Once Burned, Twice Spy

by Diane Henders

  “Hey, girl, you’re only going to the States for business, not dying!” Her attempt at teasing trembled with emotion, too. “Go down there, kick some bookkeeping butt, and get your ass back here in time for the wedding, you hear?”

  “I hear,” I croaked. “I will.” Stemp pulled into the airport parking garage, and I added, “I have to go now. Take care, and say hi to Dave. And, Nichele… I love you; you know that, right?”

  “I know.” A sniffle carried over the line, but I could hear the smile in her voice. “I love you, too, girl. But now you made me all teary and I have to go fix my makeup.”

  “Sorry…”

  “I’m kidding, you goofball! I’m only getting misty ’cause I love you to bits! Go catch your plane, and have a safe trip, and call me as soon as you can!”

  “I will. Thanks, Nichele. ’Bye.”

  I hung up and drew a deep breath, embarrassed by my display of emotion and grateful for Stemp’s distant reserve.

  He pulled into a parking space and tactfully got out of the vehicle without speaking. After a moment I pulled myself together and joined him at the rear of the vehicle to retrieve my backpacks.

  “Will you require the duffel bag?” Stemp asked.

  I paused, considering. A P90 machine gun was a hell of a persuader if I ran into difficulties. But it was also heavy, hard to conceal, and highly illegal for a civilian to possess.

  What the hell. I could always cache the P90 if I didn’t need it. And the bag of burner phones I’d stashed in the duffel would definitely come in handy.

  “Yeah, I’ll take it,” I said. “But I don’t want to carry this stuff into the airport. Can we meet for dinner in the Delta Hotel restaurant?”

  Stemp nodded. “I’ll collect my parents and meet you-” A low hum interrupted him, and he withdrew his phone from his pocket with a glance at the call display before he accepted the call.

  “Hello, Mother. I apologize for my tardiness…” He paused, listening, then continued, “Good; I’m glad you received my message.” Another pause. “Certainly; though I would be pleased to come and meet you… Very well; if that is your preference. I had planned for us to have a meal in the Delta Hotel restaurant if you would like to meet us there… Yes, I said ‘us’. Aydan is with me.” A smile softened his face at the response, and he concluded, “Very well, we will see you in a few minutes.”

  He pressed the disconnect button still smiling, albeit with ruefulness lurking at the corners of his mouth. “Mother is most pleased that you are here. I’m afraid we may have inadvertently revived her hope that the two of us are romantically involved.”

  “Oh God,” I groaned, then hurriedly amended, “Sorry, no offense. But I had really hoped that we’d put that particular misconception to bed.”

  “An unfortunate turn of phrase under the circumstances,” Stemp rejoined dryly. “Shall we?” He inclined his head toward the elevator.

  I shouldered my burdens and followed him.

  When we arrived at the hotel restaurant, Moonbeam and Karma were already waiting at the entrance. Contrary to Stemp’s earlier concern, they both sported parkas. Although Moonbeam wore her usual tie-dyed caftan and Karma his batik sarong, they both wore pants underneath, along with stout hiking boots.

  They turned as we approached and their faces lit up.

  “My dearest!” Moonbeam enfolded Stemp in her warm embrace, and I was pleased to see that he hugged her back without hesitation. “And Storm Cloud Dancer!” She gathered me into her arms. “It’s so wonderful to see you both!”

  Stemp offered Karma his hand but Karma ignored it, pulling him into a hug instead. Stemp didn’t resist, and I let out a breath of relief.

  Then it was my turn to hug Karma, my arms barely reaching around his powerful bulk.

  “It’s great to see you!” I said. “How have you been?”

  “Very well, thank you.”

  Stemp gently interrupted the pleasantries with a gesture at our respective bags nearly blocking the entrance. “Perhaps we could continue our reunion over din-” He fell silent, stiffening.

  With a jolt of adrenaline, I spun to follow his gaze.

  Chapter 23

  “What are you doing here?” Stemp demanded.

  Following his gaze, I gaped at the scruffy figure that had just emerged from the men’s room beside the restaurant entrance.

