Burned Hearts (30 page)

“And you're not already there? As usual?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. I'd hit the nail on the head.

“You said yourself that the crash that night, their deaths, was ironic,” I noted, “since they'd gone to see
Todd Sweeney
.”

“Sweeney Todd,”
he corrected.

“Anyway, he murdered people. And when you told me that, there was something in your voice. Remember, I even asked if you thought there'd been foul play?”

“Actually, you didn't ask. You hinted.” The man had a mind like a steel trap. “And I told you absolutely not.”

“But were you just saying that to appease me? Do you really believe it?”

A bit irritably, he conceded, “Yes, it was mechanical failure that brought the plane down. Yes, there were some questionable engine parts that were investigated. In the end, they were deemed faulty, but not tampered with.”

“
Faulty
doesn't guarantee they weren't tampered with.”

“No, it does not.”

We stared once more, as though gazing deep enough into each other's eyes might somehow solve this mystery. As if we searched hard enough into the other's soul we'd suddenly have all the answers.

That was never going to happen, of course, because neither of us knew any sort of truths when it came to the society—or the deaths of Dane's parents.

Finally, he asked, “Is there any way to tell what files were moved onto the thumb drive, since the program is still installed?”

I shook my head but went back to the computer nonetheless. I double-clicked on the shield and it launched, triggering the need for a password.

That prompted me to ask, “Would Ethan even know your initial password—the one to get into the laptop?”

“It's always been
bagan
.”

“The same as the Wi-Fi in the house, which he knows.”

Yet when it came to Ethan's password for the thumb drive I couldn't even begin to guess as to what it might be. I hit the hint button.

NOS
popped up.

I asked Dane what it meant.

He came around to stand behind me once more and gazed at the screen.

“Damn it,” he growled.

“What? You know what the password might be for the thumb drive?”

“
Novus ordo seclorum.
It's Latin for ‘new order of the ages'—what the society members dubbed themselves.”

I crooked a brow. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, pretty heady stuff.” Literally.

He explained, “The term comes from the fourth Eclogue of Virgil:

“‘Now comes the final era of the Sibyl's song;

The great order of the ages is born afresh.

And now justice returns, honored rules return;

Now a new lineage is sent down from high heaven.'”

He reached around me and grabbed a gold coin from the velvet-lined tray that was also home to his more expensive fountain pens. He slapped the coin down on the desk, and there was an engraved pyramid, with
Annuit Coeptis
stamped above and
Novus Ordo Seclorum
below.

I frowned. “I don't get it. ‘… Justice returns, honored rules return…?' These guys are corrupt. There's no justice or honor there.”

“Remember, the society wasn't always bad. They had noble, legit goals from the beginning. They came together to effect positive change, not promote their own agendas for personal gain. That came later. Around my time.”

“Unbeknownst to you at first. But did Ethan know?” My brain shifted into high gear. “How long had he been with the society before you came along?”

“A little over thirty years,” he reluctantly admitted.

“Back when he knew your father.” I stated our
new
obvious. I firmly believed there was a tie there that needed to be explored.

“Christ.” Dane pulled his phone from his pants pocket and hit a speed dial number. Then he tersely said, “Get the plane ready. I'm going to Philadelphia.”

I leapt up. “
We're
going to Philadelphia.”

“You're staying put,” he told me. “You'll remain here with Amano and Kyle. The baby.”

“Amano and Kyle can protect the baby perfectly well. I'm going with you.”

His gaze turned steely. I knew better than to push when that look entered his eyes, but this was much too important to pass up. First, I'd never been to his family estate in Philadelphia. In fact, I was curious to learn why he'd chosen to keep the mansion after his aunt passed away four years ago. Especially since he'd never once mentioned that we'd visit or live there.

Second, this was all too painful for Dane to suffer through alone. I wanted to be with him no matter what he discovered. If we were way off-base or dead on the mark, I didn't want him having to reconcile it all by himself when I could be there with him.

“Ari,” he said. “We've had a conversation about seeing beyond the two of us, sweetheart. We have—”

“Amsel to consider. I know.”

Leaving him wasn't a comfortable or easy decision, but our son had three other devoted people to pick up the slack for a day or two. I had no qualms about his safety—that was the least of my worries.

Dane, however, was at the top of my list when it came to the final piece of this puzzle.

“Listen,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist and stared up at him. “I have heard every word you've said about us and the need to factor in our baby. Every. Single. Word. But we agreed to be in this marriage for better or for worse. We agreed to deal with this entire nightmare together. You can't suddenly shut me out. I'm perfectly aware that there's shady stuff going on and I am all too familiar with how dangerous this is. But we made a pact when we exchanged vows. Whatever happens is between the two of us—it involves us
both
.”

He swept a plump curl from my temple, his long fingers tangling in my hair. “Baby, this isn't something I want you even more embroiled in.”

“Too late,” I said. “I'm packing a bag and I'm going with you.”

His jaw worked rigorously. I didn't back down. I
wouldn't
back down.

Our standoff dragged on for several minutes. Finally, I untangled myself from him and said, “I'll get ready. You tell Amano.”

I skirted Dane and rushed off, being quick with my packing because I didn't want Dane to slip away without me. For my own good, he'd later contend. But I'd had enough of the separation. I wanted to be with him from here on out. Particularly during an emotional time such as this.

After I explained the situation to Rosa, I stalked down the hallway. My cell rang. It was Mikaela.

“Hey,” I abruptly said.

“Hi, Ari. I just wanted to thank you so much for inviting me this evening. For letting me know about Dane.”

I cringed. Christ, once again, she didn't know the half of it. “I'm so glad you're now aware he's alive.”

