The Heart of the Jungle, стр. 40
She spit at him.
"Time for me to be going."
He turned, strode slowly to the elevator, and rode it to the ground floor. Somewhere along the way, he lost the connection to Lisa, but it was no matter. She didn't have any files to send, anyway. He'd anticipated that there might be some kind of scene with Hopkins and that unless he had an insurance policy, his life could be in danger. He'd prearranged the whole thing before going in. Lisa had agreed, reluctantly, to go along.
As Jason stepped off the elevator, Gunther was waiting for him.
The big man did not make a move to detain him, though he watched him with deadly eyes.
Jason strode past, made his way to the door, and walked out onto the street unmolested. By the time he was headed back to the Strip, his phone was ringing frantically.
"You asshole," Lisa screamed when he finally answered. "Don't ever do that shit to me again. I hate this job."
"Aww, you were worried about me. That's so sweet."
"You're such a dickhead. I should have let that bitch eat you for dinner, you know. I'd be better off without this stress. You're going to give me old lady hair."
"You did great, kiddo."
"I need a vacation."
"Not until this one is done. I still need you on the ground on that end."
"I need a drink."
"Listen, one more thing I need you to do for me. Do a search on the name Mariano. Get me addresses of likely candidates."
"I need a raise."
"Don't push it."
He disconnected.
He looked over his shoulder several times as he walked back to the hotel. His step was light. He had been right. He'd been battling a nagging worry that he'd run into a dead end with Hopkins and that he and Chris would have to start all over. Even worse, he'd feared that Brianna and Michael would turn out to actually be dead. After all he'd done to convince Chris otherwise, having to share that bit of news would be unthinkable. He was grateful he would be spared that fate.
The brass ring was in sight. All he had to do now was make his move on Brunner and Michael, locate the Mariano family, get a couple of pictures of Brianna, and let the federal authorities do the rest.
Something still nagged at the back of his mind, though, something that would not be put down. There were shadow figures at work here, and he had no clue as to who or why. Someone was funding Brunner, maybe several someones. What did Chris have that they wanted? Why did Brunner and Michael think a child could get them to the Heart of the Jungle? What jungle? Where? So much of this still didn't make sense.
If Hopkins could be believed, there were dangerous people playing this deadly game. Brunner had risen infinitely in stature since his days of pilfering statues and organizing illicit deals. The stakes were much higher than he originally thought. Time was running out. He was quickly getting in over his head.
Even if Hopkins quietly disappeared, the countdown had begun the moment they stepped on that plane and fled Seattle. She'd known they were coming. Someone was watching his every move.
He thought about the terror on Hopkins's face as he headed back to his hotel. Whatever was going down was bad. Very, very bad.
Chapter 11
CHRIS had spent the evening hunched against the headboard. With nothing to do but think, he imagined any number of horrible deaths for Jason in the lonely hours that seemed to stretch out to infinity.
Shortly after midnight, he heard the clicking of the lock announcing Jason's return. He flew from the bed. Against all propriety, he rushed across the room and threw himself into Jason's arms. "Oh," he breathed, "thank God you're all right."
Jason seemed taken aback by the uncharacteristic abandon, but his body didn't. He automatically enfolded Chris in a deep embrace. When Chris looked up at him, Jason's expression was one of surprise.
When the outpouring of relief had run its course, Chris pulled back and took a long, lingering look, reassuring himself that all of Jason's limbs were firmly in place and that he was truly safe and whole. Only when he had completed his examination did he finally dare to draw a deep breath.
"Wow, I guess you were worried," Jason said with a grin.
"You were walking into a death trap. What else would I be?"
"Can I go out and come back in? Will you do it again?"
Chris groaned, and then his expression turned serious. "Did you find anything out?"
"Are you hungry?"
"What the hell is it with you and food?" Chris stared at Jason in openmouthed amazement. "You should be the size of a blimp, as much as you worry about eating."
Jason strolled over to the phone and picked it up, ignoring him.
"Because I'm starved. Want a cheeseburger?"
"If you dial room service, I swear I'll break your fingers."
"You're cute when you're feisty." Jason dialed the telephone and grinned over at him in devilish delight. "You're cute all the time, but particularly when the Irish comes out."
Chris glared. If he really could have made good on the finger-breaking promise, he would have. "I hate you."
Jason ordered two cheeseburgers, french fries, and Budweisers, then disconnected. He doffed his jacket, draped it over the chair, and unbuttoned his shirt.
"What are you doing?" Chris asked, ire deepening his voice.
"I can't eat a cheeseburger in this. I'm returning it. I'm a private detective, for Christ's sake. I can't very well afford to keep a seven-hundred-dollar shirt."
What the hell kind of game was Jason playing with him? Why was he acting like this? "Are