I want to ask, but I’m not sure I want the answer yet.
Still, I’ve never shied away from a challenge, and now’s not the time to start.
So, as my pulse speeds, I ask the one question that’s been nagging at me the most. “What do the police think? About my disappearance. Do they… think I ran away because I’m guilty?”
Indy and Tyler exchange a long glance. Finally, Tyler says, “They’re floating several possibilities. They don’t think you did it on your own, given that you were handcuffed to the bed with a guard outside the door.”
“What?”That’s not something Indy mentioned.
“I wasn’t hiding it,” Indy adds defensively. “I didn’t think to mention the details.”
“With the guard being incapacitated, the police are pushing the accomplice scenario. That Bea was working with someone, and they somehow broke her out of the hospital. Although kidnapping has been floated as a possibility, too.” Tyler pauses. “But we’ll work it out, Bea. Make sure your name is cleared by the end of this.”
A wave of dizziness sweeps through me. My skin prickles with sweat. “The guard was incapacitated? What does that mean?”
Indy turns to me. His knees brush mine. “I knocked him out. But I didn’t hurt him. It was just long enough to tie him up and get you out of there.”
“You attacked a guard?”
“Technically, a cop,” Tyler offers.
“You attacked acop?” Now it’s hard to breathe. “Indy. You attacked a cop? To break me out? That… that’s even worse… You could have gone to jail. Foryears.”
Indy and Tyler exchange another silent message between them. Then Tyler announces, “You know, I think I forgot something in my office. I’ll see you later, Bea. Nice to meet you.”
Then he takes off, practically jogging from the room, leaving me and Indy alone again.
“Bea. It wasn’t that bad.” Indy places his hand over mine. “I wasn’t going to get caught. We had the whole thing planned out. I didn’t hurt the guy?—”
“You could have gone to jail!”
“So could you.” His expression grows grim. “Bea. You shouldn’t be in jail. Not even for a second. The risk… it was worth it. And my teammates agreed.”
Without thinking, I wrap my fingers around his, squeezing hard. “But your life. Your career. And your team, they?—”
“They trust me.” His gaze burns into mine. “And when I said I knew you didn’t do it, they believed me. They had my six. Do you know what that means?”
“Of course. I work at a VA hospital.”
“Right.” The corner of his mouth twitches. “Of course. That’s what we do here. We help each other. And when I said I wanted to help you, they did it.”
“But…” Everything feels like it’s coming at me at once. “I… I just…”
“Hey.” His voice gentles. “I know this is a lot. And I know you’re still pissed at me, for good reason.”
“I’m not?—”
“You are. And I get it.”
“Maybe a little,” I admit quietly.
Something unreadable flickers in his gaze. “I accept that.”
And in the quiet moment that follows, my thoughts shift again. Things I once believed were black and white blend into a variation of greys.
“I’m still a little mad at you. But.”
“But?”
