It was disturbing that Barillo had come to his house. Despite the job, agents didn’t usually fear for their own lives unless they were in armed pursuit; it just didn’t pay for criminals to attack them. Law enforcement never came after you with greater ferocity than if you killed a fellow officer.
He set his alarms and double-checked that his Glock held a full clip before going to bed. His head was filled with questions and theories as he tried to sleep—and in the middle of every one he found himself thinking about Lara Ainsworth Mayhew.
He thought about her eyes.
And then her body.
Her smile.
And the way he had felt when she was so close to him in her swimsuit, nearly touching, when they’d been in the water and on the boat.
She was still on his mind when he finally fell asleep.
*
He woke with a jerk, dreaming about Lara in a way he shouldn’t have, but his dream vanished as he came instantly alert, almost as if someone had poked him. Instinctively he reached out, ready to grab his Glock, though with the alarms set it should have been impossible for anyone to get in without him knowing.
There was no danger. Even as he noticed the shadowy figure at the foot of his bed, he knew there was no danger.
Maria Gomez was back, looking at him with eyes filled with sadness.
Looking at him...and asking for his help without speaking a word.
When she did speak, she said nothing new.
“Miguel did it... It was Miguel, and yet it was not Miguel.”
“I know, Maria,” he said, wondering if he was imagining things because he’d gotten so damned obsessed with this case. “Maria, I know he loved you. He never would have hurt you—not if he was himself.”
The ghostly woman shimmered in and out of focus. And then she said, “Please. Please...”
The first pale sliver of morning light seeped through the drapes. For one minute more, she was there.
And then she was gone.
*
Lara thought it would be impossible to concentrate on her job, but throughout the morning she worked on the plans for the Sunday event, sending out emails to their members, replying to veterans who wanted to know what to expect, addressing their special concerns.
She thought that Meg would be bored to tears, but she wasn’t; she was on her laptop the whole time, wrapped up in what she was doing.
At about eleven-thirty they were interrupted when Lara received a call from the front; Sonia Larson was there to see her.
“One of our sponsors,” she explained to Meg. “A major sponsor—she loves the place and donates heavily.”
“Tax write-off?” Meg asked.
“Well, it’s a tax write-off for everyone, but I’ve seen Sonia at the lagoons. She really does love the dolphins.”
“You are talking Sonia Larson the fashion queen, aren’t you?”
Lara laughed. “I think she’s more like a goddess. You’ll see.”
Meg did.
Sonia walked into Lara’s office loaded down with bags bearing her company logo. She smiled with genuine pleasure on being introduced to Meg and apologized because she didn’t have anything for her. “But I have a feeling this one shares,” Sonia said, beaming at Lara.
Among many other things, she’d brought Lara a slightly daring bikini and matching lace-edged cover-up in a rich blue with just a hint of green.
“Matches your eyes perfectly,” she said.
“This is lovely. And I thank you so much. But I’m not sure I’m supposed to accept gifts like this,” Lara said. “And aren’t you supposed to be in Rio?”
Sonia waved a hand in the air. “You’re not going to believe this, but they had to put the show back a week. It’s one of the biggest in the world, but Jean Paul Genet—the host, you’ve heard of him, yes?”
Lara and Meg had both heard of him—yes! He had a makeup line, a perfume line, a clothing line and now he was designing yachts and cars.
“Well, anyway, the man got sick. So they have postponed the show. It’s all right with me. My schedule is my own. So I’m here and able to bring you a few presents.”
“And you’ll be here on Sunday?” Lara asked. “It would be wonderful if you can. The soldiers would be so thrilled.”
“I will come,” Sonia promised her. “But you wear the bikini I brought you and they’ll be more thrilled with you.”
Lara smiled. “Well, thank you. But we’re required to wear our regular wetsuits, and I’m not even sure I’ll be in the water at all. I’m media. The trainers are the ones who’ll work with the vets and the dolphins. You’re a celebrity. They’ll love seeing you.”
Sonia smiled. “I understand about the suit. And if you think I will do some good by being here, of course I’ll come. But for now I have a doctor’s appointment and my chauffeur is waiting.”
“Is anything wrong?” Lara asked, worried.
“No, no. I have an irregular heartbeat, so I see Dr. Treme for regular monitoring. I had to cancel my next appointment, but luckily he was able to fit me in today.”
“Treme?” Meg said.
“He’s the best down here,” Sonia said. She blew kisses. “I must go, but I will see you on Sunday.”
As soon as Sonia left, Lara looked at Meg, frowning. “What’s bothering you about Dr. Treme?” she asked.