Page 20 of Cavern of Silence
"There could be an error. Or possibly another reason we aren't aware of. We need to talk to Interpol before we jump to the worst conclusion possible," I chime in.
"Was her daughter in Panama with her?" Hunter asks.
Vanessa glances toward the woods then back at us. "We don't know. She wouldn't give us details. She was with Santiago the longest, and they did a lot of things to her, according to Zoe."
Hunter gets frustrated over the lack of disclosure the women are giving us, and Julieta asks him if he can guarantee their safety if they tell us things.
Instead of listening to what Julieta asks, Hunter gets upset, and the two of them start to argue.
Vanessa ends up having a panic attack, which only creates a more significant argument between Hunter and Julieta.
I don't step in. I watch the argument unfold, shocked by Hunter's actions.
Hunter and all the other guys are my brothers. We've been through everything together and always have each other's backs. But Hunter is defensive. Julieta isn't perfectly innocent, either, but she's the one who's been through the wringer and scared, not Hunter. He knows better than to argue with targets, especially ones who have been traumatized. I'm certain all these women have gone through their fair share of hell.
Julieta finally helps Vanessa up, and, as if she's in a trance, they walk to the tent and go inside.
Hunter turns to me. "I don't know what I did."
I demonstrate to him his hand movements I think triggered Vanessa. Then I warn, "One more thing. And don't forget this."
He removes his hands from his face. "What?"
"Don't ever get into it like that with Julieta again."
He scowls. "What are you talking about? You were right here. She went on the attack."
"She didn't attack you. She was trying to explain things."
"No, she wasn't."
"She was. And she's just as broken as every other woman here."
He snorts, and the anger I'm trying to hold back breaks when he says, "She seems to hold her own."
I step forward. "Do not argue with her, ever again."
"Don't get in my face."
I snap and grab his shirt.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Dirk steps between us.
"Stay out of it," we both yell simultaneously.
"Knock it off," Dirk growls. "Andre's going to have a fit if he sees you two acting like this."
"Where's Vanessa?" Zoe asks.
"In the tent. She's having some sort of episode. Julieta is with her," I reply.
Zoe's eyes widen. "What happened?"
"Julieta started insinuating things," Hunter says.
I'm going to kill him. He's being a childish prick right now.
"No, she didn't," I sternly say.
