Caomhnóir – Manny - 31

"Gebhard's back, finally," Manny announced when he returned to the loft early the next morning. "So I've got two days off, which I think I'll spend in bed." He looked around, seeing only Keegan and Thom. "Where's Hamlin?"

"Out walking Romper."

"Damn it, you let him go out on his own?" Manny looked panicked as he turned to leave again.

The door opened at that moment and a rambunctious puppy dashed in, leaping up to greet Manny, putting muddy paw prints all over his jeans.

"We have arrived," Hamlin said, laughing as he picked up the puppy, heading to the bathroom with him.

With a roll of his eyes, Manny followed. As Hamlin dunked Romper in the sink to clean him up, Manny leaned on the doorframe, relief lining his face as he muttered, "Don't you know better than to go out without one of us with you?"

"I just took him down to the back yard, not onto the street. I'm not stupid."

Manny scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "I know you're not, but when I got here and you were gone—"

Setting Romper down, Hamlin grabbed the towel he used for the puppy, drying his feet. Looking up at Manny, he said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"Me too," Manny told him. "I shouldn’t have barked at you." When Romper woofed, he added, "That's his job."

Hamlin laughed as he released the puppy and stood up. "He learned it from you."

"Hey now!" Pulling Hamlin to him, Manny kissed him softly. "Okay, before the others get to wondering, I think we should join them." He put his arm around Hamlin's waist as they headed to the kitchen area. "Oh, by the way, I got my two days off."

"Great, we can spend them in bed. Well, if we can get rid of those two that is."

"Not happening, it's too distracting, which we don't need right now."

Thom laughed, overhearing them. "I think Manny and Keegan are in collusion to keep us totally frustrated, Hamlin."

"Just wait until this is over. Then we'll remedy that problem big time," Keegan said, handing Manny a cup of coffee. "Was there any sign of Cerdic last night," he asked him.

"Not that I saw or heard, but that means nothing. He could have been out wandering the streets, even watching this place, planning his strategy."

"If he was here, why didn't he do something while he knew you were at the house?"

"I suspect because, if he's going to do anything, he wants both Keegan and me. His ego would dictate that. And if it were me, I wouldn’t attack my quarry on their home turf if I could come up with a way to draw them to a spot of my own choosing."