Page 62 of Secrets Beneath the Waves
“Matthew threatened to waterboard him, and he sang right away. Turns out, he had a grudge against Harrington’s healthcare company because they denied his mom’s surgery claim. Lone wolf type. He wanted to make a statement by killing the CEO. Matthew turned him over to MI6.”
“Good job, Ellie,” Mom said. “You saved his life.”
“Matthew thinks I should try and get close to Harrington. He’s suspicious of him. I’m thinking about going on a date with him. What doyouthink, Dad?”
She wasn’t actually thinking about going on a date with Harrington but was enjoying teasing her father.
“What are you, a swallow now?” he asked, with a hint of anger behind the words.
“Dad!”
Swallows were infamous Russian female agents trained in the art of seduction, deception, and psychological manipulation, using intimacy as a weapon of espionage. This method, often referred to asSexpionage, allowed them to gain access to highly classified information by exploiting the desires and weaknesses of their targets, typically powerful or influential men.
Ellie’s mom had trained her extensively on the art of seduction and how it could be a powerful tool but also a dangerous gamble if taken too far and should be used sparingly. She favored a more straightforward approach, one that avoidedemotional entanglements and the risk of putting yourself in a compromising situation.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. Ellie isn’t going to cross any lines,” her mom said. “I’ve done it before.”
“When have you done it?” Dad asked roughly.
“Many times. You know about them, Alex. Remember one of my first missions to Belarus? We had just met. I went back to that Turkish oligarch’s hotel room. He thought we were going to have sex. I kidnapped him instead. You helped me. That’s how we got our first Gulfstream. We stole it from him.”
“Yeah. I remember.”
“There was the Sheik in Abu Dhabi. I wore that tight-fitting black dress, and he invited me back to his mansion. I rescued five girls from that mansion. He’s dead too. That’s how we got the yacht.”
“Okay. Okay. You don’t have to remind me of all of them. I remember. Now, Ellie. Here are the rules. You can go back to their apartments as long as you kill them once you get there.”
Ellie ignored the comment. Thankfully, her mother did too.
“So, Mark, Luke, and Matthew?” her mom said, her tone incredulous. “Three guys? How are you going to keep them all straight?”
“All you need is a John and you’ll be dating the writers of the four gospels,” Dad quipped.
“Very funny, Dad. And don’t even think about it. You arenotdoing a background check on them either.”
“Oh, come on,” he said. “You know I can’t resist. Just a quick peek. Their bank accounts, credit card debt, maybe who they’ve dated before. Have they ever been married?—”
“Absolutely not,” Ellie said firmly. “If you dig into their lives, I’ll know. And I’ll be furious.”
“I’ll come down there then,” he said. “Talk to them myself. See what their intentions are.”
“Dad, no,” Ellie said, exasperated. “I can handle myself.”
Her mother’s laughter bubbled up again. “Oh, Alex, let the girl live. You should be happy. She’s dating three guys. That’s better than being hunted by three guys.”
Ellie grinned, then frowned, as she remembered an incident earlier that day. “Exactly. Mom gets it.”
“Barely,” she replied. “I do agree with your dad about one thing. Romantic entanglements are tricky on a mission. I couldn’t even imagine trying to juggle three of them. You don’t want to blow your cover.”
“Do you have any idea how reckless that is? Dating three guys at once.” Her father’s voice was sharp, teetering on the edge of disbelief.
“Dad, it’s not that serious,” Ellie said, trying to keep her tone light.
“Not serious? Ellie, you don’t know these men. One of them could be dangerous. Or worse, working against you. What if one of them is the mole?”
“You’re being dramatic again, dear,” her mom said.
“It’s not dramatic,” he shot back, his voice quieter now but no less intense. “Do you remember Istanbul? The diplomat who claimed he was on our side? We let him into our inner circle. He was an ally—until he wasn’t. We killed him three days later. You never know who you can trust.”
