Reaper remained in place as Ginny and Agent Collins moved away from the desk at Allerton’s perfunctory dismissal.
“I’m taking into account the importance of you getting your artifact returned, but whatever plans you and Collins have made for the polygraph better include me being present with the list of questions for me to approve beforehand, or my wife will not be taking the test.”
“Of course, Mr. James, you stated the conditions before. My memory isn’t the one that’s faulty.”
“Our driver is waiting, Mr. James,” Agent Collins spoke from the doorway, breaking the tug-of-war between him and Allerton.
Reaper turned on his heel to take Ginny’s arm.
The agent gave him a sharp glance when the elevator doors closed. “That was extremely rude.”
“Fuck you.”
The agent was first off the elevator, the heels of his shoes clicking on the polished floor as they walked through the maze of corridors.
He held the door open for them to go outside. “How do you think antagonizing Mr. Allerton will benefit your wife, Mr. James?” Agent Collins kept his tone even as he joined them outside.
Reaper was sick of all the bullshit, stopping midstride to confront the man behind him. “How about you give me the straight-up truth? From where I’m standing, this shitshow is all about throwing Ginny under the bus. What I don’t get is why you’re aiding and abetting Allerton?”
“I am not aiding Mr. Allerton. I’m facilitating both Mrs. James and Mr. Allerton to reach a mutual conclusion that will allow both of them to move onward with their lives.”
“That son of bitch has billions of dollars; he can buy any fucking artifact he wants. I’ve offered to make restitution, and Allerton’s refusal shows he has no intention of moving on. I’m giving you fair notice, after Ginny takes that polygraph, I want a plane waiting to take us back to the States.”
“Mr. James, what you want doesn’t matter, nor what I want. After the test, if Mrs. James shows no deception, I’m sure Mr. Allerton will allow both of you to return to the States.”
“And if she fails?”
“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come with it. Mrs. James says she has no memory of the event. If she’s being truthful, I can see no reason for Mr. Allerton to prevent both of you from leaving, if that’s what Mrs. James desires.”
“Why in the fuck would she want to stay?”
Agent Collins looked inquiringly toward Ginny. “To stay with her mother until her father arrives back to the island. Which would you prefer—to go or to wait for your father?”
Instead of Ginny immediately saying she was ready to get the fuck off the island, she gave him a pleading look for understanding. “I want to do whatever Agent Collins advises.”
What the fuck? Was he in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone?
Wanting nothing more than to get their asses out of there, Reaper wanted to shake Ginny silly for showing support to the agent. Instead, snapping his mouth closed, he strode rapidly to the Moke, leaving Ginny and Agent Collins to hurry after him.
Already seated in the Moke, he shrugged his arm away when Ginny reached out to touch him. The short drive didn’t alleviate his anger. However, despite how furious he was, when he stepped out the Moke, he stopped long enough to help Ginny out, then took her arm to hustle her into the bungalow. Once inside, he refused to release the simmering anger.
Certain the electronic devices he destroyed each time they left the bungalow had been replaced, Reaper went in the bedroom and began sweeping the room. Rather than return to the living room where Ginny was, he sat down on the side of the bed to stare at the devices clenched in his fist.
Why did she want to do what Agent Collins advised? Fucking hell. What was she thinking? The memory of their afternoon together had him going into the other room to place the bugs in the glass jar.
Her eyes followed him across the floor as he went back into the bedroom to sit down on the bed again.
Closing the door she crossed the floor to sit down next to him.
“Ginny ….”
Ginny placed a gentle finger on his lips. “Trust me,” she whispered.
“I do. I just don’t trust those fuckers.” He meant his words. He did trust her.
In rehab, after Taylor had left him, he had sworn never to trust another soul, yet here he was, in a position to trust Ginny’s ability to navigate the quagmire they were in. He had to hold off from busting her chops about her decision.
Ginny took his hand in hers. “If I can convince Agent Collins to let you leave the island, would you go without me?”
“No.”
“Even if I beg?” she pleaded with him.
“Are you?” Reaper raised a brow at her.
“Yes.”
“I still wouldn’t go.”
“I want to leave as badly as you do,” she said softly. “I have to do this.” She took his hand in hers squeezing it tightly.
“Somehow, I have to make amends. I can’t do it if I leave before this is finished. Both Allerton and I have to pay for what happened on Clindale. I was a child and didn’t know what I was doing; he did. I have to find out what I took that is so important he’s willing to kill anyone to get it back. When I find that out, my questions will be answered and I can stop running.”
Reaper removed his hand from hers and began writing, opting not to whisper.
Whatever it was you took is long gone. How will it make a difference if you remember what it was?
Ginny took the pen.
It’ll make a difference to me. I won’t have to hide anymore. I can return it back to Allerton or the FBI. I can have a life with Trudy, my niece or nephew, and with you, if that’s what you want. I can’t live closed off from them anymore. I didn’t die in that plane crash … I might have another name, but Evangeline is still here.
I’ve never lost sight of who I am and how the islanders took me into their hearts and made me one of them. I can’t betray them by running away twice. I was too young to take Allerton on before. I’m not a child any longer. At least if I go down, this time, he’ll have to answer to everyone who cares about me. Allerton may be powerful enough to kill, make over a hundred native islanders disappear, yet he can’t vanquish an army without coming out of hiding. If at the end of the day, all I’m able to accomplish is to expose him enough for everyone to see him for what he is, I’m good with that, especially if it prevents one more person from becoming his next victim.
Ginny took his hand again, and he shook his head at her naïveté. “Military battles that were fought for a cause have been lost and misrepresented since time began.”
“That’s very true,” Ginny agreed. “But how many have come up against an army that is unbeatable?”
“Nymph, I’ve got a news flash for you. You and me together isn’t much of an army.”
“It is when one of them is a secret weapon.”
Reaper lips curled in amusement. “Who’s the secret weapon?”
“Allerton thinks he’s taking on a defenseless woman who has only you to protect me. It hasn’t dawned on him yet who he’s fucking with.”
His smile slipped at her seriousness. Was she talking about Agent Collins? “And who would that be?”