Page 47 of Doubts of the Egoist

“You are free to go. No one’s holding you.” He heard himself say it, but his voice sounded dull and distant, as if coming from underwater. He turned on his heel, but the soft sound of his name made him hold his breath, heart skipping a beat. He glanced over his shoulder.

“Do you know where Lena Vogel is? Is she alive?”

A bitter, sarcastic laugh escaped Yugo’s mouth as a surge of disappointment flooded his chest. Losing control over his emotions, he cocked his head and let a sarcastic snarl stretch his lips. “Aren’t you a detective, Herr Leiris? Find out for yourself. That’s what you came here for anyway.”

Kuon’s cheek twitched, but he didn’t avert his eyes.

“One more question.” Yugo guessed the words rather than heard them clearly. “Three hundred and sixteen?”

After everything Kuon had done, Yugo didn’t feel obligated to clear things up. Still, he replied, “It’s not the rape I watched. It’s what happened before. I missed you and regretted letting you go. It’s that simple, believe it or not. Now, I wonder if I made a mistake in bringing you back.”

He strode to the door but halted at the desk, eyes focusing on a silicone replica of his fingerprint. “This is how you got in? You sure have all the dedication in the world. I’m impressed, Detective Leiris. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Don’t forget to take your meds. It’d be a shame if you ruined your eyes over something so stupid.”

Yugo gave Kuon one last skeptical look, then left the room.

“Boss?” Greg’s face was pale as he jogged down the burgundy carpet strip, gun in hand. “Are you okay?”

Yugo’s cheek twitched, but he didn’t slow down.

Greg scowled. “Is Kuon okay? Should I call for a doctor?”

“What could have happened to your precious Kuon?” Yugo snarled, glaring at him.

“Nothing? Then what the hell happened? We heard gunfire.”

Yugo shook his head trying to clear his hearing. “He’s fucking with me, that’s what happened. And I can’t even hit him.”

“Wait… where are you going?”

“Out. If I stay, I’ll kill him. It was so much easier when I could force him.” Anger and disappointment bubbled in his throat as he stormed past. Needing an outlet for his unspent aggression, he ordered, “Locate Tobias. That fucker needs a lesson.”

“Tobias…” Greg breathed a sigh of relief, holstering his gun and pulling out his smartphone. He swiped his thumb over the screen, but a busy signal buzzed from the phone. “His phone was off all day, but he’s flying to Istanbul in three hours.”

Yugo stopped short, staring at the black screen of his phone. “Book me on the next flight, but before that, get me an appointment with an ENT. I can’t fucking hear.”

Greg nodded. “I’ll go with you.”

Yugo cast a glance over his shoulder at the open door of his bedroom. “He can’t be left alone.”

Greg winced. He’d obviously expected to have fun in Turkey and to compete with Tobias, but he instantly schooled his features into a hopeful expression. “Let’s lock him up?”

“He has a gun,” Yugo huffed.

“So?”

“Who will you sacrifice to get him?”

“Well…” With a massive hand, Greg rubbed his roughchin, thinking.

“Don’t let anyone else in the room. Drive him to a hotel when he decides to leave.”

Greg’s jaw dropped, and then he frowned. “Why are you letting him go again? Just lock him up; he’ll cool off.”

“What for? He fucking shot at me, and he doesn’t know what he wants,” Yugo said as he carried on downstairs. He pushed open the front door and stepped out into the sweltering heat.

“He did? Why? What did you do?”

“I did nothing.” Yugo turned, holding the door open. “What makes you thinkIam the cause?”