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“Sean committed suicide, remember?”
“I don’t believe that now anymore than you do.”
“What changed your mind? It sure as hell wasn’t me.”
“I thought about what you’d said and decided to do a little investigating of my own. I assume whatever’s going on with you being wanted for questioning by the Italian police has something to do with whoever killed Sean?”
Trent seized on the opportunity to redirect the conversation. “Halli accidentally filmed the shooting of the cop found dead at my place, and in about an hour we’ll meet the killer to exchange her video and the one million dollars for the release of her brother.”
“Same man who killed Sean?” Greg pressed.
“Yes.”
His father’s lips thinned, his fingers tightened until is knuckle were white, but he nodded calmly, his gaze transferring from Trent to Halli, and back to Trent again.
“What’s our plan?”
After one beat of hesitation, Trent swallowed his pride. With his father added to the mix, Halli’s argument that Trent needed her to drive the second boat was null and void. She could stay behind where it was safe and he could focus on rescuing Ben. He explained Halli’s idea.
Color rose in her cheeks as he spoke. In the middle of a question from his father, she gave a sharp shake of her head.
“I’m driving the other boat.”
Trent clenched his jaw. “Halli, I told you that discussion is over.”
“Since when does your order qualify as a discussion?”
“Since your safety is my first concern.”
“The damn video has been your first concern all along.”
Trent ignored the sting of that accusation. “Nice try, but I’m all guilted out.”
She pushed to her feet, blue eyes snapping. “You try to leave me behind and I’ll raise holy hell.”
Quiet settled after she’d stomped up the short set of stairs to the deck.
“She’s got some fire.”
“Yeah, I know,” Trent muttered.
“Reminds me of your brother.”
Trent cast a quelling look at his father and followed Halli above deck. A peek into the family closet of skeletons was enough for today. Right now, he had more important things to focus on. Like the woman strangling the railing as she stared across the water.
When she spotted him, her chin lifted in that defiant way of hers. Just as he expected; reasoning with her would be out of the question. He stood beside her without saying a word, biding their limited time.
She glanced sideways and shifted her stance. “I’m sorry I said you only cared about the video.”
“You’ve ranked above the video from the moment I tossed you in my car.”
Her chin lowered a notch. Not quite a nod of agreement, but it was something. He leaned over to bump shoulders with her. “If I say please, will you stay?”
“No.”
Another bump. “Pretty please?”
“No.”
