54 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

The exam came and went, much to the relief of all concerned.

 

When Kevin dropped into the chair at their usual table in the coffee house, he said, "That wasn't quite as bad as I expected."

 

"Or quite as easy as I'd hoped," Charlie countered.

 

"Geesh, you babies." Sue shook her head. "It was a piece of cake."

 

"Uh-huh…not," Charlie muttered. Then turning to Kevin he asked, "Where's Mick?"

 

"No clue." Kevin glanced around, hoping to see Mick coming through the door just because he wanted him to.

 

"Will's probably got him running errands or something," Sue said, patting Kevin's arm. She smiled at him. "So, are you two…?" She let the question dangle.

 

Kevin shrugged shyly. "We're…testing the waters maybe?"

 

"That's a start. First you dip a toe in, then you jump in, and then…"

 

"You drown," Charlie broke in, chuckling.

 

"Charlie. Honestly you have no romance in your soul, I swear," Sue muttered. "Don't listen to him, Kev. He's a philistine." She squeezed Kevin's hand. "You'll swim together into the future."

 

* * * *

 

Mick came into the coffee house at that moment. Looking around, he spotted the twins and Kevin at their table and wondered why Sue was holding hands with Kevin. Probably commiserating with him about the exam. He headed to the counter to get coffee before joining them. As he did, his gaze landed on a man hurriedly leaving. A tall, blond man who didn't look at all happy.

 

Shit!

 

Mick spun around, going after him. He got to the sidewalk just in time to see the man climb into a Mustang and peel out of his parking spot, barely avoiding an oncoming car.

 

Going back inside, Mick decided to forego his coffee for now so he could tell Kevin and the others what he'd seen. Coming to the table, he took the last chair.

 

"I was wondering if you were going to show up," Kevin said.

 

"Yeah, late, but here, and a good thing I was late. I think…in fact, I'm real sure I saw Archer."

 

Sue sucked in a breath of dismay. "Here?"

 

"Yeah, and he left real fast. If I had to guess, he saw you and Kev holding hands." Mick cocked an eyebrow as he said that.

 

"Oh hell," Kevin said. "We weren't holding hands. Well, not really. She was just telling me that…"

 

"That he probably passed the exam with flying colors." She looked across at Mick. "Why do you think it was him?"

 

"Tall, blond, muscular, and not a happy camper. He got into his car and tore off without caring if anyone was in his way." Taking out his phone, he relayed the same information to Will when he answered.

53 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

"Maybe," Mick said quietly. "If nothing else, she might have figured you deserved to think the best of him, not the worst."

 

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. So I let it drop." He smiled slightly. "And that is the story of my life. Raised by a single parent, doing well enough in school to get a partial scholarship so I could come here, and the meeting a nice man after I did."

 

"Yeah, Will's a great guy," Mick agreed, pretending to misunderstand what Kevin meant.

 

"He is, but he's not who I was talking about." Kevin hesitantly took Mick's hand. "I meant you."

 

"I hoped you did." Mick smiled, twining his fingers with Kevin's. "I'm still not sure this is a good idea…"

 

"Shush," Kevin interrupted. "It's not a bad idea. Liking someone never is. Well"—he frowned—"usually it isn't."

 

"You're thinking about Sue?"

 

Kevin nodded. "Her…and Mom. I mean Mom must have liked—loved—my father, since I'm here. Right? And he must have loved her."

 

Mick hugged him. Quickly, but he did. "I'd say that's a definite 'yes'."

 

"Do that again."

 

"Hug you or agree with you? I can do both." He pulled Kevin into a loose embrace.

 

Kevin sighed softly. "No one's ever done this before, other than Mom."

 

"Hugged you?" Mick looked at him in surprise.

 

"Hugged me like I mattered to them." Kevin rested his head on Mick's shoulder.

 

"I'm glad I'm the first. Well, other than your mom."

 

"Can I ask you something?"

 

"Anything."

 

"What will you do when this is over?"