  “Skidmark?” A smile stretched my face. “Hey, it’s great to see you!” I stepped forward to hug him and nearly choked on the reek of stale body odour and marijuana emanating from his ancient army-issue parka. “God, you stink, old man!” But I gave him an extra squeeze, knowing it was all part of his cover.

  He hugged me briefly before withdrawing, his gold tooth glinting in a grin through his scraggly thicket of gray facial hair. “Hey, girlie, how about a kiss for ol’ Skidmark?” He licked his lips and wiggled the tip of his tongue lasciviously. “I got a little something special for you here.”

  I grinned back at him. “Nope, what you’ve got is ’way too little for me.”

  He laughed, a wheezy paroxysm that shook his frame. The wheezing went on for longer than usual and I eyed him in concern. He was thinner and paler than when I’d last seen him eight months ago.

  “That’s not what Moonbeam said last night,” he croaked when he had recovered enough to talk again. “Come on, girlie, let me show you what-”

  “She said no.” Stemp interposed himself between us, his shoulders rigid as he glared at the older man. “You will respect her decision. And her.”

  “Hey, be cool, sonny,” Skidmark mumbled. “You’re gonna hurt yourself with that big stick up your ass.”

  I hurriedly laid a hand on Stemp’s arm and eased myself between them, forcing him to step backward to avoid being pressed full-length against me.

  “Thanks, but I’m okay with Skidmark,” I said. “He’s all talk and no action.” I shot a fond glance at the man in question. “He’s like an old dog that drools and farts and spends all his time licking his balls. He’s so disgusting that he’s actually kind of cute.”

  “I was in full agreement until you reached ‘cute,” Stemp said coldly, and turned his back on Skidmark to face Moonbeam and Karma again.

  Even I had to admit that it was a much more pleasant view. With Moonbeam’s long silver braid and luminous smile and Karma’s serene weatherbeaten face and neatly bound iron-gray ponytail, they looked exactly like the hippy pseudo-spiritual leaders they had spent most of their lives impersonating.

  “Now, Cosmic River Stone,” Moonbeam admonished gently, “Please show tolerance. We are a family, after all.” She held out her hand to Skidmark, who went to her side and slipped an arm around her waist to kiss her lingeringly. She raised her face to Karma, who did the same, and all three turned back to Stemp with their arms around each other.

  Stemp muttered something that sounded like, “Don’t remind me,” but his expressionless façade was firmly in place and I might have been wrong.

  Probably not, though.

  “So you were saying…” Moonbeam prompted. “…shall we go in and eat?”

  Stemp looked as though he was reconsidering that suggestion, but he nodded reluctantly and picked up his mother’s suitcase.

  “Thank you, dear,” she said, and squeezed his arm affectionately. They led the way into the restaurant while I brought up the rear with Karma and Skidmark.

  “Are you okay?” I asked Skidmark. “You look like hell.”

  He grinned. “Part of my charm.”

  “His emphysema is progressing,” Karma said. “I’ve prescribed bronchodilators and corticosteroids…”

  “And a pill that makes me piss every ten minutes,” Skidmark put in grumpily.

  “…but he really should quit smoking,” Karma finished with a severe look at Skidmark. “He’ll soon need a portable oxygen tank, particularly at Calgary’s altitude.”

  “You know I can’t quit the weed,” Skidmark growled. “It’s my cover.” He held up a hand to halt Karma’s in
cipient rejoinder. “And you know I only do it if somebody’s watching; and I never mingle with the rest of the commune so it doesn’t amount to more than a toke or two a week.”

  “I know.” Karma gripped Skidmark’s shoulder in a brief warm gesture. “I just wish you didn’t have to smoke at all.”

  “Maybe you could pretend to get straight,” I suggested. “I’m sure none of the commune members care whether you toke up.”

  “No, they don’t give a shit about me,” Skidmark agreed matter-of-factly, and my heart squeezed. After decades of putting his life on the line to keep the commune members and the rest of the country safe, everyone thought he was nothing more than a repulsive old stoner. Human garbage, to be avoided and despised.

  Skidmark must have read my expression, because he scowled warningly and went on, “And that suits me just fine; but if another batch of wackos shows up I need to be able to do my stoned-old-man routine.”

