Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 18

"What did you find out about Mike's family?" Paddy asked Vic.

"To start with, Amanda is still in Wellton, living in the house Mike's father rented when they moved there. She works for an accounting firm as an internal auditor for the various businesses they handle. She's engaged to one"—he checked his notes—"Owen McKim. Mrs. Paladin, the aunt who used to live here, has moved to the west coast with her family. Mrs. Rogers, Mike's other aunt, still lives where he said, on the east coast. His uncle, Peter O'Donnell, and his family live in Virginia which"—Vic shook his head, looking at Mike—"really isn't down south."

Mike shrugged. "It was considered a Southern state during the Civil War."

"A technicality," Vic said. "Anyway, all three families are doing well. No money problems that I could find. The same holds true for your sister, Mike. Your cousins are spread out across the country but again, they don't appear to be hurting for money."

"Be that as it may," Paddy said, "three quarters of a million is a sizable chunk of change. Is there any proviso in the will about who would get it if Mike can't be found?"

"Yes. If Mike isn't located within a year after the will is probated, or if he has died, Amanda would get half. The other half would be divided between Mike's aunts and his uncle."

"For Amanda, that would be a sizable incentive to make certain Mike stays gone…permanently."

"She wouldn't!" Mike protested. "I told you we were very close."

"Four years ago, Mike," Vic said. "Since then, who knows what could have changed? Four years of living with your father. If he tried the same thing with her he did with you, she could be royally pissed when she found out he left everything to you."

"But trying to have me killed?" Mike shook his head disbelievingly.

"Trust me; people have done that for less."

"I won't believe it's her until…until we find Mr. Keefe and he tells me himself that she hired him."

"Which brings us back to how we're going to find someone who seems to know how to stay invisible," Paddy said.

Vic snorted, casting an amused glance at Paddy.

"Present company excepted" Paddy muttered in Vic's mind.

Mike noted the silent interplay between the two men and figured it had to be some inside joke. He was tempted to ask but didn't. Instead he said, "What about my idea?"

"Which is?" Vic asked.

"I…we"—he nodded toward Paddy—"talk to the detective in charge of Micky's case and ask him to tell his news sources they know Micky's real name. Mr. Keefe sees that it isn't me and maybe, if we're lucky, he'll come by the shelter again."

"First off, he might not because he'd be recognized. What he would do, probably, is check out the other shelters again since he'd still be looking for any kid who even remotely resembles your picture," Vic pointed out.

Paddy nodded. "Exactly what I said, and if he does, Keefe's not going to look the way he did when he was around before. So having Detective Massey warn the shelters to be on the lookout for him would probably be a waste of time."

"That's why we need to give him a reason to come back to Crossroads," Mike said. "Is there anything on the news about the attack on Micky?"

"Yes," Vic replied. "Nothing much. Just a small item in the newspaper about a street kid who was injured in a fall at the shelter."

"Then what if…"