The flight took off on time, and she settled down to sleep. Or at least pretended to do so. She was wearing enough of a disguise that no one would recognize her. And since she’d been getting magic from Craig, no one would be able to describe her the same way as the other patrons on the plane. She was a ghost. What most of the people called her where she had worked.
By the time the latest plane she was on landed at the airport in Columbus, Ohio, she’d been around the world three times. Getting off the plane at each stop made it easier for her to see if she was being followed. However, her shoulder was aching badly by then, and she was exhausted.
Without any kind of driver’s license or even a photo identification, she wasn’t able to rent herself a car. But that was easy enough to work around. Stealing one of the cars from the lot, she was well on her way to the king’s house four days after Craig was murdered. The car, like the other things she’d used, would be destroyed when she got to the king. He’d better not be some blowhard, or she’d have to figure out a way to kick his ass. Settling into one of the empty buildings on the outskirts of town, she was ready for some sleep. Pulling out a sleeping bag as well as some clean clothing, Gracie closed her eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.
Gracie would do as the king wanted, but only so far. She wanted to take some of the money she’d saved up and buy an island. Someplace accessible either by flying in or taking a ship. After her years of service to her government, Gracie felt as if she deserved something nice. To not give a shit about anything else was her plan.
~*~
Bancroft hung up the phone. Craig Anderson had been killed five days ago. Not only had he been killed, but someone had gotten into his bank and taken everything he’d had stored in there. Bancroft hoped it was his friend, Gracie James, and not some random ass that had just happened to know where to look. When Kelly joined him in the office, she sat on his lap and asked him if he was all right. “I am. We’re to have a visitor in the next few days. I don’t know anything about her other than her name. Grace James. I’m not entirely sure that is her real name either. She was a friend of someone that contacted me a month ago when he was having trouble at his work.”
“The Anderson man.” He nodded. “You said he worked for the IBC. I don’t remember what you told me that meant.”
“Identity-based cryptography. I’m not sure in what capacity he worked for them, but I know it was very hush-hush. The woman, as I said, I don’t know anything about. But she meant a great deal to the man, and he wanted me to protect her at all costs.” Kelly asked him if she worked there as well. “I don’t know. She might well have. When he called me, he told me there were some very unsavory people looking to get to Gracie—that’s what he called her. And if they got her, they’d not kill her but use her. Again, I haven’t any idea what that might mean.”
“More than likely, she’s magical. But not a vampire.” Bancroft told her he didn’t believe she was. “I guess we’ll find out when she arrives. Do you know when?”
“That was her on the phone. She called to tell me she’d be at the restaurant in town at six tonight and that she’d see us there. I don’t think she’s all that trusting. If I were to bring anyone with me other than you, I can kiss her ass goodbye. I’m not sure what that means either, other than literally kissing it goodbye, but she said I was to go only with you.” Kelly asked him if he would. “Yes. I’m not sure why, but I feel like I can trust her to do what she says. The girl knows she can’t kill me, but she can put me in a world of hurt. I believe her. Also, and this is from Craig, Gracie is a good deal stronger than she looks, and I’m not to let her wallow in her own pain of losing him if I can help it. They were very close.”
“All right. Do you think she’ll stay here?” Bancroft shrugged. “Does she need medical attention? Clothing? Money, or even a nice warm meal?”
After each question, he shrugged. When she smacked him on the chest, he told her once again that he knew nothing about her. The one and only thing he did know about her was that she needed to be protected. That it was for all mankind. However, he didn’t tell Kelly that. That would be just like telling her to go see the woman and get answers.
By the time they were ready to go, he was no closer to getting information than he had been before. He’d not done any kind of search on either Craig or Gracie. But he did hear about the explosion of a building, as well as a stolen car at the local airport. Nothing more than that was out there, but he had a feeling it was Gracie.
At five-thirty, they were seated in the only sit-down restaurant in town. He noticed that Clyde and Brian were there as well but didn’t invite them to join them. Bancroft hoped that Gracie didn’t think
