Connie put a hand lightly on Jones’s right arm.
‘Did you think she was dead, Sandy?’ she asked, even more quietly. ‘Was that what you thought?’
‘I couldn’t be sure,’ Jones answered truthfully. ‘But if she is alive, then she has certainly suffered the most dreadful injuries.’
‘That I can live with,’ said Connie almost absently, adding almost conversationally, ‘but I don’t think I could live without her, not without Marion.’
‘Oh, Connie,’ Jones murmured.
‘Thing is,’ Connie continued, ‘before we do anything else, I have to find out about Marion. You must see that.’
‘I do. But I don’t see how without putting both of us at risk.’
‘That’s the sort of thing Dom would sort out...’
‘Connie. I don’t see how we can trust him. He had the information to set that incident up. And don’t you think he’d have the means? He moves in nefarious ways...’
‘But he saved your life, Sandy. And he may have saved Marion’s life. He’s probably put himself in danger...’
Jones opened her mouth to try to explain further.
She was interrupted by a loud bang and a crash as the big double doors to The Campbell Apartment foyer burst open. In strode the Dominator, his huge form filling the door frame. Jones was astonished. She could not imagine how the big man had found her, and Connie, so quickly. And Dom looked even bigger and more menacing than ever.
‘So here you are, you dumb fucking bitch,’ he yelled at Jones. ‘What the hell did you jump out of ma cab for?’
For what seemed like the umpteenth time since she’d arrived in America, Jones was overwhelmed by panic. She quite surprised herself by managing to speak. And at volume.
‘Because I don’t trust you,’ she yelled back. ‘Because everything you do makes me suspicious of you. How did you know where to find us, for a start?’
‘I didn’t. But it was the only place at Grand Central left to look. You took a cab here, didn’t you, chowderhead? And you actually stayed at the place where the driver dropped you off. There’s a brotherhood among New York cabbies, lady. I took the guy’s number when you did your damned fool suicide dash into his cab. Took me ten minutes to get his name and phone number, and another fifteen to get my ass here. I hoped you might contact Connie. I didn’t dare go back to my place. I’m just so glad you’re here, honey.’
He reached out and touched Connie on one shoulder.
‘And I’m just so goddamned sorry,’ he added.
‘I know you are, Dom,’ Connie responded quietly.
Jones slumped forwards, resting her face in her hands. She wasn’t cut out for any of this. Everything she’d attempted to do so far had gone wrong: visiting the RECAP lab and getting arrested; trying to extract information from Ed and then ending up telling him about Connie; running away from Dom. James Bond? Indiana Jones? Eve and Villanelle? Their worlds were not hers. She didn’t fit at all. She was a disaster.
‘You think any of that makes me trust you any more, Dom?’ she asked eventually. ‘You knew Connie was alive, and you’re just the sort of man who would have the contacts to set up a hit...’
‘A hit on Marion? Me? Are you out of your mind. I’d never hurt a hair on her head.’
‘No, but maybe you’d hurt Connie. She was the target. You told me that. Maybe someone got to you, bribed you, blackmailed you. How the hell do I know? But what I do know is, I can’t think of anyone else who would have been able to set up that hit. Only you.’
Dom made a low growling sound and took a step towards Jones who just froze, still sitting on the step, looking up at him. Not again, she thought. Not more violence.
Connie stood up quickly and positioned herself between the two of them.
‘That won’t help, Dom,’ she said sternly, placing her hands on his huge chest. The big man stopped in his tracks at once, lowered his clenched fists, and took a step backwards.
‘I sure am sorry, Connie, and, you know what, I’ve never beat up a woman in my whole goddamned life. But this one sure is trying my patience. I wouldn’t do nothing to hurt you, any more than I would Marion, and I cannot believe she’s dumb enough to think I would.’
Connie sighed. ‘Look Dom, nobody but you, and poor Marion, even knows I’m alive. Sandy does have a point you know...’
‘Does she hell as like! Don’t say that, Connie. Anyway, Dr fucking Sandy Jones knows you are still alive. Maybe she set it up.’
‘You don’t believe that for a second, Dom, any more than I do.’
‘Maybe I don’t. But if it wasn’t her and it wasn’t me, who the hell could it have been? Somebody else must have known, Connie. I’m dead sure you and Marion haven’t told anyone else. And I sure haven’t. What about you, lady?’
Dom pointed a beefy finger at Jones, who shifted awkwardly on the step.
‘Sandy?’ queried Connie.
‘Well...’
‘Oh, Sandy. What have you done? Who have you told?’
‘OK. I told Ed. I sort of couldn’t help it. He was so dreadfully upset about you and Paul. He started to cry, and couldn’t stop. I just wanted to cheer him up.’
‘You just wanted to cheer him up? You put all of us at risk, to cheer Ed up?’
Connie sounded stunned and bewildered.
‘Yeah.’ Jones looked down at her feet. ‘But it didn’t occur to me that Ed wouldn’t be absolutely trustworthy...’
‘Oh, Sandy,’ said Connie again.
‘Ed would never do anything to harm you or Marion, Connie,’ Jones continued. ‘And he wouldn’t have a clue how to go about it even if he wanted to, for God’s sake.’
‘Ed mightn’t ever do anything knowingly to hurt us, but who knows what he may already have unwittingly done,’ Connie responded, her voice still low. ‘My darling Marion is at best terribly injured, at worst she could be dead. And the chances are it’s your fault, Sandy. All your fault.’
She yelled the last sentence at Jones, who knew she deserved it. If she could only put the clock back she wouldn’t have left the United Kingdom at all, that was for certain. She really had made everything worse.
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered.
‘Well now,’ said Dom, ‘so I’m not the only one in the frame after all.’ He glowered at Jones. ‘Know what, I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t gone and saved your goddamned arse.’
Jones winced. She still didn’t entirely trust the big man though.
Dom turned to address Connie directly.
‘I intend to look after you, Con,’ he said. ‘Because that’s what Aunt M would want.’
He paused, raised one huge paw, and rubbed at his face and eyes. The Dominator was wiping away tears.
‘Goddamn it, Connie,’ he continued. ‘I should have been able to protect Marion. I was too slow. I saw that pickup truck coming at her. I saw it, but I couldn’t get to her in time...’
Connie reached with one hand and touched his tear-stained cheek.
‘I’m sure Marion knows you tried your best, Dom,’ she told him gently. ‘I know that too.’
The Dominator took a big spotted handkerchief from the pocket of his leather jacket and blew his nose loudly. The bling on his wrists and fingers jangled.
‘Well, I’m just gonna have to make sure I do a better job for you, Connie darlin’,’ he said, looking down at her with affection and concern.
Then he glanced towards Jones and his expression changed.
‘But I’m not so sure I want anything more to do with your crazy friend,’ he scowled. ‘I done my best for her already, and look how she’s repaid me?’
Connie glanced towards Jones.
‘Yep, Sandy’s not covered herself in glory these last coupla days,’ she began. ‘But we go back a long way, and she did come here to try to help as soon as she heard about the explosion...’