make
idle threats.
"I don’t want to be buried in some Chinese
rice field,” the man said in defense.
"Will you shut up?" Scott threatened, but in
a lower voice as if just remembering Abby’s presence in the other
room. "There is no one who could tell. You two have as much to lose
as I do. Jake won't go up against Dominic. There is no one who
would tell him. So stop worrying."
Abby stepped away from the door, suddenly a
lot less sure of what she was going to do that day.
Stopping on the highest part of the Seventeen
Arch Bridge, Abby leaned between two white lion statues and looked
across the peaceful Kunming Lake at the ornate Long Corridor that
wound along the shoreline. The sheltered passageway had led her
most of the way from the Summer Garden’s East entrance to the
Marble Boat where she’d taken the Dragon Ferry to the small island
behind her. The weight of her thoughts had dimmed the pleasure of
walking beneath the thousands of ancient paintings. She’d stopped
at each of the season pavilions along the way, but even their
beauty had failed to hold her interest.
Lucky arch number nine. I could use some of
your luck today. A masculine and powerful number in China; nine
symbolized both fortune and safety on a bridge that some said
looked like a magical rainbow from a distance.
As Dominic had instructed, Scott and his men
had retreated a slight distance when she’d claimed a headache, but
their presence was a constant reminder of how vulnerable she really
was. Did they suspect that she had heard them? If so, how far would
they go to stop her from revealing their secret?
She had to tell Dominic – and soon, but she
had no idea how he would respond to the news. Because I barely know
him. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably at that thought.
What kind of business was he involved in? For
all she knew, it was illegal and Jake was collecting evidence he
could use in his own plea bargain when the Feds came for them.
Criminals didn’t discuss their plans with
government officials. Did they?
They do if the officials are also involved in
the deal.
When one of the guards had said that Dominic
would kill them -- had he meant figuratively, through their
careers, or actually help them go into the light kind of kill? Did
she really want to find out while she was in a foreign country with
no money, no passport, and no friends to help her get away if the
situation turned ugly?
She should have followed her instincts and
gotten off the plane in New York. She could be back in her old life
right now.
Safe.
Bored.
Half alive.
Half alive is better than dead.
Abby shuddered and rested her hand lightly on
the neck of one of the lions. I wouldn’t mind a little of your
protection today.
Whether the answer came to her from the
ancient guardian or from a revival of her own inner fortitude, the
result was the same. She resolved to trust Dominic and tell him
everything she knew as soon as he returned to the hotel. Fear is
not going to rule my life anymore.
A petite Chinese woman stepped out of a crowd
of tourists and stood next to Abby. In thickly accented English,
she said, "Excuse me, Miss Dartley?"
Before she even had time to turn fully, Abby
sensed her bodyguards closing ranks around her. "Yes," Abby said,
amazed that someone here would know her and wondered if it was
someone from the hotel staff. Did she have a message from
Dominic?
"Zhang Yajun would like to meet you for tea
at your hotel lounge," the woman said with a slight bow of her
head.
Abby sought advice from the only person she
had to rely on. "Scott?"
He assessed and dismissed the risk. "She is
one of the most influential women in China. She made her money in
real estate and food essences, I believe. I don't think there is
any harm in meeting her in a public place.”
“I don’t--” Abby started to disagree, then
stopped herself. If this trip was really the jumpstart to the next
phase of her life, then it was high time she started
idle threats.
"I don’t want to be buried in some Chinese
rice field,” the man said in defense.
"Will you shut up?" Scott threatened, but in
a lower voice as if just remembering Abby’s presence in the other
room. "There is no one who could tell. You two have as much to lose
as I do. Jake won't go up against Dominic. There is no one who
would tell him. So stop worrying."
Abby stepped away from the door, suddenly a
lot less sure of what she was going to do that day.
Stopping on the highest part of the Seventeen
Arch Bridge, Abby leaned between two white lion statues and looked
across the peaceful Kunming Lake at the ornate Long Corridor that
wound along the shoreline. The sheltered passageway had led her
most of the way from the Summer Garden’s East entrance to the
Marble Boat where she’d taken the Dragon Ferry to the small island
behind her. The weight of her thoughts had dimmed the pleasure of
walking beneath the thousands of ancient paintings. She’d stopped
at each of the season pavilions along the way, but even their
beauty had failed to hold her interest.
Lucky arch number nine. I could use some of
your luck today. A masculine and powerful number in China; nine
symbolized both fortune and safety on a bridge that some said
looked like a magical rainbow from a distance.
As Dominic had instructed, Scott and his men
had retreated a slight distance when she’d claimed a headache, but
their presence was a constant reminder of how vulnerable she really
was. Did they suspect that she had heard them? If so, how far would
they go to stop her from revealing their secret?
She had to tell Dominic – and soon, but she
had no idea how he would respond to the news. Because I barely know
him. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably at that thought.
What kind of business was he involved in? For
all she knew, it was illegal and Jake was collecting evidence he
could use in his own plea bargain when the Feds came for them.
Criminals didn’t discuss their plans with
government officials. Did they?
They do if the officials are also involved in
the deal.
When one of the guards had said that Dominic
would kill them -- had he meant figuratively, through their
careers, or actually help them go into the light kind of kill? Did
she really want to find out while she was in a foreign country with
no money, no passport, and no friends to help her get away if the
situation turned ugly?
She should have followed her instincts and
gotten off the plane in New York. She could be back in her old life
right now.
Safe.
Bored.
Half alive.
Half alive is better than dead.
Abby shuddered and rested her hand lightly on
the neck of one of the lions. I wouldn’t mind a little of your
protection today.
Whether the answer came to her from the
ancient guardian or from a revival of her own inner fortitude, the
result was the same. She resolved to trust Dominic and tell him
everything she knew as soon as he returned to the hotel. Fear is
not going to rule my life anymore.
A petite Chinese woman stepped out of a crowd
of tourists and stood next to Abby. In thickly accented English,
she said, "Excuse me, Miss Dartley?"
Before she even had time to turn fully, Abby
sensed her bodyguards closing ranks around her. "Yes," Abby said,
amazed that someone here would know her and wondered if it was
someone from the hotel staff. Did she have a message from
Dominic?
"Zhang Yajun would like to meet you for tea
at your hotel lounge," the woman said with a slight bow of her
head.
Abby sought advice from the only person she
had to rely on. "Scott?"
He assessed and dismissed the risk. "She is
one of the most influential women in China. She made her money in
real estate and food essences, I believe. I don't think there is
any harm in meeting her in a public place.”
“I don’t--” Abby started to disagree, then
stopped herself. If this trip was really the jumpstart to the next
phase of her life, then it was high time she started
Similar Books
