"Are you certain I can't convince you to stay on the plane?" Edward asked.
"Not a chance. If this man is as much of a menace as you've said, I'm not
leaving you alone with him. Especially not with only Benny and Trigger as
your guards. They aren't very observant at times," Dee replied, hugging
him.
The two were at the back of the private jet, spending a private moment together
in his curtained dressing room. Both had changed into fresh outfits for
their arrival at Graf Radulf Stromel's castle in the southwestern mountains
of Germany. Out in the front of the plane, the other two bodyguards, Benny
and Trigger, were sleeping.
"I wish I hadn't told him about the clock." Edward sighed. "But he probably
already knows you're with me, and would wonder why I didn't bring you along."
Tilting her chin up, he added, "Just be careful, ok? I don't want you shifting
or taking any unnecessary risks."
Dee nodded and kissed him. "No cat tricks, and no unnecessary risks. I promise."
There was something he wasn't telling her, and she knew that. She could
tell by the way his brow was furrowed when he would look at her, the way
he fidgeted, the way he now toyed with the question mark around her neck.
A sigh escaped her lips before she could catch it.
"Do we really need to go? Can't you just have him show up at the landing
field and make a quick deal with him for the damn thing?"
"No. He has to have the authenticity checked on it. You know that. We'll
make this stay as short as possible, ok?" He left it unspoken that he would
settle for less than he really wanted if it would get them out of there quicker.
The pilot announced his intention to land just then. Without wanting to
say another word to her, Eddie turned to leave the dressing room. Dee caught
hold of his tie and pulled him back, giving him a long kiss. As she released
him, she gave him a small smile.
"For luck," she said, smoothing his tie back in place.
Luck. The way his stomach was knotting up and cramping, they were going
to need all the luck they could get. He slipped an antacid into his mouth
before following her out to their seats.
~ ~ ~
A large and silent German man greeted the group at the airstrip. He spoke
not a word, and lifted not a finger to help get the luggage and clock into
the car. Dee stuck close to Edward, her arm hooked firmly in his. She didn't
want to admit it, but she felt a little scared and uncomfortable already.
How her emotions would gel once she got to the castle, she wasn't certain.
As they rode in the fading light, she held tight to her six month old tiger
cub, Tangram, who had settled in her lap. The tiger felt tense under the
hand she rested on his back.
The car sped along the narrow mountain road. When the driver veered off,
through a gate, the castle finally came into sight. When the four hundred
year old castle loomed ahead, Dee gave an involuntary shudder at the sight.
She was reminded of Edmund Pevensie's first glimpse of the White Witch's
castle nestled between two hills in the snow covered land of Narnia. The
feeling of dread that had filled her when she had first read The Lion,
The Witch, and The Wardrobe now washed over her again. Sensing her apprehension,
Edward placed a hand on her thigh. The sudden weight caused her to jump
before realizing that it was just Eddie. Dee sighed and pressed herself
against him.
When the driver stopped at the front of the castle, he got out and leaned
against the car, lighting up a cigarette. Trigger got out of the car, holding
the door open for the rest of the group. In her arms, Dee held Tangram,
who became more nervous as she stood looking up at the stone façade. Edward
took her arm as she shuddered. A curtain twitched back over a window, letting
her know they were being watched.
"I don't like it here, Eddie," she whispered.
"Hush," was all he said as he cleared his throat and followed two attendants
who had appeared into the castle.
The group was shown to their rooms and told that dinner would be served
in one hour. Waiting until the hollow clicking of shoes on the stone floors
died, Edward then pulled out the little electronic device from his bag and
began scanning the room for bugs. Three times the device beeped, and three
times he discovered hidden listening devices. In his fingers he broke the
bugs apart, then taking the remains to the bathroom to flush down the toilet.
"We will go down to dinner, and then have a meeting in here. This place
is quieter than usual. I don't like that one bit," he said.
Dee merely nodded, continuing to brush the cub's fur. The motion soothed
her and the cub. Already there was a deep hatred in her for this man she
had not met. If she could have her way, they would return immediately to
the plane and leave. But this was Edward's business trip. He was the boss.
She would do what he wanted and say nothing more.
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