The Art of You

“It’s time,” I told Bella even though I knew she had to have heard her brother’s order over comms. “You okay?”

Her shoulders sloped forward, and she couldn’t shake free the worry creases around her eyes. “Of course.”

I let her lie go for now since we had a mission to complete. One problem at a time. I was still working hard to dial down my heart rate after the confrontation with Kit. Her name hadn’t been on the guest list the last I’d checked it out.

“Got her in your sights?” Constantine asked once we’d entered the foyer.

“We do,” Bella answered, which meant she’d already unmuted her comm.

The “her” in question was Carla Aldana, the Spanish ambassador to the United States, and the reason we were here tonight.

Carla’s daughter had been kidnapped from her dorm at Sarah Lawrence College a few nights ago. In typical fashion, the abductors demanded Carla not reach out to the Feds or her daughter would die. So, here we were.

Bella and I lingered by the two sweeping marble staircases, waiting for our cue from the ambassador. Knowing Constantine wouldn’t be the only one with eyes on us, we had to play this out just right or things might go bust for Alessandro and Enzo’s part of the op tonight.

Rafael, the ambassador’s head of security, brought his wrist to his mouth and began discreetly talking into his mic. His eyes cut across the foyer, and he gave me a light nod of recognition.

I gently squeezed Bella’s arm. “Ready?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Not exactly a confident answer from her. Damn Kit for being there.

I took a second to check in with Constantine and asked, “How are things looking for Alpha Team?”

“Three minutes out from moving on target,” Constantine said, which meant Alessandro and Enzo had located where the ambassador’s daughter was being held. “Buy the guys some time. They’ll be fast-roping in soon.”

“Roger,” I confirmed in a low voice as Rafael approached.

The Spaniard opened his palm. “Señora Aldana requests a word with you two in the library.”

“We’d be honored to speak with the ambassador. My father should be arriving soon as well.” Those last words were meant for the eavesdroppers at my left, anxious to put eyes on my dad since it was his party after all, and he was still MIA.

I took Bella’s hand in my own, suddenly uneasy at the fact I was unarmed even though I knew going into the night that’d be the case. My Glock was currently a useless piece of polymer and steel in a lockbox in the Porsche’s trunk.

Three doors down, we joined the ambassador in the library as prearranged. We’d already done our own background checks on everyone attending the party, including the ambassador’s people. I should’ve been comforted by the vetting and the fact that my father’s security team had thoroughly swept the place before the start of the party, but I wasn’t about to let my guard down.

Carla gestured to Rafael to close the double doors, and once he did, her other two security detail protectively flanked her sides.

I avoided looking up at the security camera in the corner of the room, doing my best to act ignorant to the fact it was there, and that we were presumably also being watched by the assholes who took the ambo’s daughter.

“Quite clever of the FBI to come to you for help, Mister Ashford, but it was unnecessary.” Carla’s green eyes were sharp on me as if we were the only people in the room. “However, I do hope you start coming to more of your father’s events to support him. I’m sure he’d like that.”

Well, that low blow hadn’t been part of the rehearsal, but props to her for keeping up with the act of a passive-aggressive diplomat. “Oh, I’m sure he would. But tonight, I’m here for you, not him.”

Carla’s gaze moved to where I held Bella’s hand. “Well, as my government told the Bureau when they reached out, my daughter was not taken.” Eyes back on me, she continued, “Her roommate was confused and should not have called the police. My men picked her up from campus and escorted her to our embassy in D.C.” She opened her palms. “Would I be at a party if Lola had been abducted?” She was quite the actress, managing to put on a show for the cameras while knowing her daughter was in danger.

“You would be if her kidnappers told you not to seek assistance from the Feds. To act like business as usual,” I cut straight to it. “This party has been on your schedule for months. You were already in New York visiting from D.C. when Lola was taken, and they more than likely threatened to kill her if you were to change anything.” That was the truth. Now time for some acting myself. “They probably also told you that as long as you pay the ransom, and don’t bring in the Feds, they’ll let your daughter go. My guess is the exchange is taking place tonight, somewhere nearby.” I released Bella’s hand and shifted up my jacket sleeve, checking the time on my watch. 23:28. “Criminals are excellent at keeping their word, so I can see why you’d trust them.”

