Page 100 of Jael

He threaded through the crowd and walked past Jael and Hannah.

“You ladies are both looking stunning tonight,” he said when he reached them.

“Thanks,” Hannah said with an innocent smile.

Jael’s smile was tight. “How are you this evening?” she said.

“Fantastic. I’m headed to the bar to grab a drink. You want to join me?”

“Yeah, sure. Hannah, I’ll be right back.”

Danny wanted to take her hand but couldn’t risk drawing unnecessary attention. “We’ve got him,” he whispered.

“Artus?”

“The man who gave him the poison agreed to confess. Christopher is on the phone right now with one of his contacts, who’s filling him in.”

She pulled Danny to a halt. “Christopher knows? Why aren’t the FBI storming the place?”

“They leaked it early on purpose. If Artus and Christopher talk, we’ll have their own words to use against them.”

“I wish they’d arrest them and get it over with. Is it worth waiting?”

“The more the FBI gets, the better.” Danny looked over his shoulder. “And it looks like it’s working. Why don’t you feign a headache and go home? You don’t need to be here when it all goes down.”

“Are you sure?”

“It would make me feel better knowing you were out of here.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll call you when it’s over.”

“Promise you won’t disappear?”

It would be easier if he did. His life wasn’t here, and it couldn’t be with her. But he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye this time. “I won’t. But you know where to find me if I do.”

“That’s true.” She pressed her fingers to her temple. “My head suddenly hurts.”

“You don’t look too well. You should go home and get some rest.”

“I think I’m still sick. I’ll tell Hannah she’s off the hook for the night too.”

He smiled as she walked away, then faced the Siseras, who were still talking with their heads close together.

Artus looked up and waved him over.

Danny squeezed the back of his neck to move his mouth closer to the mic. “You guys get anything juicy?”

“We’ve got a lot,” Barak said. “But I can give you more time if you think you can get more.”

“Give me a minute, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Sorry, I got sidetracked,” he said to Artus.

“Sidetracked with my fiancée,” Christopher said.

“She had a dizzy spell. I don’t think she’s feeling well.”