Royal Secrets (25 page)

The ghost of a smile lingered on her lips as she remembered the boys’ excitement that morning about their impending adventure with Paolo. “I forgot about that.”

“I’ll have Patrice send you something up from the kitchen.”

Alora started to object, but then she considered how close she was to figuring everything out. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

Martino nodded and then turned and left her alone.

Alora stared down at the package on her desk for a moment, curiosity eating at her as she wondered what was inside. With a shake of her head, she set it aside and turned the monitor back on. She had work to do, and she didn’t have time to let her mind dwell on the man who was currently making her crazy.

She had prayed about him constantly for the past two days, but her answers were more confusing than her questions. Images of Stefano with her children, of them eating together like a family, continued to pop into her head with annoying frequency and only served to remind her how much she missed him. Too often she remembered the kisses they had shared and the sense of belonging she had found in his arms.

The muffled sound of a phone ringing broke into her thoughts. She looked over at the one on the corner of Stefano’s desk wondering why it sounded so weird. Then she realized the sound was coming from the other side of the desk. Her eyes narrowed as she realized it was originating from the package Martino had delivered.

She picked it up just as the ringing stopped. A few seconds later, the ringing started again. “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she muttered and ripped the wrapping paper away from the box and lifted the lid. Nestled inside was a cell phone.

Alora grabbed it and took a second to figure out which button to press to answer the phone. Then she lifted it up to her ear. “Hello?”

“Oh good. You got the phone.” Stefano’s voice came over the line.

Alora held the phone away from her ear long enough to look at it and take in the absurdity of the situation. “Why did you send me a cell phone?”

“Because you didn’t have one.”

“I don’t have a villa in the south of France either, but that certainly doesn’t mean you’d need to buy me one.”

“You needed a phone. Now you have a phone.” Before she could object, he changed the subject. “I was wondering if you finished your analysis of those financial reports.”

“Actually, I’m almost finished,” Alora said, trying not to be disappointed that he had only called her because of business.

“Did you find anything?”

She considered her earlier discovery and forced herself to give him the news. “I’m afraid so. Someone has hacked into your financial system.” She paused before adding, “Stefano, these charges were very deliberate, made in a way that it would be easy to overlook.”

“You’re saying someone was embezzling from our accounts?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I found several abnormalities, all with proper documentation if you don’t dig too deep below the surface. I still have a little work to do to trace who owns the accounts where the money finally landed.”

“How long will that take?”

“Not long. I should be done in another fifteen or twenty minutes.” She glanced at her watch to see that it was almost one thirty. “Do you want me to call you when I finish?”

“Actually, I’m going to be in meetings for the next couple hours.” Stefano hesitated and then asked, “Would it be possible for you to bring the results here to the palace? I think my father is going to want you to explain this to him personally, especially if our suspicions are correct in who is behind this.”

She wasn’t sure what to think about an invitation to meet the king, so she keyed in on the latter part of his comment. “You think you already know who is stealing from you?”

“We think so, but we’re not certain,” Stefano said without elaborating.

“I suppose I can drive over there tomorrow after breakfast, but I’d need to be back around dinnertime to spend time with the boys.”

“I’d prefer that you come tonight.” Before she could object, he added, “If I have Brenna help get the boys packed, you could be here in time for dinner.”

She blinked twice before she managed to decipher his words. “You want me to bring my children to the palace?”

“I don’t expect you to come without them,” Stefano said edgily. “Look, I know it’s a bit of an imposition, but this is more important than you realize. Besides, I can have Brenna come with you to help with the boys while you’re here. They wouldn’t have access to the beach, but we do have horses and a swimming pool.”

“I need to head over to the security office on base as soon as I finish this analysis.”

“You can swing by there on your way.”

“But I’ll have the boys with me.”

“Martino can make the arrangements so they can go on base with you.”

“I guess that would work if you really think it’s necessary—”

“I do,” Stefano interrupted before she could make any more excuses. “I’ll have Brenna get the boys ready for you so you can finish your analysis.”

Before she could accept or refuse his offer, the dial tone sounded in her ear. Her breath hissed out as she hit the end button on the phone and eyed the garbage can beside the desk. Sorely tempted to dispose of the
gift
Stefano had sent her, Alora held it out for a moment. Then with a shake of her head, she slipped it into her pocket and tried to push Stefano out of her mind.

Chapter 32

Stefano walked into his sitting room in the palace and dropped his briefcase on an end table. He could admit to himself that he had found a certain grim satisfaction that he had managed to keep things professional when he spoke to Alora on the phone.

He knew he could have had her simply courier the report to him and then talk him through the specifics on the phone before he briefed his father, but the simple fact was that he needed her here. He missed her more than he wanted to admit, and he still couldn’t quite put his finger on when everything had changed for him. Alora and her children had become important to him over the past month. Now he had to convince her that their relationship was one worth building upon.

He wondered for a moment what his parents would think of her, what they would think of Giancarlo and Dante. Alora’s previous social outings with him made him think she could fit easily enough into palace life, both the stiffly formal state affairs and the warm family gatherings. He could easily imagine riding with the boys down to the ruins to let them climb and explore or dining with them and Alora at the table on his private balcony.

Determined to get through some of the work he had brought with him from his office, Stefano dropped into a chair and pulled out a file. His eye caught a glimpse of blue, and he stared down for a moment before pulling the book Janessa gave him out of his briefcase. He knew Janessa meant well, but he didn’t know how a book that was written several hundred years ago could possibly help him understand Alora any better.

He flipped the book open and skimmed through the introduction. As he reached the bottom of the page, a passage caught his eye. In it was an invitation to read and ponder the book followed by the invitation to pray to God to see if it was true. He reread the paragraph a second time and considered.

