“Okay, a delivery guy showed up and saw a body in a pool of blood. He called the cops.” He looked up at Steers. “The live-in staff included Thura and four other security guards, the cook, two maids, your three attendants that came with us from Hong Kong, and a gardener.”
“And my mother,” pointed out Steers. “Do they not identify or quantify the number of bodies?”
“Not yet. And they make reference to the owner not being there, meaning you. There is no mention of me, but that probably won’t last once they start looking into things.”
“Do you think they will arrive at the conclusion that you and I did this and then fled?”
The thought had occurred to Nash. “Not out of the realm of possibility.”
“Which means the police will be looking for us.”
Nash said, “Maybe I can do something about that.”
He got on his phone, downloaded the encrypted app that Agent Morris had previously provided him, and then sent an email detailing what had happened.
“Who did you send that to?” asked Steers.
“Somone who can help us.”
“The FBI perhaps?” she said.
He shot her a glance. “Someone who can help us,” he repeated.
They got back on the road and kept driving. Finally, Nash had to pull off. They checked into a motel and took the only room available.
Nash grabbed dinner at a burger place and brought it back for them.
Steers was in the shower and came out a bit later with wet hair and wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt and shorts that she had purchased when they’d stopped for clothes. Her feet were bare and her features tight as she eyed the twin beds.
Nash sat on one of the beds and checked his emails. He read off the one he’d received from Morris.
Understand and are monitoring the situation and will keep you apprised. We will do all we can to keep cops off your back.
Nash figured that was the best they could do under the circumstances.
He parceled out the food on a small table. They drew up their chairs and ate in silence, until Steers said, “What did your person write back to you?”
“That they’re aware of the situation, are monitoring it, and will keep us informed.”
She nodded but made no comment.
In the bathroom Nash washed up and changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants that he’d bought.
Twenty minutes after Nash had turned out the lights she said, “Once we get to New Orleans, what then?”
“We catch our breaths, get some data, process it, and then make decisions, hopefully good ones.”
“All right.” She paused and asked, “Is your wife alive?”
“What does it matter to you?”
“I would hope that she is alive, that is all.”
“Why?”
“Because she did nothing wrong. It was Rhett Temple who put her in danger. But I do want you to know that Lynn Ryder did not ask me before she sent her team out. But she did let me know about it shortly afterward. I ordered her to instruct the men not to harm your wife.”
Nash turned to the side and looked in her direction. It was so dark in the room that he could barely make out her figure lying on the bed.