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of her eyes, as though he'd asked her to go skinny-dipping in the frigid waters of the Atlantic, rather than crawl through a hole to safety.
    "Where are you taking me?" she asked.
    There was a threadiness to her voice now, one that unnerved him more than her earlier silence. Whereas she'd been all fire and defiance when she thought herself threatened, when he offered security, she pulled back.
    "Somewhere safe," he told her.
    "This isn't the way to the U.S. embassy."
    "No, it's not."
    "Then I'll ask you again. Where are you taking me?"
    "Relax," he said, glancing up and down the narrow street to ensure no one watched their movements. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
    Her gaze remained wary, her stance alert, prompting Sandro to give her hand a gentle squeeze. Her flesh was clammy now, making her hand feel smaller. More fragile.
    The temptation to pull her into his arms made absolutely no sense, so he discarded the misplaced notion and urged her toward the opening. "Hurry up. We need to get off the streets before anyone sees us. You can bet the shooter didn't come alone."
    The reminder of the danger did the trick. She turned from him and climbed through the jagged opening in the stone wall. He followed, letting the thick vines swing into place behind him.
    Only then did he breathe easier.
    "My God," she whispered. "It's like stepping back in time."
    An old wall separated the overgrown grounds of the abandoned villa from the rest of the world. Exiled aristocrats had constructed the Moorish-influenced home in the waning years of the nineteenth century, the pastel-washed, stuccoed limestone walls providing shelter and security to generations of a family on the decline. Not even two world wars had penetrated the safe haven.
    Only death had possessed that right.
    When the great-grandson of the original owner passed away some ten years before, none of his seven children expressed interest in taking over the villa. They'd scattered to Italy and France, a daughter in Scotland, two sons in America, and the prospect of returning to the less modern culture of old-world Portugal had held little appeal.
    "This place looks deserted," Miranda said.
    He tossed her a wicked little wink. "That's the point." The villa stood abandoned now, a shadow of its former glory. Red clay roof tiles were cracked and faded; vines had long since taken over pale yellow walls that retained only a hint of their former color. Even the blue and yellow clay tiles framing the broken-out windows were chipped. Azulejos they were called, imitating familiar patterns of Moorish rugs.
    Miranda walked toward a crumbling statue of the Virgin Mary, who rose from a tangle of thigh-high sage and stood with her arms outstretched toward the old house. "She looks … sad."
    Sandro joined her. "She'll keep us safe," he said, reclaiming Miranda's hand and leading her toward the entryway.
    Like so many other houses of central Portugal, the neglected villa boasted a wide front porch, framed by a series          of three archways. The second story featured two smaller verandas, with the third story reserved for windows, dark now, almost gaping, like an old woman smiling through missing teeth.
    The scent of rosemary grew stronger with every step, escorting them through an overgrown herb garden sprawling over the steps and engulfing the porch. Miranda broke off a stem as they passed.
    "Through here," Sandro said, leading her inside.
    "It's dark."
    "You'll adjust." He kept her hand in his and headed along the familiar path to the back of the house, carefully checking for signs of unwanted visitors. Only a few hours had passed since his last inspection, but a man could never be too careful.
    Beneath the stairs at the back of the house, he opened a small closet and pulled Miranda into the darkness.
    "Just stay close," he instructed, whispering even though he didn't need to.
    She stopped abruptly and tried to pull her hand free. "Where are we?"
    Her voice was sharp,