“I’m just not sure how it plays out, Rhett, now that there aretwoqueens in residence.”
“Look, we need to be thinking about our exit strategy, Dillon. I don’t believe our chances are going to get any better than they are right now. Gratitude only lasts so long.”
Nash had been afraid of this. He knew that at some point his and Temple’s goals would no longer align, and maybe they had abruptly reached that crossroads.
Temple said, “In that vein, I’m going to do a little negotiating with the woman today.”
“You think that’s a good idea?”
“It’s a better idea than hanging around until she decides to kill us once and for all.”
Temple went back inside, and Nash looked down over the bustling city. His time in the corporate world had been spent on the proverbial hamster’s wheel. Before one deal was done you were already looking for the next one on the horizon and the next one and the one after that. It was Pavlov on steroids, only Nash wasn’t a dog. At least the canine had the excuse of being domesticated.
He went to Thura’s room and found him finishing his breakfast.
A big smile on his face, he looked around at his luxurious surroundings and said, “Man, I got sheets on the bed and a proper toilet that actually works. And the food?” He finished his eggs and toast and washed it down with the remains of his coffee. “And the bath? Dillon, it has a tub. I soaked in a damn tub, man!”
Nash sat down across from him. “Glad you’re enjoying it, Thura. So let’s talk about the future. Where do you want to go from here?”
Thura’s smile diminished and he put the empty cup down. “I got no work visa for this place. So I can’t stay all that long. At passport control I had to show my return flight ticket back to Myanmar that your people got me. But I ain’t going back there, man.”
“Any place you’dliketo go?”
“Why?”
“Thought I’d put in a good word on your behalf to Ms. Steers.” Nash put a finger to his lips, then pointed to his ears and glanced around.
To his credit, Thura picked up on this quickly. “Well, I hear London is nice, with lots of folks from everywhere. Or maybe France. If I could find work.”
“How about the U.S.?”
“I told you that is not a good place for me. And I hear they’ve shut their borders.”
“There are always ways.”
“That might be nice then. Big country. I’m sure I can find something to do.”
“You have any family left?”
“No parents. Had a brother. Think he’s dead. Had a sister. I buried her. Covid.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Lots of people die, man. So, no, I ain’t got nobody.”
“Okay, let me talk to her and then I’ll get back to you.”
“You don’t have to take care of me, Dillon, but it is nice that you think to.”
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, Thura. Debts like that never really get repaid.”
CHAPTER
27
STEERS LOOKED STERNLY AT TEMPLEas they sat across from each other in her office.
“How is your mother this morning?”