Purpose (14 page)

“The Spirit of Vengeance is not a white male. It’s whatever it needs to be.”

Barrington drew his weapon and pointed it at Gar’s head. “Don’t move. You’re under arrest.”

Gar rolled his eyes and moved faster than the agent could react. Snatching the weapon, he prevented the trigger from being pulled as he disarmed the man. He pointed the gun at Barrington’s head, smiling at the agent’s shock.

“What the….” Barrington took a step back. Equally shocked, Griffin had his gun out. “Shoot him, Griffin.”

“I told you once, Detective, bullets can’t hurt me. If you fire on me, you will both die.” An idle threat. He wouldn’t kill them, but he wanted to avoid exchanging shots.

“Shoot—”

Gar disappeared again, dropping the weapon at the man’s feet. “I told you I’m a spirit.”

Gar stepped to the right of the pair and reappeared, again changing his appearance.

“Agent Barrington, why are you here?”

“Cute.” He scowled as he bent down to pick up his weapon.

“What?” Gar even used the voice of the man he imitated. “You didn’t like President Bush? Somehow, I pegged you as a fan of W.”

“Don’t insult him.”

“What do you want, Barrington? My patience is not without limits.” He didn’t change his look.

“Isn’t it clear?” The gun’s magazine dropped into his hand. After checking the contents, he slapped it back into the handle and holstered it. “You’re a mass murderer. I’m going to stop you.”

“Stop me?” Gar raised his eyebrow, still in character. “What is it I’ve done?”

“Funny guy.”

Slipping into the agent’s mind, Gar confirmed what he suspected. Reinforcements were on the way. “Agent Barrington, I’ll be gone long before your backup arrives, but even if they make it here first, they won’t see me. They’ll just think you’re crazy.”

For a brief moment, the man lost his poker face. If only they knew what he was capable of.

“I’ll find a way. No one’s untouchable.”

“Feel free to arrest me. I’m in retirement in Texas. Ask the Secret Service for my address.” What the hell was he doing? “And with that, I’ll be going.”

Telling Barrington’s mind he wasn’t there, he moved toward Griffin. “So much for asking you not to bring Barrington with you.”

Griffin shrugged. “Did you really expect me to do what you wanted?”

“No, actually I was counting on your bringing him. I wanted to see his face.”

Blood rushed to the detective’s face, and his eyes narrowed. “You played me?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I offered to help you solve a murder, and I did. Nothing was asked in return. Had you kept your word, you still would have Yester and his confession, but I wouldn’t have what I wanted. Your lack of honor only served my purposes.”

“Are you talking to him?” Barrington moved closer, but Gar avoided him.

“That’s an interesting way to say you manipulated me.” His voice lost none of its edge.

Gar laughed. “No, Detective, I specifically said don’t bring him. Manipulating you would have been to say nothing in the hopes you would. Tonight was about me proving what I could do for you. Yes, I expected you not to deal with me in good faith, but if that’s manipulating you, then you need to take a look at your ethics and not question mine.”

He didn’t need to read the man’s mind to know he’d struck a nerve.

“What’s happening?” Barrington grabbed Griffin’s shoulder. “Is he still here?”

“Take your hand off me,” the detective growled, staring at the hand. “If you can’t see him, then what does it matter if he is here or not? You can’t catch a ghost.”

This time, Gar read Barrington’s thoughts, and when he was done, he “told” him to leave. Silently, he obeyed the command.

“Where’s he going?”

“Beats me.” Gar’s answer was truthful. He hadn’t told the agent where to go, just to go. “You should avoid him.”

“Don’t try to drive a wedge between us.” Griffin appeared conflicted.

“Suit yourself, but he’s a user.” The concern was genuine. Barrington was a bully with a badge. It didn’t matter to him who he trampled to get what he wanted. “Catching me is a means to a promotion for him. You don’t matter a lick to him. Since he’s going to fail, he’ll blame you for his failure.”

“Like I said, don’t try to divert me by pitting us against each other.” Griffin’s words lacked conviction.

