Page 12 of Shadow of Doubt

“I think I’ve got alittleidea.”

She flashed her megawatt, million-dollar smile that he loved so much, and for the moment, nothing else mattered.

“Bedroom or living room?” he asked, holding up the bottle of Krug.

“Neither, I’m afraid.”

“Balcony?” he pressed, seductively raising an eyebrow.

Sølvi laughed. “For now,refrigerator.But later…” Her voice trailed off as she leaned in and gave him another kiss.

“So you’re not staying.”

“I wish I could, but I have to get back to the Woods.”

The Norwegian Intelligence Service was located just outside the city center, on a lake, surrounded by heavy forest. The nickname for their headquarters had practically created itself.

“Maybe dinner?” he asked.

“I’d love that,” she replied, kissing him again. “And you can tell me all about what happened on your flight. And in Ukraine. And everywhere else you’ve been since we last saw each other.”

“I’d love that too,” he said.

But there remained an item they needed to discuss. Something hewasn’t content to let wait. Holding up his phone and pressing his index finger against his lips, he motioned for her not to speak.

She didn’t know what he was up to, but nodded in response. When he held out his hand for her phone, she pulled it from her pocket and gave it to him.

“I brought you something from my trip,” he continued as he opened the fridge and quietly put both phones inside. “It’s in my suitcase.”

Once he had closed the fridge door, he activated the dishwasher and then led her back to the master bath. Closing that door behind them, he turned on the shower and pulled her close.

“Scot,” she began in protest, “I’ve missed you too,tons,but they’re expecting me back at the—”

He pressed his lips up against her left ear and whispered, “When was the last time you had the apartment swept for bugs?”

“A couple of weeks ago,” she whispered back. “Why?”

“The CIA knows about your Russian defector. They know it’s Leonid Grechko.”

“How?” Sølvi asked, stunned. “I didn’t even tellyouwho it was.”

“I don’t know. Holidae wouldn’t reveal her source.”

“So this comes from Oslo station.”

Harvath nodded. “She met me at the airport and drove me straight to the embassy to discuss it.”

“Does the CIA have my apartment bugged?”

“I asked her and Holidae said no, but…” This time, it was his voice that trailed off.

“But what?”

He took a deep breath before responding. “You can’t trust her.”

Sølvi didn’t understand. “She’s going to be at our wedding. She’s your colleague, Scot. And my friend. What do you mean I can’t trust her?”

It was the moment of truth. He was about to cross the Rubicon. And once he did, there’d be no crossing back.

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