“We’re not judges and we’re not on the jury,” Chloe said. “We’ve done all that we came to do, except...”
“You still can’t figure out why anyone would go so far, right? Or how—looking at the hateful dynamic that even seems to go through the threesome—they managed what they managed.”
They were drawing up to the ship and great chains and ladders were being cast down to them.
Wes didn’t move. Chloe knew that he was waiting.
Broderick would try to escape again, even in chains.
And he did fight, but the ship’s crew had the situation now. They got him back on the ship.
Chloe and Wes came up, as well. Captain Millbrook was waiting for them. George, looking a bit under the weather still, was with him.
He was upset.
“I failed you!” he told them.
“George, I got hit with one of those needles, too,” Chloe told him quickly. “I’m just glad to see you up and—”
“I’m good and Kilbride is coming around, too. Like the security officer. They got the three of us, first... Man, I turned my back for two seconds! I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on and... forgive me!”
“George!” Wes assured him. “We’re good; the trio has been taken down. And we weren’t alone. We had security officers, and we wouldn’t have known where we were going, what they were up to... It’s all over. Take care of yourself!”
“Here’s what’s good. I don’t need to be with Amelia and her poor, sick stomach anymore!” George told him. “Edward, great man. And this whole thing... Well, thank God it’s over. Almost over.”
The ship’s security officers were having a bad time getting Broderick along the deck.
“The brig isn’t that big,” Chloe murmured.
“Oh, they deserve to be on top of each other, but it won’t be that long,” Captain Millbrook said, joining them. “The chopper will be here to get them soon. And personally, I can’t wait. As soon as it gets them, I need to make a major announcement and... Well, along with law enforcement, the cruise line’s lawyers have all been warned about what’s been happening, too.” He hesitated. “I can’t thank you two enough,” he told them.
“Sir, we were just doing our jobs,” she assured him.
“Well, you did them to an amazing level!” Millbrook said. “And please believe that you are welcome on our ships anytime, gratis, of course, and that you should come on a cruise when you’re not on duty.”
“That would be great,” Chloe assured him.
“After the paperwork, the court dates...” Wes reminded her.
“Of course,” Chloe said. “And now—”
“When they’ve got Broderick McClintock duly locked up, chained and shackled, whatever, I want to talk to him,” Wes said.
“Now would be the time,” McClintock said. “I want him off the ship! In chains, of course. I’ll call ahead and they’llhave him in that little room where you spoke with Amelia previously.”
“Thank you,” Wes told him. He turned to Chloe. “You don’t have to come with me. You can go and take a shower—”
“Oh, no. I’m happy to talk to him with you. Maybe... I don’t know. Try to understand why anyone would do what they did, exactly who did what.”
“We need to take the elevator back down to the security level—where you were forced before,” he reminded her.
“And I’m fine with that!” she assured him.
She was. It was over; it had ended with them being alive and well.
She was quiet in the elevator, and she knew that Wes glanced at her, concerned.
“I’m fine, really, I swear!” she told him.
