‘God, no. That stuff looks like axel grease and tastes even worse.’
After swallowing, I started laughing.
‘What’s so funny?’ she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
‘Nothing,’ I replied through my laughter. ‘And everything.’ It wasn’t exactly a laugh-or-I’ll-cry moment. More of a release –daysof pent-up tension bursting out.
My laughter lessened, changing to sighs and I looked skyward, catching sight of the most incredible array of stars. ‘Oh, wow –look.’
‘That is beautiful,’ she agreed.
I stared at the stars a few moments longer, then watched Trudy, who was still gazing up, a wistful smile on her face.How often is she able to appreciate something as simple as a starry sky?I wondered.
‘Have you always worked for… whoever it is you work for?’ I asked.
She dragged her eyes away from the sky and fixed her potent gaze upon me. ‘More or less.’
‘And Dale?’
I could tell how seriously she considered the question. Would she answer?Shouldshe?
‘He joined later,’ she said.
It was vague – a mere morsel – but it was enough. They’d made it work, Trudy’s career in intelligence. They’d made it work, and Tommy and I had lasted less than two years.
‘What happens now?’ I asked. ‘To Julian, I mean.’
‘He’s to go to Lyon for questioning. It’s in his best interest not to screw us – he’ll be arrested if he does – so we’re trusting him to show up under his own steam.’
‘Oh god.’
‘It’s…serious, what he was planning to do – selling to Kovalec. It could have had terrible ramifications.Globally.’
I blanched and she observed me with a scrutinous eye. ‘You do know what his proprietary techdoes, right, Ally?’
Did I? I knew Julian was brilliant and had invented a technological game changer, but beyond that… no. I shook my head.
‘Well, you should ask him about it,’ she replied, that softness in her eyes waning.
Fuck, Jules. What were you thinking?
The sound of the tender’s motor cut through the still night air and I half-stood to peer over the railing. Two decks below, a handcuffed Kovalec was being guided onto the tender by Elsa and a man I hadn’t seen before. The man took the helm, then drove the tender towards the shore.
‘It’s done.’
I spun around at the sound of Tommy’s voice. God, he looked good in that uniform – even with the sombre expression.
‘Greek authorities are meeting Elsa onshore,’ he continued. ‘They’ll transport Kovalec to Athens as planned.’
‘Good. Dale and I will be there tomorrow to escort him to Lyon for quest?—’
‘Um, sorry,’ I interrupted, ‘but should you be discussing this in front of me?’
‘Hah! Hell no,’ said Trudy with a wry laugh. Tommy started to apologise but Trudy raised her hand to stop him and he fell silent, his expression inscrutable. ‘Look,’ she said to me, ‘these operations, they can span months, evenyears, and quite often people get caught up in them, like you have –civilians.’
‘Which means?’ I asked, my mouth as dry as if I’d eaten sand. All I could think of was that cliché from spy films:I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.Was I about to bedisappeared?
‘Whichmeans, you will be signing the most iron-clad non-disclosure agreement you’ve ever seen,’ she replied, and I expelled a ragged sigh. ‘And Julian’s freedom will depend not only on his cooperation, but yours. You understand?’
