Erick

by Dale Mayer

  When Honey woke up the next morning, she sat up, brushing her hair off her forehead. She noted Laszlo sat comfortably in the nearby chair. She waved a hand in silent greeting. She was groggy, her stomach rolling and uneasy, and her mouth was thick and dry. She stumbled to the bathroom, used the facilities, then brushed her teeth well and washed her face.

  She stared at herself in the mirror, wondering what had happened to her nice organized life. She’d planned to spend time here with some of the people she’d met at the conference. David had been very attentive, making sure she was always included in group activities in and out of the workshops, but she’d never quite understood what was behind his genial attitude. Some expectation on his part was always in the background, a slight air to his actions. She’d planned to make the most of her extra day for networking, but there’d been no time with all the chaos. Neither had she fixed the price issue with David, and that thought filled her with dread. She should have locked it down at the beginning. Now it felt awkward, and how was she to question whatever price he quoted her after the workshop was over? She’d end up paying whatever that final fee was.

  Still, David had never shown himself to be anything less than a gentleman. And fair. She’d really appreciated being offered the last spot. It had been fabulous here. Except for all the added chaos. What a waste that was, but she was here. Shouldn’t she be doing something more?

  Yet she didn’t want to do any more networking. She wanted to go home, back to her safe quiet little bubble. She was sorry for what had happened to Erick, but it wasn’t her world. David had made several strong attempts to spend time with her, but he’d cooled slightly when he’d seen her on her phone so much, as if realizing she wasn’t free. And it wasn’t that she was taken, but she wasn’t interested in David, other than being friends. Honestly … she was constantly consumed with Erick.

  As she made her way back to the bed, Laszlo remained in the chair. He looked up and smiled. “Feel better?”

  She shook her head. “Hell no.”

  He laughed. “I see.”

  She glared at him. “What I really need is coffee and food,” she admitted. She snatched her cell phone as it buzzed. “It’s David. He’s invited me to breakfast to say goodbye.” She tossed down her phone. “Not to mention we have unfinished business to discuss. He mentioned something about meeting this morning, but I forgot in all the excitement.”

  Laszlo stood and quietly said, “You need to get changed then. I’ll step outside and wait for you. Then I’ll take you to the restaurant.”

  She nodded. Absentmindedly she was already going through her clothing. As soon as the door closed, she jumped into them, twisted her hair up into a braid, tucked it under so it was out of the way, answered David with a quick Yes, be there in five minutes response, pocketed her phone and then closed up the last of her luggage. Today she was going home.

  They didn’t have to check out of the room until ten, so she wouldn’t take anything with her now. Not that she had much. She’d only come for a few days so had just brought carry-on luggage. Her laptop was badly damaged, and she knew Cade planned to work on it with the other men, but had he? She looked around but didn’t see it. With a heavy sigh she put the rest of her personal belongings into her purse, and then, leaving the luggage behind, she walked out into the hall. Laszlo escorted her down to the coffee shop. He didn’t say a word, just stayed at her side.

  She glanced at him. “Are you joining me at breakfast too?”

  He shook his head. “Nope,” he said cheerfully. “I can grab a coffee and sit at another table.”

  She nodded. “I’d appreciate it.”

  “Who’s this David guy?”

  “He’s the one who contacted me about the last-minute opening. Honestly I’ve been so busy trying to deal with the rest of the stuff that it’s been hard to focus,” she admitted. “I just want to go home.”

  “Is he dangerous?”

  She turned to look at him in surprise. “I guess because of what you do, you suspect everybody,” she said quietly. “But I wouldn’t say he was dangerous.”

  Laszlo didn’t respond.

  She was a little miffed at his suggestion but then remembered where the hell they were and what they’d been through already. David hadn’t been the only person she’d spent time with here, but he was probably the one she’d spent the most time with.

  At the coffee shop, Laszlo peeled off to another table, ordering coffee with a wave of his hand. She loved how much command he had in the fingers to his badly burned hand. He always seemed to keep it out of sight or gloved but that appeared to be more for other peoples’ sake than his.

  Alternatively she was the kind who waited to be seated, who waited until somebody asked if she wanted anything. Erick was the same as Laszlo. They dominated any space, their presence big enough that people just naturally gravitated toward them. She didn’t know how that worked when they were trying to slip through society like shadows. But she assumed they had the same ability to throw off that mantle as they had the ability to put it back on again.

  She caught sight of David, standing, waving from a table. With a big smile she approached. He hugged her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. He motioned to the chair. She was still surprised at his physical gestures. She sat down, dropped her purse beside her on the next chair and smiled at him. “This is a great idea. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy with personal issues during the conference. I just haven’t had a chance to even focus.”

  “It seemed you were a hundred percent with us on the first day, but it then peeled away very quickly.”

  She winced. “It wasn’t that noticeable, was it?”

  He chuckled. “It doesn’t matter. I was hoping to get you to stay for a couple more days.” He held up a hand as if already seeing her impending refusal. “Let me speak first.”