  “Do you have any… worrisome tenants… at the moment?” I asked, letting him change the subject.

  “No,” Karma replied. “That’s why we were all able to come. And we… it was important… for us all.” The bittersweet smile he gave me spoke volumes. Soon Skidmark might not be capable of travelling outside the humid oxygen-rich air of the west coast.

  I swallowed hard, eyeing Stemp’s stiff posture ahead of us. If they couldn’t reconcile soon, it might be too late.

  “I’ll talk to him again,” I promised. “He’s softening up, you know; he’s just…” I trailed off with a helpless gesture.

  “He’s a stubborn pig-headed-” Skidmark began, but Karma interrupted.

  “A proud, stiff-necked man,” Karma said, with meaningful look at Skidmark. “Like his father.”

  I swivelled my head to stare at each of them in turn. “Are you saying you, um… found out which of you…?”

  “Yeah,” Skidmark said. “The last time they were here visiting, Karma sneaked out a DNA sample and we had it tested against ours. I’m his biological father.” He shrugged. “But Karma’s his real father. I never had much to do with the kid.” He shot a scowl at Karma. “And the kid doesn’t have any use for me now; and why should he? I told you this was a bad idea.”

  Karma sighed. “I don’t disagree. But Moonbeam…” He trailed off, and both men glanced lovingly at the slim figure ahead of us.

  I smiled. Moonbeam would never give up hope. Her gentle smile and delicately fluttering caftan concealed an iron will and a spine of steel.

  And probably a garrotte and a knife. My smile widened. Stemp might still be struggling to accept his three parents, but I’d adopt them in a heartbeat.

  “I think he already suspected you were his biological father, based on your resemblance,” I said. “Have you told him?”

  “No, and we’re not going to unless he asks,” Skidmark said firmly. “I’m just getting my shit in order before I kick off.”

  This time I knew I hadn’t hidden the stab of pain in my heart. He scowled at me again and continued, “No big deal. We just have to figure out some legal shit, since I’m a U.S. citizen but he’s registered as Moonbeam and Karma’s kid so he’s officially Canadian. It’ll probably never matter, but…” He shrugged and fell silent as Stemp and Moonbeam stopped at a table and we caught up.

  Stemp courteously withdrew a chair and seated his mother, and the rest of us pulled up chairs as well. Skidmark chose the end of the table as if trying to put as much distance between himself and Stemp as possible. That placed the old man at my right hand; and despite my fondness for him I wished he’d sit a little farther away. Like in the next county. His stench would gag a maggot.

  Moonbeam was seated across from me, on Skidmark’s other side. She smiled and opened her mouth as if to speak as he sat down, but sudden chagrin twisted her face.

  “Skidmark, dear,” she said in a slightly choked voice. “Your parka is rather… malodorous. Perhaps you could hang it… over there?” She inclined her head toward the coat hooks on the opposite wall.

  “Oh. Sure.” He rose and divested himself of the garment.

  When he returned a faint aroma of pot smoke still lingered on him, but it was no worse than sitting next to any other smoker.

  “That’s so much better,” I said gratefully. “How long did it take you to get that thing so stinky?”

  He let out a noncommittal grunt and studied the menu, and I realized I had come dangerously close to blowing his cover. Dammit, I was too comfortable. I’d better remember that everybody here had secrets.

  A tense silence fell over our table while we stared at our menus as though studying for a quiz later. Mind racing, I scanned the card without seeing it.

  Stemp had clearly not been expecting Skidmark. Would this jeopardize his visit with Karma and Moonbeam?

  I sneaked a glance at Stemp’s rigid shoulders and clenched jaw. This was a man who dealt with murderous criminals and catastrophic security breaches without even twitching an eyelid. He must be near his breaking point if I could read his emotional upheaval from across the table.

  Shit, what if he wouldn’t let Skidmark into his home? Moonbeam and Karma would probably refuse to stay without Skidmark. And Stemp, pushed past his limits, would retreat behind his icy shield and tell them all to leave, shattering the fragile bonds of their nascent reconciliation…

  “Hey, I’ve been thinking,” I blurted. “I hate to impose, but… Skidmark, would you be able to stay at my place while you’re here? I’m going to be gone for a while and it would be good to have somebody looking after the house. My neighbour watches it for me while I’m away, but he only comes every day or two and it’s so cold right now that if the power went off the pipes could freeze pretty fast.”

