******
"I thought it went really well, overall." Phyl took a bite of her crepe, and squinted at each of them in the dim light of the intimate, French restaurant.
Thad nodded in agreement. "I'm relieved that the feds will check on the other people we've encountered - the pilot, the ticket agent. Jonathan was right. Sullivan's reach is wide-spread." He smiled at Emma and Pete. "We appreciate your help in all this." He wiped his mouth with the black cloth napkin and laid it back across his leg. "I'm surprised that I haven't met Stan Townsend before, but I feel confident that he'll handle everything in a competent manner."
"I'm surprised that you haven't met him at one of my get-togethers. Although, come to think of it, he's only been to a few over the years. And, I have to say, after listening to you and Phyl relate to him your many ordeals in the Bahamas, I just don't know how you two are so calm." Emma paused, her fork halfway between her plate and mouth. "You lived a horrible nightmare the entire time you were there." She shook her head.
"Believe me, Emma, I may seem calm to you, but I am so tense inside. I don't know how long it's going to take me to feel normal again." Phyl sipped her ice water, and sighed. "I look around in this restaurant and wonder if someone eating here is one of Sullivan's men spying on us." Thad reached over and rubbed her arm, and she turned, seeing his dark eyes search hers and his lips purse in concern. She knew what she said was distressing him. She had always been fearless in her opinion, unafraid to try something new. But this was different.
"I don't blame you a bit, Phyl." Emma reached over and patted her hand. "I would feel exactly the same way."
"It will get better, I'm sure." Pete leaned toward her over their table. "Stan was on the phone with the Attorney General as we left, and is sending the information on Sullivan to him as we speak. The federal authorities will not waste any time, as Stan said, moving on this matter, and you will feel secure in the knowledge that a major drug dealer has been brought to justice."
"But, Sullivan is still in the Bahamas, according to Leah."
"She told you that he was heading to the states with Kristin within a couple of days," Thad mentioned. "They'll pick him up the minute he steps foot on American soil."
"I understand all of that." Phyl gazed at each of them across their almost empty plates of crepes and ham, and steaks. "But, it's the interim I'm worried about. When the legal system hasn't quite caught up with all of them. That was a huge, multi-country drug operation that Sullivan was running, and it would seem to me that it would take a long time for them to get everything co-ordinated."
"Stan was confident that the government will act pretty quickly, Phyl." Thad narrowed his eyes at her and she wanted to believe him. She did. "He spoke to the police chief and he assured us that they would check on us as often as they could." He sighed. "We can't move away. We have no choice but to continue on with our lives. I personally feel that once the arrests start, which should be in the next couple of days, according to Stan, Sullivan's men will be scrambling more to hide from the police than trying to harm us." He looked around the table as everyone nodded in agreement. "Stan said that Jonathan's evidence is well-organized and iron-clad, and I suppose we should be grateful for that. Once it's all out in the open, I think we'll be fine."
Phyl thought about it as she chewed a bite of the chicken crepe. Her eyes just felt empty, and she wondered if Jonathan and his parents would be in the same boat when they returned to the States. Why wouldn't they? Should she call them back and apologize for her outburst and warn them? Sullivan's men obviously had no qualms in using weapons. Why should they stop now? She felt slightly muddled and placed her hand on her forehead.
"Phyl, are you all right?" Thad turned and leaned toward her, his eyes full of concern. She turned to him and gazed at him seriously.
"No, Thad, I don't feel well," she sighed. "I think I need to go home."
"We understand, sweetie." Emma wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Do you want us to keep Bear another night?"
"No, I think I want him at home with us now." Phyl smiled at her. "It'll make me feel safer, I think, while Thad is at the clinic."
"I'm off the rest of the week, Phyl." Thad stood up and shrugged on his jacket, holding hers as she stood up, slipping her arms through the sleeves. "Four more days, in fact."
"That's right, I've lost track of the days."
"We'll cover this." Pete stood up as well. "No," he smiled softly and held up his hand as Thad protested. "We insist."
"It's the least we can do." Emma hugged Phyl as they headed toward the exit, and Thad opened the door for them, and they walked slowly back to their vehicles. "I liked that restaurant, didn't you, Phyl?"
"Hmm.. yes, I did," she smiled at Emma, then looked over at Thad. "Do you mind driving?"
"Of course not." Thad looked down at her, his brows lowered, and she knew he was worried about her. "Emma, Pete, we'll see you at your house."
A Pale Paradise Page 28