Devious Minds (24 page)

“Tonight? Oh crap.”

“Oui. I must set a trap and catch him this time. I don’t want him to slip through my fingers and plant the bomb somewhere else before we can get to it. This will require special planning and must be kept secret. Can I count on you to help?”

“Yes. Of course. Whatever you need,” I answered.

“Good. It means you might need to come to the reception, but I need to devise a plan first. I’ll call you back.”

“All right,” I agreed. We said our goodbyes and disconnected.

“What’s going on?” Ramos asked.

I explained about the reception for the conference tonight at the palace. “That’s why the palace is a target.” I caught his gaze. “Gabriel wants my help tonight, probably at the reception. I told him I’d do whatever he needed.”

His lips turned down, and he let out a breath. “Then I’m coming with you.”

I sighed, then threw my arms around him. “Thanks Ramos. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He huffed out a breath. “Probably get killed.” I knew he was right. His arms tightened around me and, with a sigh of resignation, he pulled away. “Let’s go. We’ll head back as soon as he calls, but I want to drive around the city some more while we’ve got the bike.”

“Sounds good to me,” I agreed, trying to push away the feeling that this might be the last fun thing I ever did in my life. It was hard since that thought passed through Ramos’ mind too. “Hey... don’t worry,” I said, wanting to reassure him. “We’ll live another day, right?”

“Always,” he said.

***

We arrived back at Suzette’s place a couple of hours later. Gabriel still hadn’t called me back, so I was glad we’d spent the time sight-seeing. Still, I dreaded the night to come. After parking the bike, we hurried into the mansion. I didn’t know if Gabriel had told Suzette anything, but I thought she needed to know.

We found her in Blake’s room, laughing about old times. Blake sat up in bed, looking lots better than he did the day before. “Shelby. It’s good to see you. Suzette said she let you and Ramos take the Shadow. That’s pretty amazing if you ask me. I don’t think she’d ever let me take it out for a spin.”

Suzette was thinking,
you’re not Ramos,
and I burst out laughing because I was thinking that exact same thing. “Yeah,” I said, recovering my composure. “It was awesome.”

“So what’s going on?” Blake asked. “Suzette told me that you helped interrogate the terrorists they caught, and you discovered where they planned to plant the bomb. Have you heard from Gabriel?”

“Yes, haven’t you?” I directed this to Suzette. She was thinking she’d called him, but he’d only told her he’d call her back.

“What’s going on?” she asked, suddenly serious.

I explained that Cypher got away from them without planting the bomb. “But we know what his plan B is, because we found the building I saw in my premonitions.”

This drew a startled gasp from Suzette, then her face drained of color to hear it was the Luxembourg Palace, and there was a reception there tonight for the delegates. “Gabriel is coming up with a plan to catch Cypher tonight, and he wants me to help him.”

Blake shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

“Normally, I’d agree,” Suzette said, glancing at Blake. “But she might see something that no one else will. With her premonitions, she might be our best chance at stopping Cypher and the bomb.”

“Suzette’s right,” I agreed. “But let’s see what kind of plan Gabriel comes up with first.”

Blake glanced at Ramos. “You’ll go with her?”

“Of course,” he answered.

“I will too,” Suzette said.

Blake let out a breath. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this, Shelby. I never thought it would turn out this way.”

“Yeah, I get it. But just so you know, this is the last time I’m helping you, okay?”

“Sure, kid,” he smiled. “We’re even.”

“Ha. Not hardly. I think you owe me now, and I won’t let you forget it either.”

“Fine,” he agreed, thinking he’d already figured that out and was working on it.

The doorbell rang before I could pick up more. Suzette hoped the person at the door was Gabriel, since he was one of the few people who knew her gate combination. Still, she felt for the gun at her waist under her sweater just to be safe. “I’ll be right back,” she said.

Ramos and I followed her to the hall where we watched her open the door. Sure enough, Gabriel stood there with his head down and shoulders hunched. She beckoned him inside, and he looked even more haggard than he did this morning, with dark circles under his eyes and his hair sticking up in a few places. He glanced down the hallway and started toward us.

