Chapter 62

Panic ensued, as Lebeau, Johnson, and Williams scurried to unshackle Joe, but before they could, light had flooded the room and angry voices boomed through it. “What in God’s name is going on in here!”

Shackled, Joe faced the tiles, shaking so hard, the pipe was beginning to tear from the wall. “Help me,” he said, but his voice was too low.

There were orders being yelled out and a scurry of boots around him.

Keys.

His arms slumped down. Joe tried to sit, but could only kneel with his head bowed.

“Oh, my God, Vega?”

Joe blinked and tried to see through the blood in his eye.

“You’re all right,” the man said. A guard. “You’re gonna be all right.”

Joe recognized him.

Yes, he knew who the guard was. David. From the woods.

“Those sons of bitches, I knew they were up to no good.” David put a warm hand on Joe’s shoulder. “Now, come on, Joe, come on, stand up.”

But he couldn’t. Everything in Joe was afraid. Like a child, he hid his face inside his hands and sobbed dryly.