Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (14)

"So?" Dom said, when Vic and Evan came into the living room.

"So, as much as possible, we believe you. Now we need to figure out what to do with the information you got," Evan replied. "Vic says he can trace the phone number but he has to be at his office to do it."

"He can't use your computer?" Paddy asked.

"I could, but I've got programs on mine that will speed things up," Vic told him.

Evan eyed him. "Legit ones?"  

"Define 'legit'."

Paddy chuckled. "That answered that question."

"Okay, so presuming you can put a name and address to the number, then what?" Evan wanted to know.

"We'll decide once I do. It depends on who it is. If he's just another hireling…"

"We take over," Dom interjected.

Evan looked at him. "And read his mind? Or hers, I suppose. We're just presuming it could be a man."

"Yes," Dom replied succinctly.

"Which means, you can read ours. I don't think I like that idea."

"We could," Paddy told him, "but we won't. It's not considered good form unless it's an emergency."

Damned good thing. Vic glanced at Evan. Try as he might, and he had, he couldn't help but find Evan interesting. Not that I could, or would, do anything about it. He might not be married—well, it's obvious from looking around the place that he's not—but it doesn't mean he doesn't have a girlfriend waiting in the wings, or whatever they do.

Paddy cocked an eyebrow. "You never know."

"You said you weren't going to read our minds," Vic spat out.

"I didn't. I was reading the emotions on your face. So ask."

"No."

"Chicken."

Vic almost replied 'Bock, bock' but refrained, knowing he'd sound childish. "You're going to push this, aren't you?"

Evan had been listening, a speculative look on his face. "What's going on with you two?"

Paddy grinned. "Vic has a question for you."

Taking the bull by the horns, since he had the feeling Paddy wouldn't let up, Vic blurted out, "You're good-looking looking, smart, easy to get along with, so why aren't you married and settled down with two point five kids and all?"

Evan seemed to ponder how to reply. Then his lips quirked up when he said, "The right man hasn't asked me yet."

"I… oh… well," Vic managed to get out. "I guess that answers that question."

Evan chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Yeah…" Vic shrugged. "You'd get the same reply. Only if I met a guy who interested me that much, I wouldn't wait for him to ask, I'd get down on… Hell, never mind. You get the picture."

Evan smiled and nodded, eyeing Vic with more than a bit of interest now. "I do."

"Gentlemen," Dom said, "if you don't mind, can we get back down to what's important at the moment, finding out who those men work for."

"In the morning," Evan told him. "Right now I'm beat and Vic needs more rest, if he's going to be up to even half-speed to deal with this."

"I'm fine—or at least better," Vic protested.

"Sure you are. Better, maybe. Marginally. Get a good night's sleep and perhaps you'll be moving without wincing with every step. And before you say anything, remember I was a medic, I know what to look for. So"—he turned back to Dom—"we will continue this discussion in eight hours, give or take."

"I had to get the bossy one," Dom grumbled, explaining when Evan asked, "we're not tag-teaming the two of you. I'm your angel; Paddy is Vic's. You two take off in different directions then I stick with you."

"And I watch out for Vic." Paddy sighed. "Better than I did last time."

"Hey, you got me out of the car," Vic said. "Okay, not by airlifting me or whatever, but if you hadn't, I might be dead now, not just a bit more battered and bruised. That counts for a lot in my book."

"Thanks."

"Okay," Evan said, standing, "we're going upstairs. The alarm is on, so if you two decide to go out for burgers or something, do your dematerializing act. Okay?"

Dom laughed. "If we were going to, we would. As it stands, we're sticking around, because that's what we do."

"That actually makes me feel better," Vic told him, as he clambered unsteadily to his feet. "Do not say one word," he muttered, looking at Evan. "By morning, I'll be dancing a jig."

"Now, as an Irishman, that I've got to see," Paddy declared as he watched Vic go upstairs with Evan right behind him.