“And hypothetically speaking, let’s say you’re right about everything,” Carla said as I adjusted my jacket sleeve back in place, her accent thicker that time. “You don’t think these alleged kidnappers would believe the FBI would truly stand down even if a diplomat ordered them to, now do you? Wouldn’t they suspect you’re a plant by the Bureau?” She went to the desk and set her back to it, locking her eyes on me and her arms over her gold dress. Her security entourage followed her over. “Wouldn’t they believe your last-minute attendance tonight is to try and thwart their efforts? They’ll assume the Feds are close to the party, waiting so they can catch them once I have my daughter back.”

“One minute,” Constantine shared, letting me know I needed to buy Alessandro and Enzo sixty more seconds.

“You know they’ll never let your daughter go, right? You’ll pay them, and they’ll either want more from you, or they’ll go ahead and kill her.” My words had Carla blinking her focus all the way down to her heels. This may have been a charade to stall and buy my guys time, but my words were still the truth, and she was clearly doing her damnedest to keep herself together given the circumstances.

“Fortunately, as I told the FBI and you tonight, my daughter is safe at the embassy.” She heaved out a deep breath, then stood tall without leaning against the desk for support.

“Right.” I scanned the faces of the three men who had her six tonight. “So, you’re saying I really did come to this party for nothing. And no ransom drop-off is happening near here.” Well, it wasn’t actually, but I needed the kidnappers to believe I thought that.

“Your being here doesn’t have to be considered a waste of time.” She shot me a polished diplomatic smile, then nodded at Bella. “You’re here with a beautiful woman, might as well enjoy your time together. Have a drink. A dance?”

Bella looped her arm around mine, remaining quiet, but I knew her heart had to be racing as we waited for good news over comms.

“Also, as I said before, I’m sure your father would enjoy your company. Well, whenever he gets here, at least.” That light laugh from her had to be fucking tough. I couldn’t imagine being in her shoes.

“Alpha Team is moving in on target now,” Constantine announced over comms. “The second possible target was acquired on my end as well. Hold for more.”

That second target had me sweeping my gaze lazily over to the security camera. Whoever else was watching us now had no clue they were seconds away from coming face-to-face with death.

Carla gestured toward the doors. “So, shall we return to the party?”

“The ambo’s daughter is safe.” At Constantine’s words, Bella squeezed my arm in relief.

I immediately shared the news, “Your daughter is okay. My team has her.”

Carla cupped her mouth, taking a few faltering steps forward. The two guards at her side caught her, preventing her from crumpling to the floor as she let the tears she’d been holding back fall freely. She was a mother before us now, not an ambassador.

“Gracias. Thank you.” Carla swiped at her tears with the backs of her hands, working to collect herself.

“I don’t understand.” The security guard at her left, Eduardo, said something in Spanish, which I roughly translated as, Why didn’t you tell us about the real plan?

Rafael answered for her, also in Spanish. From what I understood, while he’d been in the know about the events tonight, apparently her other guards hadn’t.

“We clear here?” I asked Constantine while her security personnel continued with their heated chat.

“Overwatch took out two men who came for me after I killed their tech guy in the van down the street.” He paused, sounding only mildly breathless from the altercation. “In my defense, he tried to kill me first.”

Sure he did. “Any intel in that van to suggest how many guys they have on-site here?”

“From the looks of it, only three were transmitting from their secure line, including their comms guy in the van. We should be clear, but heads on a swivel just in case.”

“Roger that,” I responded as the doors flung open. On instinct, I protectively hauled Bella around behind me but went at ease seeing my father.

“I just heard the news Lola’s okay.” He went straight for Carla, pulling her into his arms as Rafael shut the doors to any potential eavesdroppers.

Based on the way my father was holding her, with their bodies flush, I had to assume they were more than just friends, which was why she’d gone to him for help when her daughter was taken in the first place. And why he’d turned to me for a private assist, bypassing the Bureau so the ambassador didn’t risk her daughter’s life by working with them.

“Everything is good. Three tangos on-site down, but I’d keep your security detail on alert in case we have any more assholes outside,” I told my father, even though it was obvious Constantine had already texted him. I just wasn’t sure how much he’d had time to share.

