Page 77 of Bulletproof

He needed to rest, have lots of fluids, and basically stay away from people who wanted to use him for a punching bag.

When the doctor returned fifteen minutes later, he, too, repeated his earlier diagnosis. “He’ll be fine,” Dr. Maruya promised me.

“Thank you.” I smiled at him.

“Jory!”

I turned, and there was Agent Calhoun and another man I didn’t know, but they were both wearing their badges on chains.

“Is this him?”

“Yes, sir.”

The man I didn’t know thrust his hand out to me. “Jory Harcourt, Crosby Holt, FBI. Pleasure to meet you.”

“And you, sir,” I lied, sounding like I was sulking, but taking the offered hand as another man joined us.

“Mr. Har⁠—”

“It’s just Jory.”

“Jory.” He smiled at me, turning to present the man to me. “This is Lieutenant Ramon Diaz from the Federal Police in Mexico. We’re working this case with them.”

I lifted my head and was greeted with very warm, dark brown eyes. “Hello, sir,” I said, offering him my hand.

He took it in both of his, holding tight. “You have been a blessing, Mr. Harcourt, keeping this operation afloat, but now it is time for us to close this case on Señor Liron.”

I nodded. “So, you’re a federale, sir?”

“It’s not a term we use, Jory. It’s American slang from the movies.”

“Oh. Got it. I won’t use it again.”

He smiled, and the laugh lines in the corner of his eyes crinkled. “You look disappointed.”

“I am, just a little.”

“Hollywood creates many myths,” he told me, patting my shoulder. “And now we need to speak to Detective Kage. I must tell you, Mr. Harcourt, that we could not account for his whereabouts last evening, and so when Cristo Liron took him today and we found out why he had been beaten, we were all very concerned with the choices he might have made in putting this investigation, as well as his own life, in jeopardy.”

My eyes flicked to Sam’s.

“To simply go and seek you out when he knew that Cristo Liron was watching you would have been a very foolish decision for a mere rendezvous.”

There had been nothing “mere” about it. Sam knew I was losing my mind. Space and time away were no good for me. I didn’t do it well. I gave all the people waiting for the return of soldiers so much credit. I would have fallen apart. And it wasn’t even the time itself that was murder. It was the uncertainty. If I knew where Sam was, what he was doing, I was fine. But the whole he could be in mortal danger part, that was what got me.

“But as you selflessly gave so honest of an account of your activities the previous night, no one can doubt the validity, even Cristo Liron.”

I looked back at the lieutenant.

“Because of you, the cover of Detective Kage and Agent Calhoun, as well as many others, remains intact, and again, we thank you.”

I took a breath. “So, you guys let Sam get beat up, huh?”

“We could do nothing else, or the cover would have been blown. To save him from it would have been tipping our hand.”

I nodded and walked to the window. Yelling would serve no one, but I was mad.

“It would be best, Mr. Har— Jory, if you went out of town for a few days. This would give Cristo Liron time to calm and get back to business and⁠—”