“I don’t get adventure travel, I’ll admit.”
She smiled. “That’s because you’ve had to clean up after too many adventures gone wrong. Safety is our first priority, you’ll be glad to know.”
He moved to the leather chair, and she noticed his slight limp. It would never do in the demanding world he’d left, and at Redwing Associates, it would keep him behind a desk.
He dropped onto the couch, his expression turning serious. “You want to tell me why you’re here?”
“I had business in Jackson. I just thought I’d stop in and say hello.”
“You didn’t know I’d be here,” he pointed out.
“I know, but Sebastian—”
“Lucy. Come on. Since when would you or anyone else make a special trip to say hello to Sebastian?”
She sat on the edge of a wood-armed chair, thinking it would be nice if she could just sit here and visit with an old friend, reminisce about the past, forget the bullet hole in her dining room wall.
Of course, Plato would see through her halfhearted story. Cold feet were probably common in both his past and current work.
At least Plato had sent flowers and written a card when Colin died. He couldn’t get away for the funeral, he said, but if she ever needed anything, she had only to let him know. He’d be there. Colin had trusted him, too. But, possibly because of the different nature of their work—or their personalities—it was Sebastian he’d made her promise to go to if she ever needed help.
“Has he changed?” she asked.
“That depends on your point of view. Look,” Plato said, “why don’t you tell me what’s going on. Then we can figure out what to do about it.”
Meaning, whether she needed to bring it to Sebastian’s attention.
Lucy twisted her hands together. At home, in her business, she was at ease, confident, capable. This was foreign ground for her. Sebastian Redwing and Plato Rabedeneira had been her husband’s friends. She and Colin had fallen in love so fast, marrying within two months of their first date. Madison had come along the next year. Then J.T. And then Colin was gone.
She really didn’t know Plato or Sebastian.
“Lucy?”
“It’s silly. I’m being silly, and I know it. So please feel free to pat me on the head and send me back to Vermont.” She leveled her eyes on him. “Trust me, you’d be doing me a favor.”
“Well, before I do any head-patting, why don’t you tell me what’s going on first. Okay?”
She nodded, gulped in a breath and told him everything. She kept her tone unemotional and objective, and left out nothing except her own reactions, the palpable sense of fear, the nausea.
When she finished, she managed another smile. “You see? Pure silliness.”
Plato rose stiffly, his limp more noticeable as he walked to the massive stone fireplace. He looked back at her, his dark eyes serious. “You won’t go to the local police?”
“If you’re convinced it’s the best thing to do, I’ll consider it. But they’ll call Jack.”
He nodded. “That might not be such a bad idea.”
“These incidents—whatever they are—have nothing to do with him.”
“Maybe not. The point is, you don’t know why they’re happening.”
Lucy ran a hand through her hair. She felt light-headed, a little sick to her stomach. Jet lag, the dry air and the altitude were all taking their toll. So was reliving the events of the past week.
“Either there’s no connection at all between these incidents,” she said, “or someone’s just trying to get under my skin. If I go to the police, it proves they succeeded.”
“And if they don’t get the desired reaction from you, the incidents could escalate.”
“Damn.” She sank back against the couch and kicked out her legs. “I don’t have a clue what the ‘desired reaction’ is. Coming out here? Fine, the bastard can declare victory and get out of my life. Running screaming into the night? Forget it.” She jumped to her feet. “I won’t fall apart for anyone.”
“What does your gut tell you?” His voice was quiet, soothing. Plato was very good at caring.
“I don’t know.” Lucy paced on the thick, dark carpet. “Plato, I’m not a normal person. I’m the widowed
daughter-in-law of a United States senator. You know damn well Jack will send in the Capitol Police.”
“Lucy—”
“I have a business to tend. I have kids to raise. Damn it, I’m all Madison and J.T. have. I’m not going to put myself in undue danger, but I won’t—Plato, if I can possibly avoid it, I’d rather not have Jack and a bunch of feds mucking around in my life.”
Plato placed an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay. I understand. Look, I have to be in Frankfurt this next week—”
“I wasn’t hinting you should drop everything and come to my rescue. I just wanted an expert opinion.” She smiled a little. “It felt good to tell someone.”
He smiled back, but shook his head, giving her upper arm a gentle squeeze. “You didn’t come for my expert opinion.”
“I would have if I’d known you were here. I’d much rather tell my troubles to you than Sebastian.”
He laughed. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Good. Then it’s settled. I’ll trust my gut instincts. I’ll go home and hope nothing else happens—”
“No, Lucy, you’re going to see Sebastian and tell him everything.”
“Isn’t he going to Frankfurt?”
“No way. He’s…” Plato frowned, walking her toward the door. He seemed to be searching for the right words. “He’s on sabbatical.”
“Sabbatical? Come on, Plato. It’s not like he’s some kind of professor. How can he—”
“You’ll have to drive out to his cabin,” Plato said. “It’s not that far. I’ll give you directions.”
Lucy slipped from his embrace and stood rock-still in the middle of the hall. He kept walking, his back to her. She was blinking rapidly, as if that might somehow clear her head.
“I don’t want to see Sebastian,” she said.
Plato turned back to her. “He can help you, Lucy. I can’t.”
“I told you, I didn’t come here for help.”
“I know why you came here.” His dark, dark eyes seemed to burn into her. “You promised Colin you would.”
Her throat caught. “Plato…”
“Colin was right to send you to Sebastian. Lucy, I did rescues, and now I keep this company out of hot water. Sebastian’s a son of a bitch in a lot of ways, but he’s the best.”
Lucy stood her ground. “What if I drive on out of here without seeing him?”
“Then I’ll have to tell him what you told me.”
She eyed him. “I have a feeling that would be worse.”
He gave her a devilish smile. “Much worse.”
* * *
Plato’s directions were simple. He put Lucy on a dirt road and said to keep going until she couldn’t go anymore. She’d know when she reached Sebastian.
Lucy