Page 31 of Doyle

“Are you serious? I haveeveryrecollection! I hardly slept?—”

He winced, just a little, around the eyes.

“But I refuse to let Sebold win?—”

“Isn’t that what paying him off is? I happen to remember a certain conversation as we drove down to the harbor. One that cost me my thousand-dollar dive watch.”

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

“That’s not the point.” He took a step toward her. “You give in to bullies and they keep coming back.” He lowered his voice. “Let’s hire security, and use that cash to get us a new X-ray machine.”

“It’s the principle.”

“Your principles could get you hurt. Or killed.”

“Without principles, we have nothing.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Yeah, I get that. But... maybe a higher principle isdon’t get killed.”

“You want Jamal back?”

He crossed his arms. “Stein and I have a plan.”

“What, you’re a Navy SEAL now? Please.” She unstrapped her money belt. “There’s fifty thousand dollars in here. Enough for both of our machinesandJamal.”

A flicker of surprise, and he looked at the bag. Back at her.

“It’s just a dive watch,” she said and lifted her shoulder.

He sighed. “He’s going to want more. Give a mouse a cookie?—”

“Right now, I just want the X-ray machine. We’ll cross the ‘more’ bridge later.”

He sighed. “Fine. But let Stein and me handle this.”

She strapped the pack back on. “No. I’m the director, I should do this. Show Sebold that I’m not afraid of him.”

“Codirector, and he won’t care.”

“I will.”

He considered her for a moment. “Right. You refuse to be afraid.”

She nodded.

“A little fear might be a good idea,” he said.

Silence as her jaw tightened.

“Okay, fine. Let me tell Stein what we’re doing.”

Aw.But the idea of him going with her sort of grabbed her, settled into her bones. Still, “If either of you try to tie me up and duct tape me to a wall or something, I’ll come after you.”

He seemed to hide a smile. “Fresh out of duct tape.”

“Hurry up.”

She headed back outside and sat on the scooter. The road out of town circled the small island, only twelve miles in circumference, and ran right into the S-7 camp, located on the eastern side of the island at a former resort destroyed by the hurricane.

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