“As you wish, Detective. With this, I feel we are square.” Since when did he feel the need to square away his “debts?” “I saved the life of at least one officer and helped you solve a murder in under eight hours. Anything I got from your files has been paid for in full.”

“It’s not that simple. You—”

“Yes, it is ‘that simple’, Detective.” The mission over, Gar returned to the background. He felt more like Will than Gar, and Will grew weary of the game. He could see this would be a hard path in the future. “This is our last conversation. You broke your word to me. I can’t trust you.”

“You’re one to speak of trust.” Griffin’s anger radiated from his face and words. “We ‘met’ when you broke into my office. I should trust you, why? Yes, I appreciate what you did for the officers back on Lamont, and helping me close this case is greatly appreciated, but you’re the suspect in a bunch of crimes.”

“Again, that doesn’t matter to me. Where will you find me? What do I look like? How will you stop me? The futility of this path should be clear to you, but if it’s not, let me help you see it. Barrington isn’t planning to arrest me. He wants to use me. Even if you manage to catch me, he will use federal prerogative to take me from your custody. The bureau’s interest in me is as an operative.”

Will let his words sink in before he continued. “Ask him. He’ll deny it, but keep it in the back of your mind.”

“How do you know that?” he spat. “You met him fifteen minutes ago.”

“I can read minds, Detective.” That would get his attention.

“Read minds?” His voice was barely audible.

“Yes, I can read minds. It’s how I knew who to look like for Yester to trust me and confess. It’s how I know what the guilty are going to do and where to find them. I needed to meet Barrington to find out why he pursues me. The bureau wants me to be a covert agent, doing things they can’t or can’t be associated with.”

Griffin’s eyes were distant. It didn’t require mind reading to know he considered Gar’s words. “You can see I’m telling the truth. Why else would they be ‘interested’ in your case?”

Whether he meant to or not, Griffin nodded.

“Detective.” Will’s voice got his attention. “If you agree, and keep your word not to involve the good Agent Barrington in any future events, I’ll reconsider my decision to cut you off.”

“Why do I feel like I’m making a deal with the devil?”

A snort escaped his throat. “I assure you, I am not the devil.”

“No angel either.” The deadpan delivery made Will laugh.

“No, not that either.” Shaking his head, he shrugged. “I’ll call you next time I’m going to act. Just remember, I’ll know if you lie to me. Saying no won’t upset me.”

“Why?” Griffin threw his hands up slightly. “Why are you doing this? Your MO up until now has been to leave dead bodies. Why the change?”

“It is too hard to explain.” He didn’t understand it himself, so how could he explain it to someone else? “Think of it as I’m trying a new method. That’s not to say I won’t revert to my old ways along the way. I’m taking things on a case-by-case basis.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Of course.” He held out his hand. Tentatively, the detective reached out, looking relieved when they shook. “Don’t look so surprised. I can be as real or ethereal as I want or need. Stay safe, Detective.”

W
ILL
heard the television before he opened his front door. Ryan waited up for him? Then again, neither of them “worked,” so they could sleep in.

As he hung up his coat, he heard the sound of feet trying to be quiet. “You can’t sneak up on me, Ryan.”

“Just testing a theory.” Will found him wearing only a pair of cotton boxers. “I figured you could hear me, even if I was super quiet.”

“I can hear you breathing.” He moved closer and pulled Ryan into a hug. “Footsteps are like a drum beat.”

“You make it hard for me to surprise you.” Ryan winked, then kissed him again.

“Why even try?”

Ryan tugged on his arm, leading him toward the bedroom. “Get cleaned up, and we can fall asleep together watching a movie.”

Falling asleep was something Will had to force himself to do. But rather than ruin the mood, he nodded. “Just take a couple of minutes.”

True to his word, Will showered quickly, dried off, and used the mouthwash in under ten minutes. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“No, well, not since you got home, at least.” Ryan turned, but not before Will saw him chew on his upper lip.

