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Ethan comes in at this point. “You know what a difficult position this places us in. Placesmein.”
I do. He has no need to spell it out. Still, he chooses to.
“We can’t let her go, Jack. You realise that.”
I close my eyes, draw in a deep breath. Ethan Savage is about to issue an instruction I can’t obey. I swore my loyalty and obedience to Ethan’s father a dozen years ago, and again to him when he took over as head of the family. I have never once contemplated breaking my oath. Until today.
“Jack.” Ethan leans forward in his seat. “I can see how difficult this is for you.”
“Boss,” I begin. “Can’t we…?”
“Can’t we what?” His tone is gentle, but his expression implacable. If there was another solution, he’d have thought of it by now. His first priority is the good of our Bratva, as it should be. I’ve always understood that, respected him for it. He is ruthless and driven but never unnecessarily cruel.
I have no answer to his question. I fall silent.
“Would it help if I do it? Or Aaron?” There is genuine regret in his voice.
“No!” I leap to my feet to pace the floor. There’s no way I’ll let a stranger harm her. Kill her. No matter how quickly, however painless they might make it. Ruth Lowison is my responsibility.
And I love her.
How and why, I have no idea, but in this moment I know I do. And I also love being Ethan Savage’s second-in-command. It’s my life, my world. I have to find a way round this. I have to square this circle.
“Give me some time. A few days. Like you say, Beth might change her mind, and if she does, that’ll make Ruth family. She’ll have reason not to betray us. We could take a chance on her then.”
Ethan nods. “That’s true. Blood’s thicker than water and all that. It wouldn’t guarantee her silence, but it might be enough to tip the balance if she knew she’d be wrecking her sister’s life by going to her colleagues or superiors with what she knows. Or if she thought I might harm Beth or Jacob in revenge.”
It’s a ludicrous idea, but Ruth might buy it, if it comes to that.
“Ruth doesn’t know that Beth is here, or that I even know where she is. I could tell her, but if I do she’ll be desperate to make contact with her sister…”
“She won’t go away quietly,” Ethan finishes my thought for me.
“Probably not. I could keep her locked up, though, until Beth finally relents.” I can see merit in that proposal, not least because it keeps Ruth at Caernbro Ghyll. With me.
Ethan is thoughtful. Long minutes tick past before he meets my gaze again. “Okay, here’s what I’ll agree to. You have a week, both of you,” his gaze includes Aaron as well as me, “to get Beth to come around or find some other way to keep the sister quiet. I’m open to ideas.”
“Thank you,” I manage. “I appreciate it.”
“I daresay you’re keen to get back to Glasgow.”
“Yes. I should…”
Ethan nods. “Keep me in the loop, my friend. And remember, I trust you to do the right thing.”
“Same.” He could have issued the instruction. I know he wanted to, was about to say the words that would have ruined all that I stand for and would have presented me with an impossible choice to make.
He spared me that. I owe him.
Tony commandeeredone of our helicopters, and the other is in use for the school run, so I have to scrounge a ride on a motor launch, then drive from Oban. The journey back to Caernbro Ghyll takes a few hours. It’s dusk by the time I crunch to a halt on the gravel in front of the mansion.
Once inside, I’m tempted to go straight up to see Ruth, but I detour to the kitchen for a beer first. I find Rome by the fridge, on the same mission.
“Hey,” he greets me. “Want one?”
I accept the can and snap it open. “You found the girl, then.” I’ve been receiving the reports all day so I’m aware of what happened, and the state Jenna Delaney was in when they found her.
Rome nods. “Nasty business. She’s lucky to be alive. I don’t think she would have been if it had taken us much longer.”
