Bodyguard of Lies

CHAPTER 29

There was a six-hour wait in Frankfurt for their red-eye flight to Pittsburgh and Hannah had voted for shopping. Neeley had been shocked. She'd wanted to unwrap the package Jean-Philippe had given them and read the copies, but Hannah had disagreed. "Wait until we get the tape and have it all," had been her advice. “Or at least when you’re on the plane and have nothing else to do. Here’s one of my rules — there’s a time for everything and right now is not the time to be dealing with any more shit.”

She had finally persuaded Neeley that spending a few hours grooming was a necessity. "It's not normal to wear the same clothes every day or have dirty hair. That's what civilization is all about, Neeley. Being clean."

They bought some new clothes of Hannah's choosing and were able to discard the tight, black ninja look. As Neeley modeled a navy blazer over the white t-shirt and soft linen slacks, Hannah nodded in approval. "You can wear it forever. The style is perfect."

Neeley put her hand on her hip. "So you think it makes sense to begin my wardrobe collection the day before my probable death?"

Hannah gave her a look that said 'don't start.' "It is never too late for a woman to begin collecting a classic wardrobe."

Neeley had to admit the clothes were comfortable and efficient. She decided that if she survived she would buy more of the designer clothes. Their next stop was at a salon where Hannah arranged for them to have the complete spa treatment. Neeley decided, after a few tense moments of trying to relax while someone else handled her body, that maybe this was just the right way to spend your last hours. Hannah was right, she had a lot to teach her about living that was just as important as everything Gant had taught her about surviving.

Her mind wandered to Gant as she sat basking in the attention of a pedicurist, manicurist and hair colorist. She tried to imagine Gant seeing her with foil wadded in her hair and cotton balls between her toes. He would have dismissed this as unimportant just as Hannah hadn’t at first realized the significance of the Eldorado Canyon climb. Neeley decided that they were both important to her now.

Neeley shifted her mind to more immediate concerns. Gant’s tape had been so critical that someone had been willing to blow up an entire airliner of civilians, which was rather an extreme step to put it mildly. And since they had failed in that attempt, why had they not tried again? And how did that connect with Jean-Philippe acting as messenger boy for Collins so many years previously? She suspected that Collins’ involvement explained the extreme reaction of the Cellar to this entire affair but beyond that, little was clear.

Neeley pondered all this while she formulated their next step. It was clear to her where they had to go. Gant had sent her to Jean-Philippe to finish old business just as he had sent her up the cliff wall. She even remembered the rule: there's no such thing as unfinished business. It had been important to him that she learn that before she went to West Virginia.

That had been his destination the day they met in Templehoff Airport. He had been going to his wife with knowledge and something that others wanted. Now it was time for Neeley to go to the woman whom Gant had once loved. Only then would she go for the nearby tape.

West Virginia was her final connection to Gant. He had given her Jean-Philippe. Neeley knew that it would have mattered little to Gant whether she killed her betrayer or not. What mattered is that she let go of the past and move into her own world. A world where she was no longer molded by men. Whether the molding was for her benefit or detriment mattered little compared to the losing of herself. This she was learning from Hannah or rather they were learning it together.

And with the tape, John’s contracts and the papers, Neeley knew that she could strike a deal with the Cellar and Nero. But only if she got the tape in her hands before they got to her.

When the women left the salon hours later Neeley was surprised at the attention they received. She was used to frank looks from men but had never experienced the silent compliment from both sexes that were directed to her entire person and not just certain parts of it. Neeley realized people were responding to her attitude about herself. It was almost more powerful than holding a weapon. It was simply being.

Neeley was totally relaxed as she looked out the window as the plane taxied down the runway. Hannah’s eyes were drooping when she ruined Neeley’s mood. She too had obviously used the last few hours to do some thinking. “Nero’s not behind what happened in the past.”

“What?” Neeley spit the word out.

“Some of it, but not all of it. We know now that Senator Collins and Racine were

behind the bomb that Jean-Philippe gave you.”

“But Racine works for Nero.”

“I think he was working only for Collins when he did that,” Hannah said.

“What do you mean?”

Hannah closed her eyes. “There’s something else going on. You have the papers. You might want to read them.”

Neeley stared at Hannah for a few seconds then was startled to realize the other woman was already asleep so she settled into her own thoughts of the next day. Her plan would have to be a good one because Neeley knew all the players were finally coming together and the end of the game was in sight.

She pulled the papers Jean-Philippe had given them out of her pack and began reading.