The Heart of the Jungle, стр. 75
CHRIS sat on a stretcher, cradling his daughter and holding tightly to the warm blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Jason had briefly described what had transpired since they'd been separated, and his head was still reeling from everything that had happened. Off to the side, he could see him conversing with the team of FBI agents.
He turned his gaze to a pair of EMTs wheeling Jason's semiconscious partner, Frank Marcus, toward the waiting ambulance. As they drew close, the wounded man motioned for them to stop. Feebly, he beckoned Chris over. Chris eased himself off his perch, shifted Brianna to his hip, and moved to the side of the litter. He placed his hand upon Frank's and squeezed gently.
Frank coughed and winced. "You gonna be okay?" he asked.
Chris shook his head, and a small incredulous laugh escaped him.
"I'm not the one with a hole in my chest," he responded.
"Just a scratch," Frank said, grimacing.
Chris struggled to find words. "What you did for me... what you both did for me," he whispered, not sure he could control the powerful emotions welling up inside of him. His voice broke, and tears threatened.
"I...."
"Just doing my job," Frank said modestly. He glanced over at Jason.
"Jason, though... he would have moved heaven and earth to get to you. He's damn lucky I didn't tell the agent in charge how this whole thing really went down." Frank's mouth formed an angry scowl. He turned his eyes back to Chris and the scowl faded away. "He's in love with you, you know."
Chris closed his eyes as the tears escaped his control. He couldn't speak, so he just nodded.
"Imagine you need some time to sort this all out," Frank said. Chris looked at him sadly. He was still unable to find his voice. "He's a good man. The best. Remember that, won't you? When the dust settles."
Chris wasn't sure the dust would ever settle, but he couldn't say that to Frank. Instead, he met the older man's serious gaze and held it. "I won't forget," Chris promised him.
Frank reached out and tweaked Brianna's cheek. "And how are you, little red?" he asked.
"Hungry," she answered honestly.
They both laughed, and a pained expression came over Frank's face. "Load 'er up, boys." Frank pointed toward the ambulance. "Best part of being shot," he called out as he was wheeled away. "Good drugs."
Jason concluded his conversation and came up to Chris. He stood at his side as Frank was loaded into the back of the ambulance.
Chris smiled. "He's quite a character," he said.
"Quite," Jason agreed with a twinkle in his eye.
They were silent as the ambulance doors were closed and it rolled away. Finally, Jason spoke. "They're just about ready to take your statement. MacQuery and Brunner will be questioned once their wounds have been treated and they're stabilized. I'd imagine it's going to be a long couple of weeks for you."
Chris took a deep breath. It felt like it had been a long couple of weeks already, though only a handful of days had actually passed. His heart still ached from the terrible betrayal. It was still hard to believe that George had been trying to kill him all this time. As long as he lived, he didn't think he would get over it completely.
Jason took his hand and pressed the velvet pouch, heavy with the raw diamond, into his palm. "Here," he said, closing Chris's fingers over it. "You've earned this."
Chris clenched his fists around the stone, and his jaw tightened.
This diamond had been bought with precious blood. In truth, he hated it passionately.
"What are you going to do with it?" Jason asked. "I hear it's pretty valuable."
Chris forced a halfhearted laugh and stared at the pouch in his hand.
"I told George I was going to throw it in the river. Maybe that's what I'll do." He looked from the diamond to Jason. "I never want to see it again."
Jason pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I wouldn't blame you." He met Chris's gaze. "Maybe you should think on it first, though. Some things... they're just too precious to throw away." His stare was meaningful, filled with an unasked question and all the hopes he still secretly harbored in his heart.
Chris returned the stare frankly, knowing what was being asked but unwilling, unable to respond. He could not bring himself to say the words in his heart, to bid this man goodbye, but he had to. He owed him as much. "I... I...."
Jason placed a finger to his lips and smiled softly, sadly. Chris didn't need to say anything more. "I know," he said. "I know." His voice was husky with strong emotion. "I understand."
Ashamed, Chris looked away. It nearly tore his heart out to see the anguish and loss on Jason's face. It echoed the heartache and regret that stabbed painfully into his own soul. Problem was... he just didn't have anything left to give.
"Ahem...." A uniformed officer came up behind them, and the intrusion broke through the awkward moment. "Mr. James?" he asked hesitantly. "We're ready to take your statement."
Chris was still for a few seconds, gathering his strength. Then he turned and nodded. "Of course," he said.
As he walked away, he stole one last look over his shoulder. Jason waved sadly, but it wasn't the gesture of farewell that took his breath away.
As long as Chris lived, he would never forget the look of hopeless loss in the other man's eyes.
Epilogue
THE sunny August afternoon was filled with the delicious fragrance of late-summer blooms and the salty tang of the sea.
Chris laughed as Brianna frolicked in the yard with a clumsy chocolate-colored long-haired dachshund puppy she'd creatively named Brownie.
He patted the dirt around the dahlia he'd just