Chapter 10

I didn't discuss Garth's call with Isidora that night, and she didn't ask. It was our first night as man and wife, and we both had more important things on our minds. Bad news could wait until in the morning.

Some people might think that married sex isn't all that exciting, or that sex at grandma's house while grandma sleeps in the next room might be a little inhibited, but Isidora wasn't one of those people. We didn't sleep much that first night of our marriage.

Next morning wasn't any calmer, but it was nowhere near as pleasant. I waited until breakfast to broach the subject of Garth's call.

"Isidora, Garth's call last night was bad news."

Isidora just gave me a curious look so I continued.

"Nika has been shot by one of Marks' people, and Garth is convinced that Marks won't stop until we're all dead."

Isidora gave me a sharp look. "Who is Nika?"

Then it hit me. I'd never mentioned Nika. Our discussions at the U.S. embassy in Georgia had never mentioned my Russian counterpart by name or sex, and Isidora had left Tbilisi three days before Nika had arrived. In the few days that Isidora and I had been together in the U.S., we'd always talked of the future, not the past. There had been an unspoken agreement that the past was too unpleasant to bring up. Our future together had always been the topic of conversation. Now it was time to come clean.

"Nika is the Russian agent that took your part in Tbilisi."

"I thought they said it would be a lawyer." She scowled.

"Nika is a lawyer." I answered as calmly as I could.

"A woman lawyer? You were with a woman all the time we were apart?" Isidora's temper was rapidly rising.

"We traveled together, and worked together, but that's all." I squirmed.

"Did you kiss her?" She demanded.

I had to think for a minute, but Isidora took the pause as an admission.

"Did you see her naked?" Lightning bolts were shooting from Isidora's eyes.

"Look, maybe I saw her naked, but nothing happened. We just had to work closely together."

"How could you do this?" Isidora screamed. "If you love me, how could you be with another woman?"

Isidora threw back her chair from the breakfast table and dashed into our bedroom, slamming the door behind her. I looked at my grandmother who had witnessed the whole interchange. She just gave me a stern look.

"Seems like you still have a lot to learn about women." Was all she said.

I went to the bedroom door, and tried the knob. The door was locked and I could hear Isidora sobbing.

"Isidora let me in." I begged.

"Go away. You lied to me."

"Isidora, come on. I never lied to you. You know I love you. I had to work with Nika so you and I could be together, and that's all."

"Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"It never came up, and besides, I didn't want you to have to worry any more than you already were."

"You should have told me." She sobbed.

"Let me in, and I'll tell you everything. There's more happening now we have to talk about."

The lock clicked and the door slowly opened. I pushed the door open, took Isidora's hands and led her to sit on the bed.

"Nika and I worked very closely together until we got to the U.S. For the past few days, she's been with Garth. On the day I came to you, three of Marks' men tried to kill Nika and Garth, and yesterday, one of them shot Nika. She may not live."

I paused to let what I'd said to sink in. Isidora just continued sobbing softly.

"The reason they tried to kill Garth and Nika is because Mark's henchmen thought Garth and Nika were you and me. Nothing has changed. Marks still wants us dead, even after your grandfather is out of the picture."

"But why?" She sniffed.

"We've seen too much and know too much. Marks wants no one alive to be witness to any of his criminal activities."

"But I don't care about Marks. I just want to be with you and live in peace."

"I want to be with you too, but Marks is a ruthless man. There will be no peace for us until he's eliminated or somehow brought to justice. I'm going to have to leave you here and go to try to make that happen."