My father let go of Carla and faced me, working the knot of his tie loose. “I made a call to the FBI director and let him know that only one agent was privately tasked with the rescue on my behalf.” He slapped a hand over my shoulder. “But you were not involved tonight. We clear?”

“Yeah, got it.” I didn’t exactly make it a habit of letting my former employer know what I did for a living since technically taking justice into my own hands wasn’t entirely legal.

“The guys are about to hand over Lola to your Fed friend,” Constantine shared.

Special Agent Adelina Cattaneo was the only one I’d pulled in from the Bureau for help. We’d remained in contact ever since I’d turned in my badge years ago, and I trusted her.

“Your daughter will soon be in FBI custody, and you can meet up with her.” I tipped my head at Carla. “You did good. I can see why you’re in the job you are.”

My father drew Carla tight to his side, the same way I had Bella. I quickly read the, Don’t ask, look in his blue eyes. No worries there. Who he dated wasn’t my business.

“Diplomacy doesn’t always work, which is why I’m grateful to have people like you helping out.” Carla patted my chest, then glanced at her security team, shooting the two guys who hadn’t been read in on the mission details what I viewed as an apologetic look.

“You keep anyone alive for questioning?” Eduardo asked me.

“My brothers kept two of the kidnappers alive,” Constantine answered, and I relayed the information.

“Why? You want a sit down with them?” I asked Eduardo.

“These men think they could get away with taking Señora Aldana’s daughter, so yeah, I do want to talk to them,” Eduardo hissed.

“Well, that’s not up to me.” Something about his tone and the look in his eyes rubbed me the wrong way. “We won’t be babysitting these assholes for too long. You’ll have to talk to the Feds about that.” I started for the door and Rafael stepped around us, beating me to the punch to open up.

“This stays out of the press, yes?” Carla called out.

“Of course,” my father piped up for me before we made a quick exit from the library and started for the front of the estate.

“You have eyes out front?” I asked Constantine. “We all set to move out?”

“I’m back in position, and from my vantage point,” he let me know, “you’re good to go.”

Once Bella and I were outside, I followed her gaze, finding another reason aside from Eduardo to be uneasy. There was an unfinished conversation Bella and I still needed to have about the woman in the doorway.

Kit held up her phone and took a picture of us.

Just great. I was a second away from doing something stupid—taking her phone and throwing it into the fountain out front—but Bella tugged my arm.

“She’s not worth it,” she pleaded, and I slowly turned as the valet came over.

“You sure?” I asked while mindlessly handing him the ticket.

“Listen to her, she’s right.” Constantine needed to get out of my head and clear of my conscience.

“Unless you’re worried about a photo of us ending up online that claims we’re dating?” Bella kept her voice low as if her brother wouldn’t overhear her.

“If you’re good, I’m good.” Well, I still didn’t feel “good,” but hopefully once I had Bella safely back at home, I’d be more relaxed.

“Nice job in there, by the way. Should’ve been an actor for a living.” That was Marc in my ear that time, transmitting over our line for the first time tonight. He was one of the SEALs Constantine had brought in for overwatch.

“Yeah, I deserve an Oscar.” Most of what I’d said in the library had been a version of the truth, though. Carla had to carry the burden of acting unaffected and keeping it together. While we’d run through the plans with her over a secure line before the party, preparing her as much as possible, pulling it off with her daughter’s life at stake was quite different.

“Once you’re safely out of here, and we handle the bodies we racked up here, I’m going to meet up with the others and wrap up those loose ends,” Constantine announced, which was code for: delete evidence of our involvement tonight.

“Yeah, okay.” I thought back to the exchange with Eduardo in the library, deciding my gut was rarely wrong about people. “I know we checked out the ambo’s security team, and we cleared them, but she chose to leave two of her guys in the dark tonight, and I trust my instincts more than I do background checks.”

“You think this was an inside job?” Bella asked.

“I don’t know, but I’d rather be overcautious and have those two guys followed tonight just in case,” I said before scanning the area, ensuring the ambo’s people weren’t within earshot.

“Agreed. Marc and Malik can tail them,” Constantine confirmed as one of the valets pulled up in the Porsche.

“I’ll get Bella back home now.”

“Stay with her until we know more.” I was about to remove the device from my ear before he issued one more order. “But there’s no need to walk my sister to her bedroom. I’m sure she can find her own way just fine.”