Fire and Ice - Anne Stuart [5]
Kobayashi could come over and crush his bones, Reno thought, if his grandfather gave the signal, and the old man looked tempted. But he’d be damned if he’d run. “It’s my duty,” he said again, hoping to sway his grandfather.
A tiny motion of one hand, and Kobayashi relaxed. “And it is merely a coincidence that this young lady is a pretty young woman?” his grandfather said.
“I don’t even remember what she looks like.”
“Do not lie to me. You forget that I raised you. Surely there were enough gaijin in England to keep you busy?”
He could be just as calm as his grandfather. He said nothing—he’d already said enough.
But Reno was up against a master. His grandfather was silent, looking at him out of wrinkled eyes, and the only sound was the traffic beyond the alleyway and the noise of the wind. A moment later Hitomi-san emerged from the black car, an electronic tablet in his hand, and whispered something in his grandfather’s ear.
Reno would have given ten years off his life to know what the man said, but he’d be damned if he’d ask. He and Ojiisan were at a standstill—they would both freeze to the ground before either of them blinked.
And then, to his shock, his grandfather lifted his hand and beckoned him closer.
For a moment Reno didn’t move. Kobayashi would never catch him if he ran—maybe Ojiisan was bringing him closer to give his sumo bodyguard a clear shot. But pride demanded he approach, and if his grandfather had decided to dispense with him, in the end there wasn’t much he could do about it.
He stopped just in front of the frail old man. “The girl arrived earlier today. She hasn’t checked into any of the hotels—either she’s gone to Taka’s house or she found herself a ryokan. And I don’t think a gaijin would appreciate the beauty of a traditional Japanese inn.”
He wasn’t about to protest. He had no idea what Jilly Lovitz would appreciate or not. And why the hell did her name have so many fucking L’s in it? She’d probably done it on purpose, just to annoy him.
“Three Russian nationals with ties to the old KGB also landed in Japan, at Kansai airport a few days ago. We haven’t tracked them yet, but unless they had information as to where Taka and Suchan went, they’d head to Tokyo. Putting your little gaijin in danger.”
“Not so little,” Reno said. “She’s as tall as I am. And not mine.”
“You’ve claimed responsibility for her. She’s yours now, at least until you get her home safely. After that you will concentrate on your new work with the Committee until I call for you.”
Reno blinked. His grandfather was giving in—he’d expected more of a battle from the stubborn old man. He’d even been prepared to escape if Kobayashi hustled him into the limo and back to the compound against his will.
But the old man had accepted his choice. “Are you sick?” Reno demanded, suddenly worried. “Dying?”
His grandfather made a face. “You’ve only been gone six weeks, Hiromasa-chan. And if I were dying, you’d be the first to know, and you’d be back here, taking your proper place in the family, not playing spy like your cousin Taka-chan. You say Jillian is your responsibility and you refuse my help—so be it. I would suggest that you don’t fail. If you think I’m difficult, then you have forgotten how ruthless your cousin can be. He wouldn’t like the sister of his wife to be in any danger, and he wouldn’t hesitate to express his displeasure if you let anything happen to her.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to her. That’s why I’m back here, against your instructions. I’ll find her and send her back home, and then I’ll return to England and continue my new work.”
If his grandfather didn’t find that a pleasing prospect, he didn’t say so. “Don’t take too long, Hiromasa-chan.”
“I expect I’ll find her at Taka-chan’s house and we’ll be out of the country by tomorrow.”
“I