Piper rolled her eyes and Mila suddenly felt both very jealous and very sorry for all the daughters in the room. Obviously they were loved and adored by their parents, but maybe given a little too much attention by the amount of eye rolling going on.
“Yes. There were riots in Rahmi before the conference started. Then there was an attempt on my life while I was driving home the other night. That was followed by someone blowing up a wharf in Rahmi. The interesting thing is that the men Rahmi security captured aren’t Rahmi citizens. They had no identification on them at all, but we ran their faces through our computers and nothing popped up.” The group started murmuring but Zain held up his hands to quiet them. “Then Mila overhead something this morning. I was supposed to meet her in the library but was detained. Mila, can you tell them what happened?”
All eyes were on her again and Mila felt her mouth go dry. But then Zain wrapped his arm around her waist and anchored her to his side. When she looked up at him, he gave her a nod of encouragement. “You’re with friends.”
Mila took a breath and told her story. She saw their faces change when she told them Zain’s loved ones were now in danger as well.
“So, you need us here to head up security since any of your guards could be involved,” Miles said matter-of-factly. Mila was taken aback by the complete lack of hysterics.
“It’s all true, isn’t it?” Mila blurted out.
“Is what true?” Cy asked.
“The terrorists, the assassinations, the international black market dealer . . .”
“What are you talking about?” Greer asked with a cute laugh. Her mother, Paige, sent a look to her husband, Cole, that revealed the truth.
“Haven’t you ever Googled your town?” Mila asked.
The kids turned to look at their parents who suddenly found either the floor or the ceiling very interesting. Cassidy gasped as she looked down at her phone. “Mom, you were sitting on a bomb for over an hour while they literally called in the Army to save you?"
Tammy flushed red. “That’s not accurate,” she defended. “It was the Air Force.”
The room erupted with questions as even Zain pulled out his phone. Mo put his arm around his wife and stepped forward. “This can wait. The past is not going anywhere.” Once the room quieted, he looked up apologetically at Mila. She knew in his look that he was about to say something she didn’t like.
“Yes, Miles. We need your help. We can no longer trust anyone from Rahmi, excluding Ahmed and Nabi, of course,” Mo told the group. “But there was someone else who caught our attention as a possible spy for Surman. That’s the nation that I believe is behind this. Someone who has had two private meetings with the queen over the past couple months. Someone who became close to my son just as he suddenly found himself in danger.”
“Father . . .” Zain warned.
Mila heard the grumblings of the group and felt eyes upon her once again. Normally she would have bowed her head and fought back tears, but the rebel who had lived in her during her younger years won the battle of emotions. Mila felt anger such as she’d never felt before as she ripped her hand from Zain’s and marched toward his father. “You think it was me?”
Dani stepped forward. “I know it’s not you, dear. You love my son, and I trust you. My stupid husband just feels he needs answers. That’s all.”
“So you,” Mila poked her finger into Mo’s stunning suit, “decide to ambush me in front of the whole town of, of . . . of . . . gun and pot-carrying vigilantes?”
“Just so we’re clear here,” Cy cut in, “I was with the CIA.”
Cole shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, I was in the FBI.”
Annie raised her hand. “DEA.”
“Sheriff here,” Marshall called out.
“Whatever!” Mila shouted as she poked Mo in the chest again. “My heart stopped in my chest when I heard that Zain was in a car accident. I was in a near fit of panic locked in that hidden room trying to find a way to save Zain, Dani, and even you. You . . . you dick! And all this time you were thinking it was me?”
There were no grumblings now. In fact, there was complete silence apart from one of the Rose sisters snorting. Zain came up and put his hand her shoulder, but Mila shoved it off. “And you knew this and didn’t tell me?” Mila rounded on Zain.
“I told him it wasn’t true. I told him I trusted you. I told him I loved you. I even fired Ahmed for running the background check on you.”
“Oh, Dad, you didn’t?” Abby shook her head at her father who didn’t look the least bit worried until he caught sight of the glare his wife was giving him.
“I don’t care who did it. I care who believed it!” Mila yelled and felt like hitting someone so she stabbed Mo in the chest again. “Like you.”
“Well, I don’t believe it,” Abby said as she moved to stand next to Mila.
“Us either,” Reagan and Riley said as they came to stand by her.
Mila felt her throat thicken as emotions overwhelmed her. All of the friends she had met during her short time in Keeneston came to stand beside her. “We’d join you, dearie, but that long walk from our house to the café to get a ride did us in,” Miss Violet said from across the room.
Nabi looked at them. “You know, we have that Ranger Crew ATV that seats six. You could use it during the warm weather.”
“Oh, that’s lovely. Thank you,” Miss Daisy smiled and patted Nabi’s hand. “But let’s finish this part about love so we can settle the books.”
Mo shook his head. “I’m sorry, my dear. I know my son loves you. I know you love him. But the coincidence—”
Mila poked her finger at him again. “It’s a confidential deal between Germany, the US, and Surman to manufacture parts for a cell phone. There, are you happy? Now, if you will excuse me, you can go fuc—” The room gasped and Mila stopped. “Fine. It’s clear I’m the only one in the room today who’s gotten fuc—”
“Dear!” Dani tried to say without laughing. “I don’t need to know about you and my son in that way. Well, unless you’re telling me you could be pregnant. December weddings are beautiful. That’s when this idiot and I got married,” Dani said as she sent a loving look to Mo.
“Mom!” Zain snapped out, but any lecture was lost in the flurry of bets the room was texting to the café.
“I don’t know whether to be furious or to just laugh,” Mila said, slightly stunned.
Zain turned her to face him and looked down at her. “I love you and that’s all that matters. I’m sorry about my father. I promise, normally he’s a great guy. But he can be a tad overprotective.”
Mila sighed. “They all seem a tad overprotective. But it’s clear they all love their children, so I guess I can’t be too upset. It’s just been a really bad day.”
Zain leaned forward and pressed his lips to her ear. “I know how to make it better.”
Mila flushed and more bets were made.
“So,” Miles said loudly, commanding attention of the room once again, “the question is, do I get to shoot someone or not?”
“Funny, I had the same question,” Annie grinned.
“So, now that we’ve established that Mila is innocent, she and Zain love each other, and she has good taste in books . . . what’s the game plan?” Gemma asked.
Mila smiled thankfully at Gemma as discussion ensued. Mila rested her head against Zain’s shoulder and listened to him talk. Sometimes parents discounted what children said, even when children were grownups. But not this group. Zain and the other grown kids contributed. While some of the parents were nervous about including their children in any plans, they kept those worries to themselves.
“Okay,” Zain said at last. “We have a plan for security. I only wish we had someone who could spy on Surman.”
“Um, I can,” Cassidy said, raising her hand. “I already speak Arabic and Rahmian. I’m sure I can keep up with their language. It’s all basically the same, right?”
“Pretty much,” Mila told her.