Page 18 of The Rat

Hamish gawped. “You don’tthink…”

“Hesent you that letter.” Morriswhispered.

Rorylooked up. “What letter?”

“He said he’d make my lifehell…”

Morrissqueezed his shoulder, and her eyesrounded with sympathy. “What if you’re in danger?”

“I’ll have to getmy wife intoprotective custody, get her away from here.” Hamish rubbed hischin. “Has Sebastian mentioned me?”

Rory shook his head. “No, hetalked aboutkilling Lester, but he’s not mentioned you. He doesn’t talkmuch, or at least not to me.”

“You don’t have to be buddieswith him, just close enough to overhearhim. He doesn’t call anyone on theprison phones, he doesn’t send letters, he doesn’t have visitors,but I know he’s getting messages out. He might have a phone hiddenin his cell.”

“I’ve not heard him talkingto anyone at night.”

Morrissnorted. “You’ve only been there aweek.”

“Even so, I didn’t see aphone.”

“Rory, I knowyou’rehurting, and you’re scared of going back there, but I know you’rebraver than that, I know you’re on the good side, and we must doall we can to win against the bad members of society. If he reallyis making bombs to sell, you owe it to the public, to whoever hisintended victims are, to stop him, to save their lives.”

Rory squeezed his eyes shut.“Okay, enough with the guilttrip, I’ll go back in.”

Hamish released a slow breath and rockedforward in his chair. “You’re a good man, your dad would be proud.I’m proud.”

Rory swallowed the lump in histhroat, then asked, “Can I see my sister, though?”

“It’s toodangerous.”

“If I can’t see her, can I atleast speak toher?”

Hamish nodded, and pulled hisphonefromhis pocket. He handed it over.

“Make it quick, I need to talk toyour guard, find out how soon they canget you back in the prison. Thequicker you can find out what Sebastian’s planning, the quicker wecan get you out of there.”

Hamish gropedMorris’s hand, thenstrolled out of the room. Rory’s fingers shook as he typed inErica’s number. He pressed the device to his ear and listened tothe rings. Morris crossed her arms and leaned back against thewall.

“Do you mind?” Roryhissed.

“No, go rightahead.” Shesmirked.

“Fuck off—”

“Pardon?” Rory blinked in quicksuccession when he realized the call had connected.

“Erica, it’sme.”

“Did you just tell me tofuc—”

“No, I was talking to someone else. Itdoesn’t matter, are you all right?”

Erica chuckled. “I’mfine, but you’ve gotme worried. I thought you were doing 007 undercoverstuff.”

Rory smiled weakly. “I am.”

“So you shouldn’t becalling me, right?”

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