Page 20 of Come Fill Me

Thomas’s wiry brows lifted slightly in what seemed to be alarm or dismay as though he knew Carreon was going for his weapon. However, he made no other move, even forgetting to breathe. Flight at this point was useless.

Carreon pulled out a linen handkerchief, wiping his hands with it.

Hector let out an audible sigh then blurted, “When we cornered him, he refused to put down his gun.”

“Before we could stop him, he used it on himself,” Thomas said.

Carreon balled the handkerchief in his fist. So, the man had sacrificed his life rather than face torture, the possibility of revealing the location of his clan’s stronghold, its weaknesses. Did he or anyone else honestly believe that would stop Carreon from capturing Zeke again, after which he’d force him to divulge what the future held? Of course, that should have happened already, shouldn’t it?

He fought the urge to drive his fist through the wall or bury it in each of these men’s guts and listen to their startled huffs, appeased by their groans. “How many men did I lose tonight—those that can’t be healed?”

Hector and Thomas exchanged a glance. Willy shrank back, leaving them to come up with an answer.

“Ten,” Hector said.

A growl rose to the base of Carreon’s throat. He pushed it back. Even one loss would have been far too many, and all because Zeke’s men had outwitted them. They’d discovered the stronghold simply by following Carreon’s lieutenants when they’d brought Zeke here.

Idiots. Fucking fools. Hadn’t they watched to see if anyone had been tailing them? “Are there any that can still be healed?”

Hector looked at Thomas.

“Maybe,” the man answered. “But Neekoma took Liz withhim. By the time we found out he had her, they were gone.”

“We have her father,” Carreon reminded them both then spoke to Willy. “You’ve kept Dr. Munez well?”

He nodded so eagerly the ends of his lanky hair bobbed. “Yes, of course.”

Carreon stepped closer. “You’re certain of that?”

Willy crossed his arms over his chest. It didn’t stop him from trembling. “I monitor him closely, just as you’ve asked me to. He’s in perfect health.”

“Except for being drugged.” Carreon turned to Thomas. “Is Dr. Munez alert enough to heal our men?”

He looked at Hector for help. His colleague said nothing. Thomas glared at Willy. “I don’t think so.”

“You drugged the good doctor into unconsciousness?” Carreon asked.

Willy stepped back. “He kept trying to escape. I didn’t want to handcuff him to the bed. I—”

Carreon interrupted, “You didn’t want to have to deal with him if he was alert.”

“That’s not true.” He bounced on his heels. “He refused to heal any of our men. There was no reason for him to be awake. I did what was necessary to keep him here. The drug should wear off in no more than an hour or two, I swear. You can tell him then that Neekoma has his daughter. That he has to heal our men so we can find her.”

“Do our injured have an hour or two?” Carreon asked Thomas.

“Two might. The others don’t.”

Willy cried, “You told me to keep him here. You insisted I do whatever it took to keep him from escaping. This isn’t my fault.”

Spittle clung to the sides of his mouth. He’d squeezed his skinny arms to the point that his veins bulged out, his fear making him look more like a child than a man. In a moment,he’d be sobbing like a woman.

Carreon lifted his hand. Willy flinched.

Slipping his handkerchief into his inside jacket pocket, Carreon murmured, “You’re right. The fault is mine. Forgive me.”

His chin quivered. Tears sparkled on the edges of his lashes. “I…of course.”

Carreon smiled.

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