 

"With luck," Mick replied, "get my GED and then maybe go to college."

 

"That's great! Maybe I can help you study for a change. Wait a second; I thought that was just your cover story."

 

"It is, but it's also the truth." Mick chuckled. "Will's taking advantage of it to make sure it really happens. That man's a taskmaster."

 

"Nothing wrong with that. I bet if my dad was still alive, or around, he'd be a lot like Will. Wanting the best for me and doing all he could to make it happen."

 

"I'm sure he would," Mick said quietly. He wished with all his heart he could tell Kevin his father was alive, and vowed he would do everything in his power to get Will to admit to Kevin who he really was.

 

Kevin yawned and said sleepily, "This is working."

 

"Talking until you are too tired to think?"

 

"No. Being held by you. It's relaxing."

 

"Yeah, it is," Mick said, pretending to yawn too. "So maybe we should call it a night."

 

"I guess so." Kevin sat up, looking reluctant to do so. "One thing, before you leave."

 

"Umm?"

 

"Kiss me?"

 

Mick did. Nothing erotic. Just a sweet kiss that Kevin returned gently, as given. Then he got up, pulling Kevin to his feet. "Off with you," he said, giving Kevin a slight push toward the bedroom.

 

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

 

"Well, duh." He watched Kevin until he was in his room, before leaving the apartment, making certain the lock clicked closed. Then he headed down the hall, muttering, "You and I are going to have a long talk when this is over, Will. So watch out."

52 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

"Will's good people. He's been trying to get me off the streets." And that much is true "That night, he ran into me and… and we went up on the roof because he wanted to"—Mick managed a wry smile, "lecture me again, in private, about how I could make something of myself. I saw you, and I did make the comment about all the cute guys being straight. I showed him who I meant… you, and that's all she wrote, as they say. I helped him try to find you, since I know the streets and then… well, I sort of got involved with the rest of it."

 

Kevin nodded, obviously trying to take in what Mick was telling him. Finally he asked, "How long have you been homeless?"

 

"Since I was fourteen."

 

"Damn."

 

"Hey, it's not so bad. I mean, it isn't great, but you learn fast how to survive."

 

"I don't think I could."

 

"Yeah, you could, if your life depended on it."

 

"Did you…?" Kevin shook his head. "I've read stories about… about what it takes to make it, so to speak."

 

"Like selling drugs or my body? Drugs, yeah, some. After all, that's part of why my folks got so pissed that I ran rather than stay with them. I put what I knew to good use, for a while. I never sold myself though."

 

"I'm glad," Kevin said softly.

 

"So now you know." Mick blew out a short breath, starting to get up. "I should get back before Will…"

 

Kevin grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. "There's no hurry."

 

"You're sure. I mean, umm, don't you have to get some sleep or something because you have that exam tomorrow?"

 

"Yeah, but right now I'm not tired, so I'd just toss and turn."

 

"And that wouldn't be good."

 

Kevin shook his head. "Not at all. So… having some company until I'm ready to pass out would be good." He looked at Mick with a mixture of hope and pleading.

 

"Never let it be said I'd turn down an offer to keep you company." He felt butterflies in his stomach when Kevin smiled happily at his reply.

 

This is so damned… stupid.

 

"Tell me more about you," Kevin said, leaning back against the sofa.

 

"No. Now it's your turn. I don't actually know much about you, you know."

 

"Not much to tell really. I'm an only child. Mom's a cop, believe it or not. That's why she couldn't stay longer. They needed her back on the job. My father died before I was born." Kevin frowned. "At least that's what I was told. Sometimes I wonder if he didn't just leave because he couldn't face having a family."

 

Mick cocked his head in question. "Why do you think that?"

 

"When I was, oh, fourteen maybe, I got curious about how he died. Mom said it was in the line of duty."

 

"He was a cop too?"

 

"Um-hum. A detective. So anyway, I did some checking online. I couldn't find anything about him. My uncle was listed, but no other cop. Not for that time frame."