“Everything went fine, by the way. No one died.” He waited for Ryan to look at him to continue. “Saved two police officers from getting shot as well.”

“Really?” There was the smile Will wanted to see. “And you didn’t hurt anyone?”

“Well….” Ryan frowned, so Will shrugged. “There wasn’t a lot of time to stop the ambush. Nothing they won’t recover from with time.”

He quickly smiled again. “Will, I’m glad you’re trying. And saving two officers was a really good thing.”

Making Ryan happy felt good. He liked to see him smile. He pulled the sheets back, dropped the towel, and slid in beside Ryan.

“What are we watching?” As if he would know the title.

“
Harry Potter
—the first one.” He clicked the start button and snuggled closer. “You do know who that is, right?”

“Heard of it, but never read the books or saw the movies.”

“Cool,” Ryan said, wiggling to get comfortable. “This way you can give me your honest opinion.”

Pulling Ryan closer, he kissed the top of his head. “I’d never lie to you, Ryan.”

“I know that.” He twisted so he could look up. “I just meant you won’t have any expectations before we watch it.”

“Gotcha.”

Even DVDs had previews. Things were so different from when he was younger.

“Will?” There was tension in Ryan’s voice.

“Yes?”

“I’d like us to go out with Jake if you still want.” His tone and body language didn’t match the words.

What brought this change about? “We don’t have to. I wasn’t trying to force anything.”

“I know you weren’t, but I’d like to go anyway.”

Will paused the movie. “What changed for you?”

“It’s like you said, you wouldn’t lie to me. Of all the people I’ve ever met, I know beyond any doubt, you’re the first one who won’t pretend. I trust you.”

Will felt a tingle in his nose, a precursor to a tear. The little time they’d been together meant so much to Ryan. How could affection be so missing in his life? “Thank you. I trust you too.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Ryan snorted. “I mean, what fool who looked like me would leave someone like you?”

“Whoa. Stop.” He pulled Ryan’s face up. “What fool would ever leave someone as beautiful as you? No….” He put two fingers over Ryan’s lips. “Hear me out. The moment I saw you on the Metro, I was drawn to you. You deserve so much better than me, but I’m going to try to make you happy anyway, for as long as you let me.”

Squeezing his eyes tight, Ryan turned back toward the television. “Really?”

“Absolutely.” He gently stroked Ryan’s head. “So no more talk about you being anything other than beautiful and hot. Deal?”

Twisting, Ryan all but jumped on top of him. Pressing his lips hard against Will’s, Ryan kissed him with a passion Will hadn’t felt in a long time. It was over quickly, and Ryan settled back onto Will’s chest. “Deal.”

Clicking the movie back on, Will asked, “So why the change of heart on seeing Jake?”

“I… I don’t have any friends. Us having some would be nice.”

The impact of the statement took Will’s voice. Amidst the sadness in the words was the hope Ryan felt for his future. He not only wanted friends, he expected they would have them together. Will swallowed hard, wondering what possessed him to give up his emotionally detached life for this swirling mass of conflicting emotions. Then Ryan gave him a gentle kiss on the chest, and Will’s arms squeezed reflexively.

Detached was easier, but it was empty. For the first time since David, he felt alive again. A little pain was worth it, if this was how it felt when it was good.

“A
RE
you sure? I feel ridiculous.” Will ran his hand over the skin-tight tee shirt. “Every time I lift my arms, my stomach shows.” He pulled his jeans up.

“Will, this is what people our age wear.” Ryan adjusted Will’s jeans down just below his hips. “Besides, you have amazing stomach muscles. You look totally hot.”

He heard the slight hitch in Ryan’s voice that spoke of his fears. Hopefully, it wouldn’t ruin the night for Ryan. “
Our
age? Ryan, I’m not twenty-five, I’m almost sixty-seven. People
my
age do
not
wear these things.”

The happy snort Ryan gave him eased his worry. If he laughed, Ryan wasn’t worried. “As you pointed out, Gar might be sixty-seven, but Will is still stuck in his twenties.”