Defy the World Tomatoes (26 page)

“Whether or not he’s ever fired a shot himself isn’t the issue,” Griffin replied, swiftly becoming exasperated with her. “We’re not talking about some courtly Mafia don, here. The man is pure evil. He prides himself on manipulating world events, and then he capitalizes on the very chaos he’s created.”

“You mean he’ll start a war just to sell arms?”

“Yes, and to both sides. It’s only a matter of time before he gets his hands on nuclear weapons, and terrorists are already among his best customers. Let me put it this way, I want to get in and out without having you there to distract me.”

His sense of urgency warned Darcy of a danger he had yet to explain. “You swore that you just passed along information. Is that true, or do you perform an even more valuable service for Interpol?”

“Such as?”

“Come off it, Griffin, you know what I mean. You joked about piano wire being too obvious, but once you’re inside Vaughn’s chateau, does Interpol expect you to kill him?”

Griffin stared at her, the fury in his dark gaze easily read. “I’m going to say this one last time, no, I’m not an assassin, nor have I ever been. The world is filled with evil men. How many could possibly be such big fans of mine that I could get close enough to kill them? Damn few, I imagine, and even then, if every time I played a concert for a dictator, he died, I’d soon run out of plausible alibis.”

“That’s why you need me,” Darcy announced proudly.

“You’ve seen too many James Bond movies, sweetheart. All I do is play the piano.”

“Like hell, but we can argue later. Just give me a couple of days to secure a passport before you book our flight.”

“Why don’t I just strangle you now and be done with it?”

Darcy braced herself against the counter. “You’re too well-known to travel alone. At the very least, you ought to travel with a body guard.”

“Oh Christ. Do you expect me to hire someone from your father’s firm?”

“I just want you to take me. My karate might be a little rusty, but I’d certainly have the element of surprise on my side should you need a quick defense.”

Griffin couldn’t help himself. The thought of her defending him against anything other than a pack of marauding Munchkins was so incredibly goofy he simply had to laugh. “I’m glad you finally want to travel with me, elated in fact, but no, you simply can’t come with me to Paris.”

Darcy reached out to poke him in the chest. “What about this angle? Let’s say Lyman Vaughn never heard of Seattle, but somehow he suspects you’re tight with Interpol. If you show up with an adoring girlfriend, it will be plain that you’re simply a concert musician out to have an entertaining weekend, rather than a talented snitch with something to hide.”

Surprised by her logic, Griffin relaxed his stance and shoved his hands into his hip pockets. “That’s very good. But if I wanted a sidekick, I’d take one from Interpol.”

“What makes you think Vaughn doesn’t have a dossier on all their agents? No, a pro just won’t do, and together, we’ll be so thoroughly convincing he’ll have no clue what you’re up to. Let’s just do it, Griffin, and then you can retire from the world of international intrigue to write beautiful symphonies.”

“I think you’re the one who needs to be whomped upside the head. But for now, I’ll just take you home.”

“Promise me you’ll think about it,” Darcy stressed.

“Oh, yeah, I can promise you that. I’ll think of little else.”

Darcy hadn’t been home five minutes before she made a quick trip to the post office to pick up the form for a passport. An hour later she’d had photos taken and put the request for rapid service in the mail. It had been an easy process compared to the battle to accompany Griffin which still lay ahead.

When she finally entered the nursery, she found an even worse shambles than she’d anticipated. She sat on an overturned bucket to decide where to begin and was still prioritizing jobs in her mind when George climbed over the sandbags at the corner and pulled open the gate.

“Lordy, what a mess!” he called.

“My sentiments exactly, but we’ll have my crew here tomorrow to slick things up real quick. Any damage at your place?”

“The roof sprang a leak over the dining room, but Marge had wanted to redecorate the room anyway.”

Darcy rose and set the bucket aside. “So it’s not a disaster then?”

