“I saved his life. Didn’t you read about it?”
Nicholas knew Russo would like to shoot him here and now but he couldn’t be sure if Nicholas was bluffing. Nicholas saw rage in his eyes, at being challenged, at being thwarted. Russo backed down, cleared his throat. “There is no need to do that.”
Nicholas studied his face. Good, he was afraid of what his superiors would say if he caused an international incident. Nicholas punched off his cell. “I am happy to meet with you again once I have determined there is no more threat against us. We will do ballistics tests then. This is Agent Louisa Barry, one of the finest forensics technicians in the FBI. As a courtesy from our government to yours, if you ask her very nicely to help your people work the crime scene, she can assist you.”
“My pleasure,” Louisa said.
Nicholas said, “You know how to reach us.” He and Louisa started again for the door.
“Agent Drummond, clearly you do not understand. We have our orders.”
Nicholas looked coldly over his shoulder. “Orders from whom, I’d like to know.”
Russo’s anger was once again very clear, then he tried to mask it, nodded. “You may leave—for the moment. Let me add that you and your team did a piss-poor job of being covert today.”
Nicholas shrugged. “Feel free to take that up with the president. I’m sure he will appreciate hearing how you were too busy attending to a ‘civil matter’ to back up his lead investigative team their first time on Italian soil. You want a diplomatic nightmare, feel free to get on the phone. As for me, I’m going to check on my wounded agent. Good day, gentlemen.”
Mike was in the hallway with Adam, grinning. “Well done. So we’re not to be arrested?”
“Russo would love to clap us in irons, well, he’d rather shoot me dead, but he has a healthy fear of what his superiors would do to him if our president got involved. Adam, I’m glad they didn’t try for you at the hotel.”
Adam looked pale. He only nodded.
Mike gave him a hug. “Lia will be all right, you’ll see. What’s amazing to me, Nicholas, is that you didn’t punch that arrogant jerk. The president really would get involved, and personally.”
“So what’s next?” Louisa asked. “We sit here and wait to hear about Lia, obviously, but then what?”
“We must find Kitsune,” Mike said. “She’s still here, somewhere in Venice.”
“Given what you’ve told me about her,” Adam said, “she’ll contact us.”
Nicholas checked his watch. “You’re right, she will. So let’s go check on Lia.”
Mike said, “Zachery called to tell me Lia’s dad is on his way to Venice.”
“Good,” Louisa said. “Once we see how Lia’s doing, let’s get some coffee before jet lag knocks us on our butts.”
They were met by a nurse, smiling. She gave them a thumbs-up, spoke in rapid Italian.
Nicholas thanked her, said, “Lia is going to make it.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Lia was very pale. She had a large pressure dressing across her chest and shoulder, her left arm in a sling. Her short blond hair was spiked up, and a dark bruise was creeping up her neck. She brightened when she saw Nicholas and Mike walk through her door, Adam and Louisa behind them.
Nicholas smiled, seeing her earrings still marched up her ears.
“Hey,” she whispered, throat scratchy from the anesthesia.
“Hey, yourself,” Mike said, sitting in the chair next to the bed. She took Lia’s right hand in hers. “What were you thinking, jumping in front of a bullet?”
“Maybe that I wanted to spend the next six weeks in a sling, having all of you wait on me? Broke my collarbone, and they said the bullet nicked the lung. Hit me right on top of my vest, went down instead of through. Funny angle. Doc said a shot like that couldn’t happen again in a million years.”
Nicholas leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Mike and I would probably be dead if you hadn’t spotted the shooters for us. Good job.”
Mike said, “You’re going to have to stay here for a couple more days, but I have a surprise for you. Your dad’s coming. He’ll be with you early tomorrow morning.”
Lia whispered, “You really did that for me?”