“Can we get together tomorrow for lunch? I owe you.”

“You don't owe me. Really. And the truth is, I'll be out of town. We're flying to Philly for an impromptu trip. But I'll call you when we're back.”

“Sure. Of course. Let me know what works best for you.”

“I'll be in touch.”

I disconnected the call and tucked the cell in my bag.

I was actually kind of surprised when I found Dane in the foyer, waiting for me. I preceded him out the front door, wondering briefly if he had a plan to ditch me before we even left the property. But he opened the door to the Mercedes McLaren he'd had restored following the harrowing day Kyle and I had needed to dump it in the forest when Wayne Horton had chased us up the hairpin switchbacks of Oak Creek Canyon, toward Flagstaff.

I buckled up and Dane climbed in next to me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I'm ready to bash in some heads.”

“That's not exactly out of the ordinary for you,” I commented, hoping to lighten the mood.

He shot me a look. I smiled.

I couldn't bait him, though. He remained grim. “This could get really ugly, Ari.” He started the sports car and backed out of the garage. “I'm not happy that you're with me.”

“I'm done
not
being with you,” I countered. “I'm sick of us being torn apart at every corner because of this damn society. I want it all to end, Dane.”

“I understand that, baby. But just because we nailed the others doesn't mean this new scenario is any less dangerous. I don't know what Ethan is up to. I don't know if Qadir and Nik are involved. I can't believe it, but then again, if Ethan did remove files from my computer, if there's something he's trying to hide—”

Dane's hands gripped the steering wheel a bit too tightly. I feared he might rip it from the dash.

“Maybe we're wrong about this whole thing,” I offered. “It is possible.”

With a sharp shake of his head, he said, “
NOS
as the password for an encrypted thumb drive inserted into my laptop? When I specifically told Ethan I wouldn't even send the FBI for it because I didn't want the information compromised?”

“And he so quickly jumped on retrieving it for you,” I recalled with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Clearly, he wanted to know what secrets you kept.”

“Clearly, he wanted to know if they involved
him,
” Dane expounded. “Or if I'd inadvertently gathered information against the society that he didn't want leaked—again because it would tie back to him.”

“So what, specifically, are we searching for in Philly?” I asked as the trees whizzed by at a rapid rate. The sky remained sparkly and unhindered by clouds. A break in the moody monsoon weather was a small blessing, since we'd be flying this evening. Unfortunately, that little tidbit did nothing to calm my frazzled nerves.

Dane said, “All of my father's files are in a vault in the mansion. I'm the only one who can get in.”

“Have you ever looked at his files?”

“Never had a need. My father was a political strategist. A global consultant. While I was interested in his work, it wasn't fully geared toward economics, which was always my focus. He gauged caucus climates and influenced politicians. My forte is financial forecasting.”

He delved deeper into the trending and bending of socio-poli-econ environments, most of it going over my head. But it seemed to keep him on a more even keel to talk, so I posed a question here and there to give him something to concentrate on, other than the dismal prospect of Ethan's potential betrayal. Or an even sharper knife in the back if Dane's own father truly had been a society member—and had turned to the dark side, along with Ethan and the others.

Or, conversely, had Ethan stayed the legit course but known Bradley Bax had not?

Could that have anything to do with Ethan covertly removing electronic files? Keeping the truth of the senior Bax's involvement with the NOS from Dane? Was Ethan trying to protect him from a reality that would devastate Dane?

I reeled over this new possibility. And its ominous, detrimental implications.

I prayed I actually wasn't the least bit good at conspiracy theories. I hadn't come up with anything I wanted Dane to endure in reality.

We reached the airport and boarded the Learjet he owned—
we
owned. Still a surreal concept. I sat next to him on the sofa and he continued discussing all the beneficial things the society had once achieved and what their purpose was supposed to have further evolved into, with the changing times.

I heard the hope in his voice—that perhaps the wayward society could be redeemed, somehow. There'd have to be a whole new faction adopted, obviously. But it was apparent Dane had found value in the Illuminati bloc once upon a time. When they'd all been on the straight and narrow.

As the jet gained altitude, he draped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward him, so I leaned against his chest. He kissed the top of my head and said, “I'm so sorry we're caught up in all of this. Again. I swear, if I'd have known a year ago how badly things would get twisted around I—”

“Don't say you never would have gotten involved with me,” I urged. “That you wouldn't have pursued me—or married me.”

“You'd be much better off without me.”

“How do you figure?” I quietly demanded. “I have everything I could possibly want. You. Amsel. A gorgeous house I love. Our own little family with Amano, Rosa, and Kyle—stop scowling—and oh, yeah. I have you.” I smiled, despite my own tension. “I
definitely
would not be better off without you, Dane. You've changed my life and—”

“Put you in jeopardy.”

“If you haven't noticed, I'm pretty good at achieving that all on my own.”

“Still,” he said with unmistakable torment. “Kyle would be a much safer alternative.”

I gaped. It took a few seconds for me to recover. “Did I just hear you right?
Now
you think I should have hooked up with him, when you employed great effort into scaring the shit out of him every time he got close to me?”

“It was sort of fun.”

I laughed softly. “Yes, I noted how much fun you were having with all that grimacing going on and all those menacing looks you sent his way.”

“I don't like how he hovers, always waiting for a chance to be alone with you.”

Then I would certainly never mention the fact that Kyle had told me he loved me before we'd returned to the creek house. It was something he and I would eventually have to address, deal with. I felt bad that he still harbored feelings. Feelings that had always been and always would be unrequited.

That was a complicated mess I'd have to sort out once Dane and I ascertained what the hell was going on with Ethan and the others. What might or might not have been when it came to Dane's father.