Finding Isadora (48 page)

“
Thank you,” I said softly.

* * *

Later, when we’d all been assigned our tasks and Constance had promised to e-mail minutes, I waited impatiently as people milled around, chatting, in no hurry to go home. Finally the exodus began, until only half a dozen of us were left.

Gabriel was talking to Henry and me when a man and woman approached. If I recalled correctly, he was a sociology professor from Simon Fraser University. He caught Gabriel
’s arm. “Sorry to butt in, but there’s something I need to talk to you about. Something confidential.”

“
It’s okay,” Henry said. “I’m going to make a trip down the hallway and find the bathroom before I go.”

“
Need any help?” Gabriel asked casually.

Henry shook his head.
“Thanks, I’m okay.”

“
I’ll, uh, go talk to my parents,” I said.

Gabriel shook his head and said to the other two,
“You can talk in front of Isadora.”

My heart warmed and my curiosity was piqued.

The prof started to tell Gabriel about a political refugee from Iran, a man who had been arrested and tortured in his own country. At great risk to their own lives, friends had managed to break him out of the facility where he was imprisoned.

“
Through a network of connections, he and his supporters made it to Canada. Arrived on a fishing boat last night,” the prof said. “We have them hidden away, but the situation’s dangerous. He’s got enemies in this country as well as back home. We need to keep them under wraps until we figure out what to do.”

Gabriel listened intently, nodding, and I could see he was already formulating ideas.

As the two men talked, the woman murmured to me, “It’s terrible, the torture he’s undergone. The people who risked their lives to break him out of prison were so brave.”

“
Surely they’ll be granted refugee status in Canada, won’t they?”

“
Perhaps. If they’re not killed first.”

I shivered.
“I’m sure Gabriel will find a way of helping.”

She nodded.
“We’re hoping he’ll meet with them tonight.”

Tonight?

My first reaction was hurt, and fear. Already, it was beginning. It was going to be a repeat of his relationship with Diane. But then I stopped myself. Did my desire for a romantic evening with my lover take precedence over these people’s lives? How selfish could I be?

Put the shoe on the other foot. What if there was an emergency at the clinic? I
’d go, wouldn’t I? It was a matter of finding the right balance among all the priorities.

And supporting each other. Richard and I had always tried to do that, and I was sure Gabriel and I could, too.

I tuned back into the two men’s conversation as the prof said, “So you’ll come meet with them tonight?”

“
Sure, I’ll— Wait a minute. Tonight?”

Frowning, he glanced in my direction and I mouthed,
“It’s okay.”

He studied me for a long moment, then smiled warmly and turned back to the man.
“Can’t make it tonight. They’re safe, right? No immediate danger. And you’ve already outlined the situation, so I know the basic facts. Let me make some calls on Monday, when everything’s open, then we’ll get together and see where things stand.”

“
Sure, that’ll work. I’ll tell them I’ve got the best lawyer in town working on their case.”

“
We’ll keep them safe,” Gabriel said with certainty. “Assure them of that.”

And I knew that, if he
’d said it, it would happen. He might use the law, he might use the media, he might use grass roots tactics like my parents would. But he’d keep his word.

Gabriel
’s home phone rang, and he went to answer it. “DeLuca.” Then, “Sorry, Miki, I was in a meeting and turned the cell off, and I haven’t had a chance to check messages. What’s up?” He listened a moment, then said, “What? Well, shit!”

His excited tone got everyone
’s attention. He turned a grinning face toward us and put a hand over the receiver. “Someone turn on the TV. Local news.” Then, into the phone, “Got it. Thanks, Miki.”

We clustered in front of the small television as the camera zoomed in on the female anchor of the five o
’clock news team.

“
There’s been a new development in the fire at Cosmystiques cosmetics plant in Port Coquitlam.” The anchor’s attractive dark-skinned face was replaced on screen with a shot of the smoking ruins of the Cosmystiques building. It was followed by a news clip of Jimmy Lee, chained to a logging truck, arguing with the police. We all groaned as the anchor continued, “Police charged a local activist, Jimmy Lee Wheeler, on charges of arson. Those charges have now been dropped.”

“
Dropped?” Grace echoed disbelievingly.

Gabriel held up a
silencing hand and turned up the volume.

On screen, police were ushering a stork-like man with a bald head into the back of a police car. The anchor said,
“J.A. Luce, President and CEO of Cosmystiques, is now charged with burning his own plant.” The man cast a baleful look at the TV cameras, but didn’t attempt to shield his face from their scrutiny.

When the anchor switched to another story, Gabriel flicked off the television.

“Goddess be praised!” Grace said, hugging Jimmy Lee.

“
Apparently there’s a story in the evening paper, too,” Gabriel said. “With more facts about the company’s financial situation and ownership. Plus the fact they were violating environmental regulations and would have had to spend a small fortune to bring themselves into compliance.”

“
Miki told you this?” I asked.

He grimaced ruefully.
“Seems the newspaper reporter was trying to get me all day, but I’ve had my cell turned off and my home number’s unlisted. Finally he tracked down Miki, so she called to tell me what was going on. This guy’s been looking into Luce, and when he got enough information he gave it to the cops, timing it so his story would come out right after the arrest.”

A man slapped Jimmy Lee on the back.
“Hell, man, you’re going to owe that reporter a beer!”

Jimmy Lee grinned at Gabriel.
“Looks like I’m not going to need you after all.”

I opened my mouth to protest, to say it was Gabriel who
’d put the reporter on the right track.

