Page 94 of The Woman By the Lake

“It was still my choice.”

“We’re just going to have to agree to disagree, Riggs, because bottom line, you’re right. It was your choice. But we do things for people we care about. Especially if you’re a good person. And he played on that. I don’t know how much of a doofus he is. On the one hand, he sold you a bottle of wine that got him a stay in a hospital, and that’s pretty damned stupid. On the other, he played the only thing he could play when he was dealing with a highly intelligent man, his emotions and the feelings he felt for him. Which is pretty ingenious, and downright nasty. So, fuck Bubbles whoever-he-is.”

Totally needed to give Nadia some serious headspace.

“Warning, the Russian is coming out in you, princess,” he teased.

“Warning right back, Riggs, it’s always close to the surface.”

“No shit? It got in my face this morning about the gun.”

“I’ve never been to Russia,” she announced. “My grandfather used to spit after he said the word. Mom told me great-granddad would do the same. But she said he missed it even so. The pain was like a toothache he had every day of his life. I think that kind of love flows through bloodlines.”

“I know his story, just so you know.”

“It isn’t a secret. It’s actually famous.”

“Yeah. And if I had to leave the country I love in order to be free to be me, I would feel the same.”

“Agreed.”

“What does dedulya mean? Grandpa?”

“It’s kind of an endearment for grandpa. Dedushka is grandfather. Mom called her grandfather deda. He was still alive when I was born, though I don’t remember but snatches of him. To distinguish the two, I was taught dedulya.”

“Right.”

“How far is this place where we’re going?”

“About forty-five minutes.”

“We should stop and get you coffee,” she said as she reached for hers.

“Like I said, I’m good.”

“Okay.”

He drove for a while.

When she put the coffee back in the holder, he called, “Nadia?”

“Mm?”

“Thanks for being pissed on my behalf.”

“You’re welcome,” she said softly.

He reached out and squeezed her knee.

Instead of leaving it there, like he wanted, he put his hand back to the wheel.

Absolutely.

It was time to find the headspace to figure out where he was with Nadia, and then set about discovering where she was.

It was time days ago.

So it was high time now.

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