“Yes, thank you, Jerry,” Cold said, his eyes flicking to Lorre. “I trust you finished your errand?”
“It’s done,” Lorre replied. “Just waiting to go see Tamerlane.”
“I bet you are,” Pym mumbled bitterly.
“Pym.” Cold said his name softly, but it carried a threat.
“Yes, Boss,” Pym sighed obediently. “I’ll find out where they’re keeping the damn thing and let you know.”
“Jules?” Cold turned to his old friend. “Tomorrow, I want you with Jimmy. Our friend Richard Champignon will most likely be present for his statement. Make sure he minds his manners.”
“You got it,” Jules grunted.
“Now... go.” Cold waved his hand, and the Gentlemen filtered out one by one.
Jimmy was thankful when they were finally alone, leaning up for an urgent kiss. “I still can’t believe you’re here. How?”
“A million-dollar bail and the provision that I remain on house arrest,” Cold said, lifting up his pants leg to show Jimmy a shiny ankle monitor.
“Cute,” Jimmy snorted.
“Are you all right?” Cold said, his hands moving to cup Jimmy’s face.
“I’m... I don’t know,” Jimmy replied honestly. “I can’t stop seeing it. That guy... Waugh? I didn’t even know his last name before. He was just Paul the flower guy.”
“Did he say anything to you?”
“Yes.” Jimmy shuddered as the memory flashed before his eyes. “He said that he didn’t want to do it. That they made him. He said you were going to kill him and he... and he couldn’t live like this.”
Cold thought that over, petting Jimmy’s cheek tenderly. “I’m sorry you had to see that. It was never my intention for Mr. Waugh to be handled in such a crude manner.”
“He was one of the three witnesses, right?”
“Yes.”
“What were you going to do?”
“Do you really want to know?” Cold quirked his brows curiously.
“No. I don’t know. Were you... were you going to kill him?”
“Mr. Waugh had been loyal to the Gentlemen for several years. I was hoping to reason with him and help him escape whatever the authorities were using against him.”
“What are you going to do to the one in prison?” Jimmy blurted out. “Is Tamerlane gonna whack him?”
Cold scoffed at the crude expression, replying, “Not directly.” He tilted his head. “Any other pressing questions you don’t need to hear the answers to?”
“Is your ankle monitor chafing you?”
“Brat,” Cold snorted, pulling Jimmy in for a kiss.
Jimmy boldly wrapped his arms around Cold’s neck and kissed him hard. “I was so worried about you. I just wanted to stop and get you some damn flowers!”
“Quiet now,” Cold soothed. “I’ve told you there’s no need to worry.”
“Managing to get yourself out on bail is one thing. Beating these charges? Rod... Rod, this is so bad.”
“Still don’t trust me?” Cold was amused.
