Free Blind by Francine Pascal Page B

don’t know.”
    â€œWhat?” Gaia felt a spark of anger. “But you just said that—”
    George pulled his hands from his pockets and held them up in front of Gaia. “I know there’s a traitor. Information on your father is leaking from somewhere. His secrets are starting to be known in the intelligence channels. I think that someone close to your father is actually a spy for Loki.”
    â€œWhat secrets?”
    â€œThose are things you need to discuss with him.” He dropped his arms to his sides. “Please, Gaia, for your own safety. Come back where I can keep an eye on you.”
    Gaia considered it for a second. But she couldn’t bear the thought of going back to that house. Too many ghosts. Besides, knowing as little as she did about the situation, she couldn’t be sure it was the right decision. “Not now,” she said. “Not until you tell me more about what’s going on.”
    George shook his head. “I’ve told you all I can for now. Anything more would only be increasing your danger.”
    Anger and frustration flared again. “Well, I can’t move in with you until I have more information.”
    â€œIt’s your decision, but I’m only looking out for your best interests,” said George. He stood up straighter, and suddenly Gaia could see the agent in the grayhaired, overweight man. “Gaia, I have more than thirty years’ experience with the intelligence business. Have a little faith that I know what I’m talking about.”
    Gaia nodded, but she still wasn’t big on the ignorance-is-bliss theory. She wanted to know the answers, not be protected from them. “When will you tell me what’s really going on?”
    George rubbed at his chin. “When I learn more, I’ll tell you. I’ll be in touch.”
    â€œGood,” said Gaia.
    Unexpectedly George held out his hand. “Gaia, we need each other now,” he said. “We need to work together to stop whoever it is that’s after your father.” With that, he let go of her hand. Then he turned and walked away into the moonlight.

Tough Guy
    THREE HOURS OF STANDING AROUND had made Tom stiff, tired, and bored. He’d been staking out The Rip, a tiny, windowlessbar that sat off at one end of town along a strip of bluff too high and stony to make for a good hotel spot. The building was low and made from unpainted concrete blocks. There was only a door in the front, a door in the back, a hand-painted sign, and lots of gray concrete. It was the kind of place where locals went for serious drinking and where not-so-locals went for serious business. Every now and then some tourists would drop by, looking for a little island color. But they never tried it twice.
    Early in the evening the place had been almost deserted, but as the night got longer, the crowd got bigger. The tiny parking lot filled up with a strange mix of rusted-out Chevrolets and brand-new Mercedes. More customers arrived on foot or on bicycles that they left leaning against the concrete walls. Tom could well imagine the kinds of deals that were being made inside the small building. There would be smugglers working out routes to bring goods past customs or to ferry people around immigration. Drug dealers would be making arrangements to handle cocaine from Central America. There might even be some modernday pirates working out targets among the fancy yachts that were anchored offshore. None of that business concerned Tom. Not tonight.
    Tonight was earmarked for finding the so-called Noel. But Tom was beginning to think that the guy with the speargun had sent him to the wrong place.He was ready to go back to his small hotel on the south end of the island and wait out another tedious day without getting a step closer to Loki.
    Could coming to the Caymans have been a mistake? It had seemed so important at the time. Loki was doing something here, something that required a lot