Page 73 of Enthrall Secrets
Chapter 23
I JOINED ETHAN and Cameron in the garden.
They were sitting on a wooden bench, deep in conversation. Ethan was holding a packet of cigarettes and Cameron was berating him playfully for wanting to smoke one. For some reason, after all we’d been through, that made me smile.
The same care had been taken out here to create a soothing landscape, with a lush green lawn and gorgeous palm trees. There was a long hedge with flowerbeds running along the front of it that gave off the most wonderful scent. I wondered if his wife had planted them. Ethan didn’t strike me as the gardening type.
On any other day it would have been heavenly to sit out here.
All I could think of was Ethan’s comment about hearing a cello. There was no other explanation for it other than Danton’s presence had been with me.
“My sweet, sweet Danton,” I whispered.
Staring up at the starlit sky I sent out a silent prayer to him and hugged myself, allowing the memory of him to comfort me and a stillness to envelop me, despite everything.
Cameron saw me across the garden. “Hey, you okay?”
I headed in their direction.
“Scarlet, you saved my life.” Ethan gave me a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
Ethan lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. “I just shot a man dead.”
Cameron glanced at me. “It was self-defense. No one will argue against that. I’m trying to persuade him to go to Cedars.”
“Ethan,” I said, “you were out cold. You could have a concussion. You need a CT scan.”
“I’m fine,” he said.
Cameron shook his head. “No, you’re not.”
“Shay’s on his way.” I’d just called him.
“Who’s Shay?” Ethan blew out smoke and it spiraled.
“My head of security.” Cameron gave a shrug. “He’s ex-special forces and will know what to do if you really want to proceed with this madness. I’m concerned your head injury is clouding your judgment, Ethan.”
I knelt before Ethan and rested my hand on his knee. “This is not what we do. We don’t go around hiding bodies.”
Cameron agreed with a nod. “We’re losing time. The coroner will know we delayed calling them. Livor mortis is setting in—”
“I’d rather face off with the cartel than break the law,” I said.
“Really?” snapped Ethan. “You do realize Leon played with us first? They’ll skin us alive and then hang our corpses in the street.”
“First of all,” said Cameron, “you’re intention was to prosecute us. Remember that little detail? This case just got a whole lot more complicated for you.”
“And kind of convenient for you.” Ethan glared at him.
“That’s right,” snapped Cameron. “I paid a visit to the Quintono Cartel earlier today. Popped in there for a Mexican beer and your name came up.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“How exactly did Leon get away with killing your wife?” I asked. “How did he walk free?”
“Legal technicality,” said Ethan. “Or, as we like to put it, they got to the jurors.”
