She dropped her gaze from Linao, turning to look at Uniform.
He was leaning against the wall, but his gaze was on Linao, not her.
Which was a relief.
Mr. Black was standing near Linao, arms crossed over his chest.
“I told you,” Linao said, tipped her head back to look at Mr. Black. “I was in prison when your ship was destroyed. I had nothing to do with it.”
“So you admit you’re Linao, now?” Mr. Black asked. “Because before, you told our people you weren’t her.”
“Fine.” Linao blew out a breath. “I lied, because I’d been told you were gunning for me. It was self-protection.”
“Who told you that?” Uniform asked.
“The crew onboard the Cores ship.” Linao sounded bitter. “They said it was mentioned when they contacted your lot about delivering the ore.”
The two Caruson shared a look, and Velda guessed whoever had spoken out of turn would feel the consequences.
Linao seemed happy, even eager, to admit to her identity now, and Velda recalled what Ethan had said before the Caruson had come to fetch her again. That Linao thought coming clean might be of more use to her in getting her free, in the name of the alliance between the Cores and the Caruso, than not.
There was a ping of sound from the door, and Mr. Black turned, face a mask of annoyance, and called out.
A guard murmured something in Caruson, and both Black and Uniform straightened up.
Black answered back, and then turned to Velda. “You can go back to the cell.”
Linao stirred in her seat, but Black turned back to her. “Not you. Your father is calling. I’m sure he’ll want to speak to you.”
Her father?
Velda pondered that as she was walked back down the passage. Could that be the mysterious Sylvester? The reason why Linao always caught every break going?
No wonder the Caruso had decided it was worth it to hang onto her.
Linao was the perfect hostage.
24
Linao arrived shortly after Velda,something Ethan was sorry about. He didn’t like Linao and preferred not having her in the cell with them.
She looked like she was suppressing some big emotions when she came back in, lips tight, body stiff.
“Didn’t you get to speak to your father after all?” Velda asked.
She shot Velda such a venomous look, Ethan almost stepped between them.
Linao sat down on her bunk, started to lie down, and then, obviously unable to relax enough to do that, got to her feet again and began to pace.
“Speak to us,” Ethan said. “Better we know the score.”
She shook her head and kept pacing, and Ethan realized just how deeply he disliked her.
“Is your father Sylvester?” Velda asked.
She’d told Ethan that was her guess when she’d come back from Linao’s interrogation, and now Linao went still, slowly turning to face them, eyes narrowed.
She looked like she was seriously considering taking a swing at them.
