awakening, and I doubt he's equipped to deal with it."
Mick laughed. "You've got that right. The dumb ass doesn't get it--the implications of why Mac is so involved with the Calderones. Maybe it will sink in when he has to deal with Devin," he said. "But you know I have your back if you need me."
"I know, and I appreciate everything you, Tag, and Mac have done, but I don't want to wear out my welcome on the minor stuff. I need to save some of your back up for all the help and favors I'll need when I get in over my head taking care of Kieki."
"Kieki?"
"Yeah. I've been calling her Kieki when I'm talking to her."
"I like it," Mick replied. "But I don't think you'll need help with Kieki. For someone so new to the parent game, you're doing great. Nonetheless, Tag and I are there for you and Gemma. Hell. If it were up to Tag, he'd be over at the house every day."
"I've noticed. He's become quite attached to Kieki."
"She reminds him of his baby sister right down to the big gray eyes," Mick said softly. "She's dead now. And coincidentally, her name was Teresa."
Ewyn glanced at Mick.
"Yeah. Kiera's baptismal name." Eyes dark with pain, Mick turned away. "We rarely talk about her death anymore. Tag and I met, working on her case. But hey, it's a story we can save for another time."
"Damn. I'm sorry. Tag is welcome to spend as much time as he can with Kieki. She needs all the loving we can give her." Ewyn pulled up outside the Silver Fox. "Thanks," he said as Mick climbed out of the Mustang.
"Not a problem."
"I'll call if the shit gets too deep with Patterson."
Ewyn put his car in gear and headed back to work. By the time he reached his office, Patterson had left a voicemail. Ewyn listened to an apology and a request to reschedule their meeting for tomorrow. He erased the message and dialed the detective's number.
"Patterson."
"Ewyn Kelley. I'm afraid I can't make it tomorrow. My weekends are full. However, if you can come to my place tonight--not the family estate--I'll be able to give you a few minutes," Ewyn told him. "You have the address, right?"
There was a moment of silence then Patterson cleared his throat and said, "Yes, I do. What time?"
"Does eight o'clock work for you?"
"I'll see you then." Patterson disconnected with a bang.
Ewyn chuckled and hung up the phone. He swiveled his chair around to face the window and sat there staring at his reflection, watching a slow smile alter the contours of his mouth.
The doorbell pealed just as Ewyn came out of the bedroom with Kiera in his arms. He took his time settling her in the playpen and turning on the mobile above her head before heading to the door. The bell rang again.
After talking to Patterson earlier, Ewyn vowed he wouldn't let the man provoke him. He wanted to know the details of the accident, and he needed to retrieve his nieces' personal effects. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Patterson stood there with a small storage box in his hands, looking as unkempt as the previous times Ewyn had seen him. Ewyn so wanted to offer the man a few grooming and fashion tips.
"Patterson." Ewyn left the detective standing on the threshold and returned to the living room. He heard the door close, then Patterson's footsteps crossing the tile floor. Ignoring the man, he went to the playpen to check on Kiera.
"Mister Kelley."
Ewyn turned and watched Patterson walk into the room. The man looked around, eyes widening as if he'd never been indoors before. "Have a seat. I have to get Kieki's bottle," he said as he headed toward the kitchen.
"Kieki?" Patterson placed the box on the coffee table and strolled over to the playpen. "Oh yeah, the older girl was pregnant."
From the kitchen, Ewyn watched Patterson bend over the playpen, then stiffen. His head jerked up and he looked across the room. Ewyn pinned him with a stare. "Another black mark, no pun intended, against the Calderones, huh?"
"No. The baby…I thought…" Patterson stuttered then shrugged. "Never
Mick laughed. "You've got that right. The dumb ass doesn't get it--the implications of why Mac is so involved with the Calderones. Maybe it will sink in when he has to deal with Devin," he said. "But you know I have your back if you need me."
"I know, and I appreciate everything you, Tag, and Mac have done, but I don't want to wear out my welcome on the minor stuff. I need to save some of your back up for all the help and favors I'll need when I get in over my head taking care of Kieki."
"Kieki?"
"Yeah. I've been calling her Kieki when I'm talking to her."
"I like it," Mick replied. "But I don't think you'll need help with Kieki. For someone so new to the parent game, you're doing great. Nonetheless, Tag and I are there for you and Gemma. Hell. If it were up to Tag, he'd be over at the house every day."
"I've noticed. He's become quite attached to Kieki."
"She reminds him of his baby sister right down to the big gray eyes," Mick said softly. "She's dead now. And coincidentally, her name was Teresa."
Ewyn glanced at Mick.
"Yeah. Kiera's baptismal name." Eyes dark with pain, Mick turned away. "We rarely talk about her death anymore. Tag and I met, working on her case. But hey, it's a story we can save for another time."
"Damn. I'm sorry. Tag is welcome to spend as much time as he can with Kieki. She needs all the loving we can give her." Ewyn pulled up outside the Silver Fox. "Thanks," he said as Mick climbed out of the Mustang.
"Not a problem."
"I'll call if the shit gets too deep with Patterson."
Ewyn put his car in gear and headed back to work. By the time he reached his office, Patterson had left a voicemail. Ewyn listened to an apology and a request to reschedule their meeting for tomorrow. He erased the message and dialed the detective's number.
"Patterson."
"Ewyn Kelley. I'm afraid I can't make it tomorrow. My weekends are full. However, if you can come to my place tonight--not the family estate--I'll be able to give you a few minutes," Ewyn told him. "You have the address, right?"
There was a moment of silence then Patterson cleared his throat and said, "Yes, I do. What time?"
"Does eight o'clock work for you?"
"I'll see you then." Patterson disconnected with a bang.
Ewyn chuckled and hung up the phone. He swiveled his chair around to face the window and sat there staring at his reflection, watching a slow smile alter the contours of his mouth.
The doorbell pealed just as Ewyn came out of the bedroom with Kiera in his arms. He took his time settling her in the playpen and turning on the mobile above her head before heading to the door. The bell rang again.
After talking to Patterson earlier, Ewyn vowed he wouldn't let the man provoke him. He wanted to know the details of the accident, and he needed to retrieve his nieces' personal effects. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Patterson stood there with a small storage box in his hands, looking as unkempt as the previous times Ewyn had seen him. Ewyn so wanted to offer the man a few grooming and fashion tips.
"Patterson." Ewyn left the detective standing on the threshold and returned to the living room. He heard the door close, then Patterson's footsteps crossing the tile floor. Ignoring the man, he went to the playpen to check on Kiera.
"Mister Kelley."
Ewyn turned and watched Patterson walk into the room. The man looked around, eyes widening as if he'd never been indoors before. "Have a seat. I have to get Kieki's bottle," he said as he headed toward the kitchen.
"Kieki?" Patterson placed the box on the coffee table and strolled over to the playpen. "Oh yeah, the older girl was pregnant."
From the kitchen, Ewyn watched Patterson bend over the playpen, then stiffen. His head jerked up and he looked across the room. Ewyn pinned him with a stare. "Another black mark, no pun intended, against the Calderones, huh?"
"No. The baby…I thought…" Patterson stuttered then shrugged. "Never
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