If just that much could go right, everything would be okay. Once the other two were dead, even if Georgia knew about his illegal deals overseas, it would be her word against his. A lone female contract agent who’d officially left The Company years ago under a dark cloud that had stained her reputation and would follow her for the rest of her life.
He could easily handle her. His tenure with The Company had given him the best possible preparation for the shark tank that was Washington politics. She’d be dead before long anyway. It would all work out. He’d weathered far more severe storms than that before in his career and come through okay.
Not like this, you haven’t.
Shoving aside that dark voice and the wave of anxiety rising inside him, he rose, looking down at the dog. He had a last resort backup plan in place of course, but he didn’t want to have to use it. Enacting that would signal the death of everything he’d worked for. “Should we go for a walk?”
Patriot’s eyes lit up, ears perking and he got to his feet, his fourteen-year-old body struggling with each movement. He stood there with his back end wiggling from the force of his tail whipping back and forth.
Will took the leash from the basket by the door, hooked it to the collar. Might as well go get some fresh air and a brisk walk to help relieve the stress. There was nothing else he could do now but wait, and pray his sins didn’t catch up with him.
****
Briar didn’t know what to expect when Alex led them into the two-story timber lodge built right on the ski hill, but it wasn’t anything this luxurious. He took them through the newly renovated kitchen and through the open-plan living room that overlooked a ski run, then upstairs where three bedrooms and two baths were located. All newly renovated, the décor warm and cozy and fresh. The curtains were all drawn, she noted with approval, and there were security cameras discreetly mounted in places that allowed for the best coverage.
Back downstairs he flipped on some more lights and set about making a fire for them in the fireplace. “Grace wanted gas but I like the feel of a real fire better.” He glanced over his shoulder at them. “We were planning to come up this weekend to put up and decorate a tree but Grace got called overseas last night so we might not get here over the holidays after all.”
“That’s too bad,” Matt said. “It’s a great place.”
Alex shrugged and started crumpling some newspaper to put beneath the logs he’d set up. “We still might. Just depends.”
On whether or not she and Matt were still here? “We can go someplace else,” Briar said. Alex had already done more than enough and she could find another place to hole up in without taking his vacation home away from him over the holidays.
He waved her words away and added more kindling beneath the split logs. “Don’t worry about it. I’d rather someone use it anyhow, to justify all the property management fees and taxes we’ve paid this year,” he added dryly.
“You bought it?” she asked him, a little surprised. He wasn’t the sort of man to slow down and take vacations, let alone often enough to warrant buying a place like this. Grace’s influence had obviously been good for him. Briar knew how much of a toll it took for someone to devote his or her life to their country. She loved the idea of Alex scaling that back, reclaiming his life for himself and enjoying all the time he had left with his new wife. Someday she hoped she got that chance too.
“Last year. Brought Grace here to unwind after the incident in Karachi and we both fell in love with it.”
He meant when Grace had nearly died in a chemical attack there. Janaia had told her about it and just the thought made her insides shrivel. Briar was much more comfortable dealing with rifles and bullets, or a blade if necessary. Chemical weapons were so evil and cruel she wished they had never been invented. “I can see why.” The place was cozy with lots of character, and all the modern conveniences to make it comfortable.
“I’ve canceled the weekly cleaning service until further notice, so do me a favor and make sure you wipe all the fingerprints off the stainless appliances or Grace will freak.” Alex lit the fire and adjusted some logs before climbing to his feet. The flames crackled and snapped, filling the room with a warm orange glow. “You guys hungry? Zahra should be back with the groceries soon, but I’m sure we’ve got some stuff in the pantry still.”
“No, I’m good,” she said, glancing at Matt.
He was looking around the great room, studying the beams in the high ceilings as he answered. “I’m good too.”
“Go ahead and get settled,” Alex told them. “I’ll get the computer set up in the den.”