have to tell you, I’m not happy about being in this position.”
Bergstrom spoke abruptly, “Taking a civilian isn’t the most optimal of plans, but I’m not going to miss this opportunity. We brought Marina Alexander into this because of who she is, and who she knows. And what she might know but doesn’t yet remember.
“She has the mark of the Skaladeskas on her — that could be invaluable to us. Even though she may not realize it, whatever she knows about them is more than anyone else does. She’s been in dangerous situations before; she knows how to handle herself. And you’ve convinced me that a small team makes better sense in this case. Hold on … let me see about your phone and gun. I should be able to get them to you pretty quick.”
Gabe stood at the desk in the police chief’s office, thankful for the privacy, and shuffled his feet. He could hear Bergstrom’s movements in the background over the phone, and his low-toned voice rumbling as he spoke and, likely, manipulated, begged, borrowed, and stole. He wondered if Helen was there, and whether she knew he was on the other end of this case.
“Okay, Gabe, you have thirty hours on your own.” Colin came back on the line, breathless but firm. “And I don’t want Dr. Alexander running the operation, so you’ll have to keep a rein on her. Darrow wants to send her team up there too, but I’ve managed to convince her to hold off for thirty hours. Get me what you can in that time.”
Nearly twenty hours later, after a stop for refueling and a generous nap, Marina landed the Mirage at an airport near Waswanipi, Quebec. It was mid-morning, but since they were in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the sun had been shining like it was noon for hours. It was surprisingly chilly; near forty degrees, though Marina had expected it to be closer to sixty since it was July. The gloves and hat would come in handy.
Gabe had arranged for a rental car when they stopped for fuel, and it was waiting in the parking lot.
“The old key under the mat trick, eh?” Marina commented as she climbed into the Land Rover. “Somehow I expected the CIA to be a little less simplistic.”
Gabe started the engine. “You watch too many spy movies.”
“Watch them? I’m in one! That tunnel from Dad’s cellar under the lake was too much like Dr. No’s underwater room. And I like Hitchcock better than Bond anyway.”
“Better than Bond?” Gabe pulled the Land Rover out of the airport parking lot and flipped the switch to turn on the heater fan. A blast of welcome, warm air burst into the vehicle.
“Much better than Bond. At least Hitchcock’s films are somewhat believable.”
“Well, we’ll see if you still think Bond is unbelievable when we’re done with this op.” He cast her a grin as they sped along the road.
“You and your father aren’t close.” Gabe’s understated comment drew Marina’s attention from the passing scenery of scrubby brown grass and rolling hills.
“No. Not at all.” Talking — or even thinking — about her relationship with her father wasn’t something she indulged in often. It was too messy. Easier left alone.
“Why is that?”
“You trying to make conversation or are you just being nosy?” she replied. But her voice wasn’t angry.
“Both. You fought getting involved in this with both arms flailing, and now you’re trying to lead the charge. That kind of change of heart makes me curious. It didn’t seem like concern for Victor was the driving force behind your change, either.”
Perhaps she owed it to Gabe, who was accompanying her on this journey, some explanation. “I didn’t want to get involved because I’ve spent my adult life, and much of my adolescence, trying to get past him, to forget about him. He was never a father to me in any way that mattered — except that he gave me life. I dealt with it. Grew up without him, without Daddy-Daughter Dances and a cheering father at my sporting events ….and without the glowering, dominant figure sizing up my dates when they came to pick me up.
“I handled it. Put it away. Lived with it, and grew into a normal person. Put him out of mind. And preferred to leave him there. Except when I had to do my duty on Father’s Day. His birthday. You know.”
“Then we showed up.”
“Yeah. At that point, I lost control of my life — the one I’d tried so hard to manage and keep normal. The one I’d kept him out of. So, at first, I did the barest thing I could: I talked to you and Bergstrom. And then all hell broke loose.”
“Normal? You call what you do normal?” The corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed.
She also appreciated his gracious change of subject. “It’s normal to me. Did I mention that I’m stubborn, and once I get started on something — thrown full-force into it — there’s no stopping me?”
“You didn’t have to.” He glanced at her, his gaze lingering a bit too long. “So why do you do all those things?”
“You mean, why is a nice girl like me not settling down with a regular job, a husband, and a couple kids?” The little bit of attraction she might have felt waned.
“No,” he said. “I mean why do you fly and cave and go down the Amazon and eat mopane worms? If you’d knock the chip off your shoulder, you’d probably stop reading between the lines and hearing things that aren’t there.”
Marina’s fingers uncurled and she found herself giving him a genuine smile. “Sorry.” She glanced out the window, formulating her thoughts before responding. “I want to make a difference in the world. I want to live life to the fullest and experience everything I can, and if I can help people at the same time, I will. I have nothing to lose.”
“Except your life. You told me the other day you weren’t a spy, a Sidney Bristow. But you do things that are even more dangerous sometimes. That cave rescue in Pennsylvania wasn’t a cakewalk.”
“No. But it had to be done, and since I don’t have a family waiting for me, I take the risks so that others don’t have to.”
“So,” he said casually, his wrist leveraging the steering wheel. “What’s with you and the tall guy — Bruce?”
Marina looked at him, and when she didn’t respond right away, he looked over at her. Challenging, brows raised, a tiny smirk at the corner of a wide, sexy mouth. He needed a shave.
“What’s with you and Helen Darrow?” she countered, thinking how that stubble would scrape against her skin.
“Well,” he gave a short laugh, returning his attention to the road. “You’re either sharper than I gave you credit for, or you’re damned lucky.”
Marina shrugged, pleased that her guess had been confirmed. “I notice things.”
“It’s been almost five years,” he told her, his voice nonchalant. “Just before she transferred to Chicago. Haven’t seen her since. So how about Bruce? “
“He’s married.”
“I saw the ring. But I also saw the way he looked at you.” He jabbed a finger in the air. “I notice things too.”
“Like I said, he’s married. Looks don’t mean a thing.” She turned to look out the window, effectively ending the conversation, suddenly feeling as vast and lonely as the flat lands that stretched alongside the highway.
They stopped only for lunch, eating beef-and-gravy-laden pasties which Gabe, who was from West Virginia, had never had before, and then continued their journey. Between the map and the directions printed on the sheet of paper, they easily found their way to ….
“This is it?” Gabe turned to stare at Marina, his hands poised on the wheel as if ready to yank it into a turn-about. His weapon rested in his lap, slipping into the space between his jeans-clad thighs.