Page 204 of Sticks and Stones
Looking out, he saw John at the elevator.
Gene whistled.
It got the man’s attention.
“Get my son to eat something,” he said. “Tell him we love him,” he added, then saluted before stepping into the elevator.
Gene tucked his gun away, and picked up the four huge bags of food.
Holy shit!
Who were they feeding?
An army of Corbins?
Kicking the door closed with his heel, he carried the food in, and placed it on the kitchen island.
Then, he explained.
“That was John,” he said. “He dropped the food and was at the elevator when I opened the door. He wants you to eat something.”
Corbin was still sitting on the couch, but he was watching them.
“He said he and Alice love you,” he offered, sharing the man’s words.
A part of him wished he could go home and be protected by his parents again, but this wasn’t the kind of wound they could help him with. Corbin needed to learn to trust again, and survive.
That would take time.
When Corbin got up, he moved toward them, and it was clear he was in pain.
Ethan handed him more aspirin, and a bottle of water so that he could keep medicated.
“I’d call my doctor for pain meds,” Corbin admitted, “but my phone is gone.”
Gene didn’t want to freak him out, so he said nothing about the conversation that he’d had with Will. If Ethan told him, that was fine, but Gene couldn’t bring himself to do it.
They would have to make sure it didn’t get out that Corbin lived, and then, Will would be safe.
Until he ran head-on into Corbin’s stubbornness.
Oh, Gene knew it was coming. Corbin was a‘die on his sword’kind of a guy.
He’d bet the vacation inPuerto Ricothat Corbin planned on ditching the man‘for his own good’.
Call it a hunch.
“Did Alice stuff herself into one of the bags to get into the condo?” he asked, swallowing the pills.
Gene shook his head.
“Nope, and I don’t see notes, messages, or a gun taped to the bottom of the fry container in case we were holding you hostage.
While funny, no one put it past her.
Alice was Alice.
“How unlike her,” Corbin stated.
