Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

"Is everything okay?" Izzy asked as Jamie started the coffee brewing.

Aidan had summoned him to the foyer, filled him in, then, leaving Ward at the door, had led the rest of the group out to the balcony, shutting the door behind them. Jamie had volunteered to get the coffee and make sure Izzy and the kids were settled. The latter he distracted with his tablet and a mission to order holiday decorations for the condo, a surprise they would leave behind for Press when he returned. Izzy, however, was not so easily put off the scent. Regardless of Tom's and Aidan's efforts, she had been an LEO's partner, and she had the Spidey senses that went with it.

"Development on the case," Jamie told her. "It was quicker for them to come here than for me and Aidan to go back to the office."

She shot him a look that screamed Bullshit without making a sound. Part of the reason they'd pinged Press about using his place was its proximity to the office; Izzy had to realize that too. She stopped short of calling him on the lie, though, and moved on to making the necessary plans. "I'm off tomorrow," she said. "But I'm supposed to be on a red-eye Thursday night to JFK. Down to Miami the next day, then back here on Saturday."

"I'd cancel it."

"I hated this part of the job." She grabbed another mug from the cabinet, filled it three quarters full of milk, then added it to the ones Jamie was pouring coffee into. "Well, at least we can go to Maryanne's party now."

Jamie shot her a What now? version of the look she'd shot him earlier.

"She's a close friend," she answered. "I'll get you and Aidan the info to clear it, and Ward can come too. I'm sure no one will mind the eye candy."

Jamie chuckled as he loaded mugs onto a tray. "Maybe this will all be over tomorrow. You can go to the party and take a worry-free weekend with the kids."

"That would be glorious," Izzy said, claiming her own mug, then laying her other hand on his on the tray handle. She waited for him to glance up, and when he did, Jamie found her brown eyes swirling with worry and guilt. "I think the world of Bev," she said quietly. "She's the sibling Angel's always wanted, but I don't think the courts would give me custody. I'm single, work a job that puts me frequently out of the home, and while we're financially afloat, it's more like swimming upstream."

Jamie released the tray so he could take Izzy's free hand in both of his, giving it a squeeze. "Let's just worry about this week for now. We'll sort out the rest when the time comes." That was all any of them could do, even if his mind was running away with scenes of future family Christmases.

Nodding, she inhaled deep, lifted her chin, and walked with him to the balcony door, opening it so he could carry out the tray of drinks.

"Izzy okay?" Aidan asked once she'd closed the door behind him.

"She was married to an agent. She knows something's up." He set the coffees down on the table, and everyone descended like sharks on chum. "She's off tomorrow but was supposed to be in the air Thursday through Saturday. I suggested she cancel it."

"Probably for the best," Matt said.

Jamie snagged the last mug, then claimed the cushion next to Aidan. "So, what do we know?"

"By the time we got to County," Rick said, "a fight had broken out, and Darien was killed in the melee."

"And Deidra?"

"Withdrawal-related complications."

"Do we believe that?" Aidan said.

Berat shook his head. "Not in the least."

"Was anyone else killed?" Jamie asked.

"One other inmate," Rick said. "The person who shivved White. He ran at the guard coming to break it up."

"Suicide by cop."

"Likely."

"Mob associate?" Aidan asked.

Berat nodded.

"They're cleaning up loose ends."

"Those kids are loose ends," Rick said with a nod toward Angel and Bev at the dining table, their heads together over Jamie's tablet. At Aidan's answering growl, Rick held his hands up, palms out, fingers spread. "No offense, boss. Just the truth."

The jazz hands, intentional or not, had the welcome effect of diffusing some of the tension, the corner of Aidan's mouth twitching as he fought a smile. Jamie laid a hand on his husband's knee and moved the conversation on. "Who else is left?"

"Tomás and his sister," Matt replied. "Already put them in protective custody."

"Which leaves Pudge and Michael Martino," Aidan said.

"I think we move on Pudge," Rick said. "I've been going through Agent Con—Sutton's—files." He passed the one he'd carried in under his arm across the table to Aidan. "Martino has a beef with the Bureau after what happened to his brother. He's less likely to talk than Pudge."

"Do we have a location on Mason?"

Rick jutted his chin at the folder spread across Aidan's lap. "List of his known haunts are in there," he said. "So are his credit card numbers and banking information."

Jamie snatched the file out of Aidan's hands and stood. "If he's used anything but cash at any of these locations, I'll know in thirty."

"Prep teams to cover," Aidan said as the rest of them rose. "Let's be ready to move as soon as we have a location."