Grandiose.
One thing was certain-he wasn’t going to enter the conversation.
Not yet anyway.
WYATT SMILED. “NO, I GUESS MALONE IS NOT GOING TO SHOW himself. Knox, I want you to know that I don’t have any beef with you.”
“I do with you.”
“That stupid assassination attempt? You should thank me for stopping it. Carbonell set us both up here. So I’m going to give you a chance to leave. I want you to take a message to Quentin Hale. Tell him I plan to get what he wants and he can have it. Of course, it will cost, but it’s not a price he can’t afford. Tell him I’ll be in touch.”
He waited for a reply.
“She said you wouldn’t bring those pages back to her,” Knox yelled.
“That all depended on her keeping her word. Which she didn’t. So she called on you and hoped you’d kill me for her. It’s two against one, Knox. Cotton Malone wants those pages, too. They’ll be of no use to you if he finds them. He works only for God and country.”
“And you’ll be the one to find them?”
“Malone and I have some unfinished business. Once it’s completed, I’ll get what you want.”
“And if I stay?”
“Then you’re going to die. Guaranteed. One of us will get you.”
KNOX WEIGHED HIS OPTIONS. HE WAS ALONE WITH TWO PURSUERS. One appeared to be friendly, the other unknown.
Who was this Cotton Malone?
And the crew.
There’d been casualties.
Not something that happened often.
It had been years since they’d lost anyone. He’d come here because it seemed the only play. Hale was happy, the other three captains were content. Carbonell had provided the information, seemingly wanting Knox to be here.
But enough was enough.
He was risking his life for nothing.
“I’m leaving,” he called out.
MALONE CROUCHED LOW AND STUDIED THE BLACKNESS. THE nearest light source was miles away on a neighboring island. The surf continued its relentless attack on the rock below. Wyatt was out there, waiting. It was impossible to go after the third man. Knox. Wyatt would be ready for that.
Just sit tight.
“Okay, Malone,” Wyatt called out. “Obviously you’re privy to the same information I am. One of us is going to win this fight. Time to find out who.”