Josiah wanted to smash his fist into Tyler’s smug face, but he knew it wasn’t a request he could deny. His heart sank at the thought of having to broach the subject with Alex in the condition he was in, but Tyler was well within his rights to demand it, and he had no reasonable grounds to deny it.
“He’s not a commodity. He’s a human being.”
“Ah, fine words coming from the indiehunter. Maybe he cares more for indies than he lets on?” He raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with malicious intrigue.
Josiah refused to react. Tyler might have his suspicions, but if he knew anything for sure, he’d have used that information by now.
“I’m not the one being charged, you are,” he said in a bland tone. Everything Tyler had said and done had been designed to intimidate. He clearly knew all about Alex’s abduction, and he’d known precisely where to put his hand on Josiah’s shoulder to cause maximum discomfort.I know, was his message.I know everything about you, and Iwilluse it to bring you down.
“Tut tut, Raine. People who live in glass houses…” Tyler wagged a finger at him.
Josiah took a moment to compose himself by taking his silver box out of his pocket and slowly choosing a chocolate. He let it melt silkily in his mouth, deliberately looking as nonchalant as possible, knowing he was riling up Tyler in the process. Every studied action was designed to say,Bring it on, Tyler. I’m not afraid of you.
“That’s an interesting choice of phrase, given that you’re the one who lives in a glass house, not me,” he said finally, waving his hand at the huge windows.
Tyler stood, gazing at him speculatively for a moment, then something strange happened. His urbane mask dropped, and he actually looked sincere.
“Can I speak to you privately for a moment?” he asked, gesturing with his head to a room to one side.
Josiah glanced at Esther, who shrugged.
“Sure.” He followed Tyler into the small anteroom. Tyler turned the minute they were alone, speaking softly and urgently.
“I’m giving you one last chance, because I was once where you are now, and I know how bloody awful it is. Listen to me. Alex doesn’t love you. He’s using you to play out a vendetta against me. You’re a puppet, Josiah.”
Normally, Josiah would have dismissed this as the usual Tyler bluster, but on this occasion, it felt raw and honest. He also noticed that Tyler had used “Alex” instead of his preferred “Alexander”. Something about this felt different.
“He’s a damaged man, because of what you did to him,” he retorted, watching Tyler keenly. He saw a flicker of something – guilt, remorse? – in Tyler’s eyes.
“Neither he nor I behaved well,” he sighed. “But trust me on this – he doesn’t love you, and hewillbreak your heart. He did it to me, and he’ll do it to you.”
“You were in love with him?” Josiah stared at him in frank disbelief. Tyler had said so before, but he’d assumed it was a lie. Now, he was less sure.
Tyler rocked back on his heels with a bark of laughter. “Of course I bloody well was. That’s what he does to people. I don’t think he knows he’s doing it half the time, but he sucks you in, drives you mad, and then you realise he never meant any of it.”
“Are you trying to tell me that you and he had some kind of romantic relationship?” Josiah raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
“Oh, you can doubt it if you like, but it was real, on my side at least. It took me a long time to get over him. Maybe I still haven’t.” Tyler gave a twisted smile. “He’s not the victim here, Raine, but you will be, if you think he really loves you. He doesn’t. He’s not capable of it.”
Josiah gazed at him searchingly, looking for some kind of understanding of what he was being told. More lies? Or was there at least a kernel of truth in there? Whathadhappened between these two? Alex had never told him. He’d alluded to it being an almighty mess, but had never explained what, precisely, had gone down.
“You could be right,” he said grudgingly. “But this isn’t something I’m prepared to discuss with you.”
Tyler sighed and spread his arms wide in a gesture of surrender. “I can only warn you. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Get out now, before it goes too far.”
“Good advice. Forgive me for doubting its source,” Josiah snapped. Then he turned on his heel and left.
He knew Tyler would be granted bail. His lawyers would make sure of that, and the courts rarely sent anyone to prison if they could help it, given the overcrowding situation. His job was to gather as much evidence as possible between now and the trial to ensure Tyler never had a chance to make good on any of his veiled threats. It was entirely possible they wouldn’t findanything more than they already had – in which case, Josiah knew that both he and Alex were facing a very grim future.
He strolled into Alex’s cubicle a few hours later bearing a cardboard tray with a couple of cups on it, fully aware of the symbolism. He set the tray down carefully and handed Alex one of the drinks.
“Chai,” he said. “From that nice place you like. Thought you might fancy it.”
Alex gave him a disinterested glance. “Thank you.” He didn’t even bother taking a sip.
“I have both good and bad news,” Josiah said crisply. In truth, he didn’t know how to be around this dark, depressed Alex. He just hoped that if he acted normally around him, eventually he’d snap out of it, but he didn’t think it’d be either quick or easy. “The good news is that I charged Tyler today.”
Alex frowned. “How…? The skull wasn’t hers.”
