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“What happened with your brother?”
“Oh,” Eve sighs, her eyes flitting to mine through thick midnight lashes. “George screamed, and I think it jarred him. It must have because Joe freaked out and threw him across the room. I don’t know how he didn’t kill him, but Jess ended up in hospital with a broken rib when she tried to wake him up.”
“No soldier comes home from war unscathed.” It’s the one unavoidable truth about deployment. “We all have scars. Physical, emotional, mental…they’re all there like cancer. Festering, growing, spreading.”
This conversation is too weighty to be had in this room where twenty-four hours ago, she was bleeding out. Truthfully, the only thing I want right now is to get out of here and take her home with me.
“Still want to get out of here?”
A slow, sad smile spreads across her pretty face. Tear-tracked or not, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. “Yes. Please.”
“We can take a walk, maybe get the Clipper from Westminster Pier all the way down to the Tower. It’s a short walk from there back to my place, and Rufus will enjoy it.”
“Rufus?”
“I told you I have someone to introduce you to. He’s old and grumpy, but he’s my best mate. We understand each other.”
As we’re walking out of the room, Eve pauses and turns to me. “I’m glad that you’re here,” she tells me, rolling onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to my jaw. “I’m glad Andrew saved you.”
“Me too.”
* * *
The buzz of my mobile grows louder on my bedside table. It’s dark, and Rufus’ snoring echoes from the chaise by the window. Simon’s name glares at me as I glance at the phone and sit up in bed. Eve’s sound asleep as I get up and pad quietly out of the bedroom.
“Is she with you?” he asks before I greet him.
“It’s three in the morning,” I groan as I take the stairs down to my office nook. Before I sit at my desk, I open the window to allow the air to circulate when I light my cigarette. “Eve’s asleep.”
Simon’s not happy, and when Julian joins the call, he’s not best pleased either. I’m not sure why they’re so put out by Eve and me. It’s not like I’ve disappeared or stopped doing my duties.
“What do you have?” I ask Simon, ignoring his and Julian’s jibes at me.
“Good news and bad news,” he replies. “Chapman isn’t interested in Elizabeth.”
“She needs to work harder, then.”
“She wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t left that fucking button in his mistress’ mouth. That was stupid and careless, and you should know better. Come on, you’re the highly trained GI Joe captain, commander, whatever it is they call you now…”
He drones on and on until Julian says, “Chapman knew we’d retaliate. That’s not why he’s not taking the bait.”
“What the fuck do you know about what he’s taking or not taking or the whys and hows?” Simon barks at him.
He’s on edge. I’ve known Simon all my life; I know how he works and what gets to him. Whatever’s got him fretting can’t be good if he’s being so bearish.
“He’s closing himself off,” Julian continues with a bored sigh, as though he’s had enough of Simon’s tantrum. “When you’re under attack, you batten down the hatches, and you protect yourself. He’s not letting a stranger close.”
“So what’s our approach now?”
“Chapman’s second-in-command,” Julian answers. “I’ve been digging through old police files and anything I can get my hands on from past investigations.”
“Are those relevant to us?” Julian’s got a big libel case between a cabinet minister and an ex-advisor that the media are going crazy for. He doesn’t need to be focusing on anything else that isn’t going to help us.
“I’m not sure, but it’s odd that every investigation fizzles out as it starts getting hot. The last time, all evidence had to be dismissed because one of the officers on the investigation didn’t catalogue it properly at the scene. It’s really basic shit that gets him off every time. I sent you an email with some of the details. Usual password.”
Signing on to my Mac, I go to the encrypted email he sent. After a quick glance through it while he and Simon continue debating what to do with Elizabeth, the only thought that comes to mind on Julian’s research is that maybe the United Republic wants to use Chapman for more than his brute force.
“Do you think he’s got someone on the force?” I ask, taking one last pull from my smoke before I put it out.
