Page 84
THE WATCHER
“I needa minute with the suspects, Doctor.” Rowan stood straight with hands clasped behind their back, never breaking eye contact with Caroline.
“All right. I could use some air anyway.”
The doors swished closed behind them, and Rowan stepped closer to the foot of Caroline’s hovercot. Seeing her there, long ebony hair loose over her white hospital gown, struggling against her titanium restraints… It was as if she’d unmasked herself. No one understood the desire to appear a certain way to others more than Rowan.
The difference was the intent behind the action.
“I suppose you’re enjoying this?” Caroline said, breaking the silence.
Rowan glanced at Jones’s sleeping form next to her, then the still unconscious forms of the locals who’d boarded the TCR. It seemed they had privacy, if only for a bit.
“I take no pleasure in seeing you like this,” Rowan said.
“Liar.” Caroline grinned in a sexy, wicked way.
Sighing, Rowan sat on the edge of Jones’s bed, making it wobble slightly.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“Answers. Who do you work for?”
“A competitor.”
“Which one?”
“Don’t know names.”
Rowan nodded. They figured as much.
“I actually enjoyed spending time with you,” Caroline said, refusing to meet their eyes.
Rowan stiffened.
“Unlike Jones there,” she flipped her hair in the direction of the man behind Rowan. “I didn’t mind being with you.”
“Give me enough credit not to pretend it wasn’t to distract me.” Rowan’s jaw would hurt in the morning with all the clenching they were doing of their teeth.
“Fine. You’re right, okay? Now I’m the one here in restraints. You won. So why are you torturing me?”
“Torturing you?” Rowan stood again and paced between the cots only to come to an abrupt stop right by Caroline. “I told you my name.”
The cowpolks, or whatever they referred to themselves as, in the beds began to stir and Rowan straightened once again, clearing their throat.
“You will be remanded into the custody of the United League of Governments upon our return to the future. I am here to give you one last opportunity to inform us of any additional information that would be of help in apprehending the mastermind behind this plot.”
“I told you I don’t know anything!” Caroline yelled, struggling against her bonds. “I’m supposed to be living the rest of my life in luxury.”
Rowan allowed themselves a grin. “I am quite sure the cells at the rehabilitation facility you will likely be sent to, while not luxurious, have actual plumbing at the very least. If I were you, I would be quiet for the duration of your stay on the Time Capsule Resort. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law.”
“What in tarnation are you supposed to be?” The walking heart attack with muttonchops asked from across the way.
“If you will excuse me, Ms. Song, I shall now endeavor to clean up the considerable mess you’ve made.”
