Page 82 of Hidden Ascent

“Tell me what you have.”

“Nothing yet. But I know where the skeletons are buried.”

“Not all skeletons are created equal. Will it be enough? From what I understand, Whitlock is clean as a whistle. Believe me, I’ve looked.”

“Obviously not hard enough. By the time I’m done with him, you can make him your cabana boy if you like.”

“Fantastic.”

“But I will need to ask for a small favor.”

Sharpe laughed. “I like your style. Make the big sell followed by a favor. And not a small one, I presume?”

“You won’t miss what you never had. If I’m going to do this, I’ll need Isla. You can have her back when I’m done, but I need to borrow her momentarily.”

“Why?”

“Whitlock has a soft spot for her. She’ll make the perfect bait.”

“Baker told me about the fundraiser. He also said someone attacked him from behind when he had Isla at the police station after she was released. I take it that was you?”

“I took advantage of Whitlock’s affections. Convinced him to set her free. My intention was never to harm Baker. He just got in the way.”

“It’s a good thing for you that I hold no interest in him beyond how useful he is to me. Same as you. It’s also enough to convince me that what you say about Miss Taylor and Whitlock may just lead to something very interesting. But what makes you think she’ll help you after you handed her over to me?”

“Same way she’s helped me all along. She’ll do it because she won’t know she is.”

Sharpe had been holding his glass of liquor without taking a sip. He finished it off, then said, “Okay. I’ve decided to trust you to a point. But please be aware that, if you cross me, I won’t kill you. I’ll make you suffer. I’ll find out about all the things you care about most, and I’ll make you watch while I cause them great suffering. And don’t think I won’t enjoy every second of it.”

“You have nothing to worry about. Your reputation precedes you.” Jay wasn’t kidding. He knew what Sharpe was capable of. “A reputation that I look forward to working with into the future.”

“You get me Whitlock, and you’ll find I can be quite a generous man. I may even let you help me decide what to do with Miss Taylor.”

“I think Simmo would like to do the honors there.”

“You don’t want to watch her suffer after the way she treated you?”

“She’s not worth it.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“If she was, I may have been tempted to do the deed myself before delivering her to you.”

“I can work with that.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Sharpe. I look forward to a long and prosperous working relationship.”

Jay got out of the car, and Simmo waited to receive his next instructions from his boss.

Looking up at the sky as he walked back to the car they’d arrived in, Jay said a silent thank you to God. He didn’t know if his plan would work, but it was the only way he could find to save Isla. If Sharpe hadn’t agreed to his plan, his next move would have been to forcibly break into the hospital on his own and probably lose his life trying to save her.

Now, he could walk her out with Sharpe’s blessing and maybe even solve all of her problems at the same time. He’d get Whitlock for Sharpe, or make it look like he had, and use that leverage to find out everyone who was behind the murder of Isla’s team.

But before any of that, he’d make sure Isla was safe. He’d take her somewhere Sharpe could never reach her. It may mean his own life was forfeit, but he’d make sure hers wasn’t.

Chapter19

Isla liftedher head from her knees when she heard the door. She scrutinized the man who approached the bars. It wasn’t Simmo.

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