A Mended Man (The Men of Halfway House Book 4) (20 page)

He had asked hundreds of questions about Michael, trying to pinpoint anything that would shine some light on how to find him—what type of magazines Jessie had seen, what types of items decorated the house, any logos on store bags, the man's schedule, whether it remained the same on weekends, what did he usually wear, the length of his hair, and on and on. What the fuck did Aidan care if this bastard kept his nails clean or if he had calloused hands? But apparently, Manny said it might be an indicator of the line of work he did.

Logical bastard.
Hell, those were clues Aidan spotted in homicide cases. But somehow, when it came to Michael Johnson, he had a hard time focusing or using anything remotely resembling common sense. He hated to admit his captain was right…he had become myopic. He had been given a very strict
hands-off
ultimatum from his captain on anything related to Jessie's case. If he interfered in any way, the case would be pulled from the team and delegated to a different department, probably buried under the pile of unsolved, pending casework since they'd hit the six-month mark.

He granted his team the space they needed but still managed to linger close enough to keep his finger on the pulse of progress. They kept him updated on every tiny detail they encountered, regardless of how small. And each of them worked the case from different angles.

One thing kept his mind at ease, Jessie had managed to effortlessly win over the team with his quiet demeanor and soft-spoken nature, which seemed to motivate them to work the case more diligently.

The thought of that bastard out there grated on every protective nerve ending in Aidan's body. He just wanted the asshole caught and everything done so they could move on. How Jessie managed to not let it get to him was a wonder. He'd simply stated, "It took him more than fifteen years to come after me. I'm not going to sit around and panic for another fifteen."

Aidan shook his head, hoping to dispel the thoughts racing through his mind and focus on the case file in his hands.

Manny continued to flip each sheet within the file as if some new information would appear just as quickly as Michael had vanished. "It's ridiculous. I contacted every damn agency who's tapped us to help on a case to see if they could poke around in their system…just in case the guy had decided to go global. Nothing. I can't even attempt to sweet-talk one of them to use their facial rec system because I don't have a damn face to go with this asshole. He's. Pissing. Me. Off."

He definitely liked this version of Detective Manny Reyes far more than the jab-delivering prick he had become accustomed to. "What do you suggest?"

Manny tapped his pen against the folder. "Not sure yet. But I'll be damned if I let that jerk best me in my own field. I've got a profiler coming to discuss another case, and I'm going to pick his brain on a few things regarding this asshole." He pushed back his chair and stalked out of the room with determination, barely missing Sunny and Travis as they walked into the team conference room.

"What bug crawled up his ass?" Travis asked.

"Michael-Fucking-Johnson."

His team members groaned. "The part that gets me…" Travis began, pulling out the chair across from Aidan. He lowered his brow and clasped his hands on the table. "What he did back then to Vega, it's…not the kind of thing someone does once and that's it. The attack that night, that was different. Horrible, yes, but different. You piss anyone off enough, and they can lose their shit. But kidnapping someone and holding them in those conditions for that length of time…that's the part that drives me crazy and the thing that's driving Reyes nuts. Someone like that does it more than once. And we've got no other victims, nothing else to show any pattern to guide us or anything to point us in any particular direction."

"Jessie's not lying."

"He didn't say that," Sunny jumped in, sitting next to Aidan.

Aidan raked his fingers through his hair. "I know." Everything regarding this case had him on edge. "Jessie did try to report it back then, but the moment he approached a cop, they were more concerned about having a guardian with him because he was a minor. And where Jessie was concerned, that wasn't an option so he didn't file a formal charge."

Travis's jaw muscles twitched. "That's the problem. We think it's not the first time and we think the victims have always been in the same age group and circumstances. That's why we're looking into unsolved cases that might share some detail to what happened to Vega. Just in case he's done this before and slipped up somewhere."

"And Reyes has me looking into missing persons that fit the same physical traits as Jessie. Just in case we spot a trend for that region. We're all looking into different areas. Hopefully something will hit," Sunny said.

