should shoot them just for that.â She stepped back toward the two men. âSeems like the Supreme Son lied. He didnât tell them about his six wives and screwed up his policy.â
âSix wives?â Vanderlock said. He looked at Gage. âGuy will never have a momentâs peace.â
Gage grinned and Ruth gave a quiet snort.
âYou two ever hear of the court system?â Caldridge said. âThey have a fairly sophisticated one here in America and you can hash it out there. You donât attack people to get your way. The Supreme Son ever tell you that?â
The skinny oneâs face suffused with red. âThe Supreme Son doesnât believe in the laws of the outsiders.â
Caldridge strolled over to the cocktail table and placed her glass on it.
âSounds like he wants the benefits of the outsiders but not the risks, huh?â she said.
Ryan smiled. He couldnât have said it better himself.
âLay down on the grass. Weâre going to have the outsidersâ police come and take you away to their prison.â
Vanderlock pushed on the manâs skull and the man lowered himself to his knees.
âYou want to frisk him?â he said to Caldridge. The man gave Vanderlock an outraged look.
âSheâs not to touch me. Sheâs unclean.â
Ryan wanted to hit the man for what heâd said. His hands shook, but this time with anger. Ruth must have noticed his reaction, because she reached out and touched his arm. He took a deep breath. He couldnât see Caldridgeâs face, but Vanderlock seemed amused by the statement.
âI know, for a fact, that Caldridge showers at least once a week.â
Caldridge said nothing, but Ryan thought he saw a smile cross her face.
âAnd Iâd be careful if I were you. Iâve seen her blow men away for less. You donât want your brains fertilizing my lawn, youâd better lie down. Now.â
The skinny one finished closing the distance to the ground and laid down, face-first. The one in front of Gage did the same.
âCaldridge, next move?â Vanderlock said.
âTie them up until the police get here.â
Vanderlock nodded and headed to the same box that heâd removed the gun from, this time pulling out a length of white, waxed rope.
âHe wonât get away,â the skinny one yelled from his prone position on the lawn. âWe wonât rest until Ryan pays up and the Supreme Son is released.â
âWho has him?â Gage asked.
âKeep your mouth shut,â the second man hissed at the skinny one. Gage and Vanderlock exchanged glances. Caldridge stepped back to whisper at Ryan.
âYou know who kidnapped him?â
âNo. With a denial of coverage, it wasnât the companyâs problem. â
âUntil now,â she said.
T HREE HOURS LATER the police had come and the men were bundled into a police wagon, and now Ryan clutched his copy of the report heâd given the officers. Both he and Caldridge were back in the boat and near Star Island. Caldridgeâs hair fanned out behind her as she piloted them into the no wake zone. She hadnât said much during the trip and he hadnât either. He was exhausted, but noticed that his hands had long since stopped shaking. She reached the dock, leapt out and assisted Ryan as he returned the bumpers to their position, snapped the cover back on, and the two of them headed to the small boathouse. She put the keys on the hook and they left the villa by the front gate. The guard house was empty and there was no sign of either the guard or the police.
âIâm worried that the guard will tell the police that you had a gun as well,â Ryan said. âThat youâre part of the trouble.â
Caldridge shrugged, looking unconcerned, and pointed at the cameras. âTheyâll replay the tape and figure out that we were under attack and running away. When added to our initial call to
Learning to Kill: Stories