excerpt
strangers—but what was she doing with them? And, if they were doing something legal why didn’t they meet in their homes? Why always on the street?
But while he was ushering her out of the room, she turned to him, looked up at him with an expression that was suddenly all smiles and friendship. “Before we go, can I ask you to do one thing?” she cooed.
“Sure, what?”
“The people I’ve visited have been so kind…they’ve given me all sorts of gifts to take back to America. They’re proud and want to give something in return for the money. You know, family heirlooms—things they want my family to have.”
“Go on.” Hank could sense a trap, but he was so happy to see her face relax once more that he realized he would do anything she asked.
“I don’t have room in my luggage for everything. Could you possibly fit a few of these things in yours? Oh, I won’t hassle you…” She caught sight of his shocked stare. “It’s just a few items—a figurine and piece of fabric—that I’m having to carry around in a satchel now because I have no room. Please?” This last was accompanied by the most melting eyes he had ever seen.
He mumbled agreement and she reached up to brush a light kiss on his cheek, then darted away down the hall. Wow, what a woman! Every instinct told him to stay away and he was generally a guy who listened to his gut. As he walked back to the dining room, he pondered the problem and was so intent that he nearly walked into Jennifer who seemed to be wrapped in her own thoughts.
“Mrs. White…” he began.
She looked up. “Yes?”
“Oh, nothing…some day we’ll talk about this trip together.”
That was strange, thought Jennifer as she headed for a table with Chopyk and Natasha who was waving at her.
“I have a message for you…from Leningrad,” Natasha said before Jennifer was seated.
“For me? But how?”
“Telegrams—they are forwarded to me on the boat—hotel arrangements and so on. Also emergencies for the guests.” She sniffed. “This message was not an emergency but headquarters kindly forwarded it.” She took a crumpled bit of poor quality paper from her purse. Apparently, this was a typical Soviet telegram. The words were glued on crudely like …
Libros Libertad 