T is for Temptation (51 page)

Jake squeezed her shoulder.

“We’ve made some progress,” Sir Arthur said. “I spoke with Alex earlier and brought him up to date.”

“They only arrived moments ago, Arthur, so I haven’t had time to tell them all that’s happened.” Alex waved a hand at his audience. “The Met requested copies of all the evidence the Colombian general gathered against Tony. They have analysts going through the information.”

Sir Arthur shrugged off his trench coat and draped it over one arm. He pulled a letter-sized envelope from his jacket. “We sent a team to search Tony’s office and all the Inglefield residences in
Trinidad
, including your island home. We found this hidden in a framed photograph of Tony and you in Greenbriar.”

“The wedding picture on my dresser?”

Sir Arthur nodded.

“I almost threw it into the garbage minutes before I left for here,” she muttered, astonished at how a small omission could be so vital. “Is it important?”

“It wouldn’t be hidden if it weren’t.”

“Mother was the one who framed that photo and put it on the dresser. I hated it.” At Arthur’s puzzled expression, she added, “I never set foot in Greenbriar until after Tony died. He lived there, not me. The man married me for my money, Sir Arthur. I found out afterwards. I feel nothing but revulsion for my dead husband.”

“In a way, my dear, it’s a relief to hear you say that, as the money everyone’s after is most likely from illegal activities.”

Jake took the envelope, opened it, and extracted a sheet of white paper. Tee peeked over his shoulder. Printed in the center of the document were a series of words, numbers, and algebraic expressions.

“What’s this?”

“Our experts think it may be one of the passcodes. They believe the words are an ancient form of Arabic. So far we haven’t been able to break the encryption.”

“Scotch, Arthur?” Alex took the top off a crystal decanter. At a nod from the older man, he poured a long measure of the amber liquid into a tumbler. “I know you want a shot.” He inclined his head towards Tiny, who grinned at him. “Jake?”

“None for me.” He studied the paper.

Tiny took the glass of liquor from Alex and wandered over to Jake. He scrutinized the writing on the sheet. Silence enveloped the room. Alex joined them, examining the document over Jake’s shoulder. Minutes went by, the only sound in the room that of their breathing.

Tiny cleared his throat.

All eyes turned to him.

“If I may?” He held out his hand for the paper.

Jake gave it to him.

“Alex, a quill and a few sheets of velum.” Tiny’s Scottish burr took on a velvety texture. He stared at the white sheet, immersed in the puzzle on the page.

Tee caught Jake and Alex exchanging surprised glances.

Alex led Tiny over to a mahogany desk in the far right corner of the room. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a ballpoint pen.

She followed him, and using his body to hide her actions from Sir Arthur, gave Tiny a crash course in modern writing instruments.

Alex watched them, his expression puzzled. “You can do this?” he murmured.

Tiny smirked. “Care to lay odds?”

Alex hesitated and then shook his head.

“Who is that gentleman?” Sir Arthur inquired. His cell phone rang. “Excuse me.” He answered the phone, spoke into the mouthpiece, and then said, “It’s your father, my dear.”

She hurried across the room, took the black cell phone, and moved away from the group, her whispered words the only sounds in the room. As she finished her telephone conversation, Tiny rose from the brown leather swivel chair at the desk.

“’Tis is the best I could do within the time allotted,” he said as he lifted one shoulder and handed Sir Arthur a sheet of paper with a few lines of neat cursive writing. “I’ll work on the subtleties of the language throughout the night and have complete translations ready for you on the morrow.”

“My word, I assume you translated it literally, hence the use of Old English.” Sir Arthur’s gaze wavered from the sheet to Tiny, bushy silver eyebrows arched. “Your thinking on the mathematical aspects?”

“I cannot be certain, but I believe it relates to one of Master Leonardo da Vinci’s engineering hypotheses developed when he worked for the Duke of Ludovico.” Tiny scratched his ear. “It has been some time since I saw those. My memory is faulty, I’m afraid.”

“Alex, introduce me to your friend,” Sir Arthur ordered.

Jake, Tee, and Alex were too stunned to comply. They stood staring at Tiny, mouths agape, pupils dilated.

Tiny sneered at Alex and shook his head at the others. “Since my friends appear speechless, permit me to introduce myself.” He bowed. “I am Gratnach Drummond of
Aberdeen
.”

“No wonder he goes by Tiny,” Alex whispered sotto voce to Jake. “Wait till I get him alone.”

“And how do you come by such detailed knowledge of ancient languages?”

“It is something of a passion, sir. I’ve studied ancient prose for many years.”

“Your passion includes one for algebra and algorithms?” Sir Arthur’s mouth twitched.

“No, sir, for that I must thank Master Leonardo, a most amazing instructor.” Tiny replied in a grave, reverent tone.

Jake elbowed Alex. He jerked his head towards the two men engaged in earnest conversation.

“Right.” Alex acknowledged. “Rescue him. Done.”

Before an astonished Sir Arthur could react to Tiny’s pronouncement, Alex and Jake hustled the Yard man out of the condo. They all pounced on Tiny the minute Sir Arthur left the flat.

“How do you know ancient Arabic?” Alex asked.

“Did you really study with Leonardo da Vinci?” Tee demanded.

