Page 70 of Ford

RJ didn’t move. General Boris Stanislov. She recognized his voice.

He had shoved his hands into the pockets of his bathrobe, now took a breath, his barrel chest rising and falling. He turned and met RJ’s eyes.

“I didn’t shoot you,” she said, not sure why.

“I know. I saw you standing under the street lamp. Of course I knew who you were—I recognized you from when Katya lived with you.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. But of course he would know that.

“I have to thank you twice, it seems.” He held out his arm and Coco walked over to his one-armed embrace. “For taking in Katya, and for alerting my guards.”

“But I didn’t—”

“The moment I saw you, I knew something wasn’t right. I turned to Anatoli and told him to get you—and that’s when I was shot. If I hadn’t turned, if I hadn’t seen you, the shot would have hit me dead center.” He touched his chest. “He clipped my arm.”

She noticed now the bulky wrap under the left arm of his bathrobe.

“I didn’t know what to do when I found out about the hit. I thought York could help me. He didn’t shoot you either.”

The general’s gaze fixed on York, who hadn’t moved, hadn’t released her hand. She had no doubt he’d already sized up the room and figured out where the exits were. She tightened her hand in his.

“It seems he did help,” Boris said. He appraised York, then gave him a nod and looked again at RJ. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you for another favor.”

RJ frowned.

“I need you to take Katya with you when you leave Russia.”

“Papa!” Coco turned to him. “You know I can’t leave! You said you had a mission for them. Something about national secrets.”

“You are my national secret, mylapichka.” Boris turned to her, and although RJ had seen him dozens of times on television, she’d never imagined the softness that appeared on his face. “Just until I know we’ve found the person responsible for the shooting. Please.”

Coco was shaking her head. “I can’t—you know I can’t—”

“Everything will be fine. I will see to it.”

But RJ had to agree with Coco. “We’re fugitives. And if the FSB finds us—do they know Katya is your daughter?”

“No one knows. But I can clear passage for you out of the country. The FSB will back off, I promise.”

Because they were under his control?

“The CIA is after her too,” York said quietly. “We can’t fly out.”

“I know about the plan to take you by train to Siberia.”

Siberia? No one had mentionedSiberia.

“I’m not leaving,” Coco said. “No.”

“Yes. For me,Katoosha. I can’t bear to have you hurt.” So much earnestness in his eyes, it reminded RJ of her own father. “And it’s safer foreveryone.”

“We’ll do it,” York said quietly.

RJ stared at York. “What?”

“We’ll do it. We’ll take Kat with us.” York directed a dark look at Coco. “As long as she doesn’t lie to me again.”

Coco bristled. “York—”