The thought was shredded abruptly as the door opened, and Kaspar strode inside.Finding us sprawled out on the bed, she coughed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as Caroline and I pulled ourselves upright.
“Good news, Mr.Harper.”Yanking down the lapels of her jacket, Kaspar met my gaze.“The hospital management have agreed to the recording, and your doctors think you’ll be fit enough for discharge within forty-eight hours.”
“Brilliant.”I tugged at the two ends of the silk tie Caroline had slid into place, maneuvering them together as I rose to my full height.“Then it’s time to get this show on the road.”
Chapter Sixteen
Adam
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“THE LIGHTING WILL BEbetter in this area.”Tom, the young director, waved his arm toward the corner of the room where the afternoon light was spilling in from the enormous windowpanes.
“Maurice!”he yelled.“I need you in here with the bounce board.”
“It seems they are nearly ready for you, Mr.Harper.”Akari’s smile was almost apologetic as she dodged the incoming Maurice, who dashed past her with the vast board in his hand.
“Good.”I watched Tom as he moved people and props around the place in preparation for me.“How did you get them to give us this room for the gig?”
Akari shrugged.“I impressed the importance of the event upon the hospital’s management, and they offered us this space.Apparently, judges still have some influence.”
“Right.”Didn’t I know it?
It was those judges I needed to comply with and impress in order to avoid a long jail sentence I almost certainly deserved.I didn’t want to spend years of my life behind bars when I could be a free man, at liberty to show Caroline just how much I loved her, but I understood why I merited the punishment.
I’d stood behind Ian for all those years, relishing the privilege of the position and doing little to hold him back, and then, once our glorious leader had put me in charge of Fortorus, I’d run the sadistic camp with few ethical considerations.It had taken stumbling across Caroline that first night and getting to know her for my conscience to kick in, and by then it was too late to do anything for the majority of those women confined in Fortorus’ hellish cage.
I deserved to be held to account, all right, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t do everything I could to avoid my fate.
Glancing around as the makeup woman, Amy, applied the finishing touches of powder to my nose, I appreciated the upgraded room.Four times the size of the space the judges had questioned me in, the room was on the top floor of the building and was blessed with sweeping panoramas of the city.Its breathtaking views reminded me of the office I’d once worked in and the sordid life I’d left behind.
“Thank you, Amy.”Dismissing her makeup brush with one flick of my hand, I shook my head when she finally wandered away.“I really don’t think having my hair and makeup done was necessary, Judge.Don’t we want Jackson to think I’m struggling in his absence?You know, unable to cope without him.Wouldn’t a more bedraggled look work in our favor?”
“I’m sure your words and body language can convey the necessary contrition.”She smiled.“But you must still look the part.You need to be the commander general he remembers.At least in part.”
“Yes, well.”Rising from the stool Amy had me perched on, I straightened my tie.“This will have to do.”
