Page 31 of The Spy Who Ghosted Me

“Oh.” She grabbed her chest. “That was harsh.”

I stood and walked over to her. “I don’t mean to be, but this is serious business. Let me show you why I’m here.” I sat next to her on the bed and she scooted farther away from me. Not that I blamed her—it surprised me she hadn’t run out screaming yet. I held up the tablet. “Are you ready?”

“No, but show me anyway.”

I clicked on a folder icon, and several images popped up. I enlarged the first one and pointed. “These photos were taken over two years ago.”

“Who took them?” Sabrina was curious.

I gave her a pressed-lip smile. “I can’t disclose that.”

“Sure.” She rolled her eyes.

“Sabrina, you can’t tell anyone what I’m showing you. If anyone ever found out, it would spell trouble for you and me.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “What kind of trouble?”

“I’d rather not say.”

“Is it one of those ‘if I told you, I’d have to kill you’ scenarios?”

“I would never hurt you.”

“You didn’t answer the question. And for the record, you have hurt me.” She didn’t sugarcoat it.

“I know,” I admitted and moved on. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to change that. “Do you see Izan here?” While he looked different now, there was enough resemblance to his former self to be recognizable.

She leaned closer and studied the photo. “Where is he, and who are those men he’s talking to?”

“That’s a band of mercenaries in Cote d'Ivoire.” I clicked on the next picture. “You see the woman by his side? That was his wife, Isla.”

“His wife? He was married?”

“Yes. His first wife was a doctor like him. They are both from Spain and worked for an organization similar to Doctors Without Borders. Sadly, they abused their position of trust and used it to intercept a large shipment of blood diamonds intended for a terrorist cell in South Asia.”

“Why?”

“Greed, I’m sure. Those diamonds are worth millions upon millions. You just have to find the right buyer.”

“Where’s his wife now?” Sabrina asked.

“She’s dead,” I said as delicately as possible. “To save the diamonds and his own skin, Izan left his wife behind, and those mercenaries ... well, let’s just say they don’t mind getting blood on their hands.”

Sabrina gasped before her hand flew to cover her mouth. “He didn’t try to save her at all?” she mumbled through her fingers.

“As far as we know, he left her for dead.”

“That’s awful. Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t.”

“My sister can’t marry him. You need to arrest him or take him out or whatever you do. I can’t even believe I’m saying this.” She popped off the bed. “Do you have, like, a badge or something I can see?”

“I’m not the FBI, Sabrina. But think about it. The photos you took of me disappeared because my handler made them disappear.”

Her eyes widened. “You can access my phone?”

I nodded.

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