The response confirmed Callie’s earlier guess, but she didn’t take much satisfaction in being right.
“And Callie?”
Jonathan smiled. “She is my bargaining chip, of course. You’re the real power at Within Our Reach. I have a great respect for power. Wasting time with underlings serves little purpose. If you tell the writers I have to stay, they’ll find a way to redeem my character and keep me alive. Whatever your personal ties to Ms. Smith might be, I’m sure your purposes are better served if she remains in one piece. Am I correct?”
Callie tried to gauge Jason’s reaction to Jonathan’s negotiating strategy, but he seemed to be looking past the actor toward the door of the apartment. She realized he had probably called for backup, something she foolishly hadn’t done. The question was, had it arrived? And how would they be able to take Jonathan by surprise, when he was facing the door? He could fire at Callie and, most likely, Jason before anyone entering could get a clear shot at him. She realized that Jason’s arrival hadn’t guaranteed a safe outcome.
A muffled sound from the hallway answered one of her questions. Jason’s quick, surreptitious glance in that direction confirmed it.
That meant it was up to her and Jason to distract Jonathan so that the cops or whoever was out there could make their move. She doubted conversation was the answer. They needed noise, noise enough to cover the sound of the door opening, chaos enough to distract Jonathan’s attention from his target—namely, her.
She debated whether she could succeed in upending the dining room table. Trussed up as she was, she doubted she had the mobility.
But there was a pedestal table just to her left. It held a lovely vase. Possibly Ming or some other outrageously expensive Chinese dynasty from the look of it. Seeing that tumble to the floor was definitely likely to get Jonathan’s attention. Given his financial difficulties, she doubted he’d want anything broken that might be auctioned or pawned.
Her feet were bound together at the ankles, but she tested and discovered if she moved cautiously, she could probably stand or at least launch herself sideways into that table.
Before she moved, she tried to catch Jason’s attention with frantic glances sideways, indicating the direction in which she planned to go.
Timing was all-important. Jonathan was growing increasingly agitated by Jason’s failure to commit to a new contract. Jason, apparently alerted to Callie’s intentions, suddenly started throwing out salary terms and legalese that only a lawyer could appreciate.
Just when Jonathan’s expression was about to turn smug, Callie dove for the table. The vase flew into the air.
With a shout of outrage, Jonathan scrambled to catch it, letting his gun drop in his haste to save the precious vase. Jason dove for the gun, just as the front door burst open.
Hank sized up the situation at a glance and trained his gun on Jonathan, who was sitting amid the shards of broken glass, sobbing. He looked even more broken than the vase.
To Callie’s astonishment, it was Henry who knelt beside her, set a very impressive gun down on the carpet and began loosening the ropes that bound her, tsk-tsking at the marks on her wrists and ankles. He shot a venomous look toward Jonathan Baines that made Callie glad that Hank had gotten to the actor first.
With the ropes off, Callie was able to sit up. She was just reaching for the duct tape across her face, when Jason nudged a reluctant Henry aside and hunkered down beside her. His gaze searching hers, he pushed her fumbling fingers away from the tape.
“I’ll do it.”
His own fingers trembled as he gently peeled away the tape. When it was off, he gathered her in his arms and sat there rocking her as if she were the most precious person on earth. To her amazement, she actually thought she felt his cheeks turning damp with tears. She reached up and touched his face to be sure. When she withdrew her hand, her fingertips were indeed damp.
“Oh, Jason,” she murmured.
A ragged sigh tore through him. Even now, with Jonathan in custody, she could feel his heart pounding wildly.
“It’s over,” she whispered. “It’s over and we’re both okay.”
He stood then and drew her to her feet. When she studied his face, a chill swept through her. He looked so distant...and so very, very sad.
He turned to Henry. “Would you see that Callie gets home, Henry?”
Callie stared at him in dismay. She could feel him slipping away from her, not just physically but emotionally. “Where are you going?”
“To the police station with Hank,” he said, avoiding her gaze. He glanced at the policeman. “You can wait to get Callie’s statement, can’t you?”
Hank nodded. “I’ll be by the apartment as soon as I get Baines booked.”
Still shaken by everything that had happened and thoroughly confused by Jason’s withdrawal, Callie shook her head. “I’ll be at the hospital.”
Alarm flared for an instant in Jason’s eyes. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I have to go back and check on Terry.”
Hank nodded. “I’ll meet you there and give you a lift home.”
Callie couldn’t bring herself to ask Jason where he would be going after he’d given the police his statement. She knew in her heart he wouldn’t be coming to find her.
What she didn’t understand, would never understand, was why. Surely the stark terror she’d seen in his eyes earlier meant he loved her and cared desperately what happened to her. And yet he was going and she couldn’t think of anything to do to stop him.
* * *
“You hurt her,” Henry told Jason accusingly later that night. He’d picked Jason up at the police station and was driving him back to his apartment. “Why don’t you let me take you to her? You know that’s where you want to be.”
“Stay out of it,” Jason advised.
“I never thought I’d say this, but you’re a fool,” Henry said, clearly undaunted. “You know you’re in love