“You didn’t sleep at all last night, did you?” Suzette asked him.

“No. There was no time. That is one of the reasons I am here. I have been ordered to sleep for two hours, but then I must go back. I thought I would fill you in first, and then rest here. Is this possible?”

“Of course,” she answered. “Come into Blake’s room and tell us your plan.”

“Merci,” he said, joining us inside. He glanced at Blake and nodded. “You look better, my friend.”

“I think I’ll live,” Blake answered. “Now tell us what’s going on. Shelby filled us in on the reception tonight. Now that you know there’s a threat, what are you going to do?”

“It is still going on as planned,” Gabriel answered. “But with the addition of my people standing in for the dignitaries. Also, the presidents of the countries participating will be ‘late,’ so to speak. They will leave for the palace, in case anyone is watching, but will be taken to an undisclosed location, while we run the operation.

“It is the only way to continue the charade, capture Cypher, and stop the bomb. None of the service people or staff will know what is going on. I hate to do this, but it is necessary to keep anyone associated with Cypher’s group from knowing our plans.

“This is where I need to ask a favor from all of you. I will be in the surveillance room monitoring the operation. Since Shelby is the only one who has seen him, I’m hoping that even if he is in a disguise, she will be able to spot him and alert me. Can you do this?”

“Sure,” I agreed, even though my stomach twisted with apprehension.

“If both Suzette and Ramos are there with you,” he added. “I am confident you will be well protected, but it will also put all of you at risk.”

“If she’s going, I’m going,” Ramos said.

“As am I,” Suzette added. “We’ll need guns and earpieces, just like your people. And they need to know we’re involved as well.”

“Oui, I have already convinced them that you are needed.” He was thinking that not everyone had liked it, but we didn’t need to know that. “Now, while you prepare, I would like to get some rest.”

“Sure,” Suzette agreed. “The room you normally use is available.”

“Merci, ma chère. Please wake me in two hours.”

“Of course. I’ll take you up to your room and make sure you’re settled in.” As they left, she asked if there was anything else he needed, like food or a glass of wine. I picked up his relief to have someone looking after him, which was one of the main reasons he’d come to Suzette in the first place. Their friendship ran deep, and he knew he could count on her, and she felt the same way.

“I wish I was coming with you,” Blake said, drawing me back to the room. His frustration that he was stuck in bed, and too weak to help, came through loud and clear. He glanced at Ramos. “I know Manetto would never forgive me if anything happened to Shelby, so make sure you keep her safe, but... if you can, do us all a favor and catch the bastard. Alive would be nice, but I don’t mind if he’s dead either.”

“Yes sir,” Ramos answered. “I’ll do whatever it takes to end this.”

“Good man,” Blake said, letting out a breath and closing his eyes. “I’m suddenly quite tired. Must be all the pain medication.”

“Get some rest,” I said, patting his arm.

“Come see me when it’s over. I want to know... what happens.”

“Sure thing,” I agreed.

We left his room, shutting the door softly behind us. Ramos was thinking that being involved in an op like this was something right out of a spy movie. Luckily, it wasn’t too different from his regular job. Even better, he looked forward to shooting someone without the worry of getting arrested for it. That was a nice twist he could totally get behind.

“Uh... I need a diet soda,” I said, not wanting to hear more. “How about you?”

Ramos smirked, knowing exactly what I was doing. “Sure. We could get some lunch too, since it’s nearly three in the afternoon.”

“Yeah, sure.” The way my stomach felt, I didn’t think I could eat anything. But maybe I’d change my mind if I saw something that looked good.

In the kitchen, I found a bottle of diet soda in the fridge, and got out a glass with some ice. Ramos found some leftover chicken niciose and got out a plate. “You want some?” he asked me.

“No, you go ahead. I’ll just grab a roll or something.”

