Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Caomhnóir – Manny - 29



Twenty minutes after leaving the gym, Manny had the boys settled in to study and read. Just as he got down to the living room to wait for Keegan, the man himself appeared, led in by Mr. Shadrick.

After introducing himself as if they had never met before, Keegan told Manny, "A friend suggested I look you up."

"Oh? Which friend?" Manny asked as he glanced across the room to see Mr. Shadrick hovering at the desk.

When he saw Manny looking, Mr. Shadrick immediately headed for the door, saying, "I'll leave so you and your friend have some privacy."

Manny nodded, turning his attention back to Keegan, who said, just loudly enough that Mr. Shadrick couldn't help but overhear, "Mr. Alasdair. He said you might be able to help me out."

The door whispered closed behind Mr. Shadrick but seconds later Manny saw it move open again, just a fraction. "Help you how?" Manny asked as he gave a slight nod towards the door.

Feigning hesitancy, Keegan replied, "I need a safe place to stay for a few days. There's someone—"

"Looking for you?" Manny prompted.

Keegan nodded, playing his part by beginning to pace the room. Finally, he said, "A man by the name of Rafael. He’s been searching for me, and I’m afraid he’s found me, or at least where I live."

It was Manny's turn to hesitate, as if weighing the pros and cons of the request. After a few moments he replied, "You can stay with me as long as you want, just make damned certain that no one, and I mean no one knows that you are. I'm not about to put my roommate in danger because of you." And that lets that cat out of the bag for damned sure he thought. But there was really no help for it if he was going to play this out realistically.

"Believe me, I've got no intention of letting the fact that I'm there be known to anyone but you and our mutual friend," Keegan said firmly.

"Alright then. Let me give you my address and then I'll call my roommate to let him know you're on your way. I'll just tell him you're a friend who showed up unexpectedly."

"Thank you," Keegan replied, smiling as he saw the door finally close the last half inch, giving Manny a thumbs-up when it did.

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