Inquisitively, he arched an eyebrow.
The directness of his stare was both exciting and unsettling.
It caused a fluttering in her tummy. "You cast an imposing silhouette, Doc, especially with your hat on."
"Oh. Yeah. I've always been tall for my age."
It was meant as a joke, and it worked to the extent that Tiel was able to resume breathing.
Then he said, "Thanks for honoring my request not to be on camera."
Conscience was more than a twinge this time. It was a jabbing needle and much harder to ignore. She mumbled an appropriate response, then, eager to change the subject, gestured toward Sabra. "Any change?"
"Bleeding's increased again. Not as bad as before. I should get her to nurse the baby again. It's been over an hour, but I hate to disturb her while she's sleeping."
"They're probably already watching that video. Maybe she'll be in a hospital soon."
"She's a trooper. But she's exhausted."
"So is Ronnie. I see signs of disintegration. I wish I hadn't watched all those dramas about hostage situations -fiction and non. The longer something like this drags on, the more excitable everyone becomes. Nerves snap. Tempers flare."
"Then guns."
"Don't even say it." She shuddered. "For an instant there, I was afraid that Ronnie's concern about sharpshooters was valid. What if Galloway had buffaloed me?
Agreeing to do the video could have been a setup in which Kip, Gully, and I were pawns."
Adjusting himself into a more comfortable position, he asked, "Who's this Gully?"
She described their working relationship. "He's a real character. I'll bet he's giving them fits out there," she said with a smile.
"And who's Joe?"
The unexpected question pulled the plug on her smile.
"Nobody."
"Somebody. Boyfriend?"
"A wannabe."
"A wanna-be boyfriend?"
Piqued by his persistence, she was about to tell him to mind his own business and to stop eavesdropping on her private conversations. But in view of the audiocassette in her possession, she rethought her reaction. A good way to win his confidence would be to confide in him.
'Joseph and I had several dates. Joseph was on his way to earning the official designation of 'boyfriend,' but
Joseph failed to mention that he was another woman's husband. I made that rude discovery this very afternoon."
"Hmm. Mad?"
"You betcha. Furious."
"Regrets?"
"Over him? No. None at all. Over being such a gullible goose, yes." She hammered her fist into her palm as though it were a judge's gavel. "From now on, all future dates are required to tender no less than three notarized character references."
"What about your ex?"