Page 93 of Sweet Little Spies

And the trouble was while Ben Parker didn’t know IanTaggart’s real identity, there was someone who did.

Emmanuel Huisman. The doctor had shown up at their Agencysafe house in the middle of the Australian op that brought him into theirsphere. He’d explained himself and been incredibly helpful.

How much more did he know? If he knew about Ian, did he knowabout the twins? Ian had told them Huisman had figured out Tasha was hisdaughter.

Of course at the time he’d had a perfectly reasonableexplanation for knowing what only the Agency should know.

“You’re going to have to explain,” Aidan said, his voicetight. He threaded his fingers through Carys’s, offering her support.

“I believe Mr. Parker is referring to the incident leadingup to Huisman’s father’s death,” Ian said bluntly. “I’ve already considered thescenario. Mr. Parker, why don’t you give me your assessment.”

“Manny’s father was killed by a CIA operative,” Parkerexplained as though this was something he’d thought about for a long time. “Youhave to understand Manny was a kid at the time and he was on the upstairslanding when his father was murdered. He watched it all.”

“I’ve talked to him about the incident.” Big Tag’s handssteepled in front of him, a gesture he used when considering a situation. “InAustralia when he figured out where my safe house was.”

Tasha nodded. “We asked him about it. He knows his fatherwas in the wrong. His father had kidnapped Dr. Rebecca Walsh and a man whoworked with the McKay-Taggart firm. Neither killed Huisman’s father. It was arogue CIA operative the elder Dr. Huisman had been working with.”

“And Manny never lies,” Parker argued.

“I don’t see it. Why take your anger out on a family thatwasn’t really involved?” Kala asked. “It’s been over twenty years. And why notgo after the company? From her dossier, Carys Taggart isn’t even related to theasshole who runs McKay-Taggart. The Taggart one. I’ve heard McKay is lovely.The point being she’s that dude’s niece, not his daughter, and her father is afreaking chef. They have nothing to do with any of what happened way backwhen.”

“Nicely said,” Adam offered.

Big Tag sighed. “She does have a point.”

“And I’m telling you Manny lied,” Parker insisted.

“It doesn’t make sense,” TJ replied.

“Does chaos ever make sense?” Carys asked. “Mr. Parker saidthis doctor loves chaos. Watching his father die at a young age wastraumatizing. Sometimes our brains make odd connections. Trauma can do funnythings to a person. Especially a child. Sometimes revenge doesn’t make sense.Especially if you’re dealing with a sociopath. Throw in some narcissism, andit’s kind of a recipe for fucked-up motivations. The brain can make connectionsthat wouldn’t look rational to the outside person.”

“I’ve read his book,” Aidan added. “He wrote about how hisfather saw Dr. Walsh as a rival. As the woman who took his job from him. It wasprecisely why Huisman’s father got involved with the CIA operative. He wasjealous of her.”

“And now he works with her from time to time,” his papapointed out.

“If he’s as screwed up as Mr. Parker says, it could all be afront,” Carys continued. “Or a way to get what he wants. He was a child. I’msure he believed a lot of what his father said around him. Even though he seemsto know what to say, there could be a deep-seated hatred he’s hiding for allthe people involved in taking his father from him. He could come after mesimply for my name, and before everyone says then I should go to a safe house,shouldn’t we figure it out?”

Cooper leaned forward. “I still think it was TJ if Huismanwas behind the helo attack. It makes the most sense, and don’t they have asaying in your profession, Ms. Taggart?”

“Yes. When you hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras,” shereplied. “And it’s good advice for the most part.”

“But sometimes we do get zebras,” Aidan added. “And if youstubbornly refuse to see it for what it is, you can lose the patient.”

“I was going to argue against bringing in civilians Mannymight have something against, but now I think they might be ready to do this.”Parker sat back, obviously impressed. “You’re sending them in with bodyguards?I can’t imagine Manny invited them for any other reason than their close tiesto that firm.”

“I’m going in with them,” Kala said. “So is Tris, and wewon’t let them out of our sights. The helo attack made it so he couldn’t refusethe very reasonable request.”

“He didn’t like the idea of me not coming.” Aidan sighed.“Guess it wasn’t my brilliant paper after all.”

Carys squeezed his hand. “It is brilliant, and you’re goingto use this time to meet doctors who can actually help you.”

“Or Huisman will ruin me as a way to get to you and yourfamily,” Aidan posited.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Big Tag said. “But weshould consider what could happen.”

He’d thought about it constantly. “There are eighty peopleattending this thing. I’m not going to let Aidan be alone with the man, andKara will do the same with Carys. He cares about the foundation, right?”

Parker sighed and nodded. “From what I can tell. It’s mostlyabout the access it affords him, but I’ve seen some odd things happening in hisfinancials lately. He’s moved quite a bit of money around. Even in the last fewdays.”

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