Page 11 of Royally Scr*wed

Ozzy picks up his phone and dials a number. “Jacob. First thing’s first, have we gotten ballistics back on the gun that Brian was killed with?...I see. And how did questioning go with Sebastian Fischer…I see…Uhuh…Speak with him again. He should have been the one posted outside the king’s doors. He claims he’s the one who found King Julius but yet he showed up here without an ounce of blood on him.” Ozzy remains silent for a moment then his face reddens in anger. “What the fuck to you mean he’s been missing for hours?”

I can hear Jacob’s muffled voice on the other end of the line but cannot make out what he’s saying. What I can hear is Ozzy’s very pissed off response.

“Find. Him. Now.”

When he disconnects the phone, he tosses it on the table and scowls.

“Let me guess, the bastard is MIA.” I say before he even has a chance to fill me in.

“Jacob said that Sebastian was cleared by NDS, they were waiting to release him, but he disappeared shortly after. They’ve put out a BOLO and a warrant for his arrest.”

“That certainly paints a picture,” I mumble to myself. “Ozzy, I appreciate you working on this for me but, you need to rest as well.”

“You act like I was shot in the gut and in the shoulder. I’ve been through worse.”

“Liar,” I tease.

“Liar, my ass, how long have I know you? Christ, how long have I worked for you?Thisis nothing compared to putting up with your bullshit. Hell, I’d call this a damn vacation.”

“Oscar.”

“Julius,” he counters.

“I can give orders from my bed,” he glances at his watch. “Speaking of which, it’s nearly time for my next round of pain meds so, would you mind giving me a push?Wecan check on your grandfather while on the way.”

“Yeah. Sure. One more thing though. We’re going to need to hire all new security detail. I need to know who I can trust.”

“Right now? I would say trust no one. Except Nigel and Theo. We are going to have to work this from all angles and see who is on your side.”

“I’ll need to inform my grandmother of this new information first thing in the morning.”

“Agreed.”

“Alright. Off to bed you go,” I joke, taking control of Ozzy’s wheelchair and navigating both of us out of the conference room.

A brief check on my grandfather yields no new information about his condition nor any piece of mind.

“We’re setting up shop in your grandfather’s room until my buddy Elias gets here,” he replies while pressing the nurse call button on the side of my grandfather’s bed. “We need more manpower.”

Within a few minutes he’s gotten his sweet little nurse to bring him some pain meds and a gurney to lay back on while we wait. It’s likeheis the prince, and this lady can’t do enough for him. I’m willing to bet she’d jump at the chance to give him a sponge bath too.

“I thought you called her Nurse Ratchet earlier?”

“I was really talking about Agnes. Don’t tell her that though.”

“Oscar. I thought…”

“Listen. The woman has practically drove me mad since this all went down. She tried to feed me. With a spoon. Like I’m an invalid. I’ve seen dictatorships with more liberty.”

I smile to myself. “She’s probably worried about your sorry ass,” I tell him with a kick to the foot of his bed.

“Nothing to worry about. A few stitches are all this is,” he huffs.

“I can see why she’s being so hard on you.”

He flips me off with a grin. “Will you fire me if I close my eyes for a minute?”

“Rest, dumbass.”

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