Page 7 of Hard to Kill

“How did Mrs. Roy manage it?” Kellen asked.

“Ah. It seems Mr. and Mrs. Roy met in Washington, DC, where she was a secret code breaker for the war effort.”

“Wow. That’s spectacular!”

Slater smiled a rare smile. “Yes. Very romantic.”

Romantic.She leaned away and turned her eyes back to the book.

Slater wasn’t charming. Not like Gregory. But he was older, handsome, powerful—a man to be reckoned with. She had admired his leadership in Afghanistan, but with Gregory, she had proved she couldn’t trust her own judgment.

Without pause, Slater continued, “The corporal needs help with this diary—he’s very firm on needing to find that painting and restore it to the descendants of its original owners or the museum from which it was stolen. I suppose you’d call it the kid’s quest.”

Kellen looked up.

General Slater seemed to be oblivious to her discomfort.

Get a grip, Kellen.He said the wordromanticand he smiled. It didn’t mean he was interested in her.

He looked at her straight on, his flinty gray eyes snapping with excitement. “That’s where you come in, Captain. I know about your particular prowess with codes and maps and details. I know the kids in your unit have always believed you’re lucky and can’t die. I need your help with this.”

“You’re asking me to crack the code in this book. Sir, this isn’t something I’ve ever done before. I’m not Mrs. Roy. I have no training. And—” she rotated her shoulder “—I’m in no shape to dig.”

“Young woman, I’m a general.” His voice held the snap of a man who had long been in command. “You’re a captain and would be the code breaker. You won’t be required to dig. Aimes will hire help for that.”

She laid the rest of her cards on the table. “I’m also in no shape to fight or dodge bullets. A treasure hunt is, by definition, dangerous.”

“Perhaps. If we told people what we were doing. I’ve had this journal in my possession for eleven months, looking for the proper person to break the code. Today I’ve told you. Should you accept, I’ll tell Aimes. I’ve proved I can be discreet. Let us assume both of you have the same ability, and that we won’t be hunted through some German forest by some Nazi ghost army seeking vengeance.”

Kellen inclined her head.

“Before you tell me why you can’t do it, let me tell you why you can.” He ticked the reasons off on his fingers. “You have the security clearance to dig into the files and get into Roy’s mind. You don’t have a home to go back to. Your enlistment papers are pretty clear on that point, since your next of kin are listed as N/A.”

So far, he wasn’t selling her.

“There’s a reward to be had—the Victoria and Albert Museum is offering a substantial reward in exchange for the rights to display the work for the first two years after it’s found, provided it’s not provably the property of another museum.”

“Substantial reward?” Now he had her attention.

“Substantial,” he said firmly. “They worked those terms out with the family—who knows how much they’re being offered. But for us, the reward will be split fifty-fifty. You get half, and Benjamin Roy and his family get the other half, because you’re our best chance of breaking this code.”

Kellen was speechless. Not only did he know an eerie amount about her, but he also wanted to turn her into Indiana Jones.

Still, he was right. She didn’t really have anywhere else to go.

Clearly, General Slater could see her leaning toward ayes. He clarified the terms further. “Part of our agreement with the Roy family states that the book must be kept ‘on or about my person at all times while the code is being studied.’” Slater rolled his eyes slightly at the legal language before continuing. “That means, Captain, you’d have to move into my home, off base, in order to study the text.”

Kellen opened her mouth to protest.

Before she got started, Slater held up his hand. “Captain, this is strictly hands-off. I’m a widower, and I’m twenty years your senior. All I want is the code, so I can help out a soldier who has been a real asset to me in the field.”

Still, Kellen hesitated.

“If it makes you feel better, Major Aimes will always be around as chaperone.” Slater leaned toward her, conspiratorially, and said softly, “This is his first time being aide to a general, and he’s leaning toward overzealous. He’s essentially shadowing everything I do.” Slater shrugged. “To be honest, it’s flattering.”

Surprised, Kellen laughed shortly. Finally, she stood up and said, “Thank you for thinking of me for this operation, sir. I accept your terms. But, sir, I’m supposed to be medically discharged any day now.”

Slater waved his hand dismissively. “When you’re done with this project, I’ll put the paperwork through myself, and you can start your life post-military.”

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