around the perimeter of the house would match a high-security parking lot. Drapes in her room had been shut, no inside lights glowed. Time to move.
After gathering his satchel from the trunk of the rental car, he entered the front door, latching the lock behind him.
He stashed his limited apparel and hygiene products in the bedroom and waited. Tuning into the sounds of the house, the volume on the television ceased and a door creaked. Pippa was on the move. He went into the great room and stood behind a square pillar, large enough to hide his profile. Murmurs and hisses of air rippled through space, but he couldn’t place her location. He kept to the shadows and crept closer to the faint noise.
Something changed. Her voice rang clear in the silence. “There’s a lot of static, let me go outside.”
Pippa rushed to the rear of the house. She turned her head toward his suite as if ensuring that he was safely behind closed doors, then unlatched the lock at the gathering room exit and walked onto the patio, firmly shutting the door behind her.
Basil ran to his temporary bedroom and turned on the stereo, turning the music loud enough so Pippa would think him inside. He slunk out the front door and to the side until he reached the metal television tower and climbed. On the roof, he scurried over the high ridge of the house and onto the other side and crab-crawled along the cold hard surface of the grainy shingles until he got within earshot of her.
“I understand, but you must listen to me. I’ve been trying to reach you for a month.”
Although her face wasn’t visible, her anxious voice came through clear and heart-wrenching. More than likely her brother was on the other end. It would be easy enough to have the call traced, if he could get a message to his CIA contact.
“I need to have a clue. My home is going to be taken from me in less than fourteen days if I don’t get the ownership switched to be in my name. I understand you don’t feel a connection to me, but we all shared a mother. Please help me.”
A moment of silence passed. He leaned closer to the edge.
“I’m not one to prostitute myself to gain favors and or money.” Her voice rose. “No, I didn’t mean to insinuate you were.” She hesitated. “I just need to know where he is.”
Ah, so it wasn’t the brother on the other end, but the sister who had no record of existing. The bank was calling in a loan and Pippa felt the pressure to find her brother as well. She walked from the under hang and into the glow of the security lights. With one hand she held her long ponytail from her neck. “Could you scan it?”
The thick length of black hair fell onto her shoulders and she stood straight.
Basil wished he could hear the other side of the conversation, but then decided some intel was better than none.
“Fine. What does it say?” She glanced to the right, pivoted, and looked into the house. Had he made a noise? He was as excited as she, so he could have breathed a sigh. No, he was a professional. Perhaps something else drew her attention.
“Are you sure it says Montana?” Joy rippled through her tone. “No reference to state?” The squeal of a door being opened made him flatten to the rough uneven surface.
“When? Thank you. No, I’ll let you know if I find him.” By the length of the silence, the phone call ended. The clatter of footsteps, then a loud firm click as the door shut behind Pippa. Conversation over.
Basil rolled onto his back and stared at the stars. Montana must be a code word she shared with Wilson or she wouldn’t have asked about the state. Was the mysterious undocumented sister on the other end of the phone call? Could each family member be a party to Wilson’s nefarious ways? His heart pattered a quick beat against his chest. He’d so wanted Pippa not to be a part of Wilson’s illegal dealings.
****
Pippa quietly entered the stable. Basil was filling a trough with a pungent, fresh mixture of barley, oats,
After gathering his satchel from the trunk of the rental car, he entered the front door, latching the lock behind him.
He stashed his limited apparel and hygiene products in the bedroom and waited. Tuning into the sounds of the house, the volume on the television ceased and a door creaked. Pippa was on the move. He went into the great room and stood behind a square pillar, large enough to hide his profile. Murmurs and hisses of air rippled through space, but he couldn’t place her location. He kept to the shadows and crept closer to the faint noise.
Something changed. Her voice rang clear in the silence. “There’s a lot of static, let me go outside.”
Pippa rushed to the rear of the house. She turned her head toward his suite as if ensuring that he was safely behind closed doors, then unlatched the lock at the gathering room exit and walked onto the patio, firmly shutting the door behind her.
Basil ran to his temporary bedroom and turned on the stereo, turning the music loud enough so Pippa would think him inside. He slunk out the front door and to the side until he reached the metal television tower and climbed. On the roof, he scurried over the high ridge of the house and onto the other side and crab-crawled along the cold hard surface of the grainy shingles until he got within earshot of her.
“I understand, but you must listen to me. I’ve been trying to reach you for a month.”
Although her face wasn’t visible, her anxious voice came through clear and heart-wrenching. More than likely her brother was on the other end. It would be easy enough to have the call traced, if he could get a message to his CIA contact.
“I need to have a clue. My home is going to be taken from me in less than fourteen days if I don’t get the ownership switched to be in my name. I understand you don’t feel a connection to me, but we all shared a mother. Please help me.”
A moment of silence passed. He leaned closer to the edge.
“I’m not one to prostitute myself to gain favors and or money.” Her voice rose. “No, I didn’t mean to insinuate you were.” She hesitated. “I just need to know where he is.”
Ah, so it wasn’t the brother on the other end, but the sister who had no record of existing. The bank was calling in a loan and Pippa felt the pressure to find her brother as well. She walked from the under hang and into the glow of the security lights. With one hand she held her long ponytail from her neck. “Could you scan it?”
The thick length of black hair fell onto her shoulders and she stood straight.
Basil wished he could hear the other side of the conversation, but then decided some intel was better than none.
“Fine. What does it say?” She glanced to the right, pivoted, and looked into the house. Had he made a noise? He was as excited as she, so he could have breathed a sigh. No, he was a professional. Perhaps something else drew her attention.
“Are you sure it says Montana?” Joy rippled through her tone. “No reference to state?” The squeal of a door being opened made him flatten to the rough uneven surface.
“When? Thank you. No, I’ll let you know if I find him.” By the length of the silence, the phone call ended. The clatter of footsteps, then a loud firm click as the door shut behind Pippa. Conversation over.
Basil rolled onto his back and stared at the stars. Montana must be a code word she shared with Wilson or she wouldn’t have asked about the state. Was the mysterious undocumented sister on the other end of the phone call? Could each family member be a party to Wilson’s nefarious ways? His heart pattered a quick beat against his chest. He’d so wanted Pippa not to be a part of Wilson’s illegal dealings.
****
Pippa quietly entered the stable. Basil was filling a trough with a pungent, fresh mixture of barley, oats,
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