Epilogue
Kari set down her mug of cocoa on the silver tray on the side of the Jacuzzi she and Bryon sat in. Sweet-smelling bubbles foamed around them. Their view from the tub was atop a mountain, overlooking a majestic valley covered in glistening white.
She leaned back, placing her hand over her belly. She might not be showing yet, considering she was already on the plus side and her belly had had a curve even before she’d become pregnant. But soon, there would be no mistaking her for anything other than a woman with a baby in her womb. Their little one was growing inside her and she couldn’t wait to meet him. From what Bryon said it was a boy and he was walking around like a proud father. It was so stinking cute.
Outside their rental cabin, the storm blew another foot of snow against the front door. She was fine with that. That meant no one would be disturbing them for at least a day. This was day three of their ten-day getaway. Her first real vacation and her boss joked for her not to make a habit of it. She would miss that place a little. But she liked the new contract she had worked out with the FBI.
When she was needed to decode, she would come in or they would come to her. If the situation arose, she and her ex-ALFA mate would go undercover to get the intel. But they aimed to keep those types of operations as limited as possible. She had better things to do with her new mate.
Bryon looked at his phone. It was time for their scheduled call with Director Tumbel from ALFA. Usually, she’d frown at mixing work and pleasure, but since it was planned beforehand, she was fine with it.
At the sound of Indiana Jones’s main theme song, he swiped across the screen. “Director Tumbel, how are you this evening?” Bryon asked.
“Probably not as good as you are,” Tumbel replied.
Bryon took her hand. “You got that right, sir.”
“So let’s make this quick, you two.” They heard papers shuffle on the director’s side. “According to workers in Cloustien, Prince Goddard specifically said where he wanted his palace and the warehouse placed. They found fifty-year-old subterranean maps in the palace. Along with an incomplete map of the underground tunnel system.”
“Hi, Director, it’s Kari. What did they find out about the art in the palace?”
“You’re going to love this,” he said. “Most of the items were treasures that had been missing or stolen from the time of the Second World War.”
Kari smiled. “I knew that had to be the case. Everything there was just too over-the-top to be in one place, and a personal home at that.”
“And the cave entrance where the trafficking ring set up was the room the Nazis kept the stash,” the director added. “The story from some oma who ‘knows’ the history said one of the ancestor kings was digging area mines for precious stones and they came upon the cavern by accident.”
“If that’s the case,” Kari started, “then that was Alheim who found it. He probably put the building there, eventually becoming the warehouse, to cover it and sneak out the treasure little by little.”
“Then after that,” Bryon said, “it made the perfect spot to smuggle traffickers in and out. All under everyone’s noses.”
Tumbel said, “There is a group of international artwork people working on returning pieces to the rightful owners. Those alive anyway. I bet most of the stuff will be going to museums around Europe.”
“Director,” Kari said, “did anyone find out about the room with the dried fruits and food?”
“That was actually the first mystery we solved. The townsfolk gladly provided the answer,” Tumbel replied. “They knew about the trafficking for a while, but wouldn’t do anything against their royalty. So when they could, they rescued women and hid them in the tunnels until it was safe for them to leave. Seems everyone knew about it except the prince.”
“What’s happening prosecution-wise for those traffickers caught in the warehouse cavern?” Bryon asked.
“Liechtenstein, the country, is taking over the extradition process. I believe someone told me the monarch of Liechtenstein was a distant cousin or some relation to the ‘missing’ Prince Goddard. I’m sure we’ll hear about many of the trials in the news. You two did a great thing for the world.”
“Nah,” Kari said, “just doing our jobs.”
Tumbel found that extraordinarily funny by the laugh coming through the phone’s speaker. It was sort of funny since what she did wasn’t close to her “girlfriend” job description.
“Have you heard from Sheldon or Elna recently?” Tumbel asked them.
“Not a word,” Bryon said. “I’m sure they are enjoying their private island beach as much as we are our cabin escape.”
Tumbel sighed. “I’m sure they are, too. Can’t wait for my turn to find my mate.”
“Gotta get out of the office sometime, Tumbel. Unless your mate is a pizza delivery person, you aren’t going to meet her there.”
“Yeah, I hear you. I have to wait for you two clowns to get back before anything can happen. We have a whole new group that needs to be trained. Oh, one more thing since I’ve got you. ALFA will be getting a plaque in the new National Intelligence Building for so many years of service blah, blah, blah.”
“Really?” Bryon questioned. “But we’re a secret organization.”
“The group isn’t really that much of a secret around here. All the bigwigs know we exist. The secret is about the agents who work here. On paper, we look like a normal intelligence gathering agency. The point is you and Kari need to be at the dedication ceremony. Be ready to dress up.”
“Whatever you say, boss man,” Bryon said. He was ready to get the call over with so he could get back to loving his mate.
“Well, gotta go,” Director Tumbel said. “Stuff to do before heading home. See you when you’re back. And, Kari, you guys give some thought to you training and joining us. I’d hate to lose Bryon because I didn’t try to sweet-talk his mate.”
“Yeah, yeah, we got it. See ya later, boss.” Bryon tapped the end call button on the phone.
“Speaking of things to do,” he said, his eyes filling with desire, “I have a little mate that needs some doing.”
Kari laughed. “So you’re going to do me?”
“Damn straight, I am.” He stood and stepped out of the tub. “How else am I going to get started practicing for baby number two?”
She shook her head, giggling. “Maybe we should let the first one be born?”
“No way! We have to be ready. And I’m going to love seeing how many ways I can get you to moan and scream. Just you sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.” He lifted her from the bubbly water.
“I hope it’s better than the first show you gave. That one was hot, but you were a little out of it being drugged and all.” He took a towel from the warming rack and wrapped it around her body, then took a second one and daubed at her hair.
“Oh, don’t you worry. I’ve seen a TV commercial for a group of Aussie guys who know a thing or two about entertaining women. I’m taking lessons. My first show is tonight in the other room. I got front-row seats for you.”
“I love the sound of that.”