Debbie took the development on trust and simply asked, “What do you propose to do?”
Ethan cut in quickly, saying, “We go to the police, that’s what we do. Finn, I don’t care what you claim to have been in your previous incarnation, but I can’t entrust the safety of our daughter to you, not if there are people who actually wish to harm her. That’s a job for professionals—we have to go to the police.”
Finn was bemused by the rapid development in Ethan’s thinking. Already he’d gone from suspecting Finn of having been a spy, to accepting it as fact, and now to doubting it.
“What will you tell them?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, what will you tell them? Let’s think . . . your daughter who you previously told them had been abducted, but who had actually run away to live with a guy she met online, is now in danger from the people who murdered her best friend, a murder which the police believe is a suicide—and incidentally, the Frosts aren’t challenging that belief—so you think the police should investigate BGS or put protection in place around Hailey. And all of this is based on the word of your neighbor, an historian who may or may not have once worked for British intelligence. Sounds good, I’m sure they’ll buy it.”
He thought Ethan might respond with anger, and Hailey was looking on slack-jawed, but he actually produced a nervous laugh and said, “Now that you put it like that, I guess we would look like the neighborhood fruit loops.” Then he looked more serious again as he said, “So what do we do?”
Debbie said, “Should we go away?”
Finn shook his head. “People are easier to hit in transit. I think the best thing is to be secure—that means, Hailey, no school on Monday, no going out, no answering the door, no being left on your own.” He turned to Ethan. “I’ll go to Geneva on Monday, so you might only have to act like this for a couple of days.”
“Why, what will happen then?”
He sensed Hailey’s eyes fixed on him.
“I’ll deal with it, and if I don’t, I’ll let you know.”
Debbie looked confused. “I don’t understand, Finn. How will we—”
“Mom, it’s probably best we don’t ask any more questions. I’m sure Finn will tell us what we need to know.”
Finn looked at her, acknowledging the intervention, then stood and said, “Just be vigilant, for the next couple of days at least.”
Ethan stood, too. “Of course, and we won’t ask you any more questions, but please, if your plan . . . What I mean to say is, if there are any setbacks, do let us know.”
“Of course,” said Finn, knowing what Ethan was really asking, to let them know if the threat became imminent.
He left then, turning over the use of that word, “plan.” They would have been even more alarmed if they’d known that he didn’t really have one. He’d attempt to track down the people who’d killed Jonas, and he’d need to speak to Naumenko at some point, but beyond that, there was no plan. How could there be, when he didn’t even know who these people were or what they wanted?
History
Sofi didn’t come back from her parents’ place until Thursday night. She looked weary when she walked in the door, emotionally rather than physically.
Immediately, he said, “How are they?”
“It’s really upset them.” She took her coat off. “I know it seems silly, it was just a burglary, but they’ve never known anything like this.”
“It doesn’t seem silly at all.” He held her and kissed the top of her head, intoxicated by the scent of her after a couple of days without her. “And I shouldn’t have gone there last weekend—I should have thought.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault.” She looked up at him, a reconciliatory smile, and they kissed, haltingly at first, then deeper, falling into each other. And, almost subconsciously, they started to undress as they kissed, edging at the same time toward the bedroom, a little clumsily, without separating.
As he pulled her sweater over her head he said, “Have you eaten?” She nodded and let the sweater fall to the floor as she pushed him over the threshold and to the bed. And they spoke no more, but it was not as it should have been. They made love, so familiar with their own choreography now that there were no missed steps, but still, it was not as it should have been.