by A J Sherwood
We all startled at this out-of-the-blue reaction.
“What?” I demanded sharply.
“Something was nagging at me,” Sho explained as he clicked through screens, bringing up a new one from the sound of it. His eyes never left the monitor. “Maggie said her father had three accounts, right? Caleb only found two cards in his wallet, but she also said he didn’t use one of them often, that he used it as a projects account. So, odds were he didn’t carry it around with him every day. I didn’t think much of it, didn’t flag it as high priority. I saved that account for last, as it was a new account and likely couldn’t tell us much—shit. I should have paid better attention to it. It’s being used. Someone’s hit the cash withdrawal of the ATMs with it, several times a day, and it’s being used to pay for flights and hotel rooms.”
“So he committed one last theft from Witherspoon.” Neil smiled, and it wasn’t a nice expression. “That’s lovely. It makes him so much more traceable. Sho, when was the latest purchase?”
“Looks like earlier this morning. A fast food restaurant in Nashville. He bought a plane ticket two days ago.”
Neil was already reaching for his phone. “Sho, see if you can cancel that plane ticket, get him grounded. I need to get a warrant together pronto.”
“If you want, we can ask someone in Nashville to get him?” I offered.
Neil gave me a quick grin. “I was counting on it.”
Without waiting for permission, Garrett called Carol, his feet propped up in another chair. “Hey, Carol darlin’. I need a quick favor. We have a suspect for Witherspoon’s murder. Well, he’s got history, motive, and the man’s missing debit card. What do you think?” His eyes crinkled up in a silent laugh. “Yeah, I thought it rather airtight myself. Can I ask you to run down his location? We’re calling in for a pick-up now. Kyle Ayers. Yup. You’re a doll.”
As he hung up, Neil was already moving, snagging his jacket. “I’ll put together a warrant real quick and update Cain. I’m heading to Nashville. Jon, looks like I’ll be heading to your neighborhood. This late in the day, I won’t make it back tonight. Can you tell Caleb?”
I made a split-second decision. “Let’s get Caleb to go with us. He can escort the ring to Carol, get her to do a reading, and you both can stay the night with me. Have dinner with the family. Come back in the morning with Ayers and all that.”
He paused and considered that for a moment, weighing it out, before nodding slowly. “That sounds like a good plan. I know Caleb’s been itching to go over and see everyone in person. It won’t hurt to leave Ayers in a Nashville jail overnight. It’s not like I need to haul him back here for an interrogation. Just for trial. We’ll get you to pop in and question him then, see if there’s accomplices or not. It’ll be fine.”
That was all correct. Sevierville was in the Fourth Judicial District in Tennessee, and for Ayers to be properly tried for murder, it would have to be done in a Fourth Judicial court room. But nothing said Ayers had to be initially detained or interrogated in Fourth District. “Tell you what. You fast track a warrant, I’ll call in a friend of mine. He can pick Ayers up for us. Less pressure on you to get there that way.”
“I love using connections. Do that. Can he pick him up on a traffic violation until I get a warrant put together? We’ve got enough evidence for one, judge will sign off on it.”
I tossed my fingers. “Pfft, we do that all the time. Go, don’t worry about it.”
My step-father was already out the door by the time Garrett squawked out, “You can really do that?! Make up some traffic violation, just to hold him?”
“Only works for a limited amount of time,” I explained. Sometimes I forgot Garrett was still learning the ins and outs of the business until questions like this came up. “It’s not an indefinite thing. But it buys us the time we need to get a warrant drawn up and signed. Without it, we might not be able to catch the suspect. We typically only do it in really serious cases. Murderers especially—we get them off the streets pronto.”
“I am so remembering that trick,” Garrett swore.
Because my boyfriend was made of sparkles and rainbows, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called up Borrowman as I explained things to Garrett. I knew it was him as Donovan greeted, “Hey, Borrowman. Got a favor to ask. Yeah, one of Jon’s cases.”