Apparently Mormons really did believe that individuals could get answers to their prayers. Remembering Janessa’s suggestion that this book might help him understand Alora better, he settled back in his seat. Maybe he could spare a few minutes to read. After all, understanding her beliefs might give him the insight he needed to help her get past this hang-up she had about him having a different religion.

Flipping the page, Stefano began to read.

* * *

She was living in a dream. There was no other explanation for what was happening to her. Alora admired the passing scenery through the limousine window while her children debated which animated movie they wanted to watch on the portable DVD player across from them.

Never in her life had she imagined riding in a limousine or having a driver. Even when she had worked for the CIA, she had never worked the kind of assignments that warranted such extravagancies. Now she was watching the quaint houses in Bellamo come into view while Patrice’s husband, Enrico, drove the limousine toward the naval base. As soon as she dropped off the paperwork Janessa needed, they would continue on to Calene.

Her plans to drive herself had been shot down by Patrice and Enrico as well as Martino. As Martino pointed out, she was transporting classified documents, information that needed to be protected. Enrico had then gently reminded her that children travel best while entertained, something he was certain he could accommodate if they were in the right vehicle.

Feeling outnumbered and too tired to argue, Alora had let Enrico and Martino load her luggage into the car, watched Brenna climb into the front seat beside Enrico, and then settled back for the ride.

As Alora looked out at the Bellamo coastline, she considered what it must have been like for Stefano as a child, growing up with nearly unlimited wealth, having a summer home that was so large it needed a You Are Here map to keep its occupants from getting lost. Did he appreciate the stunning beauty of this tiny country his family ruled, or was he so used to the incredible views that he didn’t notice anymore?

After spending so much time with him, she already knew that despite growing up with an army of people who tended to his needs, Stefano knew his servants by name and habitually thanked them when they completed their duties. Looking back to her first day at the chateau, she marveled that she was now on a first name basis with Stefano. It was odd to think that when she moved to Meridia she hadn’t even expected to meet him. Now she was struggling to balance their friendship with budding romantic undertones.

Stefano was right when he said she was scared of what she was feeling for him. She kept expecting that her prayers would help her get past the feelings he stirred in her, but over and over, her thoughts kept turning to the many days they’d spent together before he ever kissed her, before she had been forced to admit that whatever attraction she had felt for him at first had deepened into something else, something almost tangible.

The car pulled to a stop, and the boys shifted to look out the window. “Can we come in with you, Mama?”

Alora considered for a minute. “I suppose so. You just have to promise to be quiet. People are trying to work inside.”

“We promise,” Giancarlo answered for both of them.

“Okay, then. Come on.”

Enrico pulled the car door open for them. Alora climbed out of the limousine and turned to him. “We shouldn’t be too long.”

Enrico nodded. “I’ll wait right here.”

“Okay.” Alora moved toward the security office as a slender, dark-haired man walked outside. He held the door for them, his eyes narrowing as Alora and her sons moved closer. Alora thought she saw a spark of recognition in his eyes, but as she studied the long, thin face, she couldn’t recall ever seeing the man before. She muttered her thanks as she passed through the door.

When she glanced over her shoulder to find him still staring at her through the glass door, her stomach twisted uncomfortably. Grateful that her children were safely beside her, she walked deeper into the building, eager to dispense her business at hand.

* * *

“Are you sure these are the right coordinates?” Janessa asked Levi skeptically. He had succeeded in using the transmitter data to extrapolate where the signal had been broadcasting to. She wasn’t sure what she had expected to find, but this little wooden shack overlooking the naval base definitely hadn’t been it.

Levi nodded. “Langley verified the information.”

“This doesn’t feel right.” Janessa looked over at the local policemen taking their positions near the front of the structure. She then turned to study the landscape below. From this vantage point, she could see the Meridian side of the naval base and the beach that stretched along the front of the chateau as well as the gardens and part of the chateau itself.

“This cabin does have the perfect view for someone trying to keep tabs on the day-to-day operations at the base and the chateau,” Levi offered.

“Yes, but why?”

“It could have been someone with the paparazzi.”

“Maybe, but this technology isn’t exactly common for photographers.” Janessa shook her head.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Levi motioned to the police officer nearest him.

Methodically the half dozen men worked their way forward with their weapons drawn. Then the man in charge yelled out in Italian, “You’re surrounded. Come out with your hands up.”

Silence followed.

A signal from the lead detective put the man nearest the door into motion once more. He took a step onto the front porch, and a click sounded beneath him as though he had stepped on a brittle twig. Then the ground shook, and the policeman blasted through the air away from the cabin as it burst into flames and debris filled the air.

Her heart racing, Janessa ducked instinctively as three police officers were knocked to the ground and two others struggled to keep their footing. Just as one of the officers rushed to the side of their fallen comrade, another blast echoed. Janessa turned to see flames spear up from the security building on the naval base below, the same building where her base office was housed.

* * *

Stefano sat across the table from his father as they studied the reports the CIA had provided on Elam and his family. He tapped a finger on the list of Elam’s income. “Did you know he was receiving an income from the church?”

“I knew he was getting some sort of a stipend because of his position there, but I didn’t think it was this large.” Eduard shook his head. “If he’s really getting a hundred thousand euros a year, I don’t understand why he needed help with Philippe’s wedding. With his trust fund, he should have had more than enough.”

“His income seems like it should support him well enough, but look at his bank accounts. They’re practically dry.”

“Where’s the money going?”

“I have no idea.” Stefano shook his head. “Would you be willing to let Alora take a look? She’s got quite a knack at tracing money.”