Page 56 of Stripped

Chapter 27

Pim fingered the stack of new clothing. Designer jeans, sweaters, pajamas, underclothes, all in her size, all with the tags on, sat on the bed. She went to one of the dressers, and opening the drawer, she found one of Wraith's t-shirts instead, slipping it over her head. She walked around the room. It was not unlike his place in Glasgow, beautifully furnished but zero personal items. Nothing that spoke to the life he had lived or who he was. She sat down on the bed and picked up the phone, turning it on. The screen lit up, a brand new I-phone. Under contacts, were Gabriel's, Wraith's and Peter Brindy's numbers. Master of reading minds, apparently. She looked at the time, two-thirty, too late to call Peter. She would try him in the morning.

Still unsettled and curious with the sterility of the place, she opened the drawer on the nightstand. Inside, she found two books and a small box. Reaching for the box, she removed the lid. Inside, was a Victoria Cross Medal. She flipped the medal over. Inscribed on the back, were the words, Captain Robert McFadden, Royal Office, killed in the line of duty protecting his country. Underneath, someone had added an additional inscription, My Protector.

She picked up one of the books, Political Murder, From Tyrannicide to Terrorism, and put it back, her heart beginning to pound. Not exactly peaceful bedtime reading. The second one, How to Kill, The Definitive History of the Assassin, was not much better. Assassin? I've killed men. It seemed like a lifetime ago since he'd said it to her, and at the time, she didn't think much of it. What exactly did her grandfather hire him to do?A clipping from a newspaper article fell out. It was a picture of the Duchess of Torridon. The headline read, Duchess mourns her PPO amidst rumors of a relationship. Her mind began to jump to various assumptions. What exactly did Wraith do for a living that was so secret? How was he connected to the Duchess and Robert McFadden? Why did he have no signs of a past? But in the end, it focused on only one. Why did Gabriel give her that warning about a relationship? All at once, she wanted to leave. She was not wanted here, that much she was sure of. A prickle of apprehension crept its way up the back of her neck, telling her to get out. She grabbed the phone and called Peter.

"Hello?" his voice, laced with sleep, answered.

"Peter. It's Pim."

"Pim," he said anxiously. "Where are you?"

"I'm not sure exactly. North of Edinburgh, off the A9. I need a place to go."

"I'm in Aberdeen at the Malmaison hotel. Come here, darling. Are you all right?"

She felt herself beginning to crack as tears flooded her eyes. "I'll be fine. I just need a place to go."

"I'll be waiting for you. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay. See you in a bit." She hung up and changed into a pair of jeans and a thick sweater, putting on the boots that were left for her. She looked for a paper and pen, to leave a note for Wraith, but then thought better of it. Best to walk away. She shut the door behind herself, navigating the endless dark hallways in the mansion, getting lost a few times before finding her way to the wing they'd entered through. It was then, she heard the footsteps behind her. She kept going, picking up her pace and exiting through the heavy door as it closed with a thud. She ran to Wraith's car and got in. The keys were still in the ignition where she'd left them, and as she started the engine, a knock on the window made her jump. Gabriel stood outside. She rolled it down part way.

"You won't get far without gas and money."

"I'll figure something out," she said, looking at the indicator. There was a quarter tank left. It was worth the risk.

"We haven't finished our conversation." He'd changed from his suit into pajamas and tightened the cloth belt of his robe around his waist.

"I have nothing to say. I don't remember anything else of importance."

"Not even on Viktor Sokolov? What he looks like? You're the only one who's seen him."

They didn't care about her, they only wanted her for information. In the end, she would gain nothing. She might even be disposable. "He looks old."

"Pim, come back inside. It's the middle of the night. I'm sure you're scared and tired. Let's get some rest, and we'll talk in the morning."

"You were right. The less I know about you and what it is you do, the better. If this week has taught me anything, it's that you never really know someone. Especially the people you love."

"What about Wraith?"

"Your message about Wraith was loud and clear." She put the car into reverse.

"Pim, please don't go."

"Fuck the hell off." She revved the engine, pushing in the clutch and releasing the brake. The car sped backward. She shifted into first and turned, peeling out as she drove off down the lane. The gate was closed ahead, and she slowed down. She looked in the rearview mirror, but thankfully, no one was following her. When she was close enough to the gate, it began to open, and she went through, her whole body shaking as adrenaline coursed through her blood. It was a while before she pulled over. She rolled down the window and threw the phone out, convinced it was being tracked. The car would be, also, but it was too soon to abandon it. She'd have to wait until she was closer to Aberdeen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She had no idea what she was doing. Bloody hell, now she would have Sokolov and Gabriel both looking for her. She glanced around for something to wipe her eyes with. Finding nothing, she opened the glove compartment. Wraith's wallet sat neatly tucked inside, next to a gun. She picked it up. The leather on it was rich and smooth. Inside, was his driving license, several credit cards, and over five hundred pounds. She checked the side slot, pulling out two more driving license cards. One belonging to Robert McInnes, the other to Robert McLeish, but both had Wraith's picture. There were also credit cards issued in the same names. She reached back in the glovebox and carefully moved the gun, finding matching passports to all his aliases. Her heart sank. She had been nothing but a fool, played from the very beginning.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean, she's gone?" Wraith asked, getting out of the hospital bed and putting on a pair of trousers.

"Calm down," Gabriel said.

"Do you know what that motherfucker did to her? He'll come after her."

"Neither of us know what he did to her, but I have a fair idea, and she's not gone far. She's in Aberdeen with Peter Brindy."

"That bastard's not any better." Why in bloody hell did she go running to him? She knowsbetter. Wraith tore the IV from his arm and pulled on his shirt, just as the door burst open.

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