I pointed a finger toward myself in objection. Excuse you very much, this wasn’t solely one of mine!
He ignored me stoutly. “Carol’s getting a fix on his location now, but the man’s wanted for murder. Warrant’s in the works. Can you hold him on something for us? Kyle Ayers is the name. Yeah. Yeah, we’ll come get him with the warrant tonight, we’re just out in Sevierville, and he’s somewhere in Nashville. Thanks, man. Sho will email you the details. Sure, use me as point of contact. Thanks.”
I stared at him in challenge. “My case, is it?”
He dropped a kiss on my forehead, not even bothering to respond. “Come on, we need to get Caleb. With the way Neil’s moving, we’ll be out of here in a few hours.”
“I’ll tell Maggie Witherspoon about the card, get it reported stolen,” Sho volunteered, reaching for his phone lying nearby on the table. “That’ll stop him from doing anything rash, like hopping another plane.”
I wanted to just bolt out of the room and get Caleb, but I couldn’t ditch it all just yet. “Garrett, take over reading the journal for me? Look for any connection with Stephenson.”
“I got it,” he assured me, waving me on.
It was the best I could do at the moment. It’s not like I could take any of this with me. With a smile of thanks, I headed out through the grey hallways and toward the morgue once again. “Donovan, call Nat? Or text her, I don’t care, see if they’re up for a late dinner tonight.”
“Sure thing.” He leaned over to murmur near my ear as we walked. “You think it’s a good idea for him and your mom to be around each other right now? She’s still on an emotional rollercoaster.”
“We’ll leave it up to her if she wants to come too,” I answered in the same quiet tone. “But I think we should give her the option. She’s been manipulated enough in her life. Honesty is what she needs now.”
“Can’t argue that.”
18
Neil grabbed a squad SUV so he could safely transport Ayers back to Sevierville tomorrow. We all went back to the house, quickly packed up, then threw everything into my Humvee. Donovan volunteered to ride with Neil, partially so the man wouldn’t make the four-hour drive by himself, but also so Donovan could act as guide and point of contact while they chased Ayers down. That was the official excuse, at least. I could tell he was half-tempted to stay with me but had volunteered to separate so I could have some one-on-one with my dad.
It was very thoughtful of him. I definitely owed the man more handcuff sex.
Because we weren’t under quite the same tension of getting to Nashville pronto, we left a bit later than they did. I offered to drive. The Humvee wasn’t exactly fuel-efficient, but driving this beast of mine took practice. Parking especially.
Caleb had been in it a few times before, but he patted the dash as we got on the road, giving his surroundings a thoughtful look. “How did you know? That this was safe for you to drive.”
“I was about a year away from graduating college when I figured it out. I was having lunch with some of my classmates, and they kept insisting there had to be a vehicle out there safe for me to be in. It became something of a challenge, and they looked it up on their laptops, did the research for me. There’s actually a few with EMP shielding around the engine, but the Humvee has the most complete protection. This one I bought at an army surplus store, then had a few things done to it to make it more comfortable.”
“But what about when you were a child? A teen?”
“This is going to sound lame…” I grimaced in memory. “They put me in Faraday bags.”
Caleb spluttered on a laugh. “Those big EMP bags?”
“Yeah. Only way
to do it. By the time I was ten, electronics and I were no longer friends. When puberty hit, I was pretty lethal to anything electronic just by being in its vicinity. I killed two cars in a year.”
“I’m glad you figured it out,” he said sincerely. “Not being able to really use a car would have been hell in this day and age. I suppose it’s just as well Donovan met you when he did. You’ve figured out how to navigate through life pretty well at this point. Or at least, that’s the impression you’ve given me.”
“Well, and I have. But to hear Donovan tell it, it would have been better if he’d met me much sooner.”
“How much sooner?”
“I think he’s wishing when I was seven.” I wasn’t at all joking about that, either. “Not that it was possible. He didn’t even move to Tennessee until he was a teenager. But still, he wishes.”