My lover caught my eye and shook his head.

I shrugged. If he didn’t want the glory, that was his business. I went over to my dad and threw my arms around him. “I’m so relieved.”

“
Me too, Izzie.”

Grace said,
“Let’s pick up a newspaper then go home and celebrate.” She leaned close to say in my ear, “Isadora, I’d invite you, but I’m guessing you have other plans.”

“
Gabriel and I have dinner plans.”

She grinned.
“Is that what you call it these days?”

“
No, honestly, it’s dinner. He says there’s this Portuguese place and…” I trailed off as her grin grew wider and wider.

“
So, everyone’s about ready to leave?” Gabriel said, his tone offering a strong hint.

“
You could come along with us for a celebration dinner,” Grace said sweetly.

He glared at her and she laughed, then gave him a quick hug.
“You two be good to each other.”

When the door closed behind the last person, I said,
“Oh, Gabriel, that’s such good news about Jimmy Lee.”

“
Yeah, it’s great news.” He grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me, hard. “God, woman, this afternoon has been torture.”

All right, there would be lots of time to talk about my father later.
“Have your batteries recharged?” I asked Gabriel sweetly.

“
You tell me.”

He pulled me up against him, but I stepped back, eased down his zipper, and reached inside to grip him.
“Recharging nicely, I’d say.”

His phone rang, but he said,
“No way. We’re going to bed.”

And so we did. His bedroom was furnished as sparsely as the rest of his apartment, but he did have a queen-sized bed. He flicked aside a striped duvet and tossed me down on navy sheets, then stripped off my clothes. I lay waiting
, watching hungrily, as he shucked his own, and came to me.

“
Do you know what it did to me,” he murmured against my ear, “looking at you all afternoon and knowing I’d kissed you here?” He trailed kisses down my throat and I quivered at his touch.

“
And here.” He circled my nipple with his tongue and teased it between his lips, and sparks of sensation darted through me.

Then he traveled south again, following the path of those sparks.
“And here.” His voice was barely audible as he buried his face between my thighs. I squirmed against his probing caress, feeling sensation build. Wanting him, needing him.

He stopped and lifted his head to send me one of those intense looks that turned my insides to liquid fire.
“And knowing I was going to do it all over again.”

He dived down again, and plunged his tongue inside me, and I came apart.

When we finally
made it out of bed, we checked the reporter’s story online, then Gabe called him to apologize for being incommunicado, and to thank him. When we headed out for dinner, this time it was Jack Luce’s face, not my father’s, staring up from the glass-fronted box.

“
I can’t believe it’s over.” I wrapped my arm around Gabriel’s waist as we strolled toward Commercial Drive. “You saved Jimmy Lee and he doesn’t even realize it.”

He put his arm around my shoulders.
“Not me, that reporter. Especially when he found out about the violations of those environmental regs.” He hugged me close. “And don’t forget, you’re the one who first had the idea to focus on Cosmystiques themselves.”

His words reminded me of something.
“I was going to see Cassie today.”

“
Now you don’t have to.”

“
Not about the arson, but I do want to meet her and talk to her about Alyssa.”

“
She’ll be out of the hospital in a day or two, and staying at your parents’. I’m looking forward to meeting her. She’s sure got a great kid.”

“
Yes, she does.” The kind I’d like to have myself, one day. With Gabriel.

We turned onto Commercial.
“The restaurant’s down here a couple of blocks,” he said.

“
Am I dressed all right?” I asked, suddenly nervous. When I’d thrown on capris and a T-shirt back in my apartment, I’d been in such a hurry I hadn’t thought about going out for dinner.

“
It’s not fancy, just a little neighborhood place. Maria is Portuguese.”

“
Maria?” Portuguese Maria? Wait a minute! “Gabriel, is this the woman you mentioned before? The one who was a friend of your mother’s?”

“
Yeah.”

Oh, great! No doubt she was old-fashioned, conservative. I should
’ve worn a skirt. This was my first introduction to Gabriel’s personal life and I wanted this woman to approve of me.

I pulled away to study Gabriel. A black T-shirt and black jeans. A panther. Damn the man, why did he have to look so good in everything he wore?

But he was
my
panther. The thought gave me confidence and I snuggled close again.

He gave me a squeeze, then turned me into a restaurant entrance and opened the door. I took a deep breath then stepped through. The room
, a tiny rectangle, was appealing with warm yellow walls, posters of Portugal, trailing greenery, and the delicious aroma of garlic and tomatoes.

A stout, gray-haired woman bustled forward. Old-fashioned and conservative? Yes and no, to gauge from her appearance. Her strong features bore no make-up, her hair was in a simple bun, and her dress was ash-gray and plain, but her
silver and gold First Nations jewelry was stunning.

I had plenty of time to notice the details because Maria was occupied with hugging Gabriel, pinching his cheek, and babbling enthusiastically with him in Portuguese. I stood and watched.

Finally, she turned to me. She inspected me carefully, eyes bright with curiosity, then she reached out for my hands and squeezed them.

“
Maria,” Gabriel said, “may I present Isadora Dean Wheeler. Isadora, this is Maria Russ.”

Russ?
It didn’t sound like a Portuguese name. “I’m so pleased to meet you, Mrs. Russ,” I said, guessing this was a woman who’d take “Ms.” as an insult.

“
Isadora.” Her pronunciation rivaled Gabriel’s in turning my name into a thing of beauty. “I am Maria. We will not be formal. You are family now.”