25

 

Jason came to, with a pounding headache, gasping against the water dripping from his face. Another bucketful hit him full on and he spluttered, trying not to swallow any of it. He lifted his head, seeing two Edwins slowly merging into one. Where’s Freddie? What have they done with her?

He couldn’t move, his hands bound tightly behind the chair he sat on, his ankles tied to the legs. He shook his head to get the water from his eyes, only making the headache worse. “Why?”

“Why what?” Edwin put his hands on his hips and smirked.

“Why did you betray everything?” He struggled to get the words past the lump in his throat and the pain.

“I didn’t. The clues were there, if only you bothered to look. But I’m more interested in Ms. Flynn here.” He moved out of Jason’s field of vision.

“Freddie? If you hurt her, I’ll—” Jason tried to move, freezing as a gun barrel pressed against his head.

“You’ll what? I don’t think you can do anything right now.” Edwin’s voice came from behind him. “Why did you pursue this when you were told specifically to work on other cases, Freddie?”

“Mrs. Rafferty rang to check the progress we’d made. You weren’t available so I took the call. You hadn’t put anyone on the case. I didn’t understand why, so I took it on. Admittedly, you didn’t make it easy, burying it the way you did, but I found it.” Her voice wavered slightly, but she had lost none of the spunk Jason loved so much about her.

“I also told you to come home.”

“Did you? When?”

“I sent both you and Bryant a text. At least he replied, even if it was a no.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I haven’t had the chance to pick up my messages, yet.” She paused. “I’m not going to explain. My friends don’t need it, and my enemies wouldn’t believe me, anyway.”

Edwin slapped her.

Jason winced at the cry of pain. “Leave her alone. What kind of a coward hits a woman?” He tried to get his hands free, anger rising.

Edwin moved back into his field of vision. “Are you calling me a coward?”

“If the cap fits.” He stared at Edwin. “I wanted to be just like you when I was a kid. That’s why I applied to the company when I got back to England. Now I wish I hadn’t.” He took a deep breath. “Apart from the fact it meant I found Freddie again.”

“I love a happy ending. How about this one? Ms. Flynn and Mr. Bryant, your employment is hereby terminated. You’re fired.”

“Was that Rafferty’s body in the crypt?” Freddie’s voice sounded strange, as if she were struggling to get the words out.

“It was, but I didn’t personally kill him.” He looked over at Nick. “Let’s go.”

“You can’t leave us here.” Jason twisted his head

Edwin laughed. “I can and I will. You have five minutes. Make the most of it.”

Footsteps echoed as the men moved quickly down the tunnels.

Freddie took a deep breath. “What did he mean by we have five minutes?”

“I don’t know.” Jason closed his eyes for a moment, trying to deal with the headache. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you when he hit you?”

“No, he didn’t. I’m fine. What about you? Nick hit you pretty hard.”

“I’ve got a headache, but that comes with being pistol whipped.” He wriggled his hands against the rope. “How long was I out for?”

“Not long. The few minutes it took to tie us up, basically. Can you get free? I never was any good at knots.”

“Did they not teach you that in spy school?” Jason moved his hands. “You should have been a Girl Guide, instead.”

“Then it’s a good job I’m tied up with a Boy Scout, isn’t it?”

“Almost there.” Jason paused as he concentrated on untying himself. “Done.” He pushed to his feet, trying to work out the stiffness. He closed his eyes, fighting a wave of dizziness, before pushing it aside. There’d be plenty of time to be sick once he got her safely out of here. He took a deep breath and knelt to untie her bonds. “Are you a sight for sore eyes.”

“Can you walk, Jace?”

Not letting on how dizzy he was, Jason picked up the pack. “It’s my head that hurts, not my legs. Let’s go.”

He gripped her hand firmly. At that precise moment everything around him exploded in a massive blast of rock, light, and heat. For a terrifying moment he was airborne.

Someone screamed.

Then he hit the ground. Pain soared through him, followed by blackness.