9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Leigh

" W hat is he doing? Is he crazy? Cary could eat him alive!"

Leigh was more concerned about Cary being in cahoots with Jake and Rosa, but Tolly's certainty that he wasn't eased him somewhat. Tolly had a sixth sense about people. He should be able to tell if Cary was a conniving bastard. And Alvin was so damn lost on the guy, he needed a win.

"Can we focus on the Morettis trying to have me killed and how now I need to kill Vincent?" Leigh couldn't afford to be distracted by Tolly's obsession with romance, endearing as it may be.

He explained the attack that morning and how Tolly had scared the guys off.

"Pretty Boy scared off Moretti goons? I would have paid to see that."

Then Leigh explained the harder part—that Jake was a traitor.

"That asshole. Rosa's gotta be in on it too."

"My thoughts exactly," Leigh said. "And maybe others."

"You didn't send your playmate over there to grill Cary on purpose, did you?"

"Do I look like I had anything to do with that? If Tolly said he was going to help be your wingman , then that's what he's doing." Leigh should have seen it coming, honestly, since Tolly knew about Alvin's crush.

"But you think we could be compromised by more than just Bonnie and Clyde?"

"Maybe. Probably."

"Shit."

"Don't start poking your nose in too deep." Leigh leaned across the table to make sure Alvin remained calm. "You'll tip them off, and whoever else might be a traitor. All I need from you is to know where Jake and Rosa are headed today. I'll handle the rest. You keep an ear open for any chatter and get me Tolly's papers when they're ready like you said."

They discussed logistics, a few ideas about who other snitches might be, and possible larger plans the Morettis had in the works, before Tolly returned, leaving Cary with his laptop and looking oddly content instead of surly for once.

Tolly was also humming what sounded like "Killing Me Softly."

"What did you talk about?" Alvin asked the second he slid into the booth.

"Music mostly. Would you like to learn sign language, Alvin?"

"What?" So that's what Tolly had been doing with his hands. "He told you about his hearing aid?"

"You knew?" Tolly said in surprise.

Everyone knew, they just didn't care. It wasn't as if it affected how Cary hacked a security system.

"I'm not an idiot," Alvin said. "Wait. You can teach me how to sign?"

Tolly was full of wonders Leigh couldn't have predicted. Who knew merfolk would know sign language? Or maybe it was just Tolly, in love with the human condition in all forms.

His hands moved beautifully in sync with his response. "I would be happy to. As well as the importance of the right song."

Shopping for Tolly's new wardrobe would have to wait. As would teaching Alvin anything more than a handful of ASL phrases. Jake and Rosa were scheduled to be smuggling in the latest drug shipment soon.

Arthur Sweeney dabbled in a little of every kind of organized crime. Diversity of resources made it harder to pin much on him when he had his hands everywhere and could drop anything in an instant without hurting his business overall.

Thievery was Leigh's specialty. It required thought and skill and could even be a little fun—when he wasn't getting caught and dropped into the river afterward. Drugs and guns and the like he preferred to stay away from.

He'd brought his hat and glasses along to be incognito, not that it made it any easier to head to the docks, considering Leigh's last memories of being there. His steps slowed as he tried to think of the best route to sneak up on Jake and Rosa. This was a daylight transaction. Not everything happened at night. Police expected that, so the right location or conducting business at the right off-time could be even more effective than the cover of nightfall.

"Ah, I see. You believe them to be meeting there." Tolly pointed through the many shipping containers at the meet-up spot.

"Yeah, but if we make any noise or get seen, we're screwed."

"I shall go alone then," Tolly said, and suddenly he was stripping, right there at the water's edge.

"What are you doing ?"

"I can listen more easily from the water." He already had his jacket and sweater off, then kicked away his shoes and slipped his pants and underwear down his legs. "They will not see me. Trust me."

Leigh was at a loss for words, scrambling to think of something, anything to prevent Tolly from diving headfirst into the water, naked , in the middle of the day—but then it was over and Tolly was gone.

What if he never came back? What if they saw him, saw what he was and….