 

"Did you say anything to your mom?"

 

Kevin shook his head. "How could I call her a liar? Especially since maybe she wasn't. Maybe there was more to the story—or something."

51 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

"Are you okay with all this," Mick asked Kevin, as soon as everyone else had left.

 

"Yeah. I just hope Arch does show up so we can end this, for Sue's sake."

 

"And yours. After all, you're the one he went after."

 

"I know." Kevin shivered. "But he'd be stupid to try again. Wouldn't he?"

 

Mick got off the arm of the sofa, coming around to sit beside Kevin. "If he sees you as a threat to his getting Sue back then you're the obvious one to target, not her."

 

"If it does come down to that, I hope you're right. I'd hate to see her get hurt because she fell for the wrong guy."

 

"I suspect everyone does that at some point in their life."

 

"Like you?" Kevin asked.

 

"Not so far, but then I haven't really been looking. I've had other things to worry about."

 

"I can understand that, between school and being in the police academy." Kevin chuckled. "In a way, protecting me must seem almost like a vacation."

 

"A very nice vacation, since I like the guy I'm protecting."

 

"Really? Like, 'like' like or just 'friend' like."

 

Mick snickered. "That was four 'likes' in one sentence. Care to try for five?"

 

"I was serious," Kevin said, looking hurt.

 

"I know. I shouldn't have teased you." Mick paused then took Kevin's hand. "As in 'like' like. I'm very… attracted to you. But…"

 

"I'm too young and you'll be leaving as soon as this is over and"—he stared at Mick—"what did I miss?"

 

Mick looked away, murmuring, "Nothing. Everything."

 

"That makes no sense at all."

 

Turning back, Mick said, "Being attracted to you makes no sense either, since we barely know each other. But as I said, I am, and it sucks."

 

"Oh." Kevin sighed. "And the fact I think I feel the same way doesn't count."

 

"You know nothing about me," Mick retorted. "You're just… I'm here, I'm the first person other than your mom, and now the twins, who you even admitted to that you are gay."

 

"Sue knew before you did," Kevin shot back, pulling away from him.

 

"She's a girl, she doesn't count. I mean in terms of…things. Like thinking you're interested in me."

 

"I don't think. I know, damn it. I may be four years younger than you, give or take, but I'm not a child. I do know my own mind."

 

"Not four years," Mick replied, knowing in that moment he was going to reveal something that would probably piss Will off, big time. Still, he couldn't lie to Kevin. He liked him too much to do that to him again. "We're the same age."

 

Kevin looked at him in shock. "But… what about, you know, the police academy? You working with Will on… things? About you being with him when he got the vision about me being attacked?"

 

"Okay, part of that's true. I was there. I do know Will, but not because he's a cop and I'm a trainee."

 

"He's not a cop?"

 

"Yeah, he is," Mick said, fudging the truth. After all, it's not my place to say more than that. His story isn't mine to tell.

 

"Then why were you there?"

50 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

Mick sat down next to Kevin on the arm of the sofa. Resting his hand on Kevin's shoulder he said, "You're going to be safe. So is Sue. We're going to see to that."

 

Kevin looked up at him, nodding. "Promise?"

 

"Promise," Mick replied quietly, squeezing his shoulder.

 

Sue was watching them and smiled, whispering to Kevin, "Am I going to have to chaperone the two of you?"

 

"Umm…" He glanced at Mick, turning a bit red.

 

Mick winked and nodded, having overheard her. "Maybe."

 

"Sweet!" she said, grinning.

 

Charlie sighed, also muttering, "Children," and asked one more time, "If we see him, what then? And another thing, what makes you think he'll even be there? There's no way he could know they're planning on going to the movies in the first place. It has to have been dumb luck he saw Sue and Kevin there last weekend."

 

"If you think that, then why have you been being so protective of her?" Will asked.

 

"Because Arch is a bastard. I wouldn't put it past him to…oh, okay. If he's stalking her then he would have known."

 

"Exactly."

