Page 102 of Daniil
“I could eat,” Chris says, walking over to the sideboard where the bagels and pastries are set out.He loads up a plate, fills a cup with coffee and settles down like he hangs out with royalty every day.
Natalia hears something in her headset and looks up.“General Reinhold has arrived—he didn’t want to come willingly so he was arrested.”
“Good.”Daniil has an evil glimmer in his eye I’ve never seen before as he turns to Erik.“And I’m going to be the one to interrogate him.”
Chapter41
Daniil
Reinhold has always been an asshole.
I’ve known him my entire life—he was an intern when I was a kid, working around the palace, learning the ropes in the summers while he was going to university.He was obnoxious then and he’s a big blowhard now, but the people in his region like him because he tends to get results.
That’s the only reason I put up with him.
In this instance, however, I will chew him into a billion little pieces and then spit them into the nearest fireplace if he had anything to do with kidnapping my son.
Courtney’s interrogation tactics with Nicola Mendel were brilliant.I was nervous at first, but she chose the right path in using Mendel’s motherhood to our advantage.And based on the fact that Erik let her leave, he believes her story.
As do I.
I step into the hallway to find the nearest restroom and run into Joe going in the same direction.
“Hey, how are you hanging in?”he asks.
“We have a lead,” I say, explaining about Senator Reinhold.
“Fuck him up,” he grumbles.“Kids should never be involved.”
“Believe me—I will.Speaking of kids, how’s Charlie feeling?”
He frowns slightly.“What do you mean?He’s fine.”
Something weird twists in my gut.“He wasn’t sick yesterday?”
“Not at all.He went to school and then had some friends over in the afternoon.Briony was beside herself that she couldn’t have friends over too.”
“Jesper told me he was sick—that’s why they didn’t join us at the street fair.”
Joe and I both stop walking and stare at each other.
“You’re sure?”he asks quietly.
“Of course I’m sure!He’s been acting a little weird lately so my invitation was an olive branch, hoping that he and Courtney can be friends and that there’s no awkwardness going forward if she’s going to be part of my life.”
He doesn’t move.Doesn’t blink.Doesn’t even seem to be breathing.
“Joe?”I watch his face carefully.
“He’s been…weird alotlately,” he says gruffly, a plethora of emotions spanning his face.
“Weird how?”I ask carefully.
“Secret phone calls when he thinks I’m asleep—speaking Georgian instead of Limaji or English, which he knows I don’t understand.”He runs his hands down his face.“Barely any intimacy.A lot of…arguments.Over nothing.Like he’s looking to pick fights.”
I don’t know what to say to that, but my mind is spinning.
The recent jealousy is out of character for the man I spent nearly five years with.
