“Holy shit,” Cal said. He let go of Jennifer. Durell did the same. All three scrambled to their feet and glared at each other. Durell was holding the chair leg, entertaining the idea of using it on Jennifer the way she’d used it on him. Blood was oozing from his hairline.

“That was not necessary,” Cal snarled.

“You are the ones that are keeping me in this Black Hole of Calcutta,” Jennifer lashed back.

Durell lowered his weapon, rationality gaining supremacy. But he still glared at Jennifer. Cal returned to the other room, wincing as his fingers found the highly tender spot where Jennifer had hit him on the shoulder, aiming for his head. He grabbed one of the bathrobes he’d seen on the couch and brought it back into the bedroom. He handed it to Jennifer and told her to put it on.

Cal returned to the other room and sat gingerly on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position for his shoulder. Durell broke off from literally challenging Jennifer to give him an excuse to hit her with the chair leg. He followed Cal and sat on the couch as well. Jennifer stalked out after him. She had put on the bathrobe and tied it. She defiantly stood with her arms folded. “Don’t expect any Stockholm syndrome from me.”

“I left the lights on in here to be nice,” Cal said, ignoring her comment. “Next time you resort to violence, the circuit is going to be thrown.”

Jennifer didn’t respond.

“We came back to hear if you’d given any thought to what I said when I left earlier,” Cal said in a tired voice. “We would like to know what made you suspicious about your grandmother’s heart attack. That’s all. You tell us that and you’ll be on your way back to the hotel.”

“I’m not telling you bastards shit,” Jennifer said. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll let me go now.”

Cal looked at Durell. “I think she’s just going to have to think about her situation before she’s going to be cooperative. And I need to get some ice on my shoulder.”

“I think you’re right,” Durell said, regaining his feet. “And I’m getting an egg on my head, so ice would be mighty helpful.”

“We’ll be back,” Cal said to Jennifer. With his right hand trying to immobilize his left shoulder, he, too, got to his feet. He winced.

Jennifer didn’t speak as they limped to the door. Nor did she try anything with Durell still clutching the chair leg.

After Cal locked the upstairs outside door, Durell questioned if being nice to her was the right tactic.