  Skidmark shrugged. “Sure.”

  Postures eased all around the table, and Stemp gave me a grateful look.

  “In fact,” I babbled on, “You’re all welcome to stay there if you want. St-” I bit off ‘Stemp’ and substituted his first name. “…Charles might end up being pretty busy at work. We’re in the middle of a giant audit, so if he has to work late at least the three of you could be together. And you remember how my security system works so it would be easy,” I finished, turning to Moonbeam and Karma. “I could just give you my key right now.”

  “It’s kind of you to offer, dear, but we wouldn’t want to impose…” Moonbeam began.

  “Not at all; you’d be doing me a huge favour.” I gave Stemp a fake-worried look. “I mean, I don’t want to spoil your visit…”

  Real worry seized me. Dammit, had I just given Stemp an excuse to ignore his parents completely while they were here?

  “I’m sorry,” I said hurriedly. “That was rude of me. Of course you’re here to see Charles, not stay out in the middle of nowhere at my place. I shouldn’t have asked-”

  Stemp and Moonbeam and Karma all interrupted at the same time, strained variations of ‘no, no, it’s quite all right; we’d be pleased to help; it’s no trouble at all’. Skidmark maintained cynical silence.

  “Well, that’s great then,” I said, and unhooked my house and gate key from my key ring. “Thank you so much.”

  “You’re most welcome, dear,” Moonbeam said. “When will you be coming home, and how will we contact you in the event of a problem with the house?”

  “I don’t actually know.” I shot Stemp a companionable ‘work-sucks’ grimace before facing Moonbeam again. “I’ll likely be working night and day and I may not be able to return calls promptly, but I’ll give you a number where you can leave a voicemail.” I scribbled my burner phone number on a napkin and added Tom’s number before handing it over. “If anything goes wrong, or if you need anything, just call this second number. That’s my neighbour, Tom Rossburn. He’s a great guy, and he’ll take care of everything.”

  I passed the napkin and keys over, and steered the conversation to the activities of their commune.

  After its shaky start, the meal turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. Stemp unbent enough to
participate in the conversation with warmth if not actual enthusiasm, and Skidmark said little but smiled often. After the last bite had been consumed and the bill settled, I excused myself for a trip to the washroom.

  “Perhaps I will join you,” Moonbeam said, rising with me. “It’s a long drive to Silverside.”

  We strolled to the ladies’ room and used the facilities in silence. While we were washing our hands, Moonbeam glanced around to be sure we were alone and spoke softly. “I presume your travel for the audit is a cover story?”

  I sighed. “Yeah.” Remembering to protect Stemp’s cover in turn, I added, “My end of it is, anyway. I feel guilty leaving Charles and the rest of his team here to handle the audit by himself, but I don’t have a choice. I would have left earlier; but when I heard you were coming I wanted to see you, at least for a few minutes.”

  “That’s very sweet. We are so pleased that we got to see you.” She hugged me, then drew back with a significant look. “Your neighbour, Tom. When you said he would take care of ‘everything’…?”

  Catching her meaning, I said hurriedly, “No, he doesn’t know anything; he’s just a good neighbour.”

  “Should we be prepared for any… other visitors?”

  “Not as far as I know.” We strolled out together, and I added, “I’ll give you this just in case, though.” I unfastened the video monitor that masqueraded as my wristwatch and handed it to her.

  “Storm Cloud Dancer, you mustn’t give me that,” she demurred. “You might need it.”

  “Not where I’m going.” I blew out a breath. “I’ll be completely off-grid. I have a regular watch in my backpack because I couldn’t wear this one anyway. In fact…” I dug into my waist pouch and extracted a burner phone along with my personal cell phone. “…would you please take these back to my farm with you? Just leave my cell phone on my dresser. If I need to get in touch, I’ll call you on the burner phone; and if you need to call me, the number I gave you earlier is the burner I’m using right now.”