Shabina made her way quickly through the café. She lifted her hand and sent a small smile to the customers who called out a greeting to her. Most of them did.
Vienna and Raine looked her over carefully as she pulled out a chair to sit with them at their table.
“That man of yours handled that little tantrum of Bale’s perfectly,” Vienna stated, admiration coloring her voice. “With an entire café filled with people as well as two FBI agents, I thought he was magnificent. Quiet. Stern. Stated the facts. Made certain everyone knew there was evidence of Bale threatening you and that you intended to ask for a restraining order.”
“I was worried when Rafferty decided to intervene,” Shabina admitted.
“He was incredibly foolish,” Raine said. “To attempt to stand up for Bale in front of two FBI agents? It did make him look corrupt and guilty of making evidence disappear.”
“I would have given anything to see what was in Rainier’s wallet or on his ID that made Rafferty back off the way he did.” Vienna lowered her voice. “I know he works for the CIA, but the department he works for isn’t well-known. They don’t identify themselves as a rule. In fact, Zale told me that if they’re sent out on a mission and they get caught, most likely they’re on their own. The government doesn’t admit they’re part of the agency.”
“Rafferty is the sheriff in this county, and he’s been in the military,” Raine pointed out. “Both Sam and Zale live here. He would have checked into them both. He may be foolish when it comes to his family, but he’s an intelligent man. Did you notice the way he immediately stepped back away from Rainier and looked at the windows?”
Shabina had noted Rafferty’s strange reaction to Rainier’s ID. She nodded.
“He was smart enough to figure out Rainier wasn’t alone in defending you. Rainier owns a security firm that operates worldwide. He employs ex-military men and women as well as retired agents. Each of his employees receives additional training, which he personally supervises. His firm is considered elite already, and he just started the company a few years back. His equipment is the best one can buy, and his intel is always accurate. Rafferty has connections in the military. He has to have heard of Rainier’s company and the people he employs. They’re no joke. Any one of them, or even half a dozen of them, could be outside with sniper rifles.”
Raine nodded toward a table in the front. It was located directly across from the two men from Paris, the ones who had claimed to be Interpol agents. “Those four men sitting at that table work for Rainier’s company. All of them have had distinguished careers, and when I say they’re lethal, I mean it. Rainier’s got a full security team here.”
Shabina’s breath hissed out between her teeth. “That man is going to hear from me about this. I should have known when he agreed to take all the dogs running with us. I thought he was being sweet. He wanted to leave three at home to protect the property. All along, that snake had a security team watching my home and the…” Her voice trailed off.
“And the?” Vienna prompted.
Shabina sighed. “Bale threatened to burn down the café. I believe he’s serious about it, and I told Rainier I was afraid he might really do it. Rainier can’t be in both places at once, and he’s training the dogs to work together as a team, so we have them inside the house with us and outside on the property. I should have realized he’d bring in someone to watch the café and make sure Bale couldn’t get to it. That was why, when we had visitors at the house and nosing around the café, he didn’t seem very concerned.”
“You can’t fault him for ensuring the café was protected,” Raine pointed out, always the reasonable one.
“I can fault his lack of communication skills,” Shabina said. “We’re supposed to be a partnership. He doesn’t get to arbitrarily make decisions.”
Raine laughed, the sound unexpected and very musical. “Seriously, Shabina? Rainier will always be the one making decisions when it comes to your safety. He’s been doing it since you were sixteen years old. No one has ever been able to stop him, and believe me, your father tried. He went out of his way to try to ruin Rainier’s career in the CIA.”
“My father is going to lose his mind when he finds out I married Rainier. I haven’t told him yet.”
Vienna raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t told your parents you got married?”
Shabina shook her head. “I have this terrible feeling my father is involved in some of the crap that’s been going on.”
“Such as?” Vienna prompted, casting a worried frown toward Raine.
Shabina noted Raine didn’t look surprised. In fact, she wore an expressionless mask, conveying to Shabina she knew more than she was telling.
“I hate to even say this and feel guilty for thinking it, but if my mother’s upset because I’m not living with them, I believe my father’s capable of going to any lengths to bring me back home. That would include doing his best to trigger a PTSD episode. If he did that, he might put me in a hospital and try to get the doctors to state I need constant care. He isn’t above paying doctors to get his way.”
Vienna looked horrified. “Your own father? Do you really think he’d do that?”
It was Raine who answered. “Yes. He’s paying two university students a great deal of money to do just that.”
Shabina closed her eyes at the confirmation. She allowed her mind to absorb the blow. For a moment she considered walking back into the kitchen and putting her arms around Rainier, just having him hold her. She felt safe with him. Loved by him.
She took a deep breath. “I was so afraid that would be the case, but at the same time, at least I know I’m not being framed for murder.”
“But he’s taking the chance of driving you insane.” Vienna was angry now. “And who are these students helping him? What are they doing?”
“Emar Salhi and Jamal Talbi both come from Algeria and are students attending the university,” Raine said. “Jack Foster, Shabina’s father, has been placing money in their accounts for weeks.I traced the sale of two laughing doves, the toxic desert rose, a Qaisumah diamond, oud perfume, and miswak sticks to Shabina’s father. He had the items sent directly to Salhi and Talbi at a rented Airbnb here. It’s a small farmhouse they’re sharing with two other students.”
“Do the other students know what they’re doing?” Shabina asked.
“I doubt it,” Raine said. “There’s no money going into their accounts.”
