“Not yet, but we’re getting there. Why don’t you go back up to bed? I’ll be there soon.”

“I…I wanted to ask you about something you said.”

He sighs. “It can’t wait?”

“No.”

“All right.”

“You said you talked to Jackson about something, but you never said what. The other day at the pool.”

“Ah.” He walks over to his desk, picks up the bottle of scotch, uncorks it, and pours himself some. He turns back to look at me. “Should we go into the kitchen? Get you something?”

“No, I’m fine. What did you talk to him about?”

He studies me, and I find myself shifting beneath his gaze. He steps closer, and I take a seat on the couch. “I wasn’t going to bring it up, but since you did, I talked to him about his uncle. About his uncle’s involvement in the explosion to be very straightforward.”

Staring up at him, I watch him swallow another sip of his drink before setting it down.

“And I talked to him about Cornelius Holton, who is now in IVI custody. That’s where I was. Interrogating him.”

“He’s in custody?”

Santiago nods.

“Did he…was he behind Colette and Ben’s kidnapping?”

“He didn’t drive the vehicle, but he was involved, yes. He was blackmailing Jackson. But you already know that part.”

I feel myself flush with heat. I’m sure he sees it too.

“Colette told him she’d spoken with you about it. I think she was hoping it would encourage Jackson to come forward on his own before Holton did.”

“I—” I croak but don’t know what to say.

He brushes my hair behind my ear. “It’s all right. I’m not angry with you.”

“I had come to tell you. The night you…the night I intercepted you on your way to the hospital with that knife. That’s what I was doing when I overheard. I was going to tell you what Colette said.”

“It’s all right, Ivy. Truly. Things got out of hand, but Jackson’s family is safe, and Holton will face The Tribunal for his role. And having Holton in custody brings us that much closer to your brother.” He picks up his glass and swallows the rest of it.

“How are things with you and Jackson? And with him and IVI? Is he…in trouble?”

“There will be consequences for not coming to The Tribunal immediately with the information, but he’ll be fine. Jackson is not a bad man.”

“What about with you? Will he be fine with you?”

“His uncle was the guilty party, and unfortunately for me, he’s already dead. I have nothing against Jackson, and I remember my debt to him for having brought the evidence forward that saved you both from The Tribunal and from me.” He pauses, considers. “What a history we have, you and I.”