In her free time, she also browsed the internet for Information about Switzerland, Amazon myths and heat- seeking technology. But she resisted the impulse to research the various psychological therapies available to transform helpless victims into formidable, confident people. While she told herself her interest stemmed from her amazing encounter with Angelina Carerra, she knew that it-like many things in her life-was ultimately about her father, the quintessential victim.
She took breaks from her study to perform Ortega’s version of Kell’s breathing technique at dawn, noon, and dusk, knowing that her teacher was doing the same in the clearing outside his mountain cabin. Even though he wasn’t actually performing the moves at the same time as she, given the time difference, it was fascinating to pretend that he was. Now that she knew he wasn’t really a pervert watching pornographic tapes of her in the wilderness, she was able to appreciate his dilemma, and to feel gratitude toward him for sharing his technique with her. She reveled in the balance she had already learned to achieve, and dreamed of the day when she would truly master the technique.
Of course, Ortega had mastered it, yet when he needed it most, it had let him down. So she warned herself not to overestimate it. Or him.
Definitely not him.
“No, no, no, no, no.” Miranda shook her head frantically that evening when Kristie Hennessy unveiled her final scenario for uncovering the Brigadier’s identity. Despite the fact that they had agreed to target Jonathan Kell, using Ortega as their link, Kristie had decided at the last minute that it was better to go after Alexander Gresley, the London financier. The spinner explained that she had taken to heart Ortega’s comment that Kell would be too suspicious if Ortega contacted him, and had decided they shouldn’t use the Ortega connection at all.
“We’re supposed to be using your instincts, not Ortega’s,” Miranda complained. “He had his chance to be involved with this and he turned you down. Now he’s controlling our every move like some sort of Dead Hand? I don’t think so. You said it yourself-Kell’s the key. What’s changed?”
“Getting to Kell through Ray was the key. That’s a little different.”
“We are going through him. Right? We’re saying I’ve got claustrophobia. Somewhere along the line I met Ortega, and he told me about Kell’s experiments with phobia. Now I’ve come to Switzerland for a firsthand lesson.”
“It’s not credible. Traveling all that way because of a little claustrophobia? Kell will be suspicious.”
“Not if you make it credible. Put your spin on it. Isn’t that why they call you a spinner?” Miranda laughed in frustration. “Don’t let Ortega psyche you out, Kris.”
“Do you want to plan a successful scenario? Or do you just want to prove Ray wrong?” When Miranda didn’t answer right away, Kristie reminded her, “You agreed to let me call the shots. I have to feel good about it-in my bones-or I won’t send you out there alone.”
Miranda hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Tell me about Alexander Gresley. What makes him such a good mark?”
“He likes women,” Kristie explained, adding with a wince, “Sorry.”
Miranda shrugged. “That’s okay. It’s what I do, for now at least. He’s in London, right? And he’s some sort of financial wizard?”
“Right. He spends his free time at a club there, gambling, carousing, and whatever. So that’s where we’ll send you. It’s called Club Fortuna.”
“I like the sound of that. Anything in particular about the guy I should know?”
“He’s very well-connected, politically and socially. We only found out last week about his membership in the Brigade. He operates on the edge of the law, but never quite gets caught doing anything blatantly illegal. He’s never been married. No kids. Benevolent to his employees. Lucrative for his associates. Brutal to his enemies. We think he had a competitor killed once, but again, no proof. Still, you’ve got to be very, very careful. Don’t let anything distract you from the primary objective,” she added, arching an eyebrow for emphasis.
Miranda groaned, knowing that the spinner was referring to her lapse in South America, when she had become so enamored of the tubes of Night Arrow, she had forgotten to keep an eye out for guards. “I’m never going to live that down, am I? In my defense, those test tubes were a gorgeous shade of blue.”
Kristie laughed. “Well, Gresley’s got enough money to offer you sapphires, so keep it together.”
