His phone buzzed again. Jesus H. Christ, what was it? He yanked his phone from his pants and looked at the screen.
The text from an unknown number with a long string of weird numbers at the beginning read,Account compromised. Do not access. Location will be known if you do. They were on it before wecould even move. Other side has state-sponsored intel. Do not reply.
“Elands,”Dieter said, cursing bitterly in Alemannic. “How the hell?”
“What?” Flicka asked, rounding on him.
He showed her the text. “The money isn’t coming. Pierre has hacked it, somehow.”
“Damn that jackass.”
“Such language,Prinzessin.”
“Screw that asshole!”
“You can stay here, and I’ll work,” Dieter said. “We’ll wirethis place so that no one can get in, and I’ll find a job.”
Her light eyebrows rose. “So, you wantmeto take care ofyourtoddler that you had with another woman whileyougo out all day?”
That wasn’t what he’d meant. “I want you to be safe.”
“You want me locked in here as tightly as I would have been in the Prince’s Palace in Monaco.”
He raised his hands. “That’s not what I meant.”
Shesucked in a deep breath and glared at him. “I amnota nanny.”
He gestured to her skimpy clothes. “A princess cannot be awaitress.”
“Iwantto be a waitress.”
“And I’m sure you’ll be running the place in three days and franchising it in a week, but it’s not safe. Can’t youwantto be a nanny?”
“No.”
“But I can’t stand guard over you while you wait on tables, and who would take care of Alina?”
Flicka looked at him and blinked slowly, and then she did it again.
He’d seen that look since she was twelve. It meant that the gears in her head were grinding, and she was figuring out how to get her way. “Flicka—”
She said, “Why can’t you stand over me while I do my job? That’s what you did in London. That’s what you’ve done with Wulfie and me for the last decade and more.”
“But what wouldwe do with Alina?”
“What did you do with her while you were working for Wulfie?”
Dieter tried not to shrink in his skin. “Gretchen stayed home with her.”
She glared at him. “And what did you do with her afterGretchenbetrayed you with another man and stole all your money?”
He deserved that one. “Daycare and nannies.”
“Yes,” Flicka said.“Ifound appropriate daycare and nannies for her.”
Oh, yes.Flicka had interviewed and hired Suze Meier and two other nannies, and she had arranged for the morning pre-school Alina had attended, too. “That’s true.”
“I’ll find a daycare. Lots of babies do it. It’s like boarding school, but shorter. She’ll befine.”