“No, and a decorating project will keep her out of mischief for a while. You look a whole lot happier than I expected. What did I miss?”

Darcy didn’t describe how frightened they had been during the storm. She just gave him the good news about the lease. “Griffin made it sound as though the weather had influenced his decision, and maybe it did. But whatever his reasons, the pressure’s off for a while. We’ll still have to make certain Defy the World looks great before the next batch of tourists arrive, but I think we will.”

George focused his attention on the pottery shed which was definitely listing toward the shop. “Sounds like Griffin Moore is just full of surprises. You gonna marry him?”

Darcy responded with a playful punch to his shoulder. “Get out of here! Isn’t a year the absolute minimum a couple should know each other before they start talking about marriage?”

“That’s what I read in Marge’s magazines, but you ought to know your own heart. What are the man’s chances?”

Taken aback by the question, Darcy felt her cheeks fill with a bright blush. “Ask me again next summer. For now, I haven’t even told my parents that we’ve met.”

“Seems like that call is a mite overdue, Missy.”

Darcy agreed, and that night she called home, but when her father answered, she didn’t even know where to begin. So she talked about the storm, and Defy the World, and asked about his growing security business before finally admitting she’d met a man who jokingly described himself as an itinerant musician.

“His name’s Griffin Moore,” she added breathlessly. “Perhaps you’ve heard of him.”

After a mumbled exchange, Darcy’s mother came to the telephone. “Your daddy’s just shaking his head. Did you say you were dating Griffin Moore?”

“Yes. Is Daddy upset?” Darcy held her breath. Her parents occasionally attended a concert, but she doubted they were such great fans of classical music that they would be privy to any distressing information about Griffin.

“Stunned is a better word, honey. Last week, the PBS station here reran one of Griffin’s concerts from Carnegie Hall. I couldn’t help but notice what a handsome man he is, while your father thought I should close my eyes and just listen to the music. It’s silly of him to be jealous after all these years, isn’t it? Is Griffin as nice as he looks?”

“Yes, he certainly is.” But Darcy found it far easier to explain that Griffin owned their building than to describe how she felt about him. “I hadn’t called in a while, and I didn’t want you to worry.”

“We know you’re busy, sweetheart, but thank you so much for calling. I’m going to rush right out tomorrow and buy one of Griffin’s CDs. You tell him we’re big fans and say hello to Christy Joy and Twink for us.”

“I’ll do that. Let me talk to Daddy again, will you please?” Her father cleared his throat as he picked up the telephone. “I don’t know that I can take any more surprises. Let me sit down.”

“Oh, Daddy, I just have a question. Have you ever heard of Lyman Vaughn?”

“Good God, Darcy, please tell me you aren’t dating him too.”

“No, but you have heard of him?”

“Of course. The elusive bastard is on every most-wanted list in the civilized world. As for the uncivilized half, he’s up for Man of the Year. I sure hope he’s not vacationing there in Monarch Bay.”

“No, I was just curious. Thanks, Daddy, I’ll call again soon.”

Darcy remained by the telephone long after they’d said good-bye. She was proud of herself for at least introducing Griffin as a topic, but she knew she could have revealed a lot more. She hadn’t been this interested in a man since college, and his celebrity was the least appealing thing about him. Were he a physician or engineer he would be equally attractive, but she hadn’t made that clear.

She’d just dropped his name, a tantalizing tidbit, rather than confess she was falling in love. Besides, it was much too soon to speak of love, and she’d not be the first to say the word either.

She did care, though, an awful lot, and maybe she hadn’t taken Griffin’s warning about Lyman Vaughn as seriously as she should, but her father’s disgust with the man had been chilling.

There was no way she could allow Griffin to face Vaughn alone. Focusing on Paris, she went into her bedroom and took a good look at her wardrobe. She doubted overalls were popular in Paris that spring, but Monarch Bay had some nice boutiques. Maybe over the weekend she could shop for a few classic pieces which would not only travel well, but make Griffin proud.

