Page 115 of Sinner's Salvation

“That’s a fair description,” he said. “What do you want?”

She looked at Evan and the question on her face made his heart beat a little faster. He reached out and put a hand on her thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

The vulnerability faded from her eyes as she turned to Marek. “I want Evan.”

That made Marek’s eyebrows rise. “For how long?”

She looked at Evan, and this time her eyes were warm. “How about forever?”

“I’m only human,” he said, unable to keep the smile off his face and the love out of his voice. “Forever isn’t as long as you think.”

Her smile grew wider. “I don’t care.” After a moment, she looked away, back at Taft. “Something needs to be done with Ledger. He’s determined to prove I’m...different. He took two members of my family from the hotel. He may also try to kidnap Brian Stettler again.”

“The twins are supposed to be flown out of Teterboro Airport, and soon,” Evan said.

Taft looked surprised. “We’re handling all that now, but we only found out about it shortly before you got here. How did you find out so fast?”

“From a whole bunch of little old ladies,” Evan answered.

“You were seen in the company of a bunch of older Chinese tourists. Are you saying you were working with them? Are they like you?”

“Nothing so formal or planned, and they’re normal people,” Anna said. “I know some of them from my diplomatic work. I’d done them a favor and they wanted to return it. They were at the right place at the right time.”

“I see,” Taft said. But he didn’t sound entirely sure. “Any chance they might be willing to talk to me about what’s going on in China?”

Anna smiled. “Do you speak Mandarin, Mr. Taft?”

“No, but I have friends who do.”

“I would be pleased to introduce you and your friends to some of my friends over tea and cheesecake. They absolutely adore New York cheesecake.”

Taft nodded, as a wistful smile crossed his face. “Sounds delightful.”

Evan had to cough to cover up his chuckle. Those little old ladies were going to run him ragged.

“Okay, next question,” Taft said. “Where would you like to go next? Somewhere we can meet.”

“At my nephew’s hotel,” she said.

“Not the Slovenian embassy?”

“No. The Ambassador would not appreciate all the suspicious people coming in and out of his kingdom.”

“No problem,” Taft said. “Hotels work great.”

“I spend most of my time in Slovenia and traveling for my work, however.”

“Even better,” Taft said, with a grin.

Anna turned her gaze on Marek. “What do you need from me, Major?”

He glanced at Evan before answering her question. “I’d like to keep Evan in uniform and visible when you’re out in public.”

She tilted her head to one side. “An odd request for someone who usually keeps out of any spotlight.”

Marek leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Ledger is not going down quietly. I want Evan visible and in your inner orbit to remind anyone from the FBI, Homeland, local law enforcement, whoever that you’re operating under some federal American oversight.”

“A fact my government will not appreciate.”

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