 

Sue shivered. "That's downright scary."

 

"You haven't had any contact with him since you broke up?"

 

"Not after the first couple of weeks when he was calling every few hours or showing up at my apartment building. I thought he finally got the message that I didn't want him around."

 

"Where does he live?" Will asked them.

 

"Good question," Charlie replied. "I tried to go see him a week after Sue broke off with him, to tell him to back off and quit bothering her. He'd moved and the building manager said she had no idea where to."

 

Will nodded. "Probably not surprising. So the first thing we do, if he does show up at the theater, is follow him. That will be my job." He turned to Mick. "As soon as you three leave the theater, you take off and get back here. Kevin, Sue, you two go for coffee first then come here, but join Mick at our place until I get back."

 

"What about me?" Charlie asked.

 

"If he didn't know what you look like I'd have you come with me, but—"

 

"I was thinking about that. I could dye my hair…"

 

"And wear those glasses you used last Halloween," Sue put in, "when you were dressing as a nerd."

 

Will studied Charlie. "Brown, and shorter, if you're willing to get a haircut."

 

"If it keeps Sue safe, I'll shave it off," Charlie replied.

 

"You don't have to go to that extreme." Will looked at the four young people and nodded. "We have a plan. Now let's hope to hell he shows up."

 

49 – This Gift, This Curse

 

"Okay," Will said, taking the floor again, "now on to why we asked you to come over here. From what Kevin and Mick said, they and Sue are going to a movie again this weekend."

 

"You don't think we should?" Sue asked.

 

"Quite the contrary, I think it's a good idea, with one proviso, I'm going to be there too, to watch for your ex-boyfriend."

 

Sue gave him a very worried look. "You think he'll go after Kev again?"

 

"I think it's possible, if he thinks Kevin is ignoring his 'message'. Or, he might decide to go after you instead."

 

Charlie shook his head adamantly. "Then no way are they going." He stopped, frowning. "Unless I'm there too."

 

"If you come with us," Mick said, "then it won't look like a date. Just like a bunch of friends taking in a movie."

 

"And with you there, it won't look like that?"

 

"Three of us, and him and Sue being all lovey-dovey, is one thing. Add you to the mix, and, well, she probably wouldn't do that. Right?"

 

"Right," Sue agreed. "Mick's a third wheel and just tagging along. You, Charlie, are my brother and there's no way I'd even try to play with Kev—or any guy—while you're watching."

 

Charlie gave an amused snort. "Guess I'll have to go on all your dates with you then, to make sure you behave."

 

She arched an eyebrow. "Only if I get to go with you on yours."

 

"Children," Will muttered, "may we get back to business, please?" When they all nodded, he continued. "Charlie, does this guy… okay, what's his name?"

 

"Arch. Archer Mitchel."

 

"Does Archer know you?"

 

"Yeah. Knows and dislikes, and the feeling is mutual."

 

"Okay. So we'll have to figure out where to put you where he's not likely to see you. Same goes for me, of course, though he's less likely to be aware of my presence. Now, what does he look like?"

 

"Tall," Sue replied. "A bit taller than Charlie. Blond, dark blue eyes, muscular, with a perpetual sneer on his lips, like he's better than everyone else."

 

"How the hell did you get mixed up with someone like him?" Mick asked.

 

"He was older, sophisticated, or so I thought, and he had a way of making me feel special."

 

Will frowned. "How old is 'older'?"

 

"Oh not nearly as old as you. He was twenty when I met him. I'd just turned eighteen."

 

Mick snorted in amusement. "You're old, father William…"

 

"Mick," Will growled.

 

Mick shrugged, not looking the least bit contrite.

 

"A question," Charlie said. "What do we do if we see him?"

 

"Run like hell," Kevin muttered.

 

 

48 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

Kevin immediately got out his phone. When Will asked, Kevin said he was going to get her to come over now. Before Will could protest, Kevin was talking to her. He didn't say why he wanted her at his place, just that he did. When he hung up, he smiled slightly. "We're getting two for the price of one. She and Charlie were studying together so he's coming with."

