Chapter 36
I swallowed past the guilt as the guards lifted Bram and began rushing him out. The scene blurred, but I followed through the large gathering crowd in the theater until we were heading outside. It wasn’t long before the spotlight from the helicopter flooded the green grass. As it lowered, I didn’t stop running behind them until the door came open and I was faced with a woman I knew all too well. Those eyes, they’d stared at me with more terror than I’d ever been confronted with, and at the time, I
had loved it.
But how was this possible?
“You! Jarett!” The high leader’s voice was barely audible as he pointed to one of the guards. “Take lead. I’ll contact you when I can.”
And just like that, the door closed and only moments later the light turned brighter as the chopper rose into the sky. I couldn’t move as I watched it leave Whitlock.
I’d overlooked more than I should have. If Bram expected something and gone lengths to secure the woman surgeon, Dr. Cortez, when I was told she was dead … what else did he know?
“Sir, I need a word with you. Can you tell me what happened?”
The temporary high leader … I didn’t know him. Not personally. I’d seen his face plenty of times, but we had never spoke.
“I wasn’t feeling well. Bram was helping me into the restroom when some guy … I think he was a former guard. He just started stabbing him. I fell at the initial attack. By the time I stood, Bram was dropping to the ground and …” I took a ragged breath. “I barely remember lunging forward. I jumped the attacker and in our struggle I managed to break his neck.”
“And that’s it?”
“No.” My head shook. “There was another guy in the restroom when this happened. A friend of mine, actually. I yelled at him to get help. I’m not sure when I yelled it. If it was while I was fighting off the former guard or after, I can’t really remember.” I paused. “Do we have to do this now? My best friend was just fucking stabbed in front of me. The mistress we were with had to witness the aftermath. I need to get to her.”
I didn’t wait for permission. I took off toward the stairs at a fast pace—half jogging, half walking. The moment I burst through Bram’s door, Everleigh was flying toward me.
“What happened? Where is he?”
“Shh. Calm down. It’s okay. They airlifted him to a hospital.”
“What happened? Was he …? He wasn’t …”
Sobs left her as she pushed the short hair back from her face. All I could do was what I had wanted to from the beginning. I pulled her into my arms, holding tight as I tried to soothe her.
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything right now. I’m sure they’ll update us the moment they know something.”
I glanced toward Eli, who was moving his stare from me to the computer. He wanted me to delete the footage and I had every intention to as soon as I calmed Everleigh.
“It was B-Billy. I saw him dead on the ground. He did this and it’s all my f-fault. If anything happens to Bram, I …”
“It was not your fault. No. Shh. Come.”
I led her to Bram’s room, jerking back the blankets as I forced her to sit on the edge. “I’m going to get you a drink and I want you to try to stop crying so hard. You’ll go into shock if you don’t try to relax. Do not move.
Do not get up. Stay.”
The authority in my tone had her brow creasing, but she nodded as I headed for the door. I shut it behind me, pointing to the decanter as I walked to the computer.
“Pour her a drink.” I pulled a pill from my pocket. “And put this in it. She’ll be out in no time.”
Eli grabbed the pill, breaking it open as I hit the button to wake the computer. The lock screen appeared and I quickly let my fingers type in the letters.
Password denied.
“What the fuck?” Again, I typed.
Password denied.
My eyes shot to Eli.
“What is it?” He was stirring the drink as he walked over.
Again, I typed it in.
Password denied.