WANT TO SEE HIM,” said Reggie.

“That is definitely not a good idea,” replied Whit.

They were once more meeting at the Abbaye de Sénanque bookshop.

“I don’t care if you don’t think it’s a good idea or not. I want you to take me to him.”

“Does the professor know—”

“I’m not feeling that charitable toward the man right now. So take me to see Bill.”

Shaw was sitting in the chair when the knock came.

“Away from the door!” called out a voice.

When it opened, Shaw blinked to adjust to the new level of light. Then he saw her standing there.

Reggie said, “I’m sorry about this. I had no idea what had happened to you.”

“Then let me go.”

“That won’t be happening, Paddy,” said Whit, stepping forward to stand next to Reggie.

Shaw noted the two other men at the doorway. They didn’t have their guns out, probably her doing. But he assumed they were armed.

“Then tell me what’s going on,” said Shaw. “Maybe I can help you.”

“Same answer as the last one,” countered Whit.

Shaw shot him a glance. “Did you tell her about Waller, about his background?”

Reggie spoke up. “Yes, he did. And something you told us will actually help.”

“What?”

“I can’t say.”

“Why are you after him?”

“Why were you after him?” replied Reggie.

Shaw didn’t say anything.

“Nuclear terrorism?” she suggested.

“He’s a bad guy,” said Shaw. “He needed to be taken down. That’s all I can tell you.”

“So then why were you leaving town?” asked Reggie. “Before he was taken down?”

Shaw glanced over at Whit. “Who are you with? Interpol? Mossad? MI6 maybe? Paddy.”

Reggie started to say something, but Whit let out a loud grunt. “No one you would recognize,” she finally said. “But why were you leaving town?”

“Op got pulled,” said Shaw finally.

“Because he killed the terrorists? That doesn’t mean he won’t try again.”

“I don’t make the orders, I just follow them.”

“And so do we,” snapped Whit.

“How did you figure things out with me?” asked Reggie.

“Right before they caved in my skull it sort of all came together. The last piece was you tipping Waller’s guy I was no longer an issue.”

“I didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“When are you going to do it?” Shaw asked.

“Okay, little visit’s over,” said Whit.

Shaw ignored him and kept his gaze on Reggie. “Why did you come to see me?”

“To tell you that I was sorry.”

“Look, if Waller can get the drop on—”

She cut in. “He is very good, no doubt. But so are we. This is what we do.”

“What is?” he shot back.

“As soon as it’s over you’ll be released unharmed,” said Reggie. She paused. “I saw some men leave your hotel with your things. One of them was wearing a hat and he didn’t look happy.”

“I’m sure he’s not very happy with me.”

“We can contact him, tell him you’re all right. That this was not your fault.”

“I’ll take care of it. But let me ask you this. If you fail and Waller kills all of you, what then?”

Whit smirked. “Then it’ll be up to you to get yourself out of here. Not too hard for a tough guy like you, right?”

Shaw wasn’t giving up. “Tell me your plan and I’ll point out the holes.”

Whit shook his head. “And then maybe you escape and muck everything up? I don’t think so.”

“But—” began Reggie.

“No, Reg,” snapped Whit, and then his face contorted because of this mistake.

Shaw looked at her. “Reg, for Reggie?”

“Thank you again,” she said. She held out her hand. Whit moved to stop her, but Shaw was already clutching it. His fingers felt like they were on fire. When he looked at her he could sense she’d had a similar reaction.

Before the door closed Shaw called out, “I hope you get the son of a bitch.”

His last image of the woman was her eyes staring at him before the door shut between them.

He rushed to the door and listened. He heard one word clearly. “Market.”

Shaw groaned and slapped the door.

“WHAT, Evan’s not here with you?”

Reggie turned to see Alan Rice watching her. He walked across the main street in Gordes and joined her. “I thought his goal was to monopolize every minute of your time. And yet here you are, free and alone.”

“I guess he had something better to do right now. Plus I had some errands to run. I just came here to pick up a few things.”

