Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Take care of him. Call me when you can.
The phone is ringing before I realize I’ve dialed the number.
“How’s Win doing?” are the first words out of Ken Tanaka’s mouth. “Was he hurt? That cabin has its own generator, so you should still have power.”
“We haven’t lost power, but if we do I know where the generator is,” I inform him stiffly. “Win is fine, like I told his friend. He twisted his ankle and got a few scrapes, but he’s already feeling better. He’s…resting.”
Fortunately, Ken sounds too busy talking with someone on the other end to notice my hesitation. “Brady says he’ll come get him as soon as the weather lets up. He can bring his brother Rory. You met him, right? He was a paramedic but he just graduated to nurse practitioner. He’ll double check to make sure Win’s in the all clear.”
At this point, I’ve been introduced to so many people I can’t remember. “Fine, but I don’t think he needs it. I wrapped his ankle and got him warm. He’s eaten and slept and I have a feeling he could rattle off all the presidents and their three greatest accomplishments in his sleep, so he doesn’t have a concussion.”
“That’s our Mr. Winston. I can’t believe he walked out into the woods voluntarily.”
“You’re not the first person to mention that.” Winston. Is that his name? “I need some answers, Ken. Did you know?”
“Did I know what?”
“We’ve had business dealings and I’m aware of your talents,” I start carefully. “I’ve also heard from Seamus about what you’ve been up to for the last decade, specifically with your fiancé’s family. So I’m asking.”
“What wrong do you think I’ve done to you, Michael?” Tanaka’s voice has all the warmth of a frozen lake. “Please, enlighten me. No one else has been holding back lately.”
“Not a wrong.” In fact, if he confirmed it, I’d probably thank him. “And I’m only asking because a few weeks ago, I told you I met someone that night at the pub, someone I couldn’t forget, and I was thinking about finding him before I left town.”
“I remember that conversation, yes.”
Still ice cold. I stretch my neck, trying to work the tension out of my shoulders. “That was all I said, but knowing you, it could have been enough. Win says you’ve known each other for years. He thought he might have been invited here to sing because of the woman who was hurt that night.”
Even though he said it was silly and not really a secret, I still feel a twinge at sharing the confidence. But this is too important.
“I know who Bex is, Michael. She’s one of the most important people in my life and a valued employee. Be specific. What exactly are you asking me?”
A door slams on his end, but I push ahead. “Did you know he was the one I told you about? That Win was the man I’d met?”
“Jesus.” For some reason I imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Believe it or not, I’ve had my hands a little too full for the last few months to worry about another needy Demir. Two innocent women were endangered and one badly hurt because I was ruffling the wrong feathers. I ruffled them so much that they decided to go on a fishing expedition.”
“The Russians?” The last time I talked to him he was still waiting for confirmation from some deeper sources.
“They do have their hands in everything lately,” he says without giving me a straight answer. Not that I expect one from him. “I’m not an easy man to fool, but I’ve been distracted. Off my game. And Brady is… It doesn’t matter. I need to take steps to make sure nothing like this happens again. They came after my family.”
“I told you nothing was wrong. You had a feeling, so I stopped in to say hello to Seamus and I didn’t notice anything.” Except for Win.
“And I distracted you with news about your cousin’s recent activities.” He sighs. “There was no way for you to know, Michael. We were looking at a female fan, a local. The evidence was right there… But she was just a plant. I wouldn’t have let Bex anywhere near this if I’d known.”
The Bex Win described today probably wouldn’t appreciate his overprotectiveness. “Why did you? Because of Brady’s cousin? Were you trying to matchmake?”
I saw the two women together and even I noticed the spark there.
“If I was, I failed on that end too.”
Ken didn’t know. He might have brought Win here for his own reasons, but they weren’t to manipulate me for some unknown purpose. “Win says she wanted him to come and spy on you for a change.”
Surprisingly, that made him laugh. “She wanted Winnie to spy on me? He’s not remotely good at subtlety, he talks too much and he’s a horrible liar. She knows that.”