Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
I sighed deeply. “I killed people in front of them today, Brad. So normally, I would agree, but what I’m relating is what is going to keep them safe.”
“I’m the one who told George what you said on the phone,” Toby told his father. “I know you owe someone money, and George is just trying to help.”
The quiet in the car was the kind that would have made me squirm if I were in Brad’s shoes.
“You heard me on the phone?” Brad asked his son.
“Yeah.”
“And you told George?” Thomasin asked.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, then,” she said with an exhale, sounding resigned. “Go ahead and tell us all what’s happening, please, George.”
“As I said, I don’t know who’s coming. But if we went to the police, they would separate us, and I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I don’t want to be by myself,” Dennis said, and I could hear the wobble in his voice, as though he were on the verge of tears. As tired as I was, the boys had to be just as emotionally drained. “Please.”
“No, buddy,” I said flatly. “We’re all gonna stay together.”
He whimpered. “You promise?”
“I do.”
Checking on him in the rearview mirror, I saw him lean sideways into his mother. He needed comfort desperately, and there was no one better than his mom. Toby leaned into her as well, and the three of them made such a beautiful picture.
“Go on,” Kurt prodded me.
“Okay, so I called my buddy Chris, who knows exactly what’s going on with contracts and things like that, and he told me to get out and take you all with me. He doesn’t know who’s coming, but he has a car for us, and either when we get the car, or once we’re on the road, he’ll let me know where I’m going.”
“That’s incredible,” Kurt whispered, and I turned to see his face because it was amazing that he thought that. Most people might have condemned me for not calling the police, doing what they thought would be best. But Kurt, he trusted me and so had faith in the people I in turn believed in.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling at him.
Just for a moment, he put his hand on my cheek, and then moved it as we approached the airport.
In long-term parking, I was supposed to look for a black Chevy Suburban, which the six of us, plus the animals, would be far more comfortable in. Of course it was there, away from the cameras, in the far corner of the lot. It had rained earlier, and the ground glistened under the lights, as did the wet cars, making everything shiny. It felt surreal, like a dream, and I knew I had to be really tired to be noticing so much more than simply the SUV.
Closing in, I noted a Mercedes sedan parked one space away, and when I rolled into the spot between the two vehicles, a woman I knew got out of the passenger side and waited.
Getting out of the car, I smiled at Jing Khoo, a formidable woman who wasn’t my friend, but was instead an acquaintance I considered myself to be on good terms with. She was also one of Jared Colter’s assistants, the man who ran Torus Intercession in Chicago and abroad, and even though I was pretty sure Chris had probably reached out to Jared, hence Jing being here, I was still concerned enough by her presence to close the door behind me and not have Kurt join me.
“Jing,” I said, studying her, checking her body language, seeing that she seemed at ease. More importantly, she wasn’t holding a gun, only a zippered pouch.
“Hunt,” she replied, squinting at me like I was stupid. “Are we saying our names for some reason? Do you want a list of my hobbies?”
Shit. “Sorry,” I rushed out. “I’m really tired.”
“It’s fine,” she said dismissively, handing me the pouch. “I don’t work for Chris, as you well know, but I was in town, and Chris called Jared, who called me. You get the picture.”
I did, and it was a good one of help between friends. “I’m glad to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you weren’t murdered in Minsk,” she quipped.
“You know about that too?”
I got another look like she felt sorry for me.
“Whatever,” I grumbled as the window rolled down behind me.
“Hi,” Kurt said, now in the driver’s seat. He leaned out the window to offer Jing his hand. “I’m Kurt, his boyfriend. And you are?”
“I’m Jing,” she said, taking his hand to shake. “Lovely to meet you.”
“I thought your friends would be scary,” he told me.
Jing chuckled. “Just wait.”
Kurt was charmed by her, I could tell.
She leaned back into the car and came back with a tablet. “Would you do me a favor, Doctor, and put your hand on this tablet for me, and when you’re done, pass it around inside the car?”