We sat at the kitchen table to eat, and I buttered my roll and added a spoonful of strawberry jam. After the first bite, I found my appetite had returned and began to enjoy it.

“I talked to Manetto,” Ramos began. “I have to head back to the states as soon as this is over. We’re still not done with that other matter, and I need to be there. I’ll probably leave tomorrow. You can come with me, if you’d like.”

“Oh yeah? You mean that out-of-town thing you were doing? What’s that all about anyway?”

His brows lifted. “You really want to know?”

“Um... maybe not.” But I picked up that it had something to do with an employee. “Who’s Zack?”

Ramos shook his head. “I thought you didn’t want to know. But since you heard... Zack’s the guy who was behind the explosion on the Passinis’ yacht. Now do you remember him?”

“Oh yeah... so you didn’t kill him... I mean... he’s still alive?”

“Yes, but he’s in some trouble, and it’s not over yet.” Ramos was thinking that Manetto might ask for my help, especially since he’d sent Ramos to Paris, then his gaze caught mine. “Uh... you just heard that, right?” I nodded, and Ramos shook his head. “Look, if you don’t want to get involved, I’ll see what I can do.”

“It’s not that,” I said. “Chris might come to Paris if he can get some time off. He just made partner at his law firm, so I don’t know for sure. But if he’s not coming, I guess I could leave tomorrow.” I sighed, unable to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

“No.” Ramos shook his head. “You should stay... I can see that you’re not ready to leave Paris yet. If he doesn’t come, I’m sure Suzette would be happy to put you up for a couple more days, and if Manetto still needs you, he can wait.”

“You think so? I mean... I owe Uncle Joey big time for sending you here.”

“That’s true. But look at it this way. I’m sure you’ll have lots of opportunities to pay him back. After this little escapade, it will probably take you the rest of your life, so what’s a few more days, right?”

I chuckled. “Well... you certainly put that in perspective for me.”

“Glad to help.”

We shared a smile, and my heart warmed. Ramos may be a hitman and a mob-boss’ second in command, but he was also my friend, and I’d never take that for granted.

“Oh, there you are,” Suzette said, coming into the kitchen. “We need to makes plans for tonight. It looks like it’s a formal affair, so you’ll both need appropriate clothing. I’ve got several evening gowns that I think should fit you, Shelby, since we’re close to the same size, but Ramos is another matter. I’ll have to call a rental place and get a tuxedo delivered.”

To Ramos’ chagrin, she found a tape measure in a kitchen drawer, and proceeded to measure his chest, arms, and shoulders even though he told her the jacket size he normally wore. She even measured his waist and pant length, explaining that she wanted to make sure the measurements were right since things were in meters here.

But I also caught that she enjoyed being close to him and bossing him around. I couldn’t really blame her for that, since I liked to do it as well. I sighed. It was hardly fair that he was such a woman-magnet without even trying. Once she got done, she made the call to have the tux delivered ASAP.

Next, she took me to her bedroom, and I tried to keep my jaw from dropping. Her room was like a mini-apartment, with a sitting room and everything. Even the walk-in closet was huge and filled with all kinds of designer clothing.

She took several dresses out and held them up to me before picking three that she liked best. “We’ll start with these.” She hung them up on a stand and waited in her sitting room while I tried them on. “Come out when you’re done so I can see how they look.”

They were all lovely, but glancing in the mirror while wearing the lemon chiffon, halter-top dress caught my breath. “You look stunning in that color,” Suzette said. “And the dress fits better through the waist.” She was thinking she’d only worn that dress once about fifteen years ago, so it was a little smaller than the others, but perfect for me. It was also a classic pattern that never went out of style. “You’re lucky it’s spring, or that color wouldn’t work.”

I could only nod my agreement before she continued. “I’m sure I’ve got some matching shoes somewhere.” She opened a door at the back of the closet to reveal a small room lined with shoes, each placed in separate shoe holders. “Here they are,” she said, pulling some dainty yellow pumps with an open toe out of a holder.