He adjusted her hat so he could see her better. “You’re amazing—so brave and smart, so full of passion—”
That’s all he got before she kissed him, fierce and possessive. “I love you too.”
Ed closed his eyes, holding her against him, needing to reassure himself she was fine.
Brandon’s call broke through the magic. “Anyone got a radio? We need to call Dot.”
“There’s one in my backpack.” Which he’d left with the bike.
“This one?” Dobby asked, holding up the backpack.
“Yeah.”
Dobby handed it to Ed, and he switched the radio on. “Ames, are you there?”
“Yes. Is everyone all right?”
“Yeah, but we need the police.”
“I’ll tell Dot she can move in.”
Ed winced. Dot was going to be mad.
“Is Tan going to live?” Tess asked, walking around the car. Heath moved to block her view.
“No, he’s dead,” Brandon said.
“You didn’t have to shoot him, Ed,” Heath said. “We were right here.”
Ed jolted. “I didn’t. It was Lee.”
Brandon stared at him. “What?”
“Lee was with me watching everything.” He pointed, and Sam took off in that direction. “I swear, the bullet won’t match the rifle.”
In the distance, the sound of a car engine grew louder.
Ed drew Tess away from the body.
“I need to call my parents,” she said.
He checked his phone, but there was no reception. “You can as soon as we get back to the house.”
She shook her head. “Tan said my father hadn’t been kidnapped. He said Mum was told to lie. I need to know the truth.”
The hurt radiated from her, and Ed pulled her into his arms again. “We’ll find out the truth. I promise.” He kissed her forehead, needing to touch her still.
A police car roared down the road and braked. Dot and Nhiari leapt out, hands on their guns.
“Tan was shot in the head,” Ed said.
Dot swore.
Dobby pointed to Tan’s gun lying in the sand, out of reach. “He carried that.”
“You guys should all be on a plane right now,” Nhiari stated as she grabbed a camera from the car and started photographing the scene.
Dot crouched by Tan and examined the exit wound. “Fuck,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “All of you away from the body.” She pointed towards the police four-wheel-drive. She spotted Tess, and her eyes narrowed. “I told you we would handle this.”
