Donovans 01 - Amber Beach

the communist nostalgia buffs in the military have it, or the Lithuanian separatists have it, Russia is in deep kimchi. If the room is fake and in the hands of people who want power more than money, the legitimate government of Russia still has the problem of proving the fraud or going right back into the kimchi. If the room is an outright mafiya hoax, a lot of money changes hands and it’s politics as usual. Before you box in your boss with my answer, make sure it’s the answer Uncle is ready to live with.”
    Silence and the tapping of fingernails. Then Ellen gave Jake a genuine smile and headed for the door. “It’s a shame you got out of the business. See you around, babe.”
    The door closed behind her.
    Jake let out a long breath.
    “Is Pete mafiya, government, or freelance?” Kyle asked.
    “Good question,” Jake said. “He used to be government, but that doesn’t mean he won’t work whatever side of the street he happens to be on.”
    Honor began rubbing her temples. Trying to keep track of who was doing what and with which and to whom-maybe-was enough to give her a headache.
    “Call Pete a twenty-first-century entrepreneur,” Archer suggested blandly. He looked at Jake. “Is Marju being ‘debriefed’ by Ellen’s people?”
    “Probably. If Marju can’t cut a good enough deal with Uncle, she’ll go back to Russia and keep on selling out the Lithuanian freedom fighters. Or maybe she’s doubling for them against the Russians. The facts fit either way.”
    “I’ll bet she’s doubling,” Kyle said bitterly.
    “Why?” Jake asked.
    “The only real passion she ever showed was for freeing Lithuania from Russia.”
    “Then why did she team up with Resnikov?” Honor asked.
    Kyle’s mouth lifted in an acid smile. “No doubt she had a plan for killing Resnikov and taking the panel for her precious Brotherhood. We’re lucky she didn’t kill us in the bargain.”
    Honor blew out a hard breath. “What about Snake Eyes? I suppose he’s the Fairy Godmother in drag?”
    “Nope,” Jake said. “He’s mafiya . Marju’s cousin probably told him about the panel and he got greedy.”
    “Where is Snake Eyes now?”
    “On his way back to Kaliningrad if he’s smart,” Archer said. “If not, he’ll be caught, doubled, and sent back.”
    “Doubled?” Honor asked.
    “Sent back as a spy in exchange for not doing time in the United States.”
    “That’s it!” she announced, closing her eyes. “I have a headache.”
    Seconds later her eyes flew open. Jake was standing so close to her that she could feel the warmth of his breath. His fingers slid into her hair, rubbing her scalp, tracing all the tight muscles from her neck to the top of her skull.
    “Headache, huh?” he asked. “I have just the thing.”
    “Since when does spectacular sex cure headaches?” she retorted.
    Then she remembered that two of her brothers were in the room.
    Archer snickered.
    “Who said anything about sex?” Jake asked, but his eyes told her that he liked the idea. “I was talking about taking the Better Days up the Inside Passage to Alaska.”
    “What is the Better Days ” she asked.
    “Jake’s boat. Another SeaSport,” Kyle said.
    Jake ignored everyone but Honor. “What do you say to a boat trip that’s long enough for me to teach you everything I know?”
    “About fishing?” she asked in disbelief. “Why would I do that?”
    “I’ll let you use my rod,” he offered with a slow grin.
    Honor’s mouth opened. No sound came out.
    “It’s customary for newlyweds to take a honeymoon,” Archer added blandly.
    “Butt out, Archer,” Jake said. “Remember what I told you earlier.”
    Honor looked at her oldest brother. “What is Jake talking about?”
    “He said if I leaned on you or got between you two, he would take you so far away from the Donovan clan that it would take a day for e-mail to reach you.”
    Her eyes widened. She looked at Jake almost warily, afraid to hope and unable to do anything else. “We’re not married, so there’s no point in a honeymoon.”
    “We will be,” Jake said.
    “Why?”
    “Because you love me.”
    She closed her eyes and smiled sadly, “Wrong answer, Jake.”
    “Because I love you.”
    Her eyes flew open, wide and questioning.
    “You have my word,” he said simply.
    Honor stood on tiptoe and wound her arms tightly around his neck. “In that case, love, let’s go fishing.”

About the Author
    Elizabeth Lowell’s many remarkable historical and