Quinn and Orlando took Liz to a suite Orlando had prearranged at the Crowne Plaza. Quinn promised to take her to see Nate if she promised not to try and leave while he ran a final errand. Once she agreed, he and Orlando returned to the Silvain Hotel.
Annabel Taplin was standing by the window when they arrived.
After Quinn asked the guard Nova had provided to step outside, Annabel said, “What happened?”
“The Ghost is no longer your problem,” Quinn said.
“Good. That’s good,” she said, though she still looked uneasy. “Can I go now?”
“Soon enough.”
“What’s the problem?”
“No problem,” Quinn said. “I just want to make sure we’re in sync on a couple of things.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What things?”
“First, I have a colleague who is in critical condition at University College Hospital. You will have him transferred to a private facility as soon as he can be moved. There he is to be provided with unparalleled medical care. His own physician, his own nurses, anything and anyone he needs. The incident he was involved in will be covered up. I don’t care how, but neither he nor any of us are to be involved. Is that clear?”
She thought for a moment, then said, “I can do that.”
“You
“Yes. I will do it.”
“Second, no matter what kind of internal mess our business with Palavin creates for you and MI6, absolutely
“I don’t know—”
“These are the conditions of your release,” Quinn reminded her.
“It’ll take some work … but … but I’ll get it done. Can I go now?”
“Not until our Russian friends are out of the country. Consider it a precaution.” Quinn glanced at his watch. “Another two hours should do it. If you, at any point, feel the need to renege on our agreement, know this. Palavin is still alive. My friends have him, and, therefore, his entire story, including his close relationship with the British government through MI6. If even part of one of my conditions is not fulfilled, that story, with your name featuring prominently, will be front-page news around the world.”
She looked stunned.
“Do you understand?”
She nodded. “I understand.”
“Do you agree to the terms?”
“I agree.”
Annabel Taplin kept her word. Nate was moved late the next day to a secure private hospital. No questions were asked. The shooting was covered up as a drug deal gone bad, and soon forgotten.
Liz spent all her time by Nate’s side, holding his hand, reacting to every sign of movement whether real or imaginary, and even sleeping in the chair beside his bed. Because of this, Quinn kept his own visits to a minimum, spending more time in the visitors’ lounge or with the doctors than with his ailing apprentice.
The good news was that his mother was back home, and safe. He had spoken to her briefly and promised to visit soon.
“I trust you, sweetie,” she’d said. “If you say it was necessary, it was necessary. And if you don’t want to tell me, I don’t need to know.”
“I love you, Mom.”
The distressing news was that for three days Nate was touch and go. Finally, on the fourth day, he began to show signs of recovery. His lung was damaged, and that was something that might cause him problems later in his life. But the doctor emphasized Nate’s youth, saying there was a good chance he would have few lasting effects from the injury.
The scar, though, would always be there.
“You’re doing it again,” Orlando said.
“What?” Quinn asked.
They were alone in the waiting room.
“Blaming yourself.”
“I don’t want to talk about this right now,” he said.
“Then, what do you want to talk about?” she asked.
“Vacation.”
She gave him an odd look.
“I think we should go away. You, me, and Garrett. A nice long trip someplace warm.”
“Garrett’s in school,” she reminded him.
“There’s no way he can take a little time off?”
