Page 10 of The Art of You

Her shoulders sloped forward, and she couldn’t shake free the worry creases around her eyes. “Of course.”

I let her lie go for now since we had a mission to complete. One problem at a time. I was still working hard to dial down my heart rate after the confrontation with Kit. Her name hadn’t been on the guest list the last I’d checked it out.

“Got her in your sights?” Constantine asked once we’d entered the foyer.

“We do,” Bella answered, which meant she’d already unmuted her comm.

The “her” in question was Carla Aldana, the Spanish ambassador to the United States, and the reason we were here tonight.

Carla’s daughter had been kidnapped from her dorm at Sarah Lawrence College a few nights ago. In typical fashion, the abductors demanded Carla not reach out to the Feds or her daughter would die. So, here we were.

Bella and I lingered by the two sweeping marble staircases, waiting for our cue from the ambassador. Knowing Constantine wouldn’t be the only one with eyes on us, we had to play this out just right or things might go bust for Alessandro and Enzo’s part of the op tonight.

Rafael, the ambassador’s head of security, brought his wrist to his mouth and began discreetly talking into his mic. His eyes cut across the foyer, and he gave me a light nod of recognition.

I gently squeezed Bella’s arm. “Ready?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Not exactly a confident answer from her. Damn Kit for being there.

I took a second to check in with Constantine and asked, “How are things looking for Alpha Team?”

“Three minutes out from moving on target,” Constantine said, which meant Alessandro and Enzo had located where the ambassador’s daughter was being held. “Buy the guys some time. They’ll be fast-roping in soon.”

“Roger,” I confirmed in a low voice as Rafael approached.

The Spaniard opened his palm. “SeñoraAldana requests a word with you two in the library.”

“We’d be honored to speak with the ambassador. My father should be arriving soon as well.” Those last words were meant for the eavesdroppers at my left, anxious to put eyes on my dad since it was his party after all, and he was still MIA.

I took Bella’s hand in my own, suddenly uneasy at the fact I was unarmed even though I knew going into the night that’d be the case. My Glock was currently a useless piece of polymer and steel in a lockbox in the Porsche’s trunk.

Three doors down, we joined the ambassador in the library as prearranged. We’d already done our own background checks on everyone attending the party, including the ambassador’s people. I should’ve been comforted by the vetting and the fact that my father’s security team had thoroughly swept the placebefore the start of the party, but I wasn’t about to let my guard down.

Carla gestured to Rafael to close the double doors, and once he did, her other two security detail protectively flanked her sides.

I avoided looking up at the security camera in the corner of the room, doing my best to act ignorant to the fact it was there, and that we were presumably also being watched by the assholes who took the ambo’s daughter.

“Quite clever of the FBI to come to you for help, Mister Ashford, but it was unnecessary.” Carla’s green eyes were sharp on me as if we were the only people in the room. “However, I do hope you start coming to more of your father’s events to support him. I’m sure he’d like that.”

Well, that low blow hadn’t been part of the rehearsal, but props to her for keeping up with the act of a passive-aggressive diplomat. “Oh, I’m sure he would. But tonight, I’m here for you, not him.”

Carla’s gaze moved to where I held Bella’s hand. “Well, as my government told the Bureau when they reached out, my daughter was not taken.” Eyes back on me, she continued, “Her roommate was confused and should not have called the police. My men picked her up from campus and escorted her to our embassy in D.C.” She opened her palms. “Would I be at a party if Lola had been abducted?” She was quite the actress, managing to put on a show for the cameras while knowing her daughter was in danger.

“You would be if her kidnappers told you not to seek assistance from the Feds. To act like business as usual,” I cut straight to it. “This party has been on your schedule for months. You were already in New York visiting from D.C. when Lola was taken, and they more than likely threatened to kill her if you were to change anything.” That was the truth.Now time for some acting myself. “They probably also told you that as long as you pay the ransom, and don’t bring in the Feds, they’ll let your daughter go. My guess is the exchange is taking place tonight, somewhere nearby.” I released Bella’s hand and shifted up my jacket sleeve, checking the time on my watch. 23:28. “Criminals are excellent at keeping their word, so I can see why you’d trust them.”

“And hypothetically speaking, let’s say you’re right about everything,” Carla said as I adjusted my jacket sleeve back in place, her accent thicker that time. “You don’t think these alleged kidnappers would believe the FBI would truly stand down even if a diplomat ordered them to, now do you? Wouldn’t they suspect you’re a plant by the Bureau?” She went to the desk and set her back to it, locking her eyes on me and her arms over her gold dress. Her security entourage followed her over. “Wouldn’t they believe your last-minute attendance tonight is to try and thwart their efforts? They’ll assume the Feds are close to the party, waiting so they can catch them once I have my daughter back.”

“One minute,” Constantine shared, letting me know I needed to buy Alessandro and Enzo sixty more seconds.

“You know they’ll never let your daughter go, right? You’ll pay them, and they’ll either want more from you, or they’ll go ahead and kill her.” My words had Carla blinking her focus all the way down to her heels. This may have been a charade to stall and buy my guys time, but my words were still the truth, and she was clearly doing her damnedest to keep herself together given the circumstances.

“Fortunately, as I told the FBI and you tonight, my daughter is safe at the embassy.” She heaved out a deep breath, then stood tall without leaning against the desk for support.

“Right.” I scanned the faces of the three men who had her six tonight. “So, you’re saying I really did come to this party fornothing. And no ransom drop-off is happening near here.” Well, it wasn’t actually, but I needed the kidnappers to believe I thought that.

“Your being here doesn’t have to be considered a waste of time.” She shot me a polished diplomatic smile, then nodded at Bella. “You’re here with a beautiful woman, might as well enjoy your time together. Have a drink. A dance?”

Bella looped her arm around mine, remaining quiet, but I knew her heart had to be racing as we waited for good news over comms.

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