Lauren walked to the window and stared down at the Secret Service team below. “What happened to the two guys assigned to you?” she asked.

“I don’t have a clue.” Darcy didn’t think they were in a good place for having lost her. “Don’t worry. I doubt they were taken out back and shot.” Although in her mind, they more than deserved a good beating. Or maybe a kidnapping. Let them feel what she’d experienced. Toss them in the back of a filthy van driven by demon-headed guys named Bill and force them to open a purse with their teeth.

“Don’t even joke about that,” Lauren said. “I feel bad for them. And you, of course.”

“Of course. Doesn’t seeing both sides ever make you tired?”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Desperately. I mostly do it to make you crazy.”

Darcy grinned. “You usually succeed.”

“I’m glad.” Lauren turned serious. “You’ll be all right, won’t you?”

Darcy figured that in time she would be able to sleep and the flashes of terror would recede. Until then, she would simply fake her way through it. That had always worked for her before. “I promise.”

“I guess we’ll be able to talk by phone on secure lines. I want to hear about everything.”

“Me, too.”

Lauren moved close, and they hugged again. “I love you,” her sister whispered.

“I love you, too. Be good.”

“That’s my line,” Lauren said as she stepped back and waved.

Darcy watched her go then turned back to her packing. For the moment, the fear was gone, but in its place was a dark and lonely space.

Joe arrived at the Marcelli winery shortly after four in the afternoon. He’d put off leaving as long as he could, which had meant all of the morning, but he’d known better than to linger much past noon. He might be entering hell on earth, but he was still a naval officer. His job was to follow orders.

As he turned onto the road that led to the three-story hacienda, he studied the pale yellow stucco structure as he might an enemy target, or a place he would have to defend.