NNA FISCHER WAS JUST ABOUT to open the door of her flat in London when the man walked up behind her. Sensing someone’s presence, and always on guard after her mugging in Berlin, she whirled around, her fingers clasping the pepper spray that was attached to her key ring.

The man already had his badge out.

“Ms. Fischer? I’m Frank Wells. I’d like to talk with you about Shaw.”

She stared at his badge and then up at him.

“I do not recognize that agency,” she said.

“Most people wouldn’t. Can we go inside?”

“I don’t have strange men to my flat. You say you know Shaw. You could be lying.”

“Should’ve known. A lady with all your degrees isn’t stupid.”

“All my degrees? How do you know that?”

“I have a two-inch file on Anastasia Brigitte Sabena Fischer. Your parents, Wolfgang and Natascha, live in Wisbach, Germany, where they run a bookshop. You’re an only child. A champion swimmer. Advanced degrees from, among others, Cambridge. A stint at the UN and now employed at The Phoenix Group here in London.” He eyed the ring on her finger. “And currently engaged to Shaw.” He looked away from her astonished face and glanced at the front door. “Now can we go up to your flat? It’s important.”

They sat in her small front room overlooking the street. Frank looked around her apartment.

“Nice place.”

“Why have you come here?”

“Like I said, to talk to you about Shaw. Just like my men have done with your parents.”

“My parents! No, you’re wrong. They would’ve called...”

“We told them not to, so I’d have a chance to see you first.” He eyed her keenly. “He proposed to you in Dublin, didn’t he?”

“I can’t see why that’s any business of yours.”

Frank ignored this. “And he told you he was retiring from his job.”

Anna found herself nodding in spite of herself.

“Let me tell you the truth. Would you like that?”

Tears gathered in Anna’s eyes. She whisked them away with her hand and composed herself.

“If you have something to tell me, say it. But I will determine for myself if it’s true.”

Frank chuckled, then nodded. “Fair enough.” He leaned forward and cocked his head so she could see the sunken hole in his scalp. “See that little divot? That was courtesy of a round Shaw fired into my brain when I was trying to arrest him.”

Anna eyed him coldly. “Arrest him? For what?”

“That’s classified. But it wasn’t for not paying a parking ticket, I can tell you that. After I recovered and we caught up to him again, he started working for us.”

“Working for you? After he almost killed you? You said you wanted to arrest him. If he’s a criminal and you say he shot you, why isn’t he in jail?”

Frank held up a cigar. “Mind if I smoke?”

“Yes.”

He put the cigar away. “My world doesn’t strictly involve good and bad, right and wrong. Shaw would be in prison right now, but for one thing.”

“What’s that?” she said fiercely.

“Your fiancé possesses some pretty incredible skills. No one I’ve ever worked with in the field can touch him. He can walk into a room full of terrorists loaded for bear, con the turbans off them, take ’em down, and walk out alive. Pretty much one-of-a-kind stuff. And for that we make exceptions.” He tapped the dent in his head. “Even if the exception almost killed me.”

“So he works for you. He told me he worked for a law enforcement agency.”

“He did, huh? And that he runs around the world never knowing if he’s going to come out alive?” He studied her closely.

Anna nervously twisted her fingers. “He said... he said he worked behind a desk now.”

“A desk?” Frank grinned. “And he said he was retiring too.” He leaned so close she could smell his tobacco breath. “Let me tell you something. People like Shaw don’t retire. He goes until he either dies or we don’t need him anymore. He tries to leave before that, his ass goes right to the scummiest prison I can find.” He leaned back.

“Why did you come here to tell me this?

“Because I thought you needed to know the whole truth.”

“The man you have described to me is not the man I know. He saved my life in Germany. He is the most kind, most wonderful man I have ever met.”

“He kills people, Ms. Fischer. They’re bad people, for sure, but he still kills them. I do too. Or did. See, I actually have the desk job. Your fiancé is a brave man, I’ll give him that. Nerves like I’ve never seen before. But I’ve also seen him gut a man, here to here.” He drew his finger from his navel to his neck. “Guy deserved it, but Shaw doesn’t bake cookies. When the man’s on the hunt he’s an alpha with a capital freaking A! You know what I mean?”

He stopped and studied her again, a smile edging across his face. “You know, I have to tell you, I’m impressed. I figured you’d have started crying five minutes ago.”

“Have you ever loved anyone, Mr. Wells?” Anna said suddenly.

Frank’s eyes narrowed and his jocular manner faded. “What?”

“You seem to think all of this is funny somehow. Do you so enjoy the pain of others? Is that what your agency looks for in its employees? No soul? No compassion?”

“Look, I came here to tell you the truth.”

Anna went to the door and opened it.

Frank stood stock-still for a moment and then shrugged. “Okay, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

As he passed her Anna said, “Why do you hate him so much?”

“He shot me in the head, lady!”

“I don’t think that’s the real reason.”

“What are you doing, playing shrink?”

“You’ve never had anyone in your life, have you? That you really cared about? Or that cared about you.”

“This isn’t about me!”

“I guess you’re the only one who can really answer that truthfully. Good night, Mr. Wells.”

As she closed the door behind him, Anna clutched at her face, stifling a sob.

Her phone rang. She almost didn’t answer it.

The voice said, “Anna Fischer, please.”

“Speaking,” Anna said a little hesitantly. “Who is this?”

“Do you know someone named Shaw?”

Anna stiffened. “Why do you ask?”

“He’s a big man, dark hair, blue eyes?”

A lump formed in Anna’s throat. Please, God, don’t let it be... This is all too much. “Yes, I know him,” she managed to say.

“Then I think we need to meet.”

“Is he all right?” Anna gasped.

“He was when I left him. But that’s not to say he’ll stay all right.”

“What do you mean? Who are you?”

“My name is Katie James. And I believe Shaw is in serious trouble.”