Long After Midnight

by Iris Johansen

  With mixed emotions she watched him walk out of the waiting room. No one had ever managed to throw her into wild confusion the way Seth did. He was like a tornado, touching down and scattering her composure to the four winds. In this one conversation he had driven her from anger to remorse and then piled on guilt, sympathy, and God knows what else.

  Fear.

  The thought jumped out at her.

  Seth had said she felt threatened by him. It wasn’t true, of course. Seth would never hurt her.

  Except by being Seth. Except by disturbing the calm serenity of her life.

  Except by leaving her.

  Oh God, yes, it would hurt when he left her.

  The realization sent a ripple of shock through her. But only because she had grown accustomed to having him in her bed. He was so damn good. . . .

  And he was wonderful with Joshua, wonderful with Phyliss.

  And he was good company. As she had told him that first morning after they’d made love, he had great entertainment value.

  But that was all.

  She couldn’t let it be more. Seth would never lack confidence in his own worth, unlike Michael, but neither would he ever have Michael’s steadiness.

  Why was she comparing them as if she had a choice?

  Seth would leave her. It was only a matter of time after RU2 was accepted that he would move on.

  See how that hurt? So admit that he is a threat. Protect yourself. Don’t let him come any closer.

  She pushed her cup away and got to her feet. Go to Joshua. He and Phyliss are your life.

  Don’t let Seth come any closer.

  They arrived back at the hotel in Washington three days later.

  “Everything okay?” Seth asked after Kate came back from settling Phyliss and Joshua in the suite next door.

  She nodded. “Though Rimilon seems to be a little cowed by Phyliss.”

  “Aren’t we all?” He took off his jacket and tossed it on the couch. “I called Migellin. He wants us at his house tomorrow afternoon. He’s having one of his get-togethers.”

  She gave a ghost of a smile. “After what happened the last time, I’m surprised he can persuade anyone to come.”

  “On the contrary, I’d bet they’re tripping over each other to come and see you. The ones who were there when you opened that package will be able to dine out on that story for months.”

  “I can’t imagine that.” She shuddered. “I can’t even talk about it.”

  “Then don’t.” He picked up his suitcase and started to carry it into the bedroom.

  “Wait.”

  He stiffened and then turned to face her.

  She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to sleep with you anymore.”

  He smiled sardonically. “I did scare you, didn’t I? I made you think. I should have kept my mouth shut.”

  “It’s beginning to be too complicated.”

  “And heaven forbid you have to deal with complications.”

  “You don’t want complications either.”

  “But the difference between us is that I know I can’t hide from them.” He took a step closer. “Why did you decide to get rid of me? You liked the sex too much? It’s like a drug, isn’t it? You lose control and you don’t like to lose control. You like everything to be smooth. Or maybe I wasn’t comfortable and steady like Noah and your father.”

  His eyes were glittering, his lips tight, and she felt a jolt of uneasiness. “Be reasonable. There’s no cause to be angry.”

  “I am angry. I don’t like to be kicked out when I haven’t done anything. Hell, I’ve been a goddamn saint. Almost as holy as Saint Noah.” He grasped her shoulders. “It’s not fair.”

  “I know it isn’t,” she said helplessly. “But I can’t help it.”

  She watched emotions flicker across his face. He was silent a moment. “Neither can I. I told you, I don’t react well to rejection. I connive and manipulate and do anything I have to do to avoid it.” His hands dropped from her shoulders and he headed for his bedroom. “Okay, I’ll be nice and tame. I’ll go to my lonely bed and leave you to yours. I’ll smile and pretend everything is hunky-dory. But don’t think it’s over. I won’t let it be over. In a month I’ll be back in your bed.”

  She shook her head. “It wasn’t supposed to last forever. You wouldn’t want that.”

  “Don’t tell me what I want.” The door slammed behind him.

  She flinched as if he’d struck her. His intensity frightened her. That dark, violent streak had never been turned on her before.

