Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“An attempt on the life of not one but three federal marshals… I can’t imagine he’ll be breathing free air for the foreseeable future.”
“Agreed.”
I took a breath. “What about Mills?”
“He helped orchestrate the attack on Ian, and he’s the one who shot at and missed Eli. He’s going to prison as well.”
“For a very long time,” I said, studying his face.
“You’re looking at me weird. What is it?”
“You were really never scared of Hartley?”
“When he first stabbed me, yes,” he said softly, thoughtfully. “When he kidnapped me, oh yes. But again, after someone saves your big dorky dog, it’s hard to muster terror when you think of them.”
I was quiet a moment. “You know, a lot of people think, because there was no autopsy, that he’s still alive.”
“Yeah, well, they weren’t there. I promise you, Craig Hartley is gone.”
I sipped my coffee and agreed that Bodhi was right—I did tend to make it the consistency of crude oil.
“You’re still looking at me like I grew another head,” Miro said, smiling.
“You just sounded almost sad there.”
“It’s an odd thing, the relationship Hartley and I had. I mean, for the rest of my life, my name will be tied to his.”
“You have standing offers to be interviewed by some of the biggest names in the business. Everyone wants to know what you know about Hartley. There’s been so many shows and articles and books, but no one knows more than you.”
He nodded.
“Can I ask?”
“About his vault?”
“Yeah. Are you ever gonna go to Switzerland and look inside?”
“I honestly haven’t decided yet—and thank you for keeping that secret. Not everyone knows.” He then clapped me on my good shoulder. “I understand Pazzi said that you got shot because he wasn’t there.”
I groaned. “Who told you?”
“Cho,” he said with a laugh. “And when I told Ian, he made sure that when you and Bodhi report to me come Thursday, Pazzi and Yamane will go to Asset Forfeiture.”
“Oh, man, that’s just mean.”
“As a marshal, you have to know when to keep your mouth shut, and if you can’t remember, then your partner has to do it for you.”
“So Ian’s giving both guys a lesson.”
“He is. Plus, you know, he enjoys sending people down there to the basement just like Kage does.”
“Power mad,” I commented.
“Without question,” Miro agreed, then cleared his throat.
I knew it was coming. “Yes? Something to say?”
“What? Me?” He cackled. “Just nice to see this finally taking off.”
“This?”
“Yes, Jed. This. You and Bodhi. I mean, Jesus Christ, if it weren’t for the last minute, huh? Or were you thinking you’d wait until his fortieth wedding anniversary?”
“Funny. You’re so funny.”
“Don’t I know it.”
We were quiet a moment.
“But really,” he said, smiling at me, “I’m proud of you. It was time.”
“It was overdue, and anyone who knows me knows it.”
“Yeah, but you sacked up, Jed. I was getting a bit worried.”
I scowled at him.
“I always knew you loved him.”
“Well, aren’t you smart.”
“That’s what people say,” he said, grinning at me.
I just shook my head.
Bodhi had gone to his place to get clean clothes and more things he needed, and called his real estate agent on the way over. Selling his place would be easy, since the area was in high demand. I told him he should keep it and rent it out, but he didn’t want to be a landlord.
“You’re making a lot of decisions really fast,” I pointed out when he returned with clothes that needed to be hung in my large closet. I was using only a quarter of it, which was great for him.
“Isn’t that how we always do things?” he asked me, grinning. He walked by the end of the bed, carrying a laundry basket filled with assorted-sized bottles into the bathroom, and then I heard him opening cabinets and putting things away.
And that was true. It was, in fact, the way we had always done things. Both of us leaped without looking as we followed the other.
“Hey,” he called out. “Tell me if you need any pain meds.”
“No, I’m good,” I said, sitting up. “But can you take this sling off me when you have a second?”
He was there quickly, gently extricating me from the sling I was already coming to hate. The brace was okay; the sling immobilized me more.
“You hate the sling,” he said, smiling.
“How can you tell?” I teased irritably.
“Well, the sling is there to let you rest the limb, right? Otherwise, it would just hang at your side.”
“Did the doctor say I had to use it for the whole month?”
“No, only the brace is mandatory, but let’s keep it for at least a full week.”
But if I said I didn’t need it—
“You’re thinking, why is he not just listening to me?”
I met his gaze.
“It’s the same with you doing my thinking for me where being a marshal is concerned.”