They stopped being my eyes when I walked away from Lisette.
Picking up the electric razor, I stare at my reflection until the wild, feral look fades away, leaving only sorrow in its wake.
* * *
Lisette
“We went to the science museum,” Mateen says. “There was a long tunnel, and it was dark and scary, but on the other side, there was a rainforest!”
“Quelle surprise!I have never seen a rainforest. Did it rain inside?” I pace the main room, unable to sit still, even now that I know my son is safe at the hotel in Barcelona with his class.
“No, Maman. A rainforest has fish and turtles and birds and plants and it smells like dirt. After we fed the turtles, we went up to the top floor. Mademoiselle Benoit showed us how they make the big robot arms that build cars and boats and airplanes.”
“Did you tell heryoubuilt a robot?”
“She knows. She said I should ask you for a book on circuit boards. Can you get me one? I need to know how they work so I can make my next robot do more things. I want it to be able to pick up my socks for me.”
My laugh eases some of the stress of the day. As does the text message that pops up on my phone.
Ford: Griff is in Barcelona, and Wren has tapped into the security cameras at Mateen’s hotel. If anyone goes near his room, we’ll know.
“When you come home, we will get all the books on circuit boards you want. Ask Mademoiselle Benoit if she has any recommendations, okay?”
“Okay. We have to turn out the lights soon and I still need to brush my teeth. I love you, Maman. Bye!”
He hangs up before I can say the words back to him. Before I can tell him to be careful. To remember the rules. But he is a good boy, even when he sulks. Amelie will watch out for him, and this Griff—this man I have never met—will be close by at all times.
For the tenth time in the past few hours, I check the doors and windows. The drapes are drawn, the locks secure, but I cannot settle.
Ford: If you want, Griff can bring Mateen home in the morning, then stick around until we know there’s no threat.
It would be so easy to say yes. But Mateen has been looking forward to this trip since last term. I cannot take it away from him. Not when he has a former CIA officer looking after him at all times.
I message Ford to thank him, then apologize again for all the time—and money—he is spending to keep me safe. Within minutes, the phone rings.
“Ford?”
“Joey’s on the call too. How are you holding up?”
“Fine.” The lie slips out easily, but perhaps if I say it enough, I will no longer want to throw up. Or scream.
“Lisette,” Joey’s voice is so patient, I want to cry, “you don’t have to be okay. Not with us.”
“We have been so careful.” The first tear slips down my cheek. “Moving here has been an adventure. Noele is only an hour away, Mateen loves his school, he has made friends. So have I. What if we have to run?”
“You won’t. Your profile was only up for three days,” Ford says. “I doubt anyone recognized you or Mateen. Even if they had, we tracked down every one of Faruk’s people after we got Ripper out. The only ones left alive didn’t give a flying fuck about the man or his empire. They were only in it for the money. We made sure they had plenty of it in exchange for them ‘forgetting’ everything they ever knew about him.”
He sounds so confident. So certain there is no danger.
“By tomorrow, I’ll have someone in Toulouse. Just in case. They’ll stick close for a couple of weeks—though you’ll probably never see them. Wren added your name and Mateen’s to her monitoring programs. Ifanythingpops, we’ll protect you. Even if I have to fly over there myself.”
“I do not know how I can ever repay you.”
“Without you and Mateen,” Joey says, “Ford and I would never have found one another again. We’re family, Lisette. And family doesn’t keep score.”
* * *
The air conditioningcarries the scent of cinnamon through the flower shop, and I tuck one of the dark brown sticks among the roses, dahlias, and peonies.