  Just then the waitress interrupted. Honey sat back and stared at him, wondering what the hell she’d just gotten into. Or was she making too big a deal out of this because of the last few days of seeing bogeymen around every corner? Maybe this was a good idea. David had incredible contacts. He had the ability to move her career forward. If that was what she wanted … And if that was all he wanted.

  When the waitress asked her what she wanted, she realized she would need food for a long day ahead of her. She ordered coffee and an omelet with toast.

  When the waitress left, David nodded appreciatively. “I do like to see a woman eat.”

  She gave him a half smile, but it was getting harder to force those out. “I’m hungry. I have a long trip ahead.”

  “Understood.” He glanced around the room. “Now to get back to what I was saying …” She leaned forward to interrupt him, but he shook his head and held up his hands. “Wait until you hear what I have to say.”

  She frowned and settled back, hating that sudden sick feeling in her stomach, that inkling running up and down her spine. That instinctive wish to stop him from continuing. She picked up her coffee and studied the man she barely knew. “I’ve really enjoyed the information I’ve learned during the workshop,” she said honestly.

  “Of course. It’s one of the reasons you were invited to the conference.”

  “You’re doing fascinating stuff,” she said sincerely. “I really appreciated the opportunity to come. I was surprised at the call though. You don’t know me from any other dentist in the world, so why did I get the spot?”

  He shook his head. “Certainly I know you more than many other dentists. We’ve been conversing for at least two years. I found you enchanting back then, and that hasn’t changed. Of course, when an opportunity arose, I thought of you. Besides, I’ve heard lots of good things about you.”

  She frowned, her fingers playing on the edge of her coffee cup. “From whom?”

  He mentioned several men she worked with at the university.

  She smiled. “Aah, I was giving lectures there for the School of Dentistry.”

  “But for one so young, it shows they recog
nize talent.”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been lucky to have some high-profile patients. But I’m still just a dentist. You’re doing all kinds of cutting-edge work here. It’s fascinating.”

  He nodded. “I have to admit, ever since I saw you the first time, I was intrigued.”

  There it was, that same sock to the gut. “So is that why you kept in contact with me?” she teased, trying for a light tone, but inside her stomach gurgled. She was never any good with these kinds of conversations. “That’s a long time to hold a torch,” she half-joked, half-challenged.

  He chuckled. “Well, that just shows I’m more male than dentist, doesn’t it?”

  His gaze was penetrating. Something in the back of his eyes made her feel uneasy. And it had a lot to do with the possessive look he let her see before he hid it from view.

  She swallowed hard. Had she imagined that? Or was something seriously wrong here? And why now? “The photos on the university website are so old. It’s a good thing you saw me in person too so you’re not confused by those photos.”

  “I did see a few more recent ones,” he said quietly.

  She frowned and looked at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “You were involved in a car accident, I believe.”

  She stared at him for a moment and slowly replaced her coffee cup in the saucer, her heart slamming against her chest. What did her accident have to do with anything? “A year ago.” With a forced laugh she said, “Not a time I want to remember.”

  “You weren’t hurt that day, were you?”

  “No!” She didn’t know what else to say. What was he getting at? The mention of the car accident wasn’t good. That was a connection to Erick no one should know about. “I was fine. It wasn’t that bad an accident. That’s not exactly a good time in my history. So, if you don’t mind, I’d just as soon not speak about it.”

  He gave her a big expansive smile. “Of course not. And you weren’t responsible for the accident, were you?”

  So much for not speaking about it. She bolstered her spirits, knowing Laszlo was close by. She just needed a few minutes; then she could get up and leave. “No, I wasn’t. It was an accident. It’s not like I was drunk or unfit to be driving or didn’t have a license or anything like that,” she clarified. She studied him for a long moment. “What are you getting at?”

  He gave her a big innocent-looking smile. “Nothing, of course. But somebody I know mentioned the person’s vehicle that you hit.”

  And a second sock to the gut. This really was about Erick. She frowned. “Right, I smashed into a young man driving a car that was important to him.”

  “And yet that is the same somebody who you’ve been seeing here, isn’t it? Isn’t that the same Erick you’re on the phone with all the time? I’m sorry,” he said apologetically. “It was a little hard not to see his name when you were on the phone. And of course you were obviously upset with him.”

  She stiffened in her chair. “I thought you invited me here for coffee, not to grill me over an accident I had a year ago.”

  He chuckled and settled back, but his gaze was unwavering. “I wanted to invite you to stay at my place for a few days. Delay your flight and have a real visit.”

  “Why the third degree on my accident then?” she asked, not understanding the conflicting language.

  “Aah, that’s because a friend of mine wants to get a hold of the person you hit.”

  She shook her head. “Then why are you contacting me? If you have a copy of the accident report, you know how to contact him.”

  “He’s not responding to my friend’s invitation,” he said smoothly. “We’re assuming we have the wrong contact information. And I invited you to the conference hoping you’d benefit from it—and I admit, I was hoping to convince you to stay and spend a few days with me now. However, just imagine my surprise when the man you hit in that accident is here in Kabul with us.” He lifted his coffee cup and stared at her over the rim. “It was very fortuitous.”

  “It’s a coincidence.”

