Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
He hadn’t killed Alfi. Something about being happy made him more forgiving.
He just wished he could do something about Tucker.
Walt and Damon stepped into the circle. Damon brought over four crystal glasses.
“I’ll take some of that,” Walt said. “Now that I’m off pain meds from the gunshot wound, I can get back to my experiments with grain alcohol.”
Walt had a very sheltered childhood.
Damon slapped him on the back. “It’s a single malt, mate, and this is the best.”
“Yes, well, where I came from it was merely something that destroyed brain cells,” Walt shot back. “My parents believed in studying, not partying, which is precisely why I like it way better here.”
They were an odd group. Damon Knight, practically a member of the gentry. He’d been born into English wealth and privilege. Nick Markovic, a former Russian spy. Walt, the genius who always seemed to find trouble.
And him. A rough-and-tumble bloke from the Outback who was about to marry the most brilliant woman he’d ever met.
Sometimes life took twists and turns that led a man to his future.
“Hey, the Americans are going to want a taste of that.” Taggart led his brothers into the room.
“Don’t leave the Irishman out.” Li O’Donnell straightened his tie. “Never let it be said any Irishman walked down an aisle without a little fortification.”
Taggart put a hand out, stopping Damon from passing the Scotch to Li. “Are we sure no bees were involved in the making of this Scotch?”
Li shot Big Tag the finger. “I’m never living it down. Give me that.” He drained the glass in one shot before turning to Brody. “Heard Steph and Faith decided to team up.”
It had turned out to be a match made in heaven. Steph had a stable clinic and Faith had a ton of contacts. Anya was running the place now and taking charge of the different doctors who came through, each doing their part to help. He and Steph would be back there in a few months, taking her turn as doctor.
The best of both worlds.
“The clinic is open for business,” he said with a smile. “If by business you mean making absolutely no money at all.”
“That’s how charity works,” Li said with a smile before he stepped back. “Now, I’ve got a girl to walk down the aisle. You better be there, Carter, or I’ll find ya.”
He wouldn’t be anywhere else. “Hey, O’Donnell, since you’re the one giving the bride away, does that mean I should call you Pops now?”
“Not on yer life.” O’Donnell shuddered. “Though the wee one can certainly call me Uncle Li. You be good to her, Carter.”
“I will.” He shook Li’s hand and the Irishman walked out to prepare for his part of the wedding.
“We will see you outside, brother.” Taggart slapped him on the shoulder and then extended a hand to Nick. “I’m happy for both of you, and more than happy to have more lovely women in our family. Now I’m going to go help Charlie wrangle the girls because I overheard them planning to climb a couple of the trees in the garden.”
The American crew left to find their places and he was alone with the men who had become his closest family. All except one.
“Owen didn’t want to come back here?” He asked the question of Nick. Owen had been Nick’s partner for years before he’d become the last of Hope McDonald’s experiments.
Nick gave him a tight smile. “He told me he wasn’t feeling well. It’s hard for him, these big gatherings. He doesn’t know what to say and often finds himself in a conversation he doesn’t understand because he’s talking to someone who knew him from before. The others are all coming, but they don’t have the same problems as Owen.”
Owen knew his name, knew all the facts of his life before the drug had taken his memories. Sometimes not knowing seemed to be better.
It sure as hell had been for Tucker.
“Has Ezra found anything at all yet?” Brody asked. “I saw you talking to him earlier.”
Ezra Fain had missed the poker game that served as both his and Nick’s bachelor party, but he’d flown in for the wedding. He’d shown up and immediately gone into a private meeting with Damon and Big Tag.
“Two of the Belgians he talked to insist that Tucker is this Dr. Razor person.” Damon poured himself another drink. “They said they’d worked for him on two occasions, though the person they were actually in contact with was none other than Dr. Hope McDonald. Ezra’s been working on another case but he’s going to try to figure out Tucker’s real name. I seriously doubt it’s Razor.”
Nick shook his head. “It’s hard to believe that kid was some kind of monster. He’s the kindest of the bunch. Are you sure we’re doing the right thing keeping this from the rest of them? If he was Hope McDonald’s right-hand man, then he was likely the one who tortured them.”