Church. Why?'
'They had too much influence on the royal family.'
'Enough for him to try to bring them down? It seems a little ex¬treme.'
'He was extreme.'
'You've got that right.' He smiled. 'And maybe it had something to do with his belief that he was supremely holy because of his psychic powers. Didn't you say he belonged to the Khlysty sect when he first met Rasputin?'
'Yes. That's where Rasputin read Zelov's book. We need that book. We didn't find out nearly enough from these transcripts.'
'We knew we wouldn't. Don't be unreasonable.'
'Shut up. I feel like being unreasonable.'
'Then by all means continue.' He looked out the window. 'We should be arriving in Moscow soon.'
'I suppose you've got a way to get into that country, too, that avoids their version of Homeland Security?'
'Yes, I wouldn't favor one country over another. It should please you that other countries are also vulnerable.'
'It doesn't please me,' she said wearily. 'I wish there was no need for security anywhere.'
'I do believe you're an idealist.'
'There's nothing wrong with that. I hate war. I've spent a good portion of my life trying to save beauty from the beasts. I saw how those monsters can savage what should be treasured.'
'So have I,' he said quietly, his gaze on her face. 'And that's why we're going after Staunton.'
She couldn't look away from him. She tried to smile. 'I'm no na¬tional treasure.'
'No.' His hand closed around her own. 'But a treasure all the same.'
She stared down at their joined hands. She should move away. She was aware of an intimacy that was not intense, just warm, and com¬fortable. Yet it was probably a more dangerous closeness than a more sensual connection.
She didn't move away.
Instead, she glanced away and out the window at the clouds. 'Where are we going to stay after we land?'
'Dardon has arranged for us to stay in a farmhouse outside Moscow.'
'Why Moscow?'
'We don't know where we're going to have to go until Pauley tells us. It's as good a place as any,' he said. 'And it's a hub.'
'I've never been to Moscow. I've been to other places in Russia and the Republic of Georgia on the job. Maybe I'll see the church that Zelov's house was built to resemble.'
'We're not sightseeing.' His hand tightened on hers. 'But if you want to see anything in the whole damn world, I'll show it to you.'
Intimacy, again.
She didn't care. She needed comfort and a feeling that she was in touch with something besides hatred and ugliness. She'd take this in¬timacy now and draw back later.
If she could.
THIRTEEN
THE LARGE STONE FARMHOUSE that Dardon had chosen was surrounded by flat barren fields that seemed to stretch on forever. It was all on one level, with a thatched roof and a rock-paved driveway leading up to the front door. 'The farmer who owns it left to work in the city,' Dardon said. 'A lot of farmers don't think the work is worth the income these days.' He jumped out of the car and ran up to the window box beside the front door. 'The key should be here. ' 'Pretty obvious,' Garrett said.
'There's not much to steal out here in the boondocks.' Dardon unlocked the door and turned to Emily. 'It should be comfortable if not elegant.'
'That's all that matters.' Emily entered the spacious kitchen-living room. Dark oak beams arched across the ceiling, and a huge stone fire¬place was centered between the two rooms. 'It's cozy. We stayed in a farmhouse like this in Georgia, and Joel said he felt like he'd gone back in-' She broke off. That memory had popped up out of nowhere. So many of her memories were connected with Joel. She saw Garrett look¬ing at her, and quickly said, 'It's very nice, Dardon.'
'Tell him that after we find out if this place has a coffeemaker,' Pauley said as he headed across the room toward the cabinets. 'This stove looks like it's vintage 1930.' He was looking through the cabinets. 'I don't see-for heaven's sake, a samovar.' He took out the elaborate tea service. 'Very fancy but it's not a coffeepot.'
'Stop complaining.' Dardon was going through the cabinets, too. He triumphantly pulled out an old-fashioned coffeepot. 'And there should be supplies, including coffee, in here somewhere.'
Garrett turned to Emily. 'Pick a bedroom. There should be three. Which is pretty palatial for a farmer. And there's supposed to be a lean-to with a comfortable enough mattress and pallet outside the kitchen door. We'll have enough places to sleep.'
'And I won't be here that long,' Pauley said. 'If I can down enough coffee, I'll work all night and see if I can get a breakthrough.' He smiled at Emily. 'Much as I like the company, this place in the country isn't my idea of resort living.'
'I can understand that.' Emily smiled back at him. 'We appreci¬ate your coming.'
'He's being paid very well for coming,' Garrett said. 'And Pauley getting his work done and getting on his way will be good for all of us.'
'That's telling me.' Pauley raised his brows. 'Little edgy, Gar¬rett?' He didn't wait for an answer, but went to the sink and filled the pot. 'That will cost you.'
'The price is set.'
'But that was before you hurt my feelings,' Pauley said. 'I charge extra for that.'
'And so you should,' Emily said as she headed for one of the doors leading off the kitchen. 'I'm going to see if I can shower and change my clothes. Where's the bathroom?'
'One bathroom. We share.' Dardon said. 'It's the door on the other side of the kitchen.'
'Not exactly convenient,' Pauley said.
'Shut up, Pauley,' Dardon said. 'I did the best I could on short notice.
'And I get one of the bedrooms,' Pauley said. 'I'm working and I need privacy and a soft bed to rest my weary and exceptionally bril¬liant head.'
Dardon frowned. 'The hell you do.'
'I'll sleep in the lean-to,' Garrett said. 'Just get your work done, Pauley.'
Pauley smiled. 'I may forgive you for being so curt with me.' He turned on the stove and put the coffeepot on the flames. 'And I may give you a cup of my coffee.'
Emily shut the door of the bedroom behind her and leaned against it. She was glad to close them all out and grasp this moment of quiet. They had been going nonstop, sidestepping bullets and jetting across oceans for the last days, and it was catching up with her. There had been only a short period that she had felt safe and content during that time, and it had been linked to those moments on the plane with Garrett.
Intimacy.
But there had been no hint of intimacy in the Garrett who had been cold with Pauley. It had annoyed her again, and she had struck back. Jealousy was absurd in their relationship. Even though he'd ad¬mitted that it was childish, he seemed to be feeling it still.
Why? It wasn't as if she was some Angelina Jolie. She could see a woman like that attracting Garrett. Emily knew that she was a fairly attractive woman and that she had brains and drive. She would not underestimate herself, but she would not make the mistake of believ¬ing that Garrett could be involved with her on a more permanent basis. They were too different. It had to be the situation that was binding them together.
Yes, the situation. That was the answer.