Caleb sat on that for a minute, staring straight ahead. “Your life would have been very, very different if the two of you had met when you were younger.”
“Tell me about it. But then, so would his.” It wasn’t practical, really. I was of the firm opinion we’d met at the right time. Donovan was just old enough that if he’d met me when I was seven, the age gap would have prevented us from being friends. Same at seventeen. It would have been illegal for him to have touched me then. I wouldn’t have been really attractive to him until twenty or so.
“You’ve made a few comments that make me think you get along well with his family?” Caleb sounded genuinely concerned about this.
“It’s mutual adoration,” I assured him with a grin. “I love them, and for some reason they love me just as much—have from day one. When you meet them, you’ll understand. I’ve never faced any problems with them. They’re wholly supportive of Donovan’s orientation. Just not always his taste in men.”
“Oh. Dated some real doozies before you, did he?”
“To hear Garrett tell it, yeah. Donovan doesn’t talk about his dating history much with me.” I could guess why Caleb was anxious for my sake, and I flashed him a quick smile. “It’s fine. We’re not under any of the pressures you faced at this age. Basically everyone around is very accepting.”
“I won’t pretend I wasn’t worried. Same-sex couples face a lot of bigotry, although I admit it’s gotten better through the years.”
That comment gave me the opportunity to ask something that had been lingering in the back of my mind. “You said it took years for you to really accept yourself, to be able to be honest with anyone. How did that start?”
“Well. That’s not an easy question to answer.”
He shifted in his seat so he could face me a little more directly, likely getting his eyes away from the sun. We were driving directly into it, and the glare off the windshield was enough to make me put sunglasses on. I still found it strange I didn’t need to wear them on a daily basis anymore.
“It was very gradual,” he continued. “I had a few colleagues who were either open about their orientation, or supportive with their kids, and that helped. I got depressed enough at one point that I went to see a therapist, and she really helped. I saw her for years, right up until she moved. It wasn’t anything major, no event that sparked it off, I just remember walking through the grocery store at one point about seven years ago. I saw a very nice-looking man in a three-piece suit, and I couldn’t help but give him a good once-over. He caught me looking and winked at me, then went back to his shopping like it was natural. Natural to be stared at by another man, natural to give that flirty wink in return. I smiled back at him, and it was such a relief. To feel natural in my own skin.”
I could see the memory in his lines. He said it wasn’t anything major, but to him, it had been. That fifteen-second exchange had turned his world around, and for the better. “And after that, you felt settled?”
“Settled enough, at least, that I wanted to give relationships another try. I didn’t even date after I left your mother. Didn’t have the heart for it. I tried online dating, but…” Caleb made a face. “It was more a hookup site.”
“I’ve heard many a war story about those sites. I’m just as glad my talents have barred me from them.”
“Trust me, you didn’t miss anything. I dropped that idea pretty quick, but wasn’t sure what else to try. I started signing up for things—hiking clubs, book clubs, things like that. Thought even if I didn’t meet anyone there, I’d make some new friends. I met Neil for the first time about five years ago.” His lines flashed gold and eggplant, love and memory. “I didn’t think he was interested, but even then I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. He’s incredibly sexy at a crime scene. He just oozes alpha dominance and confidence.”
I’d seen that for myself. “I’m really surprised he’d never married before you. I saw he’d been in a relationship before?”
“He was. For about ten years. To hear him tell it, they were more friends than lovers. They’d met just out of college, and she was chasing after first a doctorate, then a career. She was out of the state most of the time, and it was long-distance. Neil’s parents were impatient with him, wanted him to marry. If not her, then someone else. They didn’t understand why he was alright with her being so far from him. He told me once that it didn’t make sense to him either, he just knew he wasn’t in a rush to marry her. She eventually ended it when she found someone she liked better. Neil was, in the end, relieved. And then he was the busy one, pursuing a career, and dating wasn’t a priority for him.”
Something about that smugness in my father tickled my curiosity. “Until you.”
