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The moment was nearly perfect, but she had one more promise to fulfill.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sun in Wintertime
In the two weeks following the Richmond Park incident, the brisk autumn transitioned to chilly winter. Since then, Tess endured frenetic days dealing with the police investigation, which required multiple interviews, evidence, official statements, and countless phone calls. Recounting her role in the events numerous times for different agencies took an emotional toll. After Inspector Willis declared they’d collected all the needed testimony, she collapsed in gratitude, relieved to never speak about it again.
Remedying the damage Crimson Hammer inflicted upon Kingsley Tech’s customer banks would take longer. Ready for the challenge, Declan, Kavita, and their teams did outstanding work to restore order to their financial clients who suffered losses at the hands of the hackers.
The first day Tess could take a break from work, she booked a flight to Norway, and the heaviness weighing her heart lightened. Before leaving the UK, at dawn’s first light, she boarded the morning train to Sevenoaks, a small suburb outside of London, to complete a private pilgrimage. At an open-air shop near the rail station, she purchased a bundle of vibrant red poppies, the traditional memorial flower for fallen British soldiers, then hailed a cab to Greatness Park Cemetery on the outskirts of town. The taxi dropped her off at the Victorian-era chapel, perched at the center of the circle drive, which outlined the manicured grounds. Other than a lone gardener raking piles of leaves by the gated entrance, she stood alone in the sprawling memorial park, and no other visitors appeared.
On the pathway to visit Kyle’s grave, Tess strolled through the Lawn of Remembrance, situated in a sunny spot next to an ancient oak tree crowned with enormous branches reaching toward the sky. In contrast to the weathered stones from a century ago, Kyle’s one-year-old marble stone gleamed in the light, still shiny. Most World War I soldiers who had died in battle and were buried in this cemetery section were even younger than Kyle, who was thirty-six when Yuri killed him. So many young lives had been cut short decades too soon. Hands clasped, she offered a prayer for all those lost, then placed the bundle of poppies atop his grave. The red flowers burst with vibrancy against the stone’s smooth gray-and-white surface. Wood smoke scented the air, and charcoal-colored tendrils curled from the chimneys of neighboring cottages outside the cemetery’s fence.
“Kyle, it’s me, Tess, and wherever you are, I hope you can hear me. I bought you red poppies, and I have so much to tell you.” With one hand resting on his tombstone, she kneeled and spoke of her last year alone and the attack at Cedarcliff. Despite her intention to remain stoic, she cried a few tears but regained her composure and recounted the events at Richmond Park.
“In the end, the Raven stopped me from killing Yuri, but the gunman’s cowardice drove him to suicide. The world is safer without Yuri, and the Metropolitan Police Service is working with Interpol to prosecute the hackers. With the crisis over, I have peace again.” Early winter light filtered across the horizon in dim slivers, and a gusty wind swept through the trees, coaxing the last few oak leaves away from the branches and onto the ground.
“The Raven shared your secret, and I’m proud of the lives you saved, serving justice with your talent. I wish I could have fought by your side, but I’ve got time to figure out how to keep your mission alive.”
Back on her feet, Tess paced in a circle around Kyle’s grave and surveyed the boxwood hedges, trimmed to perfect flat tops. Random bundles of flowers in various states of decay adorned the rows of graves. Awash in nostalgia, she cherished memories of his favorite song, Big Country’s hit, “In a Big Country.” The Scottish band’s passionate anthem of survival, celebrated with bagpipe rifts and pounding drums, played in her head. “Every time the sun breaks through the clouds, like today, I’ll remember you and what you fought for. This song draws your spirit close.” In a clear, smooth voice, she sang the lyrics she remembered, about not trying to grow flowers in a desert and surviving to see the sun, even in wintertime.
Tess traced the carved letters of Kyle’s name on the tombstone’s face, resting a hand on the polished marble. The crisp winter morning marked the season’s change but also the time for her to transition to the next phase of her own life. She debated how to share the last, most difficult thing but figured however the afterlife worked, no secrets remained.
She struggled against a lump in her throat. “In your letter, you asked me to promise I’d find a worthy partner. Losing you gutted me, but while surviving the impossible, I found Mark and can move forward again.”
After one last glance at Kyle’s tombstone and the red poppies, she caught the glint of something shiny alongside the tombstone. Crouching, she removed her gloves and poked into the dewy foliage, touching something hard at the stone’s edge. She snatched the grass aside and picked up the metal object, a round, silver medallion without a chain, which depicted an intricate rendering of a black raven perched on a tree branch. Under her fingers, a rough texture interrupted the smooth, metal surface, and she found a tiny engraving on the pendant’s back: “Our blood is still our fathers’, and ours the valour of their hearts.”
The Scot’s words for the lost Highlanders, Kyle among them, resurfaced all the stages of grief she navigated last year. No doubt the scars from Kyle’s death would mark her forever, but they’d heal and fade rather than define her. A newfound acceptance could grow from the wounds and offer her peace.
“Goodbye, Kyle.” She placed the Raven’s medallion on the tombstone. Her heart softened, then opened, bending to accept what eluded her until now. The morning clouds cleared for a fleeting moment, and smiling, she tilted her face up to the sky, the precious sun in wintertime, and another layer of her grief slipped away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Winter’s Light
The Norwegian winter had arrived early, and a light dusting of snow coated the ground when Tess landed in Bergen that afternoon. The second the plane doors opened, she grabbed her carry-on bag and rushed for the terminal exit. Buzzing with excitement, she hurried to the curb and spotted Mark’s tousle of golden hair and sapphire gaze.
In a flash, he rushed over and spun her into a tight hug before kissing her.
He’s real, and this is happening. She could hardly believe it.
“Welcome to Bergen, the best place on earth. And you’re here with me.” He lit up with a huge smile. “And look, no orthopedic boot! I’m glad to see you’ve healed.”
“Yes, thankfully. I’m so happy to see you.” Hearing his warm baritone whisked away the stress of the past weeks. She wiped away a couple of happy tears sliding down her cheek, then wound an arm around him. “I’ve missed you tons, and it feels like it's been forever.”
“For me, too. Here, let’s get in the car.” After opening the passenger door, Mark stowed her suitcase in the trunk and slid into the driver’s seat.
“It was two endless weeks of police interviews and client meetings.” She settled in beside Mark, and her tension seeped away.
“Everything all right in London?” He started the engine and darted a glance her way.
“Controlled chaos. I’m still acting CEO, and repairing the breached banks took many all-nighters. Fortunately, David got released from the hospital yesterday.”
“That’s great.” He stretched across the console and placed his hand on her leg. “Two weeks without you was a long time. No more work for you—our official first date begins now. We’ll drive to Bryggen, stroll around the harbor, and enjoy my favorite view.”
“Sounds perfect. Quite a spectacular setting for our first outing.” Gazing out the window, Tess watched Bergen’s lush landscape unfold. The flowing green valleys, fjords, and peninsula created a panorama of contrasts. “Are you happy to be home?”
“Thrilled. Speaking Bergensk, the Norwegian dialect I grew up with, and not spending mental energy on translation is refreshing. Christmas is coming, but best of all, you’re here.” Beaming, he relaxed his shoulders and broadened his smile.
