As Long As She Lives (full published version!)

Chapter 22

"I'm sorry," Koffa said "but it's about Cait's safety. If I can't trust you to follow my orders instead of hers, you'd be a liability."

Riley had exhausted his excuses. He had to accept Koffa's decision because it was the right decision. When Kitty went into WitSec, Riley wouldn't be going with her – in any capacity.

The bedroom door opened and Kitty emerged. "Are you two done?"

"Yes," Koffa said. "Sorry about that but we needed to get a few things straight."

"So do we," Kitty said, her nostrils flaring. She held her phone at arms length, walking toward Koffa until the image on the screen was inches from his face. Koffa blanched.

"What is it?" Riley said.

"His name's Wemusa," Kitty said, keeping her gaze on Koffa. "He's Henri's closest friend and he's outside in a car."

"We flushed him out?" Riley said. But Koffa's expression wasn't surprise, it was guilt. "You knew he was there. Didn't you?"

Koffa threw up his hands. "Let me explain."

Riley seethed. "You read me the riot act for putting Kitty in danger! What do you call this?"

"She wasn't in danger until you two went 'rogue'!" Koffa said.

"You think I'd have done that if I'd known we were being followed? I was trying to prove to her that she could trust you. Clearly she can't."

"Riley!" Kitty had raised her voice to be heard but she hadn't lost control. "I'd like to hear what Steve has to say."

Riley reined his anger in and folded his arms to stop them lashing out in the way he was imagining.

Koffa gave her a look riddled with guilt, almost tender. "I thought I could spare you knowing it was him."

The familiar discomfort of being out of their loop struck Riley's gut. He softened his tone. "Who is he – other than Henri's best friend?"

Koffa grimaced and looked to Kitty for the answer.

"Wemusa was there," she said, pausing to take a few shallow breaths, "in Umoja. He was one of the men who attacked us."

Riley felt sick. He could hardly be angry at Koffa for wanting to spare Kitty that.

"When did you notice he was following me?" she asked.

"Six days ago–"

"Six days!"

"Riley!"

"Sorry."

"We spotted him in your street. I put two men on him and organised for you two to start the uni routine."

"How did he get in the country?" Kitty asked. "Do you know?"

"Customs and Immigration got back to us yesterday. He came in on the passport of a refugee from a UN camp in Uganda."

"A refugee he killed?"

"Probably, but it's possible the man was bribed to disappear."

"So," Kitty was speaking slowly, deliberately, taking her time to think things through, "even with your photo on a watch list, a fake passport is all it takes to get past immigration?"

Koffa sucked a breath through his teeth. "Actually, he used the original passport – didn't even change the picture."

Kitty groaned. "Let me guess: the immigration officer couldn't tell one black face from another?"