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We wait to say more until we’re inside the office and the door is closed behind us. “What the hell happened last night? I called you about a zillion times, but you had your phone switched off.” He eyes the bruise on my jaw, the fainter one on my cheekbone.
I’d left a message letting him know I had Blue, and we were fine then silenced my phone.
“Robbie found the location Hoxton had taken her. You talked to him?” I ask.
“Briefly. Told me he told you not to go alone. Like I did. And yet, off you went.”
“You’d have done the same if it was Isabelle.”
“Isabelle is my wife.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to leave Blue with him. And it’s a good thing I didn’t wait. She’d have been dead by this morning.” As I say it, I hear it, and I know it’s true. The thought makes me stop, sending a shudder through me.
Jericho’s mouth opens but he closes it again. “Tell me what happened. Where is she?” he asks more softly.
“Asleep at the house. She’s in pretty bad shape. He beat her. I didn’t get there in time to stop that.”
“That’s not your fault.”
I sigh. I know that on some level but if I’d been with her, he wouldn’t have gotten her.
“We didn’t know about the brother. I’m guessing he’s out of the picture too?”
I nod. “Did they find the body at the compound? Any word on that? I thought they’d have gone into lockdown by now.”
“Me too. But there’s nothing. When I called to let the women’s group know Isabelle wouldn’t be attending today’s lunch, they took note and wished her well and that was that. They’re keeping Hoxton’s death hush-hush.”
“Hmm. Blue and Robbie both mentioned a name last night. Girard.”
Jericho’s forehead furrows. “That settles it. I’m sending Isabelle and the kids away until I know exactly what and who we’re dealing with. What happened last night could have been so much worse. She put my family in danger, Zeke.”
“I hardly think that was her fault.Wetookherto the compound, remember?” Jericho opens his mouth but a knock on the door calls our attention. Jericho calls for whoever it is to come in. We’re both surprised when we see Dex.
Jericho smiles and gets up to greet him. “I told you to take the day off,” he says, looking him over.
“What am I going to do lie around all day? I’m just a little banged up. Nothing major.” He looks at me. “Zeke,” he says in greeting before turning back to Jericho. “I saw Isabelle. Says she’s all right. Is she?”
“Shaken up for sure but physically, she’ll be fine.”
“How’s Blue?” he asks, turning to me.
“She’ll be okay, I think.”
“He came out of nowhere. Just rammed right into us,” Dex says. “I didn’t even see?—"
“Nothing you could have done, Dex,” I say.
Isabelle clears her throat, and we turn to find her standing in the doorway. She looks at Jericho but addresses us. “If you two don’t mind, I’d like to talk to my husband.”
My brother sighs. It’s weirdly satisfying to see how he is when it comes to his wife. I pat his back. “Good luck. I’m going back to the house. I want to be there when Blue wakes up.”
“I’m picking up Robbie in a few hours. Heard she had the flash drive all along,” Jericho says before I leave.
I don’t respond, but I’m sure he sees the clenching of my jaw.
“Robbie and I will come to the Bishop house to figure out next steps. Do not leave until I get there, understand?” Jericho says to me.
“Not planning on it.” I turn to Isabelle. “I’m glad to see you’ll be okay and that the baby wasn’t hurt.”
