Page 77 of French Escapade

“What about Ted?”

“He spent the night at the hospital.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh, yes. He had a cot set up next to your sister’s bed, just to make sure no one from Arkady’s team tried to come get her.”

I feel grateful and guilty. Not that I have any regrets about my night with Élodie—nothing could be further from the truth. But I should have spent the night by my sister.

“They already knew each other?” Élodie asks.

“Yes, when Ted and I were in the same unit, he used to hang out with us at home. Like Jimmy and Mouss.”

I don’t have a chance to tell her about the fourth musketeer of our team because we’ve reached our destination.

“I think I’ll stay with Andrea in the car,” Élodie says.

“Sure, we shouldn’t be long. I’ll be back in less than five minutes.”

I have no trouble finding the room where I left Madison last night. The sleeping beauty is wide awake. Her battered evening gown has been replaced by a simple cotton dress. She’s chomping at the bit. From the end of the hallway, I can hear her torturing Ted.

“But you told me he would be here at eleven! Where is he?”

“Since when are you so eager to see me?” I ask as I enter her room.

“Ken!” my sister screams as she jumps into my arms. “You found me! I knew it. I told that bastard. I told him he was making a huge mistake, and he laughed in my face. Well, I’m sure he’s not laughing anymore.”

“For sure, taking three bullets is no laughing matter,” Ted agrees.

Madison is not inclined to be merciful. “Great. I hope his agony was horribly painful.”

I roll my eyes and wonder what they taught her in Sunday school.

“As far as I know, he’s still alive, and that’s a good thing,” I tell her.

“How could it be a good thing?” Madison asks in shock.

“We haven’t found Tiffany.”

Madison’s hands rise to her mouth to stifle a moan.

“You mean that night, the party night, you didn’t free all the others?” she asks.

“That’s what we have to talk about with the gendarmes,” Ted explains. “The police found a few, but Tiffany’s vanished. And we want to make sure she wasn’t the only one.”

And miraculously, the moody kid who wanted Arkady dead turns into a passionate young woman. “Then why are we still here? Let’s not waste any more time.”

If the situation weren’t so serious, I would laugh. I have the feeling the French police are going to have fun with her.

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