“Yes?”
“I have been guarding your mother, as you know, although now Thura has taken over that role while I watch over you. She has demanded absolute loyalty from me above all others, including you.”
“That has always been her way.”
“But I am now guarding you. So my loyalty is to you. It is complicated, but I want you to understand what I’m grappling with.”
She said wearily, “There is no need to contort yourself. I amaware.”
“No, with respect, I don’t think you are. You see, she has gone to Kowloon Park twice a week for quite some time now. She always buys an ice cream, she always goes to the restroom, and she always leaves the container on the bench and—”
Steers held up her hand. “Iknowthis. My mother leaves messages for the man to pick up.”
“You knew about it?”
“I know about anything having to do with me or my mother.”
“But this could be tied to the attack on you.”
“We will not speak of this now.”
“But you almost died. I don’t understand.”
Her features became rigid. “I understand that you do not understand, Dillon-san. But if it makes you feel better, I am the only person alive who truly understandsmyworld. Now, if there is nothing more, I need to complete some. . .tasks.” She touched her neck. “And. . .rest. This has taken more out of me than I originally thought.”
“Of course.” He rose and bowed slightly. “If you need anything?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He turned to leave.
“Dillon-san?”
He turned back to her, and now Steers’s expression was softer, calmer, and sadder.
“Yes?”
“I truly thank you for your friendship and your loyalty. It means a great deal to me. Especially now when one feels alone above all other things.”
Nash bowed again, more deeply this time, and left, his mind full of confusion and his heart full of foreboding.
CHAPTER
43
WEEKS LATER A WARM DAYled to a thunderstorm and a chilly night. Finally gaining Steers’s approval, Nash had retained temporary security personnel and posted them around the clock at the elevators in the lobby. He and Thura had moved to the same floor as Steers and her mother. Hiroko had also been moved here, via Steers’s order. They were circling the wagons until they would leave for America, which Steers had told him would be soon.
Now Nash rose from his bed and checked his watch. He was not on duty for another six hours, but he just couldn’t fall asleep. He got dressed and decided to go for a walk since the storm had passed. He checked in with Thura, who patrolled through the penthouse every thirty minutes and also was in contact with the security in the lobby. No one was allowed up to the penthouse or the two floors below it without Steers’s express permission. He and Thura were splitting the security shifts with one of them on for twelve hours and the other off.
“Anything going on?” he asked Thura.
“All quiet. Hey, you sure they gonna let me in?”
“In where?”
“America, man.”
“Ms. Steers will take care of the paperwork, I’m sure.”