It would be crazy for Leigh to follow, so he ended up pacing back and forth between the crates for ten solid minutes before he started seriously considering jumping in after Tolly. When he heard a splash, he turned to see Tolly climbing up from where he'd gone in, looking satisfied and no worse for wear.

"We are in luck," Tolly said, casually returning to his clothes to put them on over wet skin. "They were talking about more than drug smuggling, as you had hoped. There was a Moretti informant present. He was concerned about the men who returned to their base injured with no memory of what happened to them."

The goons Tolly roughed up. Leigh should have expected that a concussion and a broken arm wouldn't go unnoticed, but hopefully it just made things more confusing on the Moretti side.

"They think it careless and dangerous to send anyone else after you for the time being, but Jake and Rosa are expected to meet with Vincent Moretti soon, within the week, once the umm… heat dies down, they said. They also mentioned another snitch, but I believe there is only one other."

"Who?" Leigh asked eagerly.

"They did not say a name, merely mentioned a… runner. Not like you, someone inconsequential. This other person told the Morettis that you were alive and at your apartment. That is why those men came."

It wasn't Selene or Mark, then. Had to be one of the nobodies hoping to rise in rank. That didn't narrow it down, but it was a start. Leigh was going to have to get cozy with some of the lackeys.

"Jake and Rosa were told to lie low and to wait for a message about when and where to meet Vincent Moretti. We must be vigilant, Leigh, but that would likely be your best chance to strike at him."

It would be. If Leigh learned about the meet-up in time, he could set the perfect trap. No one suspected they knew about the snitches. The only people who had any idea were Leigh, Tolly, and Alvin.

"Did I do well?" Tolly asked once he was dressed, though he looked like a drowned rat and definitely in need of fresh clothes.

"You did very well," Leigh said. "But next time, no diving into the water without warning me."

Leigh felt comfortable returning home without fear of another ambush after Tolly's eavesdropping, but he still listened to Alvin's advice about the strip mall outside Sweeney or Moretti territory. Tolly was somewhat drier by the time they got there, though a few store clerks still shot them dirty looks.

They didn't spend an excessive amount of time, just enough to get Tolly the essentials. He looked like a kid at Christmas anyway, when Leigh told him he could choose whatever he wanted.

Tolly had simple tastes but gravitated toward more color than Leigh, especially red. It was his color for sure, complimenting his dark hair and eyes. One signature piece Tolly fell in love with was a red bomber jacket with a black collar and cuffs.

"Thank you," Tolly said when they left, changed into one of his new outfits and the jacket while his wet clothes were in a separate bag. Somehow, like before, he didn't seem in need of a shower after his dip in the river. He was fresh and clean, hair dried already into the perfect coif.

"Don't mention it."

"Why not? It bears mentioning since I am truly grateful."

"It's an expression. It means it was my pleasure, so don't get mushy about it."

Tolly tittered a giggle, which was almost as captivating as his singing. "Language is fascinating. There are always new turns of phrase to learn."

Leigh wished he had that sort of zest for life, but then, being around Tolly made it easier to appreciate the little things.

When they returned home, there were a few Post-its on Leigh's door, like usual, which he'd deal with later. He needed to clear his head first.

"Leigh, can you elaborate more on what ‘juvie' refers to?" Tolly asked after they had arranged his clothes into spaces in Leigh's dresser and closet, which felt oddly intimate, but where else were they going to put it? "I know it is short for ‘juvenile hall,' but I am not sure I understand."

"It's jail for minors. Kids under eighteen who get in trouble end up there sometimes. Not a nice place really, since it's meant to be a punishment."

"I see. The laws in your world are quite complicated."

"What, no baby jail for merfolk?"

"No. If a child goes against their parents or merfolk ways, they are hunted and killed just like an adult."

Leigh froze with a fresh shiver clawing up his spine. He kept forgetting that Tolly's people were dangerous and cruel, however beautiful they must be if they looked like him. He'd seen how strong Tolly was, but it was still difficult to picture his people as killers.

When a knock sounded at the door, Leigh's instincts were to tense before he reminded himself that they should be safe for now.

It was Ralph he saw through the peephole. The kid didn't look like he wanted to continue their fight from last night. Quite the opposite; he seemed cowed and nervous.

