Chapter 26 #2
Apparently, Joan and Jack had enough pull that they all were permitted to leave their drivers behind and operate the carts themselves for a quick trip to the villas.
Carter, Kaira, Joan, and Jack had driven in on one.
A.J. drove Julia and Finn on the other. Asher and Jessica had remained back at the event, hopefully still distracting Tariq from the fact his sister had disappeared.
Since they hadn’t heard anything to suggest otherwise over their comms, Julia had to assume they were still safe.
But Carter was a curveball.
“I knew there was something about you,” Kaira said when she caught Julia’s eyes after stepping free from her ride. “And we can trust them?” She directed her focus to Joan and Jack, who then turned to Carter for an answer.
“One hundred percent,” Carter announced with a firm nod, removing his hat, as Finn had done the moment they left the party. “Let’s talk inside. Harper and Roman here?”
The ones you kidnapped? Yeah, she needed to know that story.
“Yeah, they’re expecting us,” A.J. spoke up before Finn had a chance.
Joan took a moment to scrutinize Julia and Finn, as if seeing them for the first time, before making the final decision they could be trusted, then nodded and agreed to go into the villa.
Harper and Roman stood from the couch at the sight of everyone entering, and Julia remembered Chris was positioned somewhere at the resort as backup for Asher and Jessica if they needed help with Tariq tonight.
“Carter.” Harper moved across the room and hugged the man that’d . . . um, kidnapped her? Julia was still struggling to wrap her head around that one.
But when Roman gave Carter a quick one-armed manly slap on the back instead of decking him, Julia relaxed a bit. Roman was every bit alpha and growly when it came to the woman he loved, so if he was okay with this rogue CIA guy, Julia would calm down about this unexpected turn of events.
Either way, the first step of the plan had been successful—get Kaira, Joan, and Jack free of Tariq and to the villa to question them. Maybe this is better. Finally, a pinprick of light shining through the darkness that’d been following them around.
“Who are you all?” Joan asked, looking a little gobsmacked.
Jack, on the other hand, didn’t seem all that suspicious or curious. He appeared to be looking around as if more interested in that Warhol self-portrait Julia had promised him. Once an art thief, always an art thief? Of course, they still had to verify that theory.
“You just need to know we’re friends of Carter’s, and we’re trying to get to the bottom of a few things. I’m hoping our interests are aligned,” Finn took point on the conversation, and he motioned for Kaira and Joan to have a seat.
“If you’re here, and I’m here, I’m guessing we’re both after Amin.” Carter tossed the hat he’d been holding, then positioned his back to one of the white pillars in the living room and folded his arms.
“Amin? Kaira’s brother?” Harper asked in a surprised tone. “Tariq’s twin.”
“Wait, I thought . . .” Julia let her words float and drift free from her mouth without finishing, worried she’d show her hand too soon. But weren’t they after Tariq?
Carter and Jack exchanged a quick look, and Jack sat alongside his wife on the three-person white leather sofa. Kaira had jumped to her feet only seconds after she’d sat.
“You think Tariq is bad, don’t you? I saw the way you were looking at him at dinner in the desert last night. I know what you must think.” Kaira closed some of the space between herself and Finn as if assuming he was in charge.
“We know Tariq was in Egypt a few days ago, and we’re aware of what he did there,” Finn told her in what Julia had come to know as his Teamguy tone. The tone he used when he was focused on the job at hand and wasn’t about to tolerate any bullshit.
“You have it all wrong.” Kaira’s soft voice trembled. “Yes, it was Tariq in Egypt, but he was following Amin’s orders. He had no choice but to go.”
“You’re going to need to tell us more.” Roman strode closer to Kaira, but Julia could tell he was keeping Joan and Jack in his sights as well. He also appeared to position his body between Harper’s and where Jack and Joan sat as a buffer or protective layer between them.
“She’s telling the truth,” Carter spoke up, drawing Finn’s and Roman’s attention. “It’s Amin that we’re after, and it’s Kaira I’m trying to help protect.”
“You’re going to need to start from the beginning if we’re going to trust whatever you have to say,” Finn said. “It seems you need our help, too. Yeah, you have plenty of people you work with, but—”
“I’m not going to step on your toes,” Carter interrupted him. “Our missions are aligned, I’m sure. But it looks like you don’t have the full story, so let us help you out.”
“And what’s the full story look like?” Harper asked.
Julia definitely wanted to know the full story of what was basically shaping up to be a Jack Reacher plot. Was this all really happening, or was it a dream?
Carter turned to Kaira and she closed her eyes. “It all started a few years ago when Tariq and I came up with a plan to escape our overbearing and controlling family.”
Julia knew what she was going to say before she said it. “Ario,” she whispered. “You used him for his money, am I right?”
Kaira opened her eyes and nodded. “Tariq and I came up with over ten prospects, but he’s the one that, well, took the bait, I guess you could say, and we married.”
Julia moved toward Kaira, unable to stop herself. “Yeah, and at what point did you all decide to frame my best friend for murder?”