you?”
“He sent me.”
“How was it?”
“As heady as drinking straight whiskey. As scary as walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon. He knew exactly what he was doing and swept us along with him. I was only twenty-three and he was larger than life. I was almost as dazzled as the rest of the team when I was around him.”
“But you got over it.”
“Oh, I got over it.” She couldn’t wait any longer. She was getting Frankie away from Kilmer. “I’ll go get Frankie.” She headed for the stable door. “Stay here and I’ll bring her out to say good-bye.”
“Don’t be in such a hurry. They’re going to have to pry me away from the two of you.”
“You have a job, Robert. Don’t risk it. I understand.” She added ruefully over her shoulder, “When I’m not mad as hell.”
She heard Frankie’s voice as soon as she entered the stable. “Darling is really my favorite. It doesn’t seem fair to have favorites, but Charlie gave Darling to me, and Mom says that some horses have a special understanding.”
“I’m sure she’s right,” Kilmer said. “She knows a good deal about horses. He’s certainly handsome.”
“I like palominos. Darling reminds me of Roy Rogers’s horse, Trigger. Did you know that Trigger knew fifty tricks?”
“No. I heard he was smart but that’s amazing.”
Grace was close enough now to see Kilmer and Frankie in Darling’s stall. Frankie’s expression was animated as she looked up at Kilmer, and Kilmer was smiling at her. It was a wonder that Kilmer had been able to stir Frankie out of her depression, if only for the moment.
“Frankie.”
Frankie nodded as she glanced at Grace. “Just finishing, Mom. I had to help Mr. Kilmer. He didn’t know where anything was.”
“Jake,” he told Frankie. “We can’t shovel manure together and still be on formal terms.”
She smiled. “I guess not.”
“Robert is waiting for you, Frankie,” Grace said. “He’d like to say good-bye.”
Frankie’s face fell. “That’s right. We’ll have to leave Robert. I didn’t think about that.”
“He’s just as sad as you are, Frankie. It’s not forever. Good friends stay good friends.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She wiped her hands on the towel draped over the door of the stall. “It’s just that everyone seems to be . . . going.” She didn’t wait for an answer but ran down the aisle toward the door.
Grace gazed after her. “Dammit to hell.”
“They’re not assigning Blockman to you again?” Kilmer asked. “Can you request him?”
“No.”
Kilmer’s gaze was narrowed on her face. “Why not?”
She was silent.
“Why not?”
“Because I told North and Crane to go to hell.”
“Interesting.” He was perfectly still, but she could feel the storm beneath the calm. “May I ask why?”
“Crane wanted to play goat and tiger with me and Frankie as the price for continuing protection. I told him to stuff it.”
He was silent. “I believe I may have to pay a visit to Crane at the earliest opportunity.” He added, “Though his stupidity may work to my advantage if it drives you toward me. Does it?”
“No.”
“Tell me that after you’ve had time to consider all the consequences.” He turned and headed for the door. “I’ll leave Dillon here to play night watchman and horse sitter until Baker’s people take over in the morning. Are you going back to the motel?”
“For tonight.” She gave Darling a final pat and followed him. “After that I’m gone. As soon as I firm up a plan, I’ll go to the bank and take out money. You said I had a couple days. Does that still hold?”
“As far as I know. Donavan is keeping his finger on Marvot’s pulse at El Tariq and I’ll have notice.” He paused. “I already have a plan, Grace. And I have a good team to protect you.”
“Robert said you weren’t with the CIA any longer.”
“You know half my people weren’t CIA even when you were with me. It wasn’t difficult to replace the
“He sent me.”
“How was it?”
“As heady as drinking straight whiskey. As scary as walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon. He knew exactly what he was doing and swept us along with him. I was only twenty-three and he was larger than life. I was almost as dazzled as the rest of the team when I was around him.”
“But you got over it.”
“Oh, I got over it.” She couldn’t wait any longer. She was getting Frankie away from Kilmer. “I’ll go get Frankie.” She headed for the stable door. “Stay here and I’ll bring her out to say good-bye.”
“Don’t be in such a hurry. They’re going to have to pry me away from the two of you.”
“You have a job, Robert. Don’t risk it. I understand.” She added ruefully over her shoulder, “When I’m not mad as hell.”
She heard Frankie’s voice as soon as she entered the stable. “Darling is really my favorite. It doesn’t seem fair to have favorites, but Charlie gave Darling to me, and Mom says that some horses have a special understanding.”
“I’m sure she’s right,” Kilmer said. “She knows a good deal about horses. He’s certainly handsome.”
“I like palominos. Darling reminds me of Roy Rogers’s horse, Trigger. Did you know that Trigger knew fifty tricks?”
“No. I heard he was smart but that’s amazing.”
Grace was close enough now to see Kilmer and Frankie in Darling’s stall. Frankie’s expression was animated as she looked up at Kilmer, and Kilmer was smiling at her. It was a wonder that Kilmer had been able to stir Frankie out of her depression, if only for the moment.
“Frankie.”
Frankie nodded as she glanced at Grace. “Just finishing, Mom. I had to help Mr. Kilmer. He didn’t know where anything was.”
“Jake,” he told Frankie. “We can’t shovel manure together and still be on formal terms.”
She smiled. “I guess not.”
“Robert is waiting for you, Frankie,” Grace said. “He’d like to say good-bye.”
Frankie’s face fell. “That’s right. We’ll have to leave Robert. I didn’t think about that.”
“He’s just as sad as you are, Frankie. It’s not forever. Good friends stay good friends.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She wiped her hands on the towel draped over the door of the stall. “It’s just that everyone seems to be . . . going.” She didn’t wait for an answer but ran down the aisle toward the door.
Grace gazed after her. “Dammit to hell.”
“They’re not assigning Blockman to you again?” Kilmer asked. “Can you request him?”
“No.”
Kilmer’s gaze was narrowed on her face. “Why not?”
She was silent.
“Why not?”
“Because I told North and Crane to go to hell.”
“Interesting.” He was perfectly still, but she could feel the storm beneath the calm. “May I ask why?”
“Crane wanted to play goat and tiger with me and Frankie as the price for continuing protection. I told him to stuff it.”
He was silent. “I believe I may have to pay a visit to Crane at the earliest opportunity.” He added, “Though his stupidity may work to my advantage if it drives you toward me. Does it?”
“No.”
“Tell me that after you’ve had time to consider all the consequences.” He turned and headed for the door. “I’ll leave Dillon here to play night watchman and horse sitter until Baker’s people take over in the morning. Are you going back to the motel?”
“For tonight.” She gave Darling a final pat and followed him. “After that I’m gone. As soon as I firm up a plan, I’ll go to the bank and take out money. You said I had a couple days. Does that still hold?”
“As far as I know. Donavan is keeping his finger on Marvot’s pulse at El Tariq and I’ll have notice.” He paused. “I already have a plan, Grace. And I have a good team to protect you.”
“Robert said you weren’t with the CIA any longer.”
“You know half my people weren’t CIA even when you were with me. It wasn’t difficult to replace the
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