Chapter 24
CHAPTER 24
SLOANE HAD CLEARLY been busy, because when we landed at Silver Springs, a local private airfield, there was a convoy of SUVs waiting to pick us up. We took the weapons and any sensitive equipment off the plane with us and left the rest. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.
Akari rode in the back of one of the vehicles with Black again, but this time I didn’t mind. I was just pleased she didn’t look as miserable as she had on the first leg of the journey. I hopped into the second car beside Jed, practising my anti-interrogation technique once more. It was a good plan until I remembered he snored worse than Evan, although a well-placed elbow to his ribs soon solved that problem.
The grandfather clock in the hallway was striking midnight when we got back to Riverley Hall. I’d only had a couple of hours’ sleep in the last two days, and I was dead on my feet. Looking around, it seemed I wasn’t alone.
“Do you want to find Akari a bed, or shall I?” I asked Black. What I really meant was, “Is she sleeping in the same room as you?”
I forced myself to breathe while I waited for his answer. Each tick of the clock felt like a pin being pushed into my heart.
“The lavender room’s small but it’s got the nicest view, as long as nobody’s in it already.” Yes, his house was posh enough that the rooms were named.
Relief washed through me. “It’s empty. You get some rest, and I’ll make sure she’s settled.”
Black started to yawn then snapped his mouth shut. “Thanks. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The adrenaline of our Colombian adventure had worn off, and around us, the rest of the team stumbled like zombies as they headed for their beds. I motioned for Akari to follow me up to her room and rummaged through the wardrobe for sleepwear. “Use what you want from the bathroom and press speed-dial one on the phone to get through to the night-time security team if you need anything.”
She nodded, and I half walked, half crawled through to my own bed and passed out.
For once I slept without dreaming—a blessed gift. Had my subconscious, which had replayed Black’s death for me so many times, finally understood he was alive and decided to shut up? I sincerely hoped so.
In the morning, I woke feeling refreshed, but it was only seconds before a wave of panic crashed over me. What if the whole Colombian episode had been a figment of my overactive night-time imagination?
I crept along the corridor to Black’s room and snuck inside, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw him laid out on the bed in front of me. His top half was naked. I didn’t know whether he was wearing anything on the bottom half because a sheet covered it, but the dirty part of my mind wanted to imagine not.
As if sensing me there, he stirred, lazily opening one eye and then the other.
“What’s up?”
Oh, how I’d missed his husky voice in the mornings.
“Just checking I wasn’t imagining things.”
“I’ve pinched myself a couple of times, but I’m definitely here. And boy am I glad to be back home. I’ve spent months sleeping on a dirty floor, so having a mattress back is a luxury.” He stretched his arms out then peered over at the clock on his nightstand. “I’m not sure I’ve ever slept for twelve hours before. I’d better get out of bed seeing as I’ve got eight months to catch up on.”
My pulse raced. It was my fault he’d spent so long locked up. Mine .
And now he was looking at me, waiting for me to leave. The old Black wouldn’t have done that. He’d have got up and dressed in front of me while I pretended not to look.
Things so weren’t right between us.
I didn’t know what to say, and coward that I was, I backed towards the door instead.
“Okay, I’ll see you downstairs.”
A little wave, and I closed the door without waiting for an answer then cursed myself. Why did I always lose the words?
Emmy, you’re an idiot.
As I walked through the downstairs hallway, I almost tripped over the pile of boxes from Eduardo. Sloane must have got someone to unload them. Curiosity got the better of me, and I flipped the lids open. Flowers, ball gowns, and enough sparkles to start my own jewellery shop nestled neatly in packing foam. I had a rummage. Bless him, he’d even put in a pair of matching silver pistols. His and hers? Nope, mine and mine. I decided I could get used to shiny things, but I’d never tell Bradley that.
I carried on to the kitchen and fixed myself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. As I sat down to eat, Nick walked in, dressed in a pair of boxer shorts and a wrinkled T-shirt, closely followed by Luke and Mack, who looked a bit dishevelled.
“Good night?” I smiled, and she turned red. I couldn’t help chuckling.
