ending Orlando’s life.
Whoever it was had set the events in motion.
Quinn could feel an abrupt change to the anger coursing through him. No longer was it unfocused and debilitating. It was now directed at someone out there who needed to pay. Someone who needed to feel Quinn’s wrath.
The first step would be finding out what Peter’s message meant.
He looked at Liz and Daeng. “Dr. Montero said three days until Orlando wakes, right?”
Daeng nodded.
The only thing Quinn wanted more than tracking down those responsible was to be by Orlando’s side when she opened her eyes again, but sitting through days waiting for that to happen would be wasting time that could be spent hunting.
“Can you watch her for me?” he said to Liz. “Sit with her so she’s not alone?”
“You’re going to go see Misty?” she asked.
“I’ll be back tomorrow. Next day, latest.” He looked at Daeng. “I want you to come with me. I could use another set of eyes.”
“Of course,” Daeng said.
“Wait,” Liz said. “I don’t understand. What are you expecting to find?”
He explained about the list, and what it would mean to find out who had given it to Romero.
When he was through, she locked eyes with him. “Go. I’ll keep an eye on Orlando. But you have to promise me one thing.”
“What?” Quinn asked.
“That you’ll find whoever this bastard is.”
__________
T HE FLIGHT NORTH left Isla de Cervantes right before noon, landing at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC less than three hours later.
Quinn sent off the same text twice as they taxied to the arrival gate.
We’re here
The first went to Liz. She responded almost immediately with a two-word text of her own.
No change
The second reply came from Misty thirty seconds later.
Meet at curb. Dark gray Camry.
When they exited the terminal, Misty was waiting as promised behind the wheel of her nearly twenty-year-old Camry. Daeng crawled into the backseat, while Quinn climbed in beside Misty.
“It’s good to see you,” he said.
Misty’s lower lip trembled. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Quinn motioned into the back. “You haven’t met Daeng yet.”
Leaning forward and holding out his hand, Daeng said, “We talked on the phone earlier.”
“Right,” she said, shaking. “Good to, um, meet you.”
Quinn eyed her for a second. “Do you want me to drive?”
Instead of answering, she half leaned, half fell toward him, burying her face in his shoulder, and started to cry. He put an arm around her, knowing the intensity of her grief was his fault. She’d been alone for a week, unable to talk to anyone about Peter. Quinn should have arranged for someone he trusted to come by.
“Sorry,” she said, between gulps of air. “I told…myself…I wouldn’t…do this. Dammit.”
“It’s all right,” Quinn said. “You don’t have to keep it in. It’s fine.”
“I didn’t think he’d—” She stopped herself. “It just doesn’t seem possible.”
“I know.”
After several more sobs, her breath caught in her throat. “My God. Orlando. How is she?”
“Things are…progressing, so I’m hopeful.”
“That’s good. Do they think—”
Someone knocked on the window.
“Hey, get this thing moving.”
An airport cop stood beside Misty’s door, motioning for them to drive off. Quinn was about to tell the guy where he could stick his hand when Misty turned and looked at the officer.
“Sorry,” she said, rubbing her eyes.
The cop looked suddenly ill at ease. He took a couple of steps back. “Uh, just, uh, get moving as soon as you can.”
Misty reached down and turned the key. “We’re leaving now.”
“You sure you don’t want me to drive?” Quinn said.
“I’m fine,” she told him, wiping the last tears from her face. She set her jaw and shifted the car into Drive. “I think we should start with Peter’s place.”
“Okay.”
They made it out of the airport without