“Terribly personal.” She shrugged. “But you may have to stand in line. Catherine is very angry, and so are the people who care about her.”
“I don’t like to stand in lines.” His gaze went to the ICU down the hall. “So much security … police, detectives. Practically tripping over one another. You’d think that would ensure there were no slipups, wouldn’t you? That isn’t always the case. People get overconfident and all it takes is one.”
“You think Santos will come after her.”
“Or one of his men. I’m starting to look very closely at everyone on the floor, to zero in on any possible Santos recruits. He’ll almost certainly go on the attack if they think she has a chance of recovery. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes. That’s why we’ll try to keep it from him.”
“But Santos has deep pockets, and that buys information.”
“You don’t seem upset by the prospect.”
“Let him come.” He smiled recklessly as he tossed his empty cup in the basket. “Then I won’t have to stand in line.”
CHAPTER
10
“You didn’t tell me you were going,” Luke said as he came out of the library when Catherine and Cameron walked in the front door. “Why not?”
“It was the middle of the night and—” She stopped. No deceit. She wouldn’t have appreciated it, and her son wouldn’t either. “I was afraid you’d want to go along, and I didn’t want to argue with you. I didn’t know what I was going to have to deal with in Guatemala. I wanted you here with Hu Chang, so I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
“But I worried about you.” He turned to Cameron. “And you let her do it. I thought you knew that I wouldn’t—”
“Get in the way?” Cameron finished. “Oh, I did. I know your potential. I wasn’t much older than you when I was training in Guardian duties in the Himalayas. But I wasn’t about to try to overrule Catherine when it came to you.” He smiled as he glanced at Catherine. “It’s your job to battle it out with her. But you’ll have to be very patient and gentle. I’ll be very annoyed if you manage to hurt her feelings.”
Luke turned back to Catherine. “Why don’t you trust me? Did I do anything wrong when we went after Kelly?”
“No. It wasn’t that you did—”
“Stop interrogating her, Luke.” Hu Chang came out of the library. “Hello, Catherine. If you’d let me know before you arrived at the front door, I would have had a discussion with Luke on diplomacy and kindness.” He looked back at Luke. “Can’t you see that she’s tired and on edge? Clearly things didn’t go as well as she hoped, and now you make her feel unworthy of meeting your needs. I’d advise you to think about her and not yourself.”
Luke frowned. “Unworthy? That’s not what I meant. You know that, Hu Chang. But she should have—” He stopped and then reluctantly smiled. “I’m sorry, Catherine. I was just— And maybe I was wrong, but so were you. But I would never try to hurt your feelings.” He paused. “Things didn’t go well for you?”
“They could have gone better.” She reached in her knapsack and pulled out Montez’s book and handed it to Hu Chang. “But maybe this will start to set things right. Montez was very nervous about my taking this from him. He said no one would understand it but him, but he didn’t like it out of his hands.”
“Another challenge,” Hu Chang murmured, as his fingers moved over the rough, well-thumbed cover. “Unless Montez is of Einstein caliber, I refuse to believe he is correct. But his words hint of a certain originality, which may be intriguing.” He turned and moved toward the library. “I will get to work on this immediately.”
“Because you can hardly wait,” Catherine said. “You’re practically salivating.”
“That’s very crude,” Hu Chang said. “And makes intellectual curiosity appear to be deceptively uncomplicated.” He glanced at Luke as he stopped at the library door. “You will be courteous?”
Luke nodded. “I wasn’t discourteous. I was just asking—” He nodded jerkily. “Okay. Maybe I seemed discourteous. I’ll be careful not to do it again.”
“Good.” Hu Chang opened the library door. “Then you might make recompense by taking her up to your room and showing her the work you and Kelly have been doing while she’s been gone.”
“I’ve done most of the research. It’s up to Kelly now.”
“Then let’s let Catherine go up and ask her for a report,” Cameron said. “I need to tour the perimeter and check out security, Luke. I know Hu Chang and Sam have it well in hand, but I always feel better if I feel the reins in my hands. You can go with me.” He smiled. “If you wish. Entirely up to you.”
There was little doubt that Luke would do whatever Cameron wanted him to do, Catherine thought, as she watched Cameron exert that magnetism and charisma that was such a part of his character. She had seen it work before on his men, on strangers, sometimes on her. Usually he didn’t even have to tap that psychic ability he possessed.
Luke hesitated. “I’ll go.” He came down the rest of the stairs. “Sam moved a few of the sentries around to different parts of the grounds and street. I’ll introduce you to them.” His eyes were suddenly bright, eager. “But I know Sam would think it was okay if you decided something different.” He smiled at Catherine as he passed her. “Kelly doesn’t need me now. She thinks she’s beginning to see something in Dorgal’s chart. She’ll probably chase you out, too.” He fell into step with Cameron as he opened the front door. “I asked Sam to let me check on the sentries by myself, but he wouldn’t do it. He said that Catherine wouldn’t like—” His last words were cut off as the door closed behind them.
Catherine stood there, gazing at the door. Stupid to feel this sense of loss.