Page 12 of Covert Affairs

“We’re going to check on the new site,” Beatrice told him. “Care to ride along?”

“I wish.” He kissed the child’s head. “I’m due at the Justice Department in an hour to speak to—” He glanced at Vivi. “Anyway, I can’t, but I wanted to see if we were still on for dinner. I don’t leave for…” Another look at Vivi before he reined in what must have been classified details. “You know, until 0800 hours.”

Beatrice kissed him. “Of course.”

He raspberried Sloane’s cheek, making her giggle before he put her down. “See you tonight.”

They said their goodbyes, Maggie leaving with Cal. Beatrice gathered her phone and purse before taking the child’s hand. “Shall we?”

Vivi swallowed the dryness in her mouth. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’ll stay here and we can speak later.”

“You’re safe. You need to get out and get some fresh air. I want to show you my latest project. I’m hoping you’ll play a role in it.”

Challenge flashed in her eyes. Vivi silently cursed. This was why she didn’t like owing anyone a debt—they could call it in at any moment, leaving you off-balance.

But what else did she have to do? In three days, when she wasn’t puking after gorging on food, and since she couldn’t get any sleep, she’d already read through half the books in the library. While her self-inflicted confinement was certainly better than a prison cell, she was growing bored. She’d even agreed to a game of Chinese checkers with a woman in the cafeteria earlier. Sabrina, the lab supervisor. Flamboyant red hair and a sapphire blue jumpsuit, she’d had a light, airy humor about her, even in the heat of their game.

Such a simple thing, yet Vivi had forgotten her problems for a few minutes while she strategized getting her green marbles across the board. It had been…freeing. No guilt or shame. No clawing memories or fear of the future. Sabrina had made her promise a rematch after Vivi had won, and she found she was looking forward to it. She followed Beatrice into the hall. “How long will we be gone?”

“You have something pressing to get back to?” Beatrice pressed the down button.

Smartass. “Am I dressed appropriately?”

The woman looked over her jeans and T-shirt. “You’ll fit right in.”

Downstairs, a slick, black, all-terrain vehicle pulled up at the rear exit. Tinted windows, and Vivi suspected bulletproof reinforced steel, surrounded them as they left and merged into traffic.

Vivi didn’t feel comfortable discussing her earlier concerns with the child and Ian in hearing range, so she asked questions, listening as Beatrice gave her the history of SFI, and then explained the significance of the new compound.

The girl did not fall asleep, fighting it with the willpower of a pit bull. Vivi had never seen herself as a mother until Ian had come along. Since her incarceration, that dream had died along with everything else. Now, she found herself entertained by the child. Sloane had her mother’s spunk, and Vivi found she rather liked her.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a gated entrance. Once through that, a sprawling acreage spread out around them, complete with buildings, a central parking area, and what appeared to be a lake in the distance. Nestled at the foot of a mountain range, the smell of evergreen trees invaded the car and Vivi breathed deeply.

Earth moving equipment and contractors crisscrossed the grounds, shouts and the engine sounds of revving motors filling the air. Ian had to navigate around building supplies and playground equipment yet to be installed.

“What is this place?” Vivi asked.

A warm smile tweaked the corners of Beatrice’s mouth. “Home,” she said.

Six

Beatrice gave Vivi a tour under Ian’s watchful eyes. Men and women in overalls were everywhere, a few he recognized from his regular visits here with Beatrice. While on his probationary period, he’d been her designated driver. The sound of hammers, saws, and shouted instructions filled the air, drowning out the birds in the woods as well as the lapping waves of the lake.

He tried not to stare at his wife, not to demand the answers he needed.

What I need is her.

He tried to scrub that thought from his brain, rubbing his knuckles over his short, terse hair. He didnotneed her, no matter what his heart kept demanding.

“The place was originally owned by an inventor in the seventies who sold multiple patents to the U.S. government,” Beatrice was telling Vivi as they walked slightly ahead of him. She pointed to a brick building on the right. “That housed the original offices. We’re remodeling them for professional services—medical, mental health, legal—for our employees.”

Ian didn’t miss the way Vivi’s attention flicked to Beatrice at the mention of mental health. He could tell her brain instantly realized one of the reasons why she’d been rescued. It was news to him, too.

This was a recruitment. “You have that many employees?” Vivi crossed her arms at Beatrice’s nod. “And who pays for those services?”

“We provide them free of charge. The combination of Rock Star Security and Shadow Force International is profitable, but many of our personnel are dealing with a host of issues when they come to us. They often need intervention before they are field ready.” Ignoring Vivi’s scrutiny, Beatrice continued on. Behind the older building loomed a three-story modern addition. Sunlight glinted off the windows. Beatrice pointed to it. “That section is being turned into living quarters. We have approximately fifty-six onsite employees who need housing. We have learned that they are happier and healthier if they don’t have to worry about finding a place to live or scrounging for meals.”

Vivi’s tone was light. Even so, her words had an edge to them. “It appears you’ve formed your own cult.”

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