Page 137 of Stains of Desire
"I've been at embassy parties with her. I'm a French ambassador stationed in Mexico. I took it to infiltrate the Global Leaders further, specifically the drug cartels in Latin America. Please get in the car. We need to get to my house."
I go to my side of the car and get in. He follows and drives forward.
"Where in London is Penelope?"
"My guess is already on a plane back to Panama City."
My heart tightens. "What?"
"William Davies got on a flight as soon as he heard she landed in Bermuda and they sent her to London."
My fists clench, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
She can't go back to him.
He's going to hurt her.
"What has Penelope told you about the Global Leaders?" Gustave asks.
"Enough to know I shouldn't talk about it."
He sighs. "I can't help you if you don't trust me."
"No offense, but the woman I love just got labeled a spy, detained for treason, and her only daughter has been missing close to twenty months. I don't know you or why I'm in France right now. And now, my woman is on a plane back to Panama City with the man who held her captive by threatening to take her daughter away from her. Excuse me if I'm not feeling trustworthy at this moment."
"When we get to my house, you'll see I'm here to help."
"Why is that?"
"I have different information about who has Millie and where she's at. When we get to my house, I'll show you everything, including other things."
"Like what?"
"Louis Couture for one thing."
My mouth goes dry. "He's part of them."
"Yes. And powerful. We need to put my plan in motion."
"Your plan?"
"Yes. I need you to help me set Louis Couture up."
"I have one priority. It involves getting my woman and her daughter back. While I'd love to take that bastard down, I don't have time."
"You can't afford not to do it."
I scrub my face in frustration. All I want to do is get on a plane out of here and over to Panama to get Penelope.
I promised her I would get Millie.
I didn't deliver her to safety.
I gave her my word.
"Why is that?"
"If we don't take Louis down, Penelope and Millie will never be safe. None of those other women will be, either. There will be nowhere to run or hide. What happened in Bermuda will happen everywhere."
