She nodded.
Jason lowered his gun and took out his cell. “Watch that guy, Leland,” he said, pointing to the man he fought. He dialed a number. “I’m going to see if Drakos can get this one to a hospital in Morghana City via chopper. He might make it.”
Leland squatted next to the prone man and tilted his head. “What do we have here?” He pointed at the man’s face. “You don’t look so bad.” He jabbed a thumb in Jason’s direction. “He went easy on you.”
The man’s eyes grew large. Leland laughed.
This was a side of Leland Tayla hadn’t seen before. And yet, it wasn’t foreign either. He’d always been short on words, quick to act, sarcastic, and a little cynical. But he always showed up when it mattered. He wasn’t much ofa conversationalist. But after her parents died, he checked on her often. He helped her move in and out of her first three apartments. He walked her down the aisle when she got married. And held her hand at Spence’s funeral.
Jason ended his call and looked at Leland. “The hospital is sending a chopper. And Morghana City police will send two officers to pick up the other guy.”
“Morghana City Police? Why?” asked Tayla. “Doesn’t Isadora Island have police?”
Jason shook his head. “The closest thing to police on the whole island is Alec Drakos’ security guards. Morghana is a small country. There aren’t police on each island, mostly just around Morghana City, the capital on the main island. That’s the most densely populated area in Morghana.” He turned to Leland. “You good staying here with these guys? I need to talk to Drakos in person about . . . everything we learned.” Tayla detected restrained anger simmering in his words.
“Yeah, go on. I’m good.”
She felt Leland looking at her, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the blood on the carpet.
“Take her with you,” she heard him say.
She pulled her eyes to his. “What?” She looked back at the blood. The room tilted. Either the ringing in her ears, or the blood—or both—were making her dizzy. “Um. Yes. I wouldn’t mind leaving.”
Jason exchanged a long look with Leland she didn’t understand.
Leland received whatever message it was, and nodded. He stood and faced her. The grief in his eyes stole her breath. “About Gus . . .”
He didn’t finish his sentence.
Um. What? No. No, no, no.She wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. Maybe he was going to say Gus was ill, or in the hospital.
But the thick, suffocating silence filling the room choked out any hope.
She stilled for a few beats, then wrapped her arms around her uncle. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. She wanted to ask so many questions. So. Many. Questions. But she knew this wasn’t the time.
He held her tight for a moment, then stepped back. “You stay close to Jason. I’ll wrap things up here.”
She knew he didn’t want to say any more, so she gave his arm a squeeze and followed Jason to the door.
“It won’t take the police too long,” Jason said before opening the door. “They’re sending two officers already on the island helping with . . . Gus. They’ll be here soon.”
What? Oh. Of course. Leland and Jason must have called the police when they found Gus.Oh, poor Gus.Part of her didn’t even want to ask the inevitable questions. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answers.
Oh dear Jesus, I pray Gus is safe in your arms right now.
Walking to Drakos’ office, Jason’s comforting presence wrapped around her like a blanket. Not just because he was over six-feet of well-trained muscle. It was also because his eyes silently checked on her. Repeatedly. She appreciated the compassion flooding his gaze. Even if she didn’t feel like talking.
The bossy agent who told her to drink her tea this morning proved more complex, and more considerate, than she’d first thought.
“Is he in there?” Jason asked the assistant stationed at her desk. He pointed to Alec Drakos’ office door.
She looked flustered by his tone. “Yes, but do you have an appoint—”
“Thank you,” he said, striding past her.
“Hey, you can’t just—”
He held the door open for Tayla and gestured for her to enter first. She looked a little unsure, but complied.