 

While they waited, Will went back to his apartment to get, as he put it, 'some real coffee' and the coffee maker he'd bought earlier in the day. Ten minutes later, as the coffee was brewing, the buzzer rang and Kevin, after checking, let Charlie and Sue into the building.

 

When they came into the apartment, Kevin introduced them to Will.

 

Charlie tapped his lip then said, "I've seen you around, Will. Yesterday and today, on the streets around the campus."

 

"Caught me," Will replied with a smile. "You've got sharp eyes, if you recognize me."

 

Charlie glanced at Mick. "I have reason to be aware of who's around."

 

"Yes, I know. He told me," Will replied.

 

"Told you what?" Sue asked from where she'd settled on the sofa next to Kevin. "Would someone mind explaining what's going on here?"

 

"Long story short," Will told her, "we're fairly certain Kevin was attacked because someone doesn't like the fact you two are dating—or appear to be."

 

"That's insane. Who would…? Oh. Oh no." Sue looked at Charlie. "He wouldn't have, would he?"

 

"Honestly, I wouldn't put it past him but"—he turned to Will—"why do you think he's the one."

 

"Because when he—and likely one of his buddies that he managed to convince to help him—was attacking Kevin, he said, 'She belongs to me'."

 

"Damn."

 

"I'm so sorry," Sue whispered, looking at Kevin. "If I even thought he'd do that—"

 

"It's okay. You couldn't have known."

 

"Can I ask something?" Charlie glanced at Will, who nodded in reply. "Who are you and Mick? And more to the point, why are you involved?"

 

"I'm an old friend of Kevin's mother. When I heard what happened, I volunteered to keep an eye on Kevin. Mick works with me and agreed to help, so we're posing as father and son for the duration, new to the city and living here in the building."

 

"Okay." Charlie turned his attention to Kevin. "I've got a very personal question for you." He nodded toward the kitchen.

 

Kevin chuckled. "Yes, I am, and Sue knows. So do the others."

 

"Hang on a minute." Charlie frowned at his sister. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

 

Sue grinned. "That he's male? I thought that was fairly obvious."

 

"Susan," Charlie growled.

 

"Uh-oh, he's ticked off now." She smiled sweetly at her brother. "Sorry, I shouldn't tease. Not now. Yes, Kevin told me he's gay. He didn't want me getting any wrong ideas. I figured it was his…secret and promised to keep it."

47 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

Kevin chuckled. "She knows all about me. I made sure of that. I didn't want her getting any ideas. She promised it was just between the two of us."

 

Mick laughed. "Charlie knows. He figured it out. He told me he thinks Sue knows and is keeping it to herself. Guess she did."

 

"Good grief. Still, that's sort of weird that he's okay with it. I mean he is, isn't he?"

 

Mick nodded. "Okay, maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, and maybe I should since it could explain what happened to you." He glanced at the door. He was sure it was locked, but he could just see Will being able to unlock it somehow, coming in right then, and getting on his case for saying anything to Kevin. But still… "Okay, it seems Sue's got an ex-boyfriend who isn't too happy about being 'ex', at least from what Charlie said."

 

"Oh, hell. Why didn't she say anything?"

 

"Didn't want to worry you maybe? Or scare you off. Or make you feel like she was using you. Who knows?"

 

"That's just creepy. He could have been around when we went to the show." He frowned pensively. "I wonder if that's why Will got that vision of what would happen. I mean if both of us were there and this guy was angry that Sue was with me…" He shrugged.

 

"Maybe. I guess it's possible. Sort of a double whammy. I wonder…"

 

"What?"

 

"Maybe I shouldn't go to the movie with the two of you."

 

"But I want you to," Kevin protested, staring at him.

 

"Really?" Mick felt a small flutter in his stomach. "To act as a bodyguard?"

