Page 69 of Wired Ghost

The juxtaposition was too much.

Sophie sobbed aloud, her hand curled into a fist around the precious items. When the storm had passed, she wiped her eyes. “I love Patty.”

“I love her, too. What a woman. Now, what is this cruelty she is referring to?”

Sophie told Dr. Wilson about the events at the hospital, and the ongoing bitterness that Janice and Monica had demonstrated toward her at Jake’s memorial. “To have these items from Patty is priceless. Especially now.” Sophie’s hand slid down to rest on her abdomen. She’d worn a comfortable, body-skimming dress; her skin already felt tender and easily irritated by tight clothing. “I’m pregnant with Jake’s baby.”

Dr. Wilson’s eyes flew open, and her mouth opened in surprise. “Oh my! What an adventure you’re having!”

“What an adventure, indeed.” Sophie laughed through her tears. “You always know the right thing to say, Dr. Wilson.”

“And this is the very best thing that could have happened after the tragedy of Jake’s death.”

Sophie’s eyes felt so hot and swollen that it was hard to meet Dr. Wilson’s honest blue gaze. “Do you really think so? Because it’s pretty daunting to have a second child with no ring on my finger.”

“But you do have a ring.” Dr. Wilson pointed to the antique diamond, now resting on the table beside the tiny bag of ashes. “Something you might not know is that I’m a licensed officiant for weddings. By the power vested in me by the state of Hawaii, I pronounce you and Jake legally engaged.”

Sophie’s mouth quirked up in a smile as she slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand—a perfect fit, just what she’d been missing since the day she and Jake exchanged promises at his hospital bed. “I don’t think that counts for anything, Dr. Wilson, but thank you.”

“Wait and see. I bet it does. Jake will have left a life insurance policy, something from his army retirement, his Social Security benefits. You might not need the money, but his child is entitled to it. I’ll swear to your engagement’s legal standing in any court of law.”

Sophie leaned over to hug the psychologist. “Thank you.”

Dr. Wilson cleared her throat. “This is huge, but there are still a lot of loose ends to the situation you’ve been dealing with. Let’s process that, now, because with any luck at all, what we discussed is only going to get bigger.” Dr. Wilson glanced meaningfully at Sophie’s waistline.

Sophie filled Dr. Wilson in on the call she had gotten from Raveaux on Phi Ni, bringing her back to Honolulu, and the trap that had been set for Connor. Thanks to Raveaux, she’d warned Connor, who’d moved quickly to get Momi, Armita and the dogs on a plane back to Hawaii. He’d then taken his houseman, Nam, and his wife Kupa, back to the compound in Thailand.

“By the time the agents raided the island, the place was deserted. I flew back there looking for Momi and Armita, and found that everything had been seized by the Department of Justice. It was a shock at the time—but my new lawyer says it was an illegal seizure. Sheldon Hamilton, the owner of Phi Ni, had deeded it over to me before his death, and the island didn’t actually belong to him anymore. We’re fighting the seizure in court. Ultimately, I expect to win.” Sophie got up and walked over to the credenza against one wall. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Can’t think of anything I’d like more.”

Paula kept the tea service stocked, and Sophie poured instant hot water from the electric kettle into a pot. She added loose leaf jasmine tea and carried the tray of tea things over to the low table.

“What’s the status of the multi-agency investigation now? Are you concerned about it, since those two agents tried to interview you here at Security Solutions?”

“My father got me an excellent defense lawyer, as I said. He’s challenging every move that team makes as far as involving me in the case. So far, I’ve only had to go to one interview with Agent Pillman down at my old FBI headquarters. I took the lawyer with me, and it went exactly nowhere for the FBI.” Sophie poured the tea into their cups through a strainer. “I’m being closely monitored, though. I sweep this office and my house every day for surveillance devices, and still, they keep trying to bug me.”

Dr. Wilson picked up a cup and blew on the surface of the tea. “What about this character, Raveaux? He seems to have been instrumental in all of this.”

“Pierre took a tremendous risk in warning me about the raid. He’s also under constant surveillance, and has been threatened with deportation—and worse. I have engaged Security Solutions’ legal team to come up with a plan to try to protect him.” Sophie picked up her teacup, holding the delicate handle, and admired the play of light on the vintage diamond on her finger. “Thankfully, Connor is safe with Nam and his wife at the Yam Khûmk?n compound. I’ve seen its fortifications, and nothing short of an act of war would be able to pry him, the Master, or Pim Wat out of there.”

Sophie’s tea was finally cool enough for her to take a sip, and she lifted the fragrant beverage to her lips. Her enhanced sense of smell made the flowery scent and taste impossibly sweet and delicious. She met Dr. Wilson’s eyes. “Pim Wat and the Master are the ones the Justice Department is really after. This is far from over, but you could say we won the first skirmish, if not the battle.”

“Tell me more about Pim Wat and the Master. Last time we talked, Connor had told you they were off somewhere, and the Master was trying to heal Pim Wat from what she suffered at Guantánamo.”

“Yes, but while I was on the island, Connor brought them to visit. We ‘buried the hatchet’ at Pim Wat’s request.”

“Given your mother’s profession, I’m not sure that’s an appropriate idiom,” Dr. Wilson said dryly.

Sophie shocked herself by laughing. Maybe it was all too much, but she laughed and laughed, tipping over sideways on the couch—until the laughter turned to tears. Eventually she sat up and mopped her face with more tissues. “Whew. This is exhausting. I need a nap.”

“First trimester is hard on the body. Tiredness and mood swings are as common as morning sickness.”

“I know. This isn’t my first rodeo, as the saying goes.” Sophie straightened up. “My charming mother looked awful. She was completely changed.” Sophie described the scene: Pim Wat’s frailty and changed appearance, even the break of trust with Connor. “He defended himself that the Master had known about the island for years, that it was never the refuge we hoped it was. But the fact remains that he didn’t warn me that he was bringing them. He gave me no choice in the matter. I told him after they left, that I could never trust him the same way. Basically, he’s shown where his loyalties lie.”

“And let’s not forget that he let you believe he’d died, when he killed his Todd Remarkian identity,” Dr. Wilson said. “You grieved for him deeply, and it was all a lie. I know you love Connor, but I have always had concerns about him. Remembering that he serves the Master’s agenda might be an important thing to keep in mind going forward. Perhaps Connor is changing in a way that no longer fits with your lifestyle as a working mother.”

“Trust you, Dr. Wilson, to put your finger on it exactly. But I owe my life to Connor. If he hadn’t put that chip in me, I’d be dead, along with Jake.” Sophie unconsciously fingered where the chip lay, in the soft skin under her arm.

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