Page 119 of Wild Escape

The color drained from her face, and she trembled with nerves.

I pushed away from the table, moved to the door, and a guard buzzed me out. I talked to the sheriff in the hallway afterward.

"The computer forensic guys are going through those files now. That's going to keep us busy with arrests for the next several months."

He was probably right. Dean Montgomery would be picked up in the morning.

My phone buzzed with a call from Jack. "Where the hell are you?"

"Long story. I'll tell you all about it. I'm on my way back up to the club."

I left the station, picked Jack up at Vibe, and as usual, there was a small afterparty aboard the boat. I told Jack about everything, and he was a little disappointed he missed the action.

After watching all these people betray one another, I was doubly thankful for a friend like Jack.

Daniels called the next day and told me Kenzie was getting discharged. She’d be transferred to the jail and processed. “I talked to Audrey. Doug is out of his coma and alert. Looks like he’s going to pull through. Audrey says he’s going to pay for his daughter’s criminal defense and stand by her.”

“Maybe all of this will make them closer,” I said. “I hope Kenzie gets her priorities straight.”

“She’ll have a long time to think about things,” Daniels said. “By the way, your friend is getting processed out today. The state’s attorney dismissed the charges, and the dagger has been returned to its rightful owner.” Then he added, “I hope she keeps her ass out of trouble.”

“Time will tell, I suppose.”

It wasn’t long after I talked to the sheriff when I got a collect call from an “Inmate at the Coconut County Jail. Will you accept the charges?”

“Yes.”

After a beat, the line cleared, “Hey, it’s your favorite person.”

“Who?”

“Shut up. Listen, I’m getting sprung.”

“I heard.”

“Thank you. I owe it all to you.”

“I think we’re even.”

“Not really,” she said in a mischievous voice. “How about you pick me up? I’ll buy you a drink.”

“I could be tempted.”

“Good. I’ll see you on the outside.”

I figured, why the hell not?

Before I left, I got a call from Hendrick. He was the last person I expected to hear from.

“I wanted to give you a heads up,” he said. “The Codex has come onto the market. I’ve acquired it from a Russian collector who will remain nameless. I will be returning it to Douglas, where it belongs.”

“That’s mighty kind of you.”

“I just want to make clear that I had no involvement in the book’s theft.”

I tended to believe him. “I’m sure Douglas will appreciate its return. I hear he’s recovering well now.”

“Prayerfully that continues.”