"What's your problem?" Leigh opened the door. "You get into trouble again?"

"You're home." Ralph sagged in relief. "You weren't here earlier."

"I have a life outside this place, you know. What were you coming around earlier for? Weren't you at school?"

"Most of the time."

" Ralph ."

"I'm sorry I got bitchy last night," Ralph said, pushing past Leigh into the apartment. "I was pissed and not thinking. But sometimes you rag on me even worse than my dad."

Leigh resisted the urge to fall into that compulsion now since this wasn't the best apology. "It's fine. But you get why I don't want you turning out like me."

"I know. Just doesn't seem like I got many options."

Leigh let the door shut behind him and looked Ralph up and down. He was a mess of tension in his gangly limbs. Must have had a rough day. "You like solving mysteries, good at sneaking around and sleight of hand. Doesn't mean you have to be a thief. Might make a good detective someday."

Ralph finally looked Leigh in the eyes only to ooze cynicism. "My kindergarten transcripts said the same thing my teachers tell me now. ‘Does not respect authority. Does not play well with others.'"

Sounded about right. Leigh's would have said the same. "Who says you gotta work for anyone but yourself?"

It might have been a romantic suggestion, being a private eye, but romantic was what Ralph needed right now, a bit of a dream to cling to, something to strive for that would ignite a fire in him to get out of this place. It seemed to work, too, because his eyes glittered at the possibility.

"Hello, Ralph." Tolly came out of the bedroom. "How are you today?"

The way Ralph relaxed further at Tolly's appearance said he approved of his continued presence. "Wired. But good. Nice jacket."

"Thank you. Leigh bought it for me."

"He did, huh?" Ralph said, returning to the mischievous shit Leigh was used to.

"Mind your own love life," Leigh snapped, then flushed when he realized what he'd said. He didn't know how to handle the hope that filled Tolly's eyes when that was the only way he'd ever let a phrase with "love" in it pass his lips.

"Hey, Hurley," Ralph said more quietly. "Are you still in deep with Sweeney?"

"I don't want you involved—"

"I know, I know, just wanna be sure I don't have to worry about you. Even if you do have a bodyguard around," he said like he still didn't believe that was Tolly's function.

"I got some reprieve, all right? No one's gonna come looking for me for a while."

"Good."

There was another knock before Alvin called, "You guys having a party in there without me?" and barged in without waiting, carrying pizza boxes with a bag over his arm.

"You got Tolly's stuff already?" Leigh asked.

"Nah, not till tomorrow, but I figured you could use a night to relax. Hey, Ralphy-boy. You eat? Got plenty. Plus RoboCop 1 and 2 from the bargain bin. You know you want to be educated tonight."

"Hell yes." Ralph flocked to Alvin like the bad example he was. "All over the yes. I haven't seen those yet."

"That's because you're still in diapers," Leigh said, but he wasn't against the idea. In fact, he almost wanted to hug Alvin for it.

"The first one is quite violent for someone so young." Tolly came forward to protest.

"He'll be fine. You've seen RoboCop ?"

"I prefer the second one."

Tamer and more tongue-in-cheek made sense coming from Tolly. "Pizza and mini movie marathon it is," Leigh said.

He was interrupted a few times to make good on those Post-it notes that had been on his door, but for the most part, Leigh got to relax, eat pizza, and watch flicks with his friends like someone almost normal.

When he came back from his last house call about a third of the way into RoboCop 2 , Tolly was on the sofa with Alvin, teaching him more signs, while Ralph remained glued to the screen, sitting probably too close to the TV.

"How do you do ‘beautiful' again?" Alvin asked, and Tolly fanned his fingers across his face.

"Beautiful. See?"

Alvin copied him. "Beautiful."

"I will teach you more. No need to rush. Simply be open with Cary. Talk to him. And when the time is right, you will woo him."

Leigh cracked open a soda he'd grabbed from the fridge, and Alvin turned to look at him.

"You're keeping this guy around, right?"

Tolly's proud expression made it impossible for Leigh to hold back his own smile.

"Haven't come up with a reason to get rid of him yet."