“Okay.” Miranda cleared her throat. “If for some reason I fail with Gresley, then I’ll move on to Kell. Agreed?”
“No. Absolutely not. I told you, he’ll be too suspicious if you just happen to be a old friend of Ray’s stopping by for a lesson.” The spinner hesitated, then admitted, “I almost had a workable idea this afternoon but it fell apart.”
Miranda leaned forward eagerly. “Come on. I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Okay.” Kristie picked up the vial of HeetSeek. “Kell was tortured over this, just like you said last night. If he heard it actually existed, he’d want more information. At first I thought about posing you as a scientist, but it would take weeks, and we don’t have that kind of time. Then I thought we’d re-use Jennifer Aguilar.”
“Of course! I could tell him I broke into BioGeniSystems as an industrial spy and found the Night Arrow formula. I’d say the files mentioned his ordeal. I did some research and found out he was ultra-rich, so I decided to offer the formula to him instead of the company that was paying me peanuts to steal it.”
Kristie nodded. “Something like that. But the scientific community is a small one, and I’m sure Kell keeps informed about it. He might have contacts at Cornucopia, for example. Or he might have used some industrial spies himself from time to time. Who knows?”
“Still, it’s a better angle than just vamping Gresley.”
“It would be if Kell were rational. But he’s got all those phobias, so he doesn’t mix with strangers. And ever since his experience with Benito Carerra, he’s paranoid as well as phobic. He might be willing to pay Jennifer a fortune for Night Arrow, but he wouldn’t want to socialize with her without getting a lot of information about her background first. It’s too risky.”
“So? If I’m not Jennifer Aguilar, who am I?”
Kristie handed her a thick manila packet. “Miranda Duncan. An aspiring actress. I wanted to make you a model, because Gresley has a thing for them, but you’re not really tall enough. No offense,” she added quickly.
Miranda laughed. “Don’t worry. My days as a professional escort have been bad for my career, but great for my self-esteem. If I can get Gresley alone, I can get him to talk. And I kind of like the actress angle.”
“I actually tied the escort jobs into it a little. That’s how Miranda Duncan pays the rent while she’s waiting for her big break. You’ll tell Gresley you came to the casino to meet a client, but he never showed up. Tell him you really needed the money.”
“That’s good. You’re good.” Miranda sifted through the contents of the package, which included a passport, plane tickets, hotel reservations and a detailed bio, as well as information about the phony escort company- Prudently Yours-that employed Miranda Duncan. “Looks like you thought of everything.”
“Your flight leaves early in the morning. Do you have everything you need in terms of clothing? You’re welcome to borrow stuff from Melissa’s side of my closet. She has a couple of amazing dresses, and tons of size-seven shoes. Would those fit you?”
“I’m a seven and a half. What size do you wear?” Before Kristie could respond, she added wryly, “Please say it’s a seven, or this Melissa girl is going to really start freaking me out.”
Kristie gave a mischievous smile. “Luckily, she and I are the same size.”
“Well, thanks for the offer, but I have plenty of shoes-and dresses-thanks to the CIA. There’s one outfit in particular. A sleeveless copper lame with a plunging neckline. Hangs like a dream. I have a rinse to put on my hair so that my highlights turn the same shade of copper. The effect is pretty cool.”
“Ooo, sounds gorgeous. Is it a short dress?”
“Knee length, but with slits up to the eyeballs. Melissa can borrow it anytime she wants.”
“McGregor would love it,” Kristie admitted. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that for his birthday.”
Miranda watched as her new friend bit her lip, clearly conflicted by talk of McGregor. Smiling sympathetically, she told the spinner, “Should we clue him in? Now that we have a solid plan that isn’t at all dangerous, he might go along with it.”
“No way. He’d say it’s outside of SPIN’s jurisdiction. Which of course it is, technically.”
“I’m CIA,” Miranda reminded her. “It’s well within my jurisdiction. Just a little outside my authority.”