Aidan exhaled slowly, trying to control the simmering rage that threatened to break free, underscoring why he hated working assault cases. He wanted to catch this monster and exercise any one of the million kill options he'd noted on his mental list in the last six months. Cuffing the bastard and letting him serve prison time on the taxpayer's dollar…nope, definitely not on that list.

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. I don't know how Jessie handles this so well, but I just want this done."

Travis leaned back in his chair and lowered his brow. "Is he being careful or has he let his guard down?"

"We sent Bull away two months ago because he felt suffocated with a bodyguard and always being watched. Jessie's careful and aware. He works from home and all his work is through his corporation, so his personal info is shielded for the most part. He's got access to all my accounts, so anything he needs goes through my name. He doesn't go out alone unless he's got a business meeting with a client. And when he does, he makes it a point of letting me know when he leaves and returns home. He's cautious but not obsessed about it."

"But?" Travis prompted.

Aidan sighed and hung his head. "He's still pushing me to show him how to use a gun."

"So show him," Sunny said. "Who better to teach him how to use a gun than Mr. I Don't Miss. You can use the range here. There's absolutely nothing wrong with knowing how to use a gun."

"Said the
homicide detective
." Aidan glared at his partner.

Sunny rolled her eyes. "There's a difference between having peace of mind knowing you're comfortable with how to use one if the situation arises and being pushed into a situation where your life depends on it but don't know what to do."

Fucking logic again. He hated that shit. Aidan rubbed his eyes then ran his hand harshly against his face. Jessie had mentioned wanting to know how to use a gun but never mentioned wanting to carry one or get a permit. Then again, Aidan kept a small arsenal stashed in different corners throughout their house. It made sense for Jessie to know how to use one of the weapons to defend himself if needed. "I'll think about it."

Travis chuckled. "You're such a momma bear."

Sunny covered her mouth but snorted in amusement.

Mother hen now momma bear? Being castrated to fit some bullshit stereotype pissed him the hell off.

"Just show the guy how to use a gun. Look at it this way. Do you want him to learn from you or take some class and learn from someone else?" Travis asked.

Damn Travis and
his
fucking logic. He sighed and crossed his arms. Mixing Jessie with anything aggressive or violent didn't sit well with him and forced all his protective instincts into overdrive.

Wall entered the room carrying a handful of files, sparing Aidan the need to respond. Another group of potential cases to review and leads to follow. Over the course of the last six months, their small team had exponentially closed more cases than their individual departments combined. They'd proven their effectiveness and the other government agencies were anxious to include them in more multi-jurisdictional cases.

They were successful.

They were problem solvers.

Except for the one case that seemed to nag them all the most.

* * * *

"You've got to be kidding me?" Cole said, leaning back in the side chair and propping his boots on the coffee table.

"Get your feet off the table," Jessie said, walking over to the living room and shoving Cole's boots off the wooden edge. "I asked you to send me that recipe for that stuffed chicken breast thing Aidan likes so I can make it next week, I didn't expect you to show up and give me a hard time. You could have emailed it." He sat on the couch and leaned his head back, blowing out an exasperated breath.

"That's no fun. You know I love to shoot the shit with you for a while. Besides, with that mountain of file crap on the table, you need a break."

"Did you bring the recipe or do you need something to write it down?"

"Don't change the subject. You're not getting off that easy," Cole said. "Come to think of it, you're not getting off at all," he finished with a guffaw.

"Real proud of yourself, aren't you?" He wouldn't deny he could use a break from all the casework, but he didn't need Cole to highlight his frustration.

"This whole 'just friends' shit is getting old," Cole said with an eye roll and air quotes. "You guys have been puppy dogging each other for almost two years. Why the hell doesn't he make a move?"

"Fuck if I know why." Jessie straightened in his seat and pursed his lips, crossing his arms, asking himself the same question for the millionth time.

A slow smile spread across Cole's face. That look never meant anything good.

"What?" Jessie rolled his eyes and inwardly cringed.

"You've been hanging around him too much. You've turned into a potty mouth."

Jessie narrowed his eyes.

"Ooh, you're picking up the glare too."

"Fuck you."

Cole scowled then scrunched his face after a moment. "Nah. That doesn't sound right coming from you. Tell me to go 'shove it where the sun don't shine' or something like that. That would fit better with you."