According to Bradley, he’d had to start buying extra condoms for the supply closet since they’d moved in. At least somebody was getting some, even if it wasn’t me anymore. No chance I’d be hopping back into bed with Jed now that Black was home.
Luke didn’t share Mack’s embarrassment, but he did seem slightly nervous when he greeted me. He hadn’t yet met Black, I realised. Okay, that had the potential to be awkward. I needed to fill Black in on the story there before he worked it out for himself.
They all joined me at the breakfast bar, with the two lovebirds opting for toast and Nick pouring out a bowl of Coco Krispies. I didn’t even know those were in the house, and I very much doubted Toby did either, or he’d have had a heart attack.
“Where did you get those?”
“Cupboard,” Nick answered.
“Any idea how they got there?”
“I asked Bradley to bring them. You want some? I’ve got Frosted Flakes as well.”
“No, I’m good with muesli.”
Now Black was back, I wanted things to return to normal, or as close to normal as possible given everything that had happened. That included sorting out my diet, getting my exercise regime on track, and going back to work. Black deserved some time off, so that left Nate, Nick and me to run things.
I was raising another spoonful of muesli to my mouth when Akari appeared in the doorway, dressed in the pair of pyjamas and robe I’d found for her last night.
“I’ve got a pain.” She clutched at her stomach.
Oh, shoot. We had a pregnant woman with stomach pain! Now what? A doctor. She needed a doctor.
“Hospital. Yes, hospital.”
I jumped up to get a car.
Black appeared behind her, dressed by now although he still hadn’t shaved. I couldn’t get used to him with a beard and long hair.
“What’s going on?”
“Akari’s got stomach pains. We’re going to the hospital. You should come too, for a checkup.”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t know that. You’ve been drugged with goodness knows what and stuck in a dungeon for the best part of a year. Stop arguing and get in the car.”
He opened his mouth, and I thought he was going to say something, but he acquiesced and came outside with us. The Explorers were on the drive where we’d abandoned them last night, and I yanked open the driver’s side door of the nearest one. Black helped Akari into the back then Mack, who decided she didn’t want to be left behind, rushed out of the house carrying her coffee in an insulated cup and leapt in beside her. That left Black to take the seat next to me, and we were off.
We made it to the hospital in record time, leaving a trail of disgruntled drivers in our wake. Mack was hyperventilating by the time we got there, and even Black had pressed his foot on an imaginary brake pedal at a couple of points during the trip.
“Your driving hasn’t improved, I see,” he said wryly.
Neither had my parking. I abandoned the vehicle right outside the front doors. It was easier to have it towed and get Bradley to bring me another one than to try and find a free space in that place. There were some perks to being rich. Just sue me.
Inside, I herded everyone up to the desk where the receptionist peered over her ugly glasses and asked my name.
“Emerson Black.”
I tried to explain that I wasn’t the one needing treatment, but she held up her hand, stopping me.
“Address?”
I told her.
“We’ve got you down as dead.”
“Well, clearly I’m not.”
“The computer says you are.” Her tone said the computer didn’t lie.
“Fine, have it your way. I don’t need a doctor anyway. It’s Charles Black and...”
More typing. I tried to finish my sentence, and the hand came up again.
“He’s dead too. Look, if this is some kind of joke...”
“Okay, okay, leave that one. Let’s go with Akari Takeda.”
“Male or female?”
Good grief, why me?
“As Charles Black, dead or alive, is obviously a man, and the rest of us are women, I’m gonna go with female.”
“There’s no need to get snippy.”
I bit my tongue as her fingers pecked at the keyboard again.
“She’s not on the system.”
“I know. Can you please add her and get a fu...get a doctor?”
“I’ll need her insurance details.” The woman was going to breathe fire in a minute.
“She hasn’t got insurance. I’ll pay cash.”
“I’ll have to do a credit check.”
“Look, lady, I just bought you a new paediatric wing. I think I’m good for a checkup.”
She glared at me, sucking in a breath. “Well...”
I gave up and marched past the desk towards the ER. She leapt out of her seat to follow me, but Black slowed her down by leaning on the lift-up section of her desk so she couldn’t get past. Oh, the joys of teamwork.
I left them arguing and went to find somebody who could actually help.