“Do you think you can crack the code by morning?” Jake grabbed Tiny’s arm. “Quiet, you two. You can question Tiny about his education after this is over. Tiny?”

“’Tis not so difficult, Laird. I could give you the solution now, but in this dialect, a word can take on different meanings depending upon the context,” Tiny answered. He walked over to the desk and sat. “There may be several interpretations. I will prepare each one for you.”

“Tee, Alex, out. Let’s leave Tiny alone so he can concentrate.”

They retired to the kitchen.

“Tea, Tee? What a wit I have.” That delightful crooked smile appeared, and perfect white teeth glistened as Alex plugged in an electric kettle. “I have a feeling I’m going to resent Tiny even more than I already do. Blasted worst luck I’ve ever had.” He paused at their chuckles. “Crap, there has to be something he stinks at. Go ahead, snicker, fine best friend you are, Jake. And you woman, who I previously judged as nice and kind, it’s not nice to enjoy your friend’s humiliation that much.”

“You’re jealous, Alex,” Tee crowed. “I bet that doesn’t happen often.”

“Don’t be silly, Tallulah.” Alex raised one eyebrow when she scowled at him. “Tit for tat, sweetheart. Call me jealous, and you’ll be Tallulah forever.”

“Coffee for me.” Jake sat next to her. “Turn on the TV, Alex.”

Alex slid the remote control along the counter.

Jake pressed the power button and the theme music from
Friends
resonated through the narrow room. He adjusted the volume to a low murmur.

Steam curled and swirled from whistling kettle, Alex pulled a black plug out of an outlet, and checked his Rolex. “The news won’t be on for half an hour. Not much has happened since you were here earlier, Jake, from a media viewpoint, that is.”

“Who’s aware the leaked news is false?”

“As far as I know, us four, Tee’s father, and Arthur.” Alex poured boiled water into a chintz teapot. He dropped a teabag into it and slid the lid in place. Switching on the Saeco coffeemaker, he put a mug under the spout and hit a button. “I know Arthur will inform Baron Constantine as soon as he can locate him.” Brown liquid burbled into a blue and green ceramic cup..

“Baron Constantine? Who’s that?”

“The Europol/Interpol financial expert who wanted to question Tee.”

“Is he missing?”

“No one’s seen him since he gave that press conference about Tee’s kidnapping.” Alex handed the mug to Jake. “In his line of work, Arthur says, it’s not unusual to be incommunicado for periods of time.”

After giving the teapot a couple of shakes, Alex dispensed the fragrant brown liquid into a teacup resting on a saucer.

Tee fingered the china closer, raised the porcelain cup to her mouth and took a deep breath, savoring the pungent, comforting aroma of the Earl Grey tea. “I’m still boggled by the idea of Tiny actually studying under Leonardo da Vinci.”

“He had me completely fooled,” Alex said, his tone little-boy morose, which Tee found endearing. “It was easier when I thought he was a dumb jock. Did you hear him say he had a passion for ancient languages? Of course, I’ve never been able to master anything but English.”

Tee pressed her lips together. Her mouth twitched at Alex’s hound dog expression. She patted his arm. “I’m sure he knows nothing about the law, Alex, and remember he can’t swim. Probably can’t sail either.”

“I’d forgotten about that.” Alex straightened away from his slumped position on the counter, cobalt eyes twinkling. “Thanks for reminding me.”

The earsplitting crack of wood splintering fractured their cozy conversation. Jake bounded to his feet and hit the ground running. Alex sprinted after him.

“Stay here,” he barked, throwing Tee a stern look over his shoulder.

Tee set her cup into the saucer on the counter, slid off the stool, sighed, and stood, unperturbed by the loud commotion coming from the living room. Probably Tiny battling with a future appliance he mistook for an enemy.

Her eyes swept up to the television screen. She swayed. Black dots danced before her vision. Tee snatched at the counter and gripped the rounded edge so tightly a fingernail snapped.

She jumped when Jake’s hand grabbed her elbow. He dragged her backwards. Tee pivoted. She tugged at his shirt. “Jake, Jake, I just saw—”

“No time now,” he barked. “Two armed men broke down the door. We have to leave at once.”

Alex and Tiny were waiting for them in the chaotic disarray of what once was an elegant room. Tiny grabbed sheets of paper from the overturned desk. Two men lay sprawled on the floor, one bleeding from an open gash on his forehead.

Alex held out her coat.

Tee shrugged into it. “Where are we going?”

“I’ve no idea,” Jake said. “We’ll figure it out. Right now, we need to keep moving. Do you have a weapon in this condo?”

“Yes. I have it on me.” Alex patted his
Land’s End
jacket. “Arthur gave me a Beretta when I got back from you-know-where.”

“What’s a Beretta?” Tiny asked.

“No time to explain.”

“Blast it,” Jake muttered, dragging one hand through his dark curls. “I don’t know who to trust. Alex, is Arthur involved in this or not? Your call, do we phone him and trust we’ll be safe?”

“Henry trusts him implicitly. He said Tee would be safe in his hands.”

“Okay, call him now, but we need to be on the move. Someone obviously knows where we are.” Jake tugged his earlobe. “Here’s the plan. Let’s use the trunk to get to the airport and rent a car from there. By then, Arthur should be able to organize some sort of safe house.”