“Yes, he was.” She looked down into the depths of the amber tea in her cup. “I’ve got to call his wife and tell her how sorry I am that—” She drew a shaky breath. “No, not yet. She doesn’t even know me. I have to be able to tell her that the man who did this won’t be able to hurt anyone else ever again.” She turned and sat down in the easy chair at the desk. “So that means it has to be soon.” She took out her phone. “I won’t be able to think of anything else until I get it done. Oh, yes, I’ll be persistent. To everyone and in every way, to try to make it up to all those people on your list.” She started to punch in Palik’s number. “Because I have debts to pay, too.”

“My list,” Caleb said. “Not yours, Jane.”

“Bullshit.” She smiled recklessly. “Wrong answer. That’s why you’ve been so blind about what we could be together. I have very specific requirements in that regard. Catch up or I might leave you behind, Caleb.”

His lips tightened as he met her gaze. “Never.”

“We’ll see.” Palik had answered and she spoke into the phone. “Palik, Jane.” She was still holding Caleb’s gaze as she continued, “Since Caleb seems to be under the weather, I thought that perhaps you and I should be talking about the Judas you’re going to supply us…”

*  *  *

Courtyard
MacDuff’s Run
11:40 P.M.

“What are we doing out here?” Rodland asked Caleb as he strolled toward him from the direction of the burnt-out gate. “Jane’s not going to like it. Aren’t you supposed to be an invalid?”

“No, don’t be ridiculous. I took a nap earlier in the evening. I’m okay.” His lips curved sardonically. “And there’s not much that Jane does like about me at the moment. She couldn’t wait to leave my room after Palik texted her those military records we were waiting for earlier tonight. I hardly think she’d object if I took a midnight stroll around the property.” He glanced up at the window on the second floor. “And her lights are still on. She’s evidently very busy.”

“My question is why aren’t you busy?” Rodland asked. “And why did you let her walk out on you?”

“I’m trying to give her space,” Caleb said. “She’s the one who needs healing time. The one way I’d be sure to make her leave is if I insisted on her staying with me.” He added, “You should have learned that since you’ve spent so much time with her.”

“You hurt her,” Rodland said. “But that doesn’t mean she’d leave you.”