Page 57 of One Last Stand

“What branch?” This from York.

“Army. Tenth Mountain Division. I was a medic.”

“And now you work in Alaska with Delaney,” Sofia said. “Small world.”

Very small. He nodded.

“Well, we’re glad to see you. When Delaney called and said she wanted to visit, we had no idea she was bringing an entourage.” Sofia wiped her mouth, set her napkin on her plate. “How did you meet York?”

“Work friends,” York said.

“Really,” Mitch said.

“Actually, I need to access the crypto wallet I set up last time I was here,” London said. “I lost my bio card.”

“You need to submit a request at least twenty-four hours in advance to even make an appointment, and then it takes a few days to get the new card,” said Sofia. “I can ask my secretary to assist you.”

“How did you lose your bio card?”

“It went into a river.” She had finished her food, now took a drink of water.

Silence.

“It’s a long story,” said Shep. He still couldn’t figure out why she’d chased him, but the plunge into the river had meant bye-bye, bio card.

“And that other man you brought with you? The one in handcuffs?”

“He’s with me, Mother. He is . . . let’s call him a courier.”

Her mother cast a look at Shep, then back to her. “I thought you were working in Alaska. You’re not still doing translation work for that international security group, are you?”

Shep glanced at Sofia, then to London, who made a face. “No, Mother. I still live in Anchorage—part of Air One Rescue. But York had a plane headed this way, so I hopped a ride. And Tomas is with him.”

Wow,she lied so well, so easily—it sent a cold thread through Shep. Although, if you broke apart the facts, then yes, that seemed mostly accurate. So a lie made up of truths.

“He’s secured in guest quarters upstairs,” York said.

“I’ll have the staff bring him some food.” Sofia gestured to the nearby attendant and spoke again in Italian.

A knock, and a woman entered. “Madam Ambassador, the Minister of Arts is here for your two o’clock appointment.”

“Very good.” Sofia got up. “I’m helping King Maximillian with some seating arrangements for the gala. I’ll be back. In the meantime, Louis will show you to your guest quarters.” She put her hand on London’s shoulder, bent down, and air-kissed her cheek. “I’m so delighted you’re here.”

Then she left the room.

“I think I’ll take that food to Tomas,” said York and also got up.

“I seriously hope I get the blue room,” said London, and winked at Shep. “It has a view of the palace.”

Her father laughed. “Delaney always wanted to be a princess. The problem of growing up on the edge of power. You see the elegance and even live it, but you’re not ever quite royal.” He pushed out his chair. “Let me show you your rooms.”

Shep followed him and London from the room, down the hallway, and up a set of stairs with a wide stone railing, two flights to a private residence. A wide hallway, set in parquet wood, with pictures of the ambassador and her husband with dignitaries hung from the walls. They passed a magnificent sitting area with creamy-white velvet sofas and a picture-window view of the palace, and then Mitch opened a door on that same side. “The blue room, princess.”

London stuck her head in. “Perfect.” Over her shoulder, Shep spotted her sad and lonely backpack, the sum of her belongings after fleeing for her life, sitting on the wide king-size canopy bed. A curved, tufted white sofa sat in front of a hearth, and light streamed in the high leaded windows onto a round writing table with chairs.

“And Shep, you’re across the hall.” Mitch opened up Shep’s room, and he found his view of the city, the cobblestone courtyard, the red-roofed houses, the mountains looming large and imposing in the distance. Also a king-size bed, his duffel bag a lump in the middle, the frame of the bed in dark walnut with spires at the four corners, and a dark-green brocade cover. Leather cigar chairs were parked in front of a similar hearth, and a heavy walnut wardrobe stood against one wall. “It’s said that this was where King Aleksandar was kept under house arrest during the occupation of the Germans in the First World War. It’s where he decided that, from then on, they would be a neutral nation.”

“I saw quite a few guards at the airport.”

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