Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“Why are you afraid of him?” Vienna asked gently. Shabina seemed the most fragile of all of her friends. She’d fought hard to overcome her past. She’d opened up her own café and made a success of it. She lived on her own with her protection dogs, although she did have security, but that was mandated by her father. Vienna didn’t blame him after hearing what had happened, and she knew Shabina had downplayed her experience, given them just the bare bones. The fact that an experienced operative had lost his sanity and killed everyone in the camp rather than get her out without anyone the wiser was testimony to what he must have found.
“You see him. Aren’t you a little afraid? I saw him in action. I know what he’s capable of. He did that for me and he’d do it again.”
“So, you are afraid of him because you saw him killing all those men,” Raine clarified.
Shabina shook her head. “Not exactly. Not that he did it or could do it. That he did it because of me. Because of what he saw they did to me. He’s very controlled. Extremely controlled and disciplined. He doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t do anything without purpose, and he doesn’t screw up. That was a major screwup. What he did could have ended his career. He made enemies that to this day have put bounties on his head.”
Raine nodded. “That’s true. Rainier has the largest bounties on his head I’ve ever seen of any operative. He’s definitely the most-wanted man any of the high-profile terrorist cells are looking for. Not only that, but they have vowed to pay any mercenary who brings them his head.”
Shabina rubbed her temple as if she was getting a headache. “I didn’t know that.”
“Fortunately, they don’t have good photos of him, but they keep the chatter going on their news channels. He’s considered one of their greatest enemies.”
“Because of what he did when he rescued me?” Shabina asked.
Raine started to reply and then hesitated. “Rainier is wanted for a lot of reasons, Shabina. I’ll have to leave it at that. He’s a very active operative.”
“Do you believe Wallin will send his assassins after me to Knightly?” Vienna changed the subject. Shabina looked mutinous, and if Raine was getting into classified information, she would never give up the data. Vienna didn’t want the friends upset with one another.
“Assuming we’re correct about Wallin,” Harlow clarified. “If we’re wrong and he’s really a good guy, then I don’t have a clue who wants you dead, Vienna.”
“Maybe Elsa stepped on someone’s toes and she was the true target all along,” Zahra said.
“She’s such a firecracker.” Vienna hated that Elsa had been shot, especially since she was certain she was the cause. “I’m going to ask Mom and Ellen to visit her. If Verma needs a place to stay, maybe they can put her up. Their apartment is large and it’s near the hospital. Elsa will be there for a little while, I’m afraid.”
“That would be good,” Zahra said.
“If I am the real target, and you all know most likely I am, then it isn’t safe to be around me,” Vienna pointed out.
Stella glared at her. “Don’t be silly. We’re all in this together. In any case, in Vegas Wallin could have you followed, but in Knightly a stranger would stand out. We’re going on our hike, and if we leave tomorrow morning there’s no chance anyone will have time to find you. We can ask our friends in town to keep an eye out for strangers. I’ll talk to Sam before we leave.”
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to stick with the plan, Stella? We’ll be four days off hiking on our own,” Vienna said. She really wanted to go. She didn’t see how a city boy like Wallin could find her, but she didn’t want to endanger her friends.
“Of course we have to stick to the plan, Vienna. If we leave at first light, how would anyone from Wallin’s camp know where we’re going? We’re in a private jet. We’ll meet at first light, park at the meadow and take the shuttle to White Wolf Trailhead. Even if they manage to get to Knightly by private plane tomorrow, we’ll be gone. Sam will hear they’ve arrived and he’ll be all over them.”
Vienna knew that much was true. Sam would be watching for anyone suspicious coming to town, in particular hanging around looking for Vienna. Still, she was a little anxious about endangering her friends.
The pilot told them they would be landing soon. To get seated and put on their seatbelts. Vienna snapped her seatbelt around her while she contemplated everything that Raine had discovered. Elliot Blom was her birth father. He was Zale and Rainier’s boss. He’d once been Sam’s boss. Had he known about her since Sam had come to live in Knightly? She didn’t think so. He had been lied to by Avril just as Mitzi had been. Still, when he had discovered the truth, rather than talk to her himself he’d simply sent a couple of his men to keep her safe while using her as bait to draw out his enemy.