“Don’t think so. I mean, I didn’t see anything.”
I looked at Liam. There was a strange look on his face. “Thanks, Hawkins. I’m gonna get her home.”
I was completely confused but let Liam take my arm, guide me away from the rubble. “All right,” I whispered. “I know you know something, but I don’t get it. You’re going to need to fill me in.”
“Moses didn’t want anyone else to get his toys, so he rigged it to blow.”
“Fuck yeah, I did.”
We stopped, glanced around, but saw nothing but darkness.
“Mos?” Liam whispered. “Where are you?”
“I’m in heaven, genius. Where do you think I am?” A thick hand poked out of a narrow gap between the two buildings. Not big enough to be a full alley. Just big enough for him to squeeze into. He moved forward into the light, still hidden from view from the rest of the street. “I’m right here. Bastards got to my shop, so I blew it.”
Liam looked utterly relieved. “You scared the shit out of us.”
“You’re not the only one. I didn’t survive war to get taken out by some assholes with a death wish.”
“It was ComTac?” I asked.
He nodded. “Decided to use me as a scapegoat, I hear. Fortunately, I got a couple friends in Containment yet. They got the word out.”
“I’m sorry you had to blow your store. Do you have a place to stay?”
He snickered. “I’ve got the tunnels, Red.”
I looked between him and Liam. “The tunnels?”
“That’s a story for another time,” Liam said, looking at Moses again. “You need anything?”
“Not right now. Let me get settled first.”
“Tunnels?” I asked quietly again as we walked back toward the gate.
“Tête dure.”
“I’m not hardheaded.”
“And that’s exactly what a hardheaded person would say.”
I didn’t have an argument for that.
? ? ?
We found Gunnar at the table, elbows on the tabletop, head in his hands. The store was dark, the candles lit. The power must have been out again.
“Hey,” I said, putting the pilfered “M” key onto the tabletop. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I figured you’d have gone back to the Cabildo.”
“I’m on leave.”
I pulled out the chair beside his, sat down. “Wait. What?”
He lifted his head, linked his fingers together. “I’m too close to what’s happened, the Commandant needs to evaluate the information regarding the various parties and determine if I’ve been derelict in my duty.”
“Were you?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, there you go. The Commandant will figure out what actually happened and get you back in your position.”
He nodded. “What did you find in Devil’s Isle?”
I glanced at Liam. I wasn’t sure how he’d want to handle that part of the truth.
He pulled out a chair, took a seat at the table. “Let’s just say Rutledge didn’t accomplish what he set out to accomplish. Body count is lower than believed.”
Since the body count had been one, that meant there were no casualties. Without him coming out and saying it, of course.
Hope blossomed in Gunnar’s face. “You’re serious. You aren’t just playing with me?”
Liam’s smile went bland. “I rarely play.”
I was pretty sure that was meant for me.
Gunnar blew out a breath, sat back, ran his fingers through his hair. “Oh thank God.”
“None of this was because of you, Gunnar—just like Liam told your father. This is about Rutledge. And it sucks.”
“It’s a miracle,” Liam said. “She is capable of listening.”
“You’re hilarious as always.” I looked at Gunnar. “And I’m sorry to you, too. I waited to tell you because I didn’t want to put you in a horrible position—”
“And you weren’t sure about my loyalties.”
“And I wasn’t sure about your loyalties,” I confessed. “But we’ve already been through all that. Can we agree we both did what we thought was right in the moment? What we thought would hurt the fewest number of people?”
Gunnar dropped his hands, put his palms on the table. “Agreed.”
I nodded. “Good. Good.” Because I didn’t need to be fighting with everyone I knew right now.
“Listen, would you mind staying the night? There’s a bed in the back room, and I’d feel better if someone else was here.” That was absolutely the truth, but it would also keep Gunnar nearby. He was very much defined by his job, and he wasn’t done talking this through.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Liam said. “I don’t think Claire should be alone. Not until your boss pulls his head out of his ass and shuts Rutledge down.”
“I was always the smartest man in the office,” Gunnar said.
“And, like Mr. Quinn, ever so humble.”
“Mr. Quinn should get going,” Liam said, rising. “I want to go see my grandmother.” He clapped Gunnar on the back. “You did the right thing. Hopefully, Containment will recognize that. If not, they’re idiots.”