Identity

No, no one had ordered her around before. And no one but her family, her ladies, had ever worried about her like this.

“A remote version of you watching until I drive out of sight or go into the house. Okay, fine, but don’t blame me for messing up your sleep cycle.”

“Let’s go get that tutorial. He claims there’s nothing to it.”

“I’m not going to thank you for the camera and doorbell thing, but.” Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him. “I’m glad you came by so soon after I got the call about Rozwell. I’m grateful I had you to talk it through with, and appreciate you rearranged things at work so I could. So I’ll say thanks for that.”

“I told you, you matter. Now let’s go find out how this damn thing works, since I’m getting stuck with one, too.”

She took his hands again. “I like that part.”

“Can’t blame you.”

When he left her, Miles called his office and rescheduled something else. He’d work late, make up the time. Unlike a psychopath, he could change patterns and habits when necessary.

So he drove back into town and to the police station.

He considered himself lucky to find Jake in his own office, coffee at his elbow as he scowled at his computer screen.

“Thank Christ! A distraction. Paperwork, the root of all evil. Close the door.” He waved at it. “I’m taking five. Who let you out of the cage at this time of day?”

“My door’s always open.” Even knowing it would taste like overheated tar, Miles helped himself from Jake’s coffeepot. “Have you heard from the feds today?”

Jake propped his feet, clad in his usual black Converse low-tops, on his desk. “Why would you ask?”

“Because I just got an update from Morgan.”

“I haven’t gotten any new information since Morrison let me know they missed him in Kansas City, but found a nice treasure trove in his hotel room. Fucker’s luck’s got to change, but from the look on your face, I’d say it hasn’t changed enough for them to have bagged him.”

“Not yet.”

While Miles filled him in, Jake sat back, sipped his coffee. Someone who didn’t know him well might’ve thought he was drifting off. Miles knew him and very well.

“He’s not only running, he’s leaving a trail. He’s breaking down. He’s not used to things going south on him, and in a lot of ways they’ve headed there since he missed Morgan.”

Not just the same page, Miles thought, but the same paragraph. An advantage of knowing someone a lifetime.

“Do you think he’ll keep running?”

“For a while. He needs to find a hole he can live in, and with, and replace some of what he lost. He needs all that not only to continue what he sees as his work, but to regain his confidence. How can you feel superior when you lost some of the tools that help you feel superior? He’s got to be scared, and he’s got to be pissed.”

“And?”

“If you piss off a rabid dog, Miles, that dog’s bound to go for your throat. Still, there’s a human brain in this rabid dog, so he’s going to do whatever he needs to do to protect himself before he goes for her throat.”

Jake drank more coffee. “You don’t have to ask. We’ll keep patrolling by the house, and I’ll add to that.”

“I had Clark install one of those home surveillance systems—that you can check on your phone. He’s putting one on my place now, since she stays there sometimes.”

Jake let out a snort. “Miles Jameson’s putting one of those smart and fancy security systems on the old homestead? Son, you’ve got it bad.”

“I’ve got what I’ve got. Plus, it’s temporary.”

“Morgan or the system?”

Miles started to speak, then settled for a shrug.

“Well, I gotta say, I never figured you’d settle in on anyone like that high-end brunette. The blonde now, yeah, she’s right up your alley.”

“I don’t have an alley.”

“Pal, we’ve both got alleys. She’s a looker, no doubt, but that runs second or third in your personal alley. She’s fucking resilient, and that lives in your alley along with smart, responsible, and rooted.”

And, Miles realized, the disadvantage of having someone know you for a lifetime.

“She hasn’t had a chance to root.”

“Wants to, though, doesn’t she? That’s easy enough to see. I like her, but even if I didn’t, I’d make sure we do our best to keep her safe.”

“I know it.” Counted on it. “I’ve got to get to work.”

“Me, too. But before that, I should tell you, since I live in the friendship lane of your alley.”

“Alleys have lanes?”

“Ours do. So I’m telling you, I talked your sister into having dinner with me.”

Miles had started to stand, and now sat back. “What?”

“It took some doing, but we had dinner last night, and having worked a chink in that wall, I convinced her to go kayaking next Sunday. None of that should be a big surprise to you, seeing as I told you when we were—what, ten, eleven?—how I was going to marry your sister.”

“You also told me you were going to climb Mount Everest and pitch for the Red Sox.”

“Well, some dreams fade with time, some don’t. Or, in this case, some fade for a while, then come back in strong, bold colors.”

“I don’t want to think about this,” Miles decided. “I don’t want to think about Nell being right up your alley, or the two of you in strong, bold colors. It’s … disturbing.”

Jake only grinned. “I’ve been your best friend for twenty years or so. If you can’t trust me with Nell, then who?”

“You don’t have a sister.”

“That’s true.”

“So I’m not going to think about it.” Now he stood. “Except to say … she’s got soft spots. They may not show, but they’re there.”

“Miles, I’ve known Nell for twenty years, too. I know who she is. I’m going to tell you, the unvarnished truth is she’s a hell of a lot more likely to hurt me than I am her, as she’s been my soft spot off and on since I was ten.”

“Either way I end up pissed off at one of you.” Shaking his head, Miles walked to the door, then stopped. “You and Nell haven’t—”

When he broke off, Jake smiled again, lifted an eyebrow.

“No, no, forget I nearly asked. I don’t want to know.”

He drove back to the resort, intended to go straight to his office, then walked into Nell’s.

“Miles, great. I was just finalizing some of the changes for next week’s picnic, and—”

“Why didn’t you tell me you and Jake were dating?”

Nell angled her head. She looped one of the trio of chains she wore around a finger, smiled at him. “Because that comes under the heading of—what is it now? Oh yeah. None of Your Damn Business.”

“You’re my sister, he’s my oldest, closest friend. That sounds like it falls right into my damn business.”

She picked up the bright blue resort water bottle from her desk. “Miles, you’re not seriously going to attempt to dictate who I date?”

“No, but this is different.”

“In what way?”

“Sister.” He lifted one hand. “Best friend.” Then the other. “And you know Jake’s had half a thing for you for years.”

“One he’s contained admirably, or annoyingly, depending on the viewpoint. Either way, we had dinner and enjoyed ourselves. Alert the media.”