When Griffin arrived at Defy the World Friday morning, three men he recognized from Darcy’s crew had already shoveled away the debris, swept the asphalt clean and were arranging the plants.

“Looks like there isn’t much for me to do out here. What about inside?” he asked Darcy.

“We’re doing okay, but come on into my office.” She led the way and leaned back against her desk.

“I owe you an apology. You told me Lyman Vaughn was a dangerous man, but I didn’t really appreciate just how bad he is until my dad told me that
—
”

“What?” Griffin shoved the door closed. “You asked your father about him?”

He looked horrified, and Darcy had expected him to be pleased that she’d begun taking the danger Vaughn posed more seriously. “Yes, but you needn’t worry. I didn’t tell him why I was interested in Vaughn.”

Griffin shook his head. “Let me get this straight. I asked you
—
no, insisted
—
that you respect my privacy and not repeat our conversations to anyone. Does any of that sound familiar, or have you completely forgotten your promise?”

Darcy recalled that particular discussion vividly as well as the weight of his cock in her hand. “No, not at all. I left your name out of it. Well, perhaps that’s not exactly true. I did tell my folks that I’d met you, but I didn’t believe that had to remain a secret.”

Griffin raked his fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to grab hold of his temper. “That’s just great. ‘Hi, Dad, I met Griffin Moore, and by the way, who’s Lyman Vaughn?’ In other words, you linked us in his mind. I’ll bet you anything you name that he’s already repeated your question to his partner.”

“Stop it!” Feeling trapped, Darcy moved away from her desk, but with Griffin blocking the door, there was no way to escape him.

“I wish you’d looked half as panicked when I told you I’d be going to Paris,” Griffin continued. “Now right this minute you’re going to call your father and tell him that under no circumstances is he to mention my name or Lyman Vaughn’s to anyone. Then call your mother and do the same.”

Darcy opened her mouth to argue, then realized this was probably the only way to undo whatever harm had been done. The intelligence community was acutely sensitive to rumors and a single mention of Lyman Vaughn from a security firm in Texas might snowball into widespread interest that would swiftly reach the arms dealer’s ears.

She called her father’s office and, relieved to hear his voice, repeated Griffin’s message. “This is really important, Daddy. I shouldn’t have said anything about Vaughn, and you mustn’t either.”

Then she called her mother, who was delighted to hear from her again so soon, and quickly agreed to be as silent as her husband. Feeling very foolish for having involved them, Darcy hung up and turned to Griffin, who was still eying her coldly.

“I wasn’t trying to sabotage your mission,” she swore. “I simply wanted more information. Now, what else can I do?”

“Frankly, you’ve done more than enough already. But at least half the fault is mine. I never should have mentioned Interpol, let alone Lyman Vaughn.”

“We agreed to tell each other the truth, remember?”

“Yes, and it was obviously a mistake. Look, I’ll find someone to repair the roof and trim the eucalyptus. Then I’ll give you a call when I’m home from France.”

While he no longer appeared close to a murderous rage, she wasn’t pleased by his aloof stranger act either. “Wait a minute. You think I’ve blown your cover, and you’re going anyway?”

“The subject is closed, Darcy.”

“No, it is not. Neither of us is the most forthcoming individual ever born, but at least we were both trying. Or at least I thought we were. You’re acting as though I’d deliberately screwed things up, and that’s not what happened at all. Were you hoping that I’d run the first time you mentioned Interpol?”

Griffin swore in French, but his meaning was perfectly clear. “Do you honestly believe I’m grabbing for an excuse to stop seeing you?”

“No, I’m not that insecure, but I can’t bear to have you mad at me.”

She looked so contrite Griffin didn’t doubt her remorse, but neither could he overlook how careless he’d been. “I really like the fact that you’re a spontaneous person who runs with her instincts. It makes for great sex, but there’s a whole lot more at stake here. Let me sort it out on my own.”