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“We’ve got thirty minutes until we leave. You need some time alone, so I’ll go for a walk while you’re icing.” Mark stretched his arms above his head and grabbed his phone from the bedside table.
“Okay, but no running. Remember, you’re still injured, too.” Grateful for some regrouping time, she didn’t like being the only one chastised to be careful.
“No worries. My ribs need at least a month more to heal. Back soon.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head and left.
Alone, she swallowed half an oxycodone dose to beat back her pain but not dull her senses. Whatever challenges the Raven presented, she wanted to be sharp to face them. Over three hundred e-mails had piled up in her inbox on her laptop. Lacking the concentration to focus, she admired the River Ness, instead. The fresh air and open sky beckoned her toward freedom, far away from this mess. Seeking escape, she daydreamed about swimming in a warm, tropical sea alongside Mark and drinking fruity cocktails garnished with paper umbrellas.
An annoying buzz from her mobile interrupted her respite. Declan. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she gathered her patience before answering, “Hello?”
“Tess, are you alone?”
Sensing the taut urgency in his voice, she dreaded more bad news. “Yes. Have the police found David?”
“No. What the hell were you thinking? We need to talk.”
Certain he was fuming, she heard the indignation dripping from his voice. Not eager to rehash the morning’s awkward café discussion, Tess winced and suppressed a groan. “Fine.”
“Why are you shutting me out?”
“I’m not. I’m searching for answers to find David, and I’ll know more by morning.” She straightened her posture and braced against his resentment.
“You’re hiding a hell of a lot more than you’re letting on.”
Stung by the accusation in his voice, she couldn’t tell whether he was more hurt than angry and chose her words carefully. “I don’t have any answers yet.”
“Come on. Kyle and I were friends for fifteen years, and you’re such a crap liar. I trust you and David and can’t figure out what changed. And, you don’t get a monopoly on missing Kyle. I miss him, too. Every single, bloody day.”
“I know.” Knowing she’d cry if she spoke about Kyle, she steered him in another direction. “Look, Kingsley Tech is under siege. We can’t predict what form this attack will take, but the hackers could blackmail anyone to get what they want.”
“Fuck, I’m not compromised. Since Cedarcliff, I’ve worked nonstop. When you were kidnapped, we never hesitated, and we had your back. Do you have mine?”
With laser-like precision, Declan’s provocation hit its mark, and she took the guilt square in her gut like a physical blow. Consumed by her own trauma at Cedarcliff, she hadn’t contemplated much about her colleagues’ struggles. “Of course, I’ve got your back. I’m chasing a lead to help us rescue David unharmed, and I’m prepared to risk whatever it takes.”
“Just don’t be all American about it and rush in with guns blazing. Though you might survive that, too.”
“Not without lots of damage.” Staring at her injured leg, Tess shivered and studied her fingers, glad to see all five digits intact. Never mind the emotional damage, which was worse. “These bastards are fond of torture, and we have zero guarantee we’ll rescue David alive. The less you know, the safer you’ll be.”
“Christ, you take me for a snitch, but I’d never spill a secret. Yet, you trust this doctor you’ve known for, what, a whole week now? Why?” Declan grunted.
Snap. “Because Mark almost died for me. They broke his ribs and punctured his lung, but he still risked taking a bullet in the face so I could escape.” This time, she didn’t filter her response.
“Shite.” Declan whistled under his breath.
“Your loyalty isn’t on trial here. This is my best shot to help David before the ransom deadline, but this also involves Kyle.” With Declan cooling his heels a bit, she released her shoulders.
“Kyle? How?”
Declan’s voice grew quieter and less accusatory, and she exhaled. “He left behind a puzzle only I can solve, but I’ve got to hurry. The answer could help us save David.”
“Wait, where are you? Are you safe?”
She held her breath while deciding how much to reveal. “I’m in Scotland with Mark. I’ll phone you the second we arrive in London.” Eager to get off the phone, she closed her eyes.
“Take every precaution, okay? Don’t be an effing hero.”
“I promise.” After the smackdown from Mark and another from Declan, she felt every ounce of her mortality and vulnerability. Great.
“You damn well better call, Bennett, or I’ll send a search party the feckin’ size of Gibraltar north to find you.”