  He shook his head slowly. “Is there such a thing? Still, it’s perfect timing for me.”

  Just then the waitress arrived with their orders. She stared at the omelet that now looked huge. “I won’t even make a dent in this,” she confessed.

  While his head was down, studying the plate of food in front of him, she took a fast glance around, looking for Laszlo. And couldn’t see him anywhere. That was not what she wanted.

  “Your friend is still around,” David said, suddenly lifting his gaze to hers. “And so are mine.”

  Her gaze widened. Her breath caught in the back of her throat. What the hell? She quickly glanced around, but panic rose fast. She leaned closer to him. “Are you saying you invited me here for breakfast so you could get information out of my friend?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Of course not. I was hoping you would tell me where he was, so my friend could talk to him. But obviously that makes you feel disloyal.”

  She cut into her omelet and shoved the first bite in her mouth. It should have been delicious, but it tasted like sawdust. She swallowed it down and followed it with a sip of water. “I’ll give you his number. You can try contacting him directly again,” she said, her voice a little smoother now that she’d had a moment to adjust. But she really wanted to know where Laszlo was. “Was I only invited over here to this workshop because of him?”

  He shook his head. “Of course not. Every dentist has merit. The fact that you happened to have had an accident with this young man who my friend is trying to get a hold of is entirely separate.” He leaned across the table and covered her hand with his.

  She froze. She stared down at his hand, then slowly pulled hers out from underneath it. “And what does your friend want with him?”

  David smiled. “I have no idea. My understanding is he just wants to ask some questions.”

  “Then here’s a better contact number,” she said, cheerfully pulling out her phone. She flicked through the recent texts to find the number. She read it off as he entered it into his phone. She had no clue if Erick would be seriously angry with her for it, but, for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out how to get out of this without handing over the number.

  David put down his phone, reached for his coffee cup and took a sip. Then he held it so he could stare over the top of the rim at her. He studied her for a long moment while she got down several more bites of her omelet. She had this crazy feeling she would need to run at any moment. And she would need the fuel. Was she overreacting? And what was that about staying with him for a few days? That was enough to ring all the creepy alert bells, but she realized it didn’t matter. She had no interest in spending a few days with him. And he had no business talking to her about Erick.

  “I want you to contact your friend and tell him to meet my friend.”

  She nodded agreeably.

  “Excellent.”

  “I can do that. But why me?”

  He put down his cup. “Why you? Just so he understands where you are in this situation. He needs to meet my friend at …” He gave an address she didn’t recognize or know how to spell. He checked his watch. “In one hour.”

  She studied him for a long moment. “But there’s no guarantee Erick will show up.”

  He nodded. “I was afraid you would say that.” His phone rang just then. He picked it up, clicked a few buttons and then said, “Maybe this will help him show up.”

  She stared at a picture of Laszlo being strapped down in a chair by the two men she recognized from the hotel coffee shop. She swallowed hard and turned her fierce glare on David. “What are you doing here? What is this all about?”

  He shrugged. “In my case, I’m forced to repay a favor, so, if you take care of your end, maybe we’ll both get out of trouble.”

  She lowered her voice. “So he isn’t a friend of yours?”

  David shook his head. “Let’s just say, if I want to stay on his good side, I need your friend t
o show up to the meeting.”

  “And your invitation to stay with you for a few days?” She tossed down her napkin. “Do you like living here in Kabul?”

  He shrugged. “Kabul is my home. But often there’s a political price to pay for any work done here. You’re on one side of the war or the other. I picked the side of the people. But there are rules to living and doing business here.” His voice hardened. “And I don’t have a problem with that because I’m getting something I want too. You. If you want to see the young man again you came into the restaurant with, you’ll tell your friend to meet mine in an hour.” His smile turned predatory. “And, if you’re good, you’ll survive. Which I really hope because the agreement is that you’ll be delivered to my estate when this is all over. Then we can revisit that part of the discussion with a bottle of wine and your … shall we say … cooperation in my bed?” And he clicked a few buttons on his cell phone. “Right. I’m forwarding a picture on to your phone. Do please take a second look at your friend and make the right decision—for all of us.”

  Her mind scrambled for an answer. This was just too unbelievable. And impossibly difficult. So difficult she was having trouble grasping his words. She picked up her cell phone as he sent her the picture of Laszlo. “You need to give me the address again.”

  As David spelled out the address, she typed it into the text and sent it. Then she sent the photo of Laszlo to Erick with a quick message she was in trouble too. “Is Laszlo at this address?”

  David chuckled. “Oh, my dear. I might not do this on a full-time basis, but I’m not a fool. And I won’t be giving away any secrets too early.”

  She sat back. “I’m sorry you’re involved,” she said quietly. “It really is a coincidence Erick’s here. I have nothing to do with whatever is going on.”

  A sly smile whispered across his face, followed by a shrug of his shoulders. “In that case we just might have to increase the stakes to make sure your friend complies. I do hope you survive.”

  Uncomfortable and more worried now, she needed to get away fast. She stood, and, as she did so, two big men stepped up on either side of her, put a hand on each of her shoulders and pressed her back down into her seat. She glared at David. “Now what?”