Chapter 22

Early the next morning Pavlov knocked at his office door.

“Well, if this man is in the way, we will just have to remove him from the picture,” Pavlov replied after Nick recited the previous evening’s happenings to him.

“And how are we going to do that? Not even Blue knows where he lives.”

“He’ll show up on the island again. Why wouldn’t he? Blue is a rare beauty. And when he does, he’ll wish he hadn’t.” Pavlov’s laughter cut through the air like a crackling call of a crow circling his prey.

Nick wondered why he had been so fascinated with Pavlov when he was a young boy, growing up. At this moment he despised the man, and that hatred was growing like a weed threatening to kill the sturdy tree that used to be his idol. Everything Pavlov had stood for, all respect he had for him, a stranger who had generously taken him under his wings, was now gone, leaving him feeling empty, bitter and even dirty.