 

"No! Just to be there. I mean, the two of us, well the three of us, but the two of us because she knows and so she could be our cover and… and hell, that's not coming out too good, is it?"

 

Mick laughed. "Not really, but I get what you're trying to say. Sort of a date with a chaperone."

 

"Yeah! So please don't back out."

 

Mick hesitated before saying, "All right I won't, because it's you, but…"

 

"But what?"

 

"When we're outside, or in the lobby, or hell even in the theater as far as that goes, you have to act like you're with her and I'm just along for the ride."

 

Kevin nodded, obviously understanding where Mick was going with that. "So if this guy is there, he'll get pissed."

 

"Yeah." Mick tapped his fingers together. "Hang on. Don't move." Mick was on his feet and out the door seconds later. He returned with Will in tow.

 

Will looked puzzled until Mick laid out his plan, which might bring Kevin's attacker out of the woodwork again. Then he said, "Before we make any decisions, we have to talk to Sue. After all, next time this guy might decide to go after her, so she's got a right to know what we have in mind."

46 – This Gift, This Curse

 

"What are you doing here?" Kevin asked, when he opened his apartment door to find Mick standing there.

 

"Will's reading, I'm bored. He told me to go bother someone else and since you're the only other person I know in the building, you won the coin toss."

 

Kevin laughed, stepped aside to let him in, and closed and locked the door. "You'll probably be just as bored here. I'm studying for an exam."

 

"Another one? Damn. I thought it was yesterday."

 

"Didn't you have a ton of them when you were in school?" Kevin asked, as he went back to his desk.

 

Mick winced, since he'd never been to college, despite Kevin's believing otherwise. "Well, yeah, sure. What's this one for?"

 

"History."

 

"I could quiz you. I mean, if that would help."

 

"That would be great!" Kevin moved to one side of the desk, pointing to his laptop. "There are test questions here. Not the test questions but ones covering what I need to know."

 

Mick brought over another chair and sat, looking at the screen. "How will I know if you get them right?"

 

Kevin clicked next to one of the questions and the answer appeared below it.

 

"See, easy, though you'd probably know if I was right since I bet you had to take the same type of course."

 

Thinking fast, Mick said, "You think I really remember what I learned about"—he glanced at the screen—"medieval history?"

 

"Yeah, good point. Okay, you ask and I'll pray I give the right answer."

 

For the next hour, Mick read off questions, which for the most part Kevin answered correctly. When he didn't, Kevin would go through the section of his notes and his book covering the particular question.

 

"And hope I remember tomorrow," he said with a sigh at one point.

 

"Aw you'll do just fine."

 

Kevin crossed his fingers and they got back to it.

 

When they were finished, Kevin went into the kitchen, coming back with a couple of sodas, one of which he handed to Mick, saying, "Thanks for the help."

 

"Is that how you and Sue usually do it?" Mick asked.

 

"Yeah, her, me and Charlie. We quiz each other up one side and down the other."

 

"They seem nice."

 

"They are, and Charlie's real protective of her, though I've never quite figured out why." Kevin chuckled. "I sometimes get the feeling he's glad I'm around, so he can go off and do his own thing. Other times I wonder."

 

"Maybe he doesn't want you breaking his sister's heart."

 

"Um-hum. Well, she's safe enough in that respect, and honestly we've only gone out once so far on anything like a real date—which it wasn't, because we're just friends."

 

"As far as you're concerned, but what about her?"

45 – This Gift, This Curse

 

 

Will sighed deeply, bowing his head. "I found Danny. I'd seen the place where it happened, and from what he was doing, I knew where it was. I waited for him. I was going to stop him, warn him, before he could go inside. He… he saw me, recognized me, and ignored me when I beckoned to him. Walked in before I could get to him. Died"—he smiled darkly—"in a hail of bullets, as the movies like to put it."

 

"You tried," Mick said, gripping Will's shoulder. "You did the best you could."

 

Will shook his head. "I should have been faster, sooner. I should have ignored my captain and called out to Danny, warned him, gone in with him, both of us armed and ready."