  And not only frightened, she also felt raw and guilty and lonely.

  Very lonely.

  She forced herself to read Ishmaru’s Warriors before she went to sleep that night. She had put it off, but she could do so no longer. He was coming closer. She had to try to rid herself of fear and find a weakness.

  And for the first time since she and Seth had become lovers, the nightmare came again.

  She awoke panting, sweating, weeping.

  Seth.

  Seth wasn’t there.

  But Ishmaru was, invading her sleep as he’d invaded her life.

  And he’d not been stalking her.

  He’d been after Seth.

  Someone close to you. Guess again.

  She hadn’t even considered a threat to Seth. Seth was strong, smart, dangerous, able to fend off any threat.

  Noah had been strong and smart too.

  She wanted to run into Seth’s room and be with him, protect him.

  Don’t let him come any closer.

  Stop shaking. Seth was far more able to protect himself than Noah. Go back to sleep.

  Guess again. . . .

  Blount was supremely satisfied.

  He’d read Drakin correctly. It was only a matter of time before the man came into his camp.

  And with him would come money and power.

  He hummed softly as he unlocked the door and entered his office. He always arrived two hours earlier than Ogden, who usually came in around ten. Blount’s diligence impressed Ogden. And the two hours gave Blount time to scan any documents Ogden chose to keep locked in his drawer.

  The subterfuge wouldn’t be necessary very much longer. He was on his way. He had Drakin, and Ishmaru was cooperating beautifully.

  Yes, he was very satisfied with how things were going. He picked up the phone. Now he had to check on only one more detail. . . .

  * * *

  FIFTEEN

  * * *

  He would come to the gazebo.

  Blount had said he always watched the sunset from the gazebo on the hill when he was at his country place. The bastard had better be right. He didn’t have time to stalk. He had a reservation on the nine o’clock flight to Oklahoma.

  In other circumstances what he was about to do might have been a pleasure. He had watched Migellin on TV and the man impressed him as being strong in spirit. He must have the soul of a warrior, or Blount would not be wanting to get rid of him.

  He had watched the guests depart one by one. Emily and Drakin had been the last to go, and Migellin had smiled at her and she had looked at him with affection.

  He was coming up the hill.

  Faster. Come faster. I’m waiting for you.

  He was wearing a gray sweater, and the breeze was ruffling his hair. He looked relaxed and contented.

  Ishmaru was suddenly contented too.

  Migellin was important to Emily and he was strong. He would fight. It would be worth the delay to confront such a man, and in the end it would be the same.

  Coup.

  “How you doing?” Kate came into Joshua’s room and plopped down on the bed.

  He scowled at her. “Grandma won’t let me up. I feel fine.”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “What’s the difference between today and tomorrow?”

  “Twenty-four hours. Now tell me what you did today while we were at the senator’s.”

  He nodded at the guitar by the bed. “I practiced
‘Down in the Valley.’ I’m getting pretty good.” He brightened. “You want to hear it?”

  “You bet.” She handed him the guitar and stood up. “Wait a minute and I’ll get Seth. He’ll want to hear it too.”

  “He’s already heard it. He came to see me before dinner.” His forehead was wrinkled in concentration as he began to pluck the chords. “He said he’d teach me another song tomorrow. Maybe ‘Yankee Doodle.’ ”

  She curled up in the chair across the room and watched him. Thank God, children were so wonderfully resilient. They were better at handling adversity than grown-ups were. Lock them up and they’ll learn to play the guitar. She remembered reading the diary of Anne Frank years ago and being impressed at how life went on even under that terrible threat. In a way, Joshua’s situation was the same.

  He looked up. “You listening?”

  “Every note. You’re pretty hot stuff.”

  He grinned and looked back down at the chords he was making. “I’m getting there.”

  She rested her head on the cushion, listening to the soft music. Peace. Love. Togetherness. It was like the times they’d had together before all this began. The calm in the eye of the hurricane.

