My Father's House

Chapter 30

My heart fell at his statement. When he didn't go on I reached over and pulled the glasses down from his face. His eyes were worried, guarded. He looked much older now than he had on that windy balcony yesterday. His eyes were still tired. He rubbed his face as if to confirm his exhaustion.

"His initial orders were what I told you."

My hand kept pressure on the binoculars to keep them from returning to his eyes.

"But?"

"Back at the house, I had an email from him. I thought he sent it only to me."

He glanced out the window before continuing.

"He'd said if you were becoming too much of a liability, we could take you out of the equation," he said with frustration rising in his voice, "I told you he's insane. I guess Higgins thinks you are becoming a liability. He's at least considering doing it himself if he half strangled you last night."

My stomach dropped and tingles climbed up my spine. Unconsciously, I raised a hand to the bruises on my neck.

"How did Higgins see it?"

"I don't know. He may have been contacted also." He tapped his thumb on the glasses, thinking.

"So, am I a liability?" I asked, releasing my hold on his glasses. Sick as it was, I wanted to know.

"Honestly? You're a huge liability right now."

He leaned toward the window again, studying a couple that had just exited the hotel.

I watched his profile for a moment, his eyes moving in calculated surveillance. "Why are you disobeying orders?" I asked tentatively.

His head snapped back around toward me, his jaw muscle clenched.

"Are you asking me why I don't kill you?"

I shrugged, not wanting to reply "yes" to such a question.

At that moment he jumped up, putting the glasses back up to his eyes. "Got you," he muttered. He moved back away from the window, indicating that I should do the same.

"Where's he going?" My whisper was barely audible, as if Higgins could hear us in here.

"That's what I'm about to find out."

He picked up his jacket he had removed earlier and began putting his glasses away. Dressed in all black, he was probably anticipating a night of surveillance.

I had an idea, albeit a bad one. I voiced it before I could reconsider, "Do you need an extra hand?"

He stopped his packing and looked up, "You serious?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, fighting the nagging fear in the back of my mind, "anything to get out of this room."

Gnawing idly on the side of his mouth, he studied the street below before responding.

"I usually have a wingman and we shouldn't be doing anything dangerous tonight."

He was actually considering it. Every inch of me shook with anticipation.

"Ok, if you're sure. Shouldn't be any blood, just surveillance."

I glanced down at my clothes. The black shirt and dark skirt were good enough. The wedges by the bed had been comfortable so far, so my attire shouldn't be a problem.

He slid off his jacket and handed it to me. "Here put this on. Temperature's dropped." I took it from him, making a mental note of what I had to do. I was surprised he hadn't reviewed it with me already. First, stay quiet. Second, do exactly as he says. Third, try to be a help not a hindrance. I glanced back at my snoring friend, knowing he wouldn't miss me tonight.