Jason scrambles backwards to the furthest corner of the mattress, and just keeps going. He hits the bedside table cluttered with fast-food containers, then falls off the side of the mattress. He’s briefly out of view, and if he does have a gun, it gives him the perfect opportunity to reach for it.
Jake jumps onto the bed for a better vantage point while I circle around. We both take aim at the man curled up on the floor in the fetal position. Jason’s headphones are tangled around his neck, and his eyes are squeezed shut. He’s sobbing.
“Are you armed?” Jake demands.
Jason folds himself tighter into a ball. “No, nothing. I don’t– I’m not. No.”
I take a step closer to the quivering wreck. “Show me. Lie flat on your stomach.”
Jason stills for a moment then raises his trembling arms over his head and stretches out his legs as he assumes the position.
Jake searches him, turning him over so Jason’s on his back when he’s finished. “Clear.”
I keep my Glock trained on our target, who still has his eyes tightly closed. “Jason, get up.”
He whimpers as he stands, wiping snot from his nose before putting his hands on his head without prompting.
“For fuck’s sake, open your eyes.”
“I don’t want to see your face. I won’t go to the cops, but even if I did, I won’t have a description.”
“Smart thinking,” I say, “But I want you to know exactly who I am. My name is Reid Griffin. Now open your fucking eyes.”
Jason peels open one eye, then the other.
I step towards him and press the barrel of my gun to his head. “I don’t intend to kill you,” I say, “but I’ll be honest with you, Jason. I’d love you to give me an excuse to put a bullet in your head.”
“I’m not going to do anything, I swear. Please. Just tell me what you want.”
“What did you do to Quinn?”
His mouth gapes open. “I didn’t do anything.”
I press my gun hard enough for Jason’s head to tip back a touch. “Wrong answer.”
“No, no, please. Let me explain.” His lips are so dry they stick together. “So, you see, the thing is… The other night. I got drunk.Reallydrunk. The Russian guys just kept pressing shots into my hand until I… Well, I can’t remember what happened next. I have a vague memory of passing out on my bed, but I swear, I don’t have a clue what happened before then. The next thing I know, Barrett calls me and says I’d assaulted Quinn, and to pack up my shit and leave. Then he sent in his men to haul me out.”
“You mean Ilya’s men.”
“Yeah, that creep,” Jason confirms. “Barrett said I’d gone into Quinn’s room and tried to get into her bed, but if I did, it was only because I must have thought it was my bed.Quinn’s a good friend. Yeah, she’s attractive, but we weren’t into each other. Not at all.”
Jason sounds convincing, but the story doesn’t ring true. I’d seen the state Quinn was in the next day. It wasn’t an innocent mistake. She wouldn’t ask Barrett to fire Jason if that were the case.
“I feel so fucking bad about it. And I’d already let her down,” Jason continues. “She asked me to stay and I didn’t. Maybe I went into her room to check on her. I don’t know.”
“Explain,” I demand.
“She had to have dinner with the Russian creep, and said she’d text me if she needed me to stage an intervention. Then I got talking to two of Ilya’s guys and the next thing I know, I’m agreeing to show them the town. When I left Quinn, there was a fancy chef in the kitchen, so it wasn’t like they were alone. But I don’t know… I did wonder if she was angry at me and made up this shit to teach me a lesson. But that’s not Quinn’s style. She’d enjoy berating me.”
I have to agree with Jason there, but I don’t interrupt.
“I don’t get why she didn’t speak to me first. None of it makes sense. Quinn even told Tandy it was a misunderstanding. And I hope to god it was. I just wish we’d had the chance to talk it through together, but Ilya’s men wouldn’t let me near her. I think their boss didn’t want us to clear things up. He wanted me gone. He’s already walking around like he owns the place, and he doesn’t want anyone there who isn’t working for him.”
I loosen my grip on the Glock a fraction as I glance over at Jake. I can tell he’s thinking the same. Whatever happened, Ilya is behind it.
“I swear I didn’t… I would never hurt Quinn,” Jason whimpers. “I’m not that guy.”
Taking a step back, I lower my gun. I believe him. “Just stay the fuck away from her,” I say to cover all bases.
