“He tends to slug people who make him angry. Doesn’t go over well in embassies.”
“I can understand that.” She frowned. “How do you know them?”
He sighed. “That’s a long story. We’ll have to talk about it when I get out of here.”
She was adding up things and getting uncomfortable totals. “Kell, you weren’t working for a magazine when you went to Africa, were you?” she asked.
He hesitated. “That’s one of the things we’ll talk about. But not now. Okay?”
She relented. He did look very rocky. “Okay.” She laid a gentle hand on his muscular arm. “You’re my brother and I love you. That won’t change, even if you tell me blatant lies and think I’ll never know about them.”
“You’re too sharp for your own good.”
“I’ve been told that.”
“Don’t stray from your bodyguards,” he cautioned. “I have to agree with them. I think Frank’s not planning to go back to jail. He’ll do whatever it takes to get even with you, and then he’ll try suicide-by-cop.”
“Jail would be better than dead, certainly?”
“Frank has anger issues, too.”
She flexed the arm he’d broken. “I noticed.”
“Don’t take chances. Promise me.”
“I promise. Please get well. Being an orphan is bad enough. I can’t lose you, too.”
He smiled. “I’m not going anywhere. After all, I’ve got a book to finish. I have to get well in order to do that.”
She hesitated. “Kell, he wouldn’t come here, and try to finish the job he did on you?” she asked worriedly.
“I have company.”
“You do?”
“Move it, you military rejects,” came a deep voice from the door. A tall, familiar-looking man with silver eyes and jet-black hair moved into the room, dressed in boots and jeans and a chambray shirt, carrying a foam cup of coffee.
“Kilraven?” she asked, surprised. “Aren’t you working?”
He shook his head. “Not tonight,” he said. “I had a couple of vacation days I was owed, so I’m babysitting your brother.”
“Thanks,” she said with a broad grin.
“I’m getting something out of it,” he chuckled. “I’m stuck on the middle level of a video game, and Kell knows how to crack it.”
“Is itHalo: ODST?” Dead-Eye asked. “I beat it.”
“Yeah, on the ‘easy’ level, I’ll bet,” Chet chided.
“I did it on ‘normal,’ for your information,” he huffed.
“Well, I did it onLegendary,” Kell murmured, “so shut up and take care of my sister, or I’ll wipe the floor with you when I get back on my feet.”
Dead-Eye gave him a neat salute. Chet shrugged.
“See you later,” Cappie said, kissing her brother’s cheek again.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