“Do you have time for some coffee? With the sun behind the clouds it’s gotten a bit nippy. I could use some java.” He pointed behind her to a café on a side street near the Pol Para Museum situated in the village square.

They sat inside, ordered their drinks, and Rice didn’t break his silence until each had their cups. “Evan is quite infatuated with you, I’m sure you know that.”

“I enjoy his company. He’s a nice man.”

“No, he’s really not a nice man, Ms. Collins.”

“Pardon me?” Reggie said in surprise. “I thought you worked for him.”

“I do, so I know him intimately. He is an enormously successful businessman. But nice does not enter the equation.”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“I want to be sure that you know what you’re getting into.”

“I wasn’t aware that I was getting into anything.”

“I can assure you that Evan does not see it that way.”

“So what do you suggest that I do about it?”

“You can leave Provence.”

“I’m actually planning to leave on Saturday. If I do, you’re saying this enormously successful businessman with a possessive nature would just let it drop?”

Rice sipped his coffee and then fiddled with his spoon. “Perhaps.”

“So has this sort of thing happened before with Evan?”

“You mean with other women? Yes, it has.”

“And what happened to the other women?”

“I don’t really know.”

“You’re not being very convincing.”

“That’s ironic, considering I’m telling the truth.”

“So who are you protecting here? Me or your boss?”

“I thought it was clear. I’m protecting Evan. I don’t even really know you.”

“I appreciate your frankness. So protecting him from himself?”

“That’s one way of looking at it.”

“Well, for me, it’s the only way of looking at it.”

“So will you leave? Now? Don’t wait until Saturday.”

Reggie rose and put down some euros for her coffee. “I don’t think so, no. I’ve made plans to go with him to the market tomorrow, and I plan to follow through with it.”

Rice stood. “Leaving now really would be the wisest thing you could do, trust me.”

“That’s the rub, Alan. I’m having a hard time trusting anyone right now.”

A few minutes later Alan Rice stood next to a treadmill where his boss was performing his daily jog. Waller wiped his face with a towel and drank from a bottle of water as he increased the incline on the machine.

“You look troubled, Alan.”

“I just had a chat with our little friend.”

“Our little friend?”

“Jane Collins.”

Waller slowed the machine and reduced the incline. “Why did you do that?”

“I’m worried.”

“About what. We had the woman checked out, correct?”

“Absolutely, you saw the reports yourself.”

“Then what is the problem?”

“I see how you look at her.”

Waller slowed to a fast walk on the treadmill. “You see how I look at her?” he said questioningly.

“Please don’t be upset, Evan. It’s just that in the past you—”

The next instant Rice lay on the floor, blood flowing from his mouth. Waller stood over him, his hand cut from where it had struck the other man’s tooth.

Waller bent down and pulled Rice to his feet. “Put some ice on that before it starts to swell,” he said calmly.

“I was only trying to protect you,” Rice stammered, clutching his jaw.

“If I were in need of protection that would be admirable. However, I am not.” Waller stared fiercely at the other man. “You are my associate, Alan. You are my underling. Never forget your place. You are not and never will be my equal. Do you understand precisely what I am telling you?”

“I understand.”

Waller put an arm around his shoulders. “Good, then we will speak of this no more.”

Rice left to put ice on his injured jaw, leaving Waller alone to stare moodily out the window. He would never allow anyone to question his judgment or authority. Rice had come very close to doing both. Had there been anyone else in the room to hear this, Waller probably would have ordered his “right-hand man” put to death. However, he had displayed an alarming degree of independence just now, truly alarming.

And yet was there truth in his words? Did he need protection, essentially from himself? Yes, he was infatuated with Jane Collins; many men would be. Her close proximity aided in that infatuation. Yet it was much more than that. The woman was resisting him—now, that was the challenge. She was independent, outspoken, stubborn, unwilling to be led or manipulated. Waller found that he wanted desperately to possess her.

And he would. Of that he was convinced.