“Until me.” The smugness increased to Cheshire Cat levels. “I’ve never gotten a straight answer out of him about why. I’m not sure if he knows. He just liked the look of me and invited me out for coffee, and it was perfect. Best date I’d ever been on. He didn’t even try to kiss me until three dates in. I was a little worried about how his parents would take it, but turns out I shouldn’t have been. They’d figured out Neil wasn’t entirely straight years ago and weren’t too surprised when he brought me home for dinner.”
“So your in-laws are good with you?”
“Surprisingly so. It was a right relief. I didn’t actually expect that to be the case.” His tongue darted out to moisten his lips. “I did tell them I’d gotten back into contact with my children. They were very excited at the idea of having grandchildren and a great-grandchild.”
I nearly jerked the wheel, I was so startled. In between all the other madness, I’d failed to consider Neil’s side of the family properly. “Wait. Wait, they want to meet us? I mean, actually be grandparents to us?”
Caleb got a kick out of my spluttering. “Oh yes. They’ve wanted grandchildren for years. They were campaigning as hard as Neil for me to reach out to all of you. Neil’s been sending them pictures and updates, and it’s been a struggle to keep them from just popping over to the house and meeting you. I wanted to get us on a better footing before I sprang them on you. They’re a bit…intense.”
I ran this idea through my head, trying to get it to sink in. Caleb’s parents had been cold and aloof to us for years, and it wasn’t much of a loss when they died. Mom’s parents were more friendly and outgoing, but we didn’t see them much since they lived on the opposite side of the country. I didn’t know what to do with the idea that at the ripe old age of twenty-six, I’d gained two new grandparents. I now had more empathy for how Skylar felt.
“They’re good people, truly. A bit old-fashioned in their ideas, but they’ve got that magic touch where they can accept people as they are.”
I think he said this to reassure me that my being gay was okay. And that they’d accept Donovan too. I was more worried about him than me. “You’ve shown them pictures of all of us?”
“Yeah. They’re really curious about you and Donovan. They’ve never met a psychic before, and I got many a question about his scars. Wasn’t sure how to answer them.”
I sensed a fair amount of questions in his own tone and was glad he’d brought it up
to me instead of Donovan. “It’s a bit of a sore subject with him in some ways, although he’s gotten better at accepting it. The short version is, he was in London on holiday when he saw a group of men stalking two women. He intercepted them, protected the women, and got hit by an acid attack.”
“Acid?!” Caleb hissed, shocked beyond belief. “Who’s stupid enough to throw acid on a man like that?!”
“You know, that’s exactly what I thought the first time I saw him? The scars are rather extensive—they cover most of his back. You don’t see most of the damage through his shirts, just the tail ends of it. His size alone intimidates people, but when they see the scars, it unnerves them. I’ve learned that when they know the story of how he got them, their attitudes do a one-eighty.”
“Then I’ll relay the story. I don’t think they were intimidated anyway, more surprised that a man could be that big.”
I snorted. “If you think Donovan’s a giant, you should see his brother. Brandon’s got another four inches on him.”
Caleb’s jaw dropped. “Get out.”
“I’m perfectly serious. He’s just as amazing, too. He got recruited by the FBI recently and is stationed in Memphis. You might meet him sooner rather than later. He’s promised to come up and have dinner with us all before he moves down.”
Shaking his head in amazement, Caleb murmured, “Quite the family. You ever think of marrying Donovan?”
I felt it was safe to tell him because he, at least, understood exactly what I’d be getting myself into. “I’ve thought about it more than once, really. I think I’d like to. I also think Donovan and I need a bit more time before we consider that next step. He’s still catching up on all the nuances required of a psychic anchor. We’ve not been living with each other long, and while we do get along, it’s…well, I don’t have to explain this to you, do I?”
“No, son, you don’t. You can love a person to pieces and still butt heads with them. And I imagine if you’re working alongside them day in and day out, you’ll butt heads more frequently.”