“I remember everyone, especially the good ones.”
“He was, wasn’t he?”
Nora checked the biscuit tin. “Someone remembered, vegan cookies. Come.” Nora handed her a coffee and took her and the biscuits into the room Eva was using as an office. “Let’s take a minute. You want to talk about it?”
Eva read and reread the inscription on the mug. Her secret was out. What would it hurt to give all of it away? “It was just after Charles dumped me. Vincent was exactly what I needed then, fun, a way to find me again.”
“And then he got sent back to Belgium. You never told him?”
How to summarise all the soul searching, the sleepless nights, trying to reconcile not telling Vincent, the wondering if Eva could be enough for her unborn baby. It had been a lot for a twenty-one-year-old to wrestle with. And while she struggled for the right thing to do, Lily arrived. A squalling whirlwind that made her whole, completed her life, filled her heart.
“I didn’t know what to do, I, things were already so. . .”
“You don’t have to justify your decisions to me.” Nora smiled at her. Were her daughters and grandchildren aware how lucky they were?
Eva sipped the hot foam. “I should have told Charles the truth when he came back into my life, saying we should try again, but he was so happy when he met Lily, I couldn’t take that away from him. The timing was so close from when we split up, he never questioned that she wasn’t his. I thought he might have guessed when we tried for another baby and it didn’t happen but, if he did, he never said.” Eva sighed. “Ensam är stark, my father used to tell me that. Alone is strong.” She’d believed him until she’d been a single mum trying to juggle the hours the intelligence service demanded and then, once she inherited her father’s money, trying to set up Every Drop. “It makes me sound weak.”
“No more than the rest of us. Don’t we all want someone to share things with? Humans aren’t meant to be solitary creatures. Charles’ll look after Lily, Eva. He would, even if he knew.”
But would he though? Eva didn’t recognise the Charles of this last week as the man she’d married, the man she thought she loved.
“What are you going to do now?” Nora asked.
Eva wanted to lay her head on the table, go back to sleep. “What can I do?”
“You’re not helpless. Agents aren’t our best resource, you remember? And you’re not without anything you can use. So what are you waiting for?” Nora laid her hand on Eva’s. “You know what to do.”
Eva nodded, she did, at least where to start.
Addison Clarke’s Executive Assistant put Eva through to him and this time she didn’t get voicemail.
“I was wondering when you might ring.”
“Luke? You’re okay?”
“Yeah, hard head. How’re you? Any news about your daughter? I heard you missed the flight too.”
“I saw that you’d been hurt, I got off to make sure you were okay.”
She heard a smile in his voice. “Your turn to be my knight.”
“Not so much, I was—” Impossible to explain being picked up by the intelligence service. “It’s a long story. But you’re okay?”
“I’m okay. How can I help?”
“I wanted to ask Addison if his pilot knows where Charles was going in Marrakech. He has no ties there. . .” That she was aware of. “Does Addison hate me, for Charles taking the plane?”
“Hate you, why? He said you could use the plane, the plane was used. No deal there.”
“But you being knocked out?”
“Now why would I tell him about that and ruin my macho image? Addison’s about to leave town, off to Marrakech for the summit on technology driving water safety as it happens. Seems like I can give you another lift.”
51
Luke waited for Eva on the tarmac by the hangar. “Let’s hope we go somewhere today.”
Addison was sitting in one of the seats facing the direction of travel, every inch the man in charge of his destiny. Making it before he was Eva’s age would do that, she was sure, give anyone an unshakeable confidence. Now, at around fifty and, according to his official bio, in the prime of his life, he was keen to give back.
“Addison, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. Sorry I’m so late.” No need to bother him with the trifles of Nora having to hurry a passport issue to Mach Ten.
“It’s no problem, the summit doesn’t start until tomorrow and I’ll be there in plenty of time for the dinner. Sit yourself down.” Eva dropped into the seat next to him. “A drop of the good stuff always helps the flight I find. Stephanie.” He gestured at the air hostess who produced a tray holding a healthy measure of an excellent whisky Eva would guess in three crystal glasses. Luke buckled himself in opposite Addison and took one.
“How do you two know each other?” Eva asked.
“We have a mutual friend.” Luke held his glass up. “Cheers.”
“Skol.” Eva replied automatically.
“The Vikings did a fine toast.” Addison approved. He let her drink, watched her shudder before hitting her with the question. “So, Eva, tell me, what’s gone wrong at Every Drop?”
“Apparently I trusted the wrong person.”
“I wondered about your choice of Stuart Worthington for Chairman, but my position doesn’t give me permission to stick my nose in that far.”
Eva wasn’t sure she was talking about Stuart. “This happened on my watch, any fallout is on me.”
“You need to know the worst case because only then can you deal with it.” Addison was right.
Running towards the bullets.
“Is there time before take off to make a quick call?”
He nodded his agreement.
Luke handed her his smartphone.
“Thanks, international okay?”
“Go for it.”
“Eva, are you going to brighten our Christmas?” Her godfather always sounded as though she’d made his day by calling.
“I’m doing my best, Per.” If