Jessie sighed. He and Aidan teased one another, but it never went further than a chaste kiss on the cheek or a random gesture like the morning pat on the ass. And certainly nothing Aidan initiated. While in the hospital, he was always there and didn't hesitate to help or sit bedside each night. And if Jessie had a restless night, Aidan would hold his hand to keep the monsters at bay. Since his discharge, the nightmares had subsided, so had the bedside watch. Jessie was left with the occasional brush of fingers in his hair when they sat on the couch, a gesture he suspected Aidan didn't even realize he did as they watched television.

"Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Aidan's not gay," Jessie finally mumbled.

"My gaydar is finely tuned, little man. Trust me, he's gay and has the hots for you."

"He's close with his partner," he said with a sigh. Damn, he hated feeling self-conscious.

"There's no way he's into 'flowers' or whatever PC term is being used today to describe the vajayjay."

Jessie rolled his eyes again. "I'm being serious."

"I am too. He's into you…well, not literally, but you know what I mean. He's got a thing for you. You've changed in the last few months but—"

"I haven't changed," Jessie said, his eyebrows arching upward, worried he had done something unconsciously to stall any minute progress between him and Aidan.

"You've got biceps you can flex now." Cole leaned forward and yanked up Jessie's shirt. "And you've got abs too."

Jessie pushed away Cole's hands and pulled his shirt back down, scowling at his always meddling friend.

"You can arm wrestle Carmen and totally kick her ass."

"That's…flattering."

"Carmen was the only girl out of six of us. She's an undercover badass. And what's up with you? It's like I'm talking to a little version of Aidan. You're even picking up his sarcasm."

"Shut up," Jessie mumbled. "And stop calling me little. I'm only an inch shorter than you."

Cole leaned forward in the chair, resting his forearms on his thighs. "Do you ever ask him?"

Jessie cocked his head. "Ask him what?"

"There's something about him I can't figure out. I know the man's crazy about you—that's a given. You can see it in his eyes. His body vibrates when you're in the room."

"Stop being so dramatic. I'm trying to have a serious conversation here."

"How do you not see it?" Cole asked and shook his head. "I totally get that he's private. But he takes it to a whole other top-secret level. You're going to have to make the first move. Just jump the man."

Jessie grabbed one of the small cushions and hugged the soft material. Being so close to Aidan each day was torturous—they were close in proximity but, somehow, still light years away. "I'm not pushing him. That's a surefire way to get him to shut down."

"You can't go at him like a regular person. You need to take a crack at him in an unexpected way. If he doesn't see you coming and lets his guard down, you might be able to break through. Maybe you can sneak up on him, dig underneath that barrier he has around him."

"You make it sound like a prison break," Jessie said, raising an eyebrow.

Cole shrugged. "Well, technically. Isn't that what it is for him?"

Jessie chewed his bottom lip as his mind wandered.

"It's like… I don't know," Cole said, tugging his beanie. "It's as if he wants to be with you, but he doesn't know how. I doubt it's a lack of sexual experience. I mean, seriously, look at him. The guy's super-hot."

Jessie's focus snapped back to Cole. He tightened his grip on the cushion in his arms, fisting the material to control the bubbling jealousy.

Cole immediately raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa there, Vega. He's not the Calloway I want." He then scowled and waggled his finger at Jessie. "And if you tell him I said he was hot, I swear, I'm totally unfriending you."

Jessie bit his lip. Cole always seemed to make him smile regardless of his mood.

"He's different." Cole's mood sobered, leaning back in the chair again with a frown. "When you were in the hospital, Aidan freaked out…but not like regular freaking out. It's as if he was numb or something. It wasn't like him. He's usually in control and has a plan, but he seemed…lost. He even had me worried so I tried to see if Ty could get through to him, but Ty was scared out of his mind. He'd just tell me that
that
guy wasn't his brother so he didn't know how to get through to him." Cole shook his head and crossed one booted foot over his knee. He tugged on his laces, lost in thought for a few moments before he spoke. "I didn't know what he meant at first and I kinda shrugged it off."