  Well, she’d take it.

  Enjoy the moment.

  “Migellin is dead,” Tony said as soon as Seth opened the hotel room door. “His wife found him in the gazebo earlier this evening.”

  “How?”

  “Stabbed. There was a note beside him saying this is what happens to all heathens who tamper with God’s natural order.”

  Kate felt as if she’d been stabbed herself. She turned to Seth. “Ishmaru?”

  “Probably. Or maybe Ogden pumped up one of those fanatics to do it.”

  “You don’t believe that.”

  “No, but I hoped you might. Ogden didn’t want martyrs, and a dead Migellin will loom pretty damn large.”

  “He loomed pretty large in life too.” She tried to steady her voice. “I suppose we don’t have to guess anymore about the coup. Ishmaru wanted it to be Migellin.”

  Seth turned back to Tony. “What do the police say?”

  “Not much yet. The place is crawling with FBI and CIA too. A senator of Migellin’s stature could be a target for terrorists.” He paused. “But it’s the note that will be all over the press. I don’t know whether that’s bad or good for us.”

  Kate said, “I can’t see anything good about any of this. A decent man is dead, and if it’s Ishmaru, he’ll come after us now.”

  “He didn’t before. He wants you to come to him.”

  “And Migellin was simply an isolated incident? I don’t think so.”

  “I don’t know. I’m just telling you not to jump to conclusions. Let me look into it.”

  “Look into it all you like.” She pushed past him. “But I’m going to go to my son.”

  “He’s safe, Kate. You know he’s well guarded. Rimilon is always—”

  “I don’t know anything anymore.” She knocked on the door of the adjacent suite. “I just want to be with my son.”

  Phyliss opened the door. “Kate?”

  “Migellin’s dead. He’s dead, Phyliss.” She went into the suite and closed the door. “Is it okay if I stay with you awhile?”

  “Don’t be an ass.” Phyliss drew her close. “Come on. Tell me about it.”

  “She’s pretty shaky,” Tony said.

  “Can you blame her?” Seth asked.

  “No. I felt pretty shaky myself when I heard about Migellin. I liked him.”

  “So did I.” He went back in the suite. “Come in. There are a few things I want you to do.”

  “What? You know without Migellin our chances of stopping that bill are zero.”

  “Maybe. Where’s that pet snoop you keep on a leash?”

  “Barlow? Still in Seattle.”

  “Bring him here. I may need him.”

  “Migellin was our only hope. What can—”

  “Just bring him.” Seth sat down and reached for the phone.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “My old buddy Blount.”

  Blount answered the phone on the second ring. “I was expecting your call, Drakin. You’ve heard about Migellin? What a pity. Ogden is ranting like a bull. It’s very amus—”

  “Why?”

  There was a silence. “Migellin was an obstacle. Even if you withdrew your opposition to the anti-genetic-research bill, Migellin would have continued. He was that kind of man.”

  “So you made him a martyr.”

  “You sound like Ogden. We don’t have to worry about that. There may be a backlash against the pharmaceutical companies, but that won’t affect us. Once the bill is passed, it will put RU2 on the back burner for at least ten years. The less RU2 out there, the more profit we’ll reap. Supply and demand. You know Migellin’s support will disintegrate now.”

  “Yes, I know that.”

  “And once you bow out, the bill will be passed in a heartbeat.”

  “Very clever. I hadn’t looked at it that way.”

  “That’s my job. To keep you from having to deal with these niggling little details. That’s why our partnership is going to work.” He paused. “And it will be a partnership, won’t it, Drakin?”

  “I’m drawing closer to a decision now that Migellin’s out of the way.”

  “I thought that might spur you.”

  “But partners should trust each other. You lied to me about Ishmaru being off the scene. It was Ishmaru, wasn’t it?”