 

"Then both of you would have died."

 

"That's what the captain said, when I told him what happened. Mira… Mira guessed that I'd seen his death, because she knew what I could do. She blamed me for it. My whole world fell apart."

 

"So you ran away."

 

Will nodded. "As far as I could. Deep into the bottle. I would drink myself into oblivion, pass out in some alley, or… or wherever I landed, and start again the next day. Finally, months afterward, I came to my senses. But I was unwilling to go back, to face her, to face anyone. Surprisingly enough, considering the shape I was in most of the time at that point, I'd learned to survive on the streets. Sober, finally, I realized that for me it wasn't such a bad life." He spread his hands. "So it became my life."

 

"Until now."

 

"That," Will replied with a bit of a smile, "has yet to be decided."

 

"You can't go back to it," Mick said adamantly. "You keep pushing for me to get out. You have to do the same thing."

 

"It's different for you. You have your whole life ahead of you. Me, I'm just a washed up cop who does better where I am now. Where I can see things—sometimes—and stop them from happening—sometimes."

 

"That's bull and you know it. You could do what you were doing as a cop and it would still happen, and you'd be in a better position to help when it does."

 

"Perhaps," Will said, drawing the word out. "I'll… consider it." He smiled and got up. "Right now, however, dinner is ready and afterward you have to study."

 

"Yes, teach," Mick replied, with a mocking salute as they went into the kitchen.

 

"That's Mr. Teach to you, kid."

 

Mick snorted. "Riiiight."

44 – This Gift, This Curse

 

"It's not Charlie," Mick said, the minute he walked into the apartment later that afternoon.

 

"Thank goodness, but what makes you think so?" Will replied, relief filling his voice as he looked up from the book he was reading.

 

Mick related the whole conversation he'd had with Charlie.

 

Will nodded when he was finished. "Now we have to find this ex-boyfriend of hers. I take it Charlie hasn't actually seen him hanging around?"

 

"It doesn't sound like it. At least, not recently, but to be honest, I forgot to ask."

 

Will smiled a bit, saying, "Some detective you are."

 

"Maybe not yet," Mick replied quietly. "But I will be. I'm learning from one of the best." He paused briefly. "Right?"

 

"Teachers are hardly…"

 

"Drop it, Will," Mick broke in. "Yeah for a while I was sure that's what you used to be but not anymore. I've seen how the cops we've been dealing with treat you. They respect you, even though you haven't been one for a long time. You must have been something damned special once."

 

"Not special. I just did my job." Will leaned back, hands behind his head as he stared off into space and back into the past. "I worked undercover most of the time, me and Danny. We made a good team when we worked together. Brought down a lot of people who deserved to be stopped in their tracks—dealers, gang members, pimps. We took them all on and won—usually. Until the end."

 

Mick eased down quietly on the other end of the sofa. Listening.

 

"Danny had a sister, a lovely woman, a cop too. Miranda. She wasn't undercover. Just a good street cop, like most all of them are. We met, through him, and fell in love. We were going to be married someday. We knew that." Will smiled softly. "Thus Kevin, though I never knew about him.

 

"Then," Will continued after a long pause, "I saw Danny walking into a trap and dying. Not ten minutes after I saw it, but sometime in the future. Maybe a day or a week, I didn't know. I just knew it would happen if I didn't stop him." He turned to look at Mick. "We were working different cases, both of us deep undercover, so I had no contact with him or Mira. I had to figure out a way to get in contact with him. Warn him. I managed to set up a meet with my captain. Told him I'd heard something, a rumor going around that the people Danny was investigating had found out he was a mole. I asked him to send me in, just long enough to warn Danny."

 

"But he wouldn't?" Mick asked, frowning deeply.

 

"No, he did, in a way. He told me what Danny was doing, but warned me not to break my cover. 'Who you're after is too important for you to blow it,' he said. He was right, but Danny was just as important. So I went hunting for him, where I was sure I could find him from what the captain had said."