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“Don’t worry. I can handle myself.”

That wasn’t an answer. “I know you can.” I pressed the phone harder to my ear, as if it would bring him closer. “I also know you feel like you have to keep me out of the loop on this one. But if I can help...”

“Youhavehelped.”

“Good.” I could hear some noise in the background, as if he sat near an open window. I wondered what he was doing...what he was feeling. I’d never felt so far away from him.

“This is a difficult situation,” he finally said.

“Which is all the more reason I should be there helping you.”

“I don’t want you involved in this.”

“I’m already involved, Slash.” I closed my eyes. He didn’t get it. From this point on, when it came to him, I’d always be involved.

He said nothing, and for a moment, neither did I. I finally spoke. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“I will. I love you,cara. More than the decimal value of pi.”

He was clever and sweet, that fiancé of mine. “That happens to be infinite.”

“That it is.”

I glanced down at my engagement ring, rubbed it with my thumb. “I love you, too.”

“I’ll be home soon. I promise.”

“I’ll be waiting.” I disconnected and set my phone on the desk. I didn’t know whatsoonmeant in terms of days, hours and minutes, but it didn’t really matter. I hoped that we’d get through whatever this was in one piece, and that things didn’t permanently change between us.

Although, if I was perfectly honest with myself, I wasn’t feeling terribly optimistic at the moment.

Chapter Seventeen

Cardinal Jacopo Lazo

“So, he got the message?” Jacopo leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers together.

“Yes, Your Eminence. He landed in Rome yesterday and has now apparently gone straight to Genoa.”

Jacopo smiled, feeling more encouraged by recent developments than he had in days. “Excellent. I couldn’t have choreographed this better myself. Except I did.” He chuckled at his cleverness. “You’ll inform me of his return to Rome.”

“Certainly. We’re carefully monitoring the situation in Genoa, as well.”

“Perfect. At last, the truth will be revealed.” He sat back, satisfied. His clerk was efficient and exceptionally loyal, having served him for nearly three decades. The older he got, the harder it was to find good assistants who were both resourceful and malleable.

“Do you think the truth will come out before the Holy Father passes?” Father Koenhein asked him tentatively. “His Eminence does not appear well. Reports are that his health is failing noticeably.”

Jacopo felt a leap of excitement. “Yes, the Holy Father appears frailer by the day. But I’m confident this will play out in time. We need to move expeditiously, but without tipping our hand, so they will not see it coming. If the Holy Father passes shortly after everything comes to light, so much the better.”

“As God wills it, of course,” the priest agreed, lowering his eyes.

“Oh, trust me, my son,” Jacopo said, turning his chair to look out the window. “God wills it.”

Lexi

I took a sip of coffee, enjoying the perk of having my office in downtown Crystal City, near several excellent restaurants and cafés. This new mom-and-pop café had recently opened two blocks from X-Corp, and it had outstanding coffee and an even better selection of desserts.

“Thanks for meeting for me, Gray.”