  “Of course, I told you we’d made a deal. But he hopped a plane afterward just as he promised. Don’t worry about Ishmaru. His usefulness is almost over. My father knows how to handle vermin like him.”

  “That’s very reassuring.”

  “We should meet and discuss how we’ll proceed.”

  “Not yet. We need to let the furor about Migellin’s death die down.”

  “I guess I’m a little impatient. You’re right. You’ll contact me after the funeral?”

  “You can be sure of it.” He hung up the phone.

  “Well?” Tony asked.

  “I want to know everything there is to know about Ogden, Blount, and Marco Giandello. Fast.”

  “What good is that going to do? You’ll just be spinning your wheels now that Migellin’s dead.”

  “Then let me spin them.”

  He stared at Seth in surprise. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”

  “Knowing your opinion of me, I realize that must astound you.”

  “It does. Why?”

  “Because some things are worth digging in for the long haul.”

  “RU2?”

  “I’m afraid I’m not that noble. I operate on a more personal level.”

  “Kate?”

  “Kate, Noah, Migellin. I’m pissed off. Big time.”

  Tony gazed at him warily. “And what are you going to do?”

  He smiled. “Why, what I do best. What else?”

  Pinebridge.

  Ishmaru smiled as he walked down the long driveway toward the impressive front entrance of the small hospital. He had a good feeling about Pinebridge. It was located in the countryside outside town and was surrounded by woods.

  The appointed place?

  Ah, Emily, you little devil, you’re even more than I anticipated. It took a divine viciousness to kill your own father. Of course, he could have done it, if his father had not died before Ishmaru had found the true path. But not many others were capable of such an act.

  She must have left a trail; everyone left trails. Records in the office, someone on the staff who had seen something. There would be a trail and he would be able to use it to draw Kate to him. He would offer the evidence as bait and Kate would come.

  A gray-haired woman in her fifties looked up with a smile when he entered the personnel office. “May I help you?”

  “I hope I can help you. My name is Bill Sanchez. The Valmeyer Employment Agency sent me here about the orderly job.
”

  “Oh yes.” She leafed through the papers on her desk. “But I thought they were going to send . . .” She found the paper for which she had been looking. “A Norman Kendricks.”

  “I came instead.” He smiled. “Norman couldn’t make it. He isn’t well.”

  Another funeral.

  Would they never stop?

  Driving rain beat against the ornate lid of the flower-heaped casket.

  In spite of the weather the grave site was crowded with people. Congressmen, foreign dignitaries, the vice president and his wife.

  Not like Noah’s funeral, Kate thought. Migellin deserved this tribute, but so had Noah. She glanced at Seth. Was he thinking about Noah too? No, his face was wet with rain, but she saw no sorrow. His expression was tight, hard, and reminded her vaguely of the night he had come to get her after Noah’s death.

  She had been afraid of him that night.

  The service was over and the crowd was shifting, moving, gathering in little cliques now that the moment of unity was over.

  Seth took her arm, carefully sheltering her with the black umbrella as they fell behind the mourners walking toward the cemetery gates.

  “Noah should have had a funeral like this,” she said. “It doesn’t seem fair.”

  “Noah wouldn’t have wanted anything this grand. Migellin probably wouldn’t either.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Migellin had been a man of simple tastes. “We’ll have to think about what to do now.”

  “If you’re ready to pull your head out of the sand.”

  She couldn’t resent the comment. It was the truth. She had barely seen Seth in the last few days. She had stayed with Phyliss and Joshua, closing everything else out. She had been driven back to the womb. “I’m ready. We can’t stop the vote from going through now, can we?”

  “It would take a miracle and there aren’t that many to go around.”

  “There must be something we can do.”

  “There is. I want you, Phyliss, and Joshua to take the next plane for Amsterdam.”

  She stiffened. “You’re giving up.”

  “There was always the possibility that we couldn’t ram RU2 through here. We’ll file in Amsterdam.”