How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod simply dropped into a chair, eyes fixed coldly on the satellite tracker. "I'm not going," he said, his tone icy and distant.

Esmeralda looked at him in surprise. "But-"

He offered no explanation.

By the time Watts got back, dawn was just breaking, the world outside painted in

muted gray.

Almost without thinking, he found himself heading toward Elodie's room. He paused in front of her door, lost in thought for several long moments.

The fact that Jarrod was still alive had caught him off guard. But telling Elodie? That wasn't part of his plan.

He glanced at his watch. Jarrod would need some time to wrap up his affairs. Nearly four hours had passed since their last call.

Casting another glance at Elodie's closed door, Watts walked down the hall and pulled out his phone. "Has Jarrod left yet?" he asked quietly.

The reply was immediate: "His men say they saw him board the plane."

Only then did Watts hang up.

As long as Jarrod was gone, everything would move the way he needed it to. He'd give Jarrod two days, at most.

As for Elodie...

walked back and knocked on

No answer.

then unlocked the door and

expected, Elodie was sitting on the edge of her bed, lost in thought. She looked like she

was because of Jarrod's

unreadable flashed

you to resign from your position at the home base," he said, voice even. "It's best if you call them, let them know you're safe. No need to stir up a storm back

a cool look. "Oh? Worried that they'll come

didn't bother denying it. That was certainly part of it. This whole mess had gotten

But there was more.

you to quit," he continued, slower now, "and come

he wanted to

She arched a brow. "Mr.

was sharper than

who she was-Watts had always known Elodie wasn't the delicate, pliant type. When she lashed out, her words

anymore. Crouching in front of her,

stared back,

the time in the

with me, and I'll

can be together. How does

words left his