Page 68 of Ford

RJ watched in silent confusion as Coco walked over to York and worked the hood from his head. He jerked up at her, but she pressed her hand to his cheek. “Shh. Sorry, York.”

He jerked away from her, and she glanced over at the woman sawing away at RJ’s flexicuffs.

“Better leave him tied up until he hears everything,” Coco said.

Huh?

Coco walked back to RJ just as the woman freed her.

RJ brought her hands around. “What’s going on?”

Coco knelt and took her wrists, rubbing the red away. “I’m sorry.” She spoke in English. “They were supposed to subdue York, not taser him, and certainly not tie you up.”

“Who’sthey?”

She made a face. “It’s a long story.”

“You know they nearly drowned York.”

Coco looked at the woman, frowned.

“According to my men, he started it,” she said in Russian.

“What, by trying to escape?” Coco said.

York started shouting, probably something that deserved an R-rating, but the tape muffled it.

Coco looked at him. “Pipe down and I’ll untape you.”

York looked at her as if he’d like to turn her to ash.

Coco walked back to York and put her hands on the tape. Paused. “Seriously. No biting, no shouting…”

He narrowed his eyes.

She waited.

He nodded.

She ripped off the tape.

He winced.

“Sorry. But I don’t want you making a ruckus out here. And I knew you wouldn’t listen to them if they waited patiently in your living room. You’d take one look at their uniforms, and bullets would start flying.”

“Not true,” he snapped. “My methods are very quiet. Guns are not quiet.”

Oh. He didn’t sound like he was kidding. “Who are these guys, Kat?”

She sighed. “Former FSB. They work as my father’s private security force now.”

“Your father—?” Her words were just now sinking into RJ. “But I thought he was dead.”

“No. That’s just what my mother—and my father—wanted the world to believe.” She held out her hand, and the woman who had freed RJ now handed Coco the clippers. “I’ll free you, York, but no craziness. You’re safe—no need to run.”

He didn’t answer, probably existing in the same realm of disbelief at Coco’s words.

But he stayed right there on the floor, albeit rubbing his wrists after Coco freed him.