Page 42 of Sawyer’s Mistake

“Hey, Saoirse. I think caught a damned stomach bug.”

“Can I bring you some food?”

“Ah, no, no food. I’ll be down to help with lunch in a bit.”

“That’s okay,” Saoirse replied. “Prado and I will prepare a gourmet meal of canned corn chowder and crackers.”

On the other side of the door, Eva made a strangled noise. “Maybe my stomach’s not quite up for that yet. Do we still have any apples left?”

“Sure. I’ll cut one up for you and bring it up, ok?”

“Thank you, Saoirse,” Eva said, closing the door. Saoirse could hear her shuffling steps back to the bed.

It made Saoirse’s heart hurt to see her friend look so pale. What would they do if she were really sick? She made her way downstairs quietly and joined Prado in the kitchen. He nodded in her direction.

“I’m worried about Eva,” she said.

He nodded, looking tense. Of course, he’d noticed as well.

“What are we going to do if it’s not just a stomach bug? What if she’s really sick? What if it’s appendicitis, or …”

“That’s not what appendicitis looks like, Saoirse,” he said gently.

“How can you be sure?”

“Well, check this out, for one,” he said, lifting his brown T-shirt to reveal narrow hips and a chiseled stomach.

Look at that.

She was taken aback by the wall of muscle but found herself admiring it as one would a beautiful sculpture in a museum. The sight of it didn’t make her mouth water the way it did when she saw Sawyer’s six-pack.

You’ve got it bad, girl.

He pointed out a thin scar peeking out of his pants on the left side.

“I was twenty-three years old,” he said. “I’d just joined the Spanish National Police. It started out as a slight twinge after lunch, and by two am I was writhing in agony. I was young and stupid. I didn’t want to say anything. By the time the surgeon got to it, my appendix was ready to rupture.”

Saoirse swallowed. “Okay. She’s been sick for a couple days now but not complaining of any specific pain.”

“It’s not appendicitis, Saoirse,” he said, letting his T-shirt fall back. “Leave her alone for a bit and let’s see how she’s feeling tonight, okay?”

“Do you think they’ll be back by then?”

He chuckled. She blushed, realizing she’d voiced the same question out loud several times already in the last twenty-four hours.

“I’m sure they’ll be back soon. Come with me to the lab for a minute,” he said. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

She followed him outside to the van. He opened the back doors and stepped up easily while she clambered up ungracefully after him.

What a difference those five inches make.

He started fiddling with the radio equipment on the wall. “Now, I don’t want you to worry,” he began. “It’s nothing to do with the team,” he added quickly.

She laughed. “You know that’s exactly what you should say if you ever want someone to get worried, right?”

He didn’t even crack a smile.

“This recording came through late last night.” His hand stilled as he found what he was looking for. Suddenly, the silence in the van was replaced by the Remur’s snarls.