Chapter 14
KEVIN HAD sidestepped Willy’s question because he hadn’t seen it coming and because he wondered if Willy was getting tired of him, but he couldn’t keep his questions to himself forever.
“What is it you want?” Kevin asked Willy that night after the kids were asleep.
“Me? What about you?” Willy asked.
“Are you getting tired of me? Do you want me to go? I can. I mean, I’m doing fine, and I’ll be back to work soon.”
It was Willy’s turn to cough. “No, I’m not tired of you.
And for whatever reason, you fit with this little family.
The kids think the world of you, and I….
” He left another of those Willy pauses that made Kevin wonder what he was really thinking.
“Are we going too fast? A few days ago we were talking about taking things slow, and now we’ve spent the majority of the time we’ve known each other living together and even sleeping together.
I don’t think this is the way things are supposed to work.
” Sometimes Willy was so conventionally cute.
“I get that. I really do. But it’s how things seemed to work out. You stepped in to help me when I needed you.”
“And you did the same for me when you barely knew me and the kids. But I guess I need to know where things go from here. You’re feeling better, and I guess I figured you would be ready to go back to your own life—or something that resembled what you had before we came crashing through it.”
Kevin rolled his eyes. “Do you know what I had before I met you? Work—and more work. I didn’t have a life, not really.
You saw my house. It was largely empty because I was never there.
I worked a lot and was always the guy willing to take an extra shift because someone needed it.
Now I have you and the kids and a chance at a life I thought was only for other people.
I figured I’d go home tomorrow because I have to get used to being on my own again. ”
Willy snickered. “That’s why I was asking—so I could get used to being on my own again.”
Kevin shook his head. “Then we can play it by ear. There aren’t any rules about how things are supposed to work.
It’s just you and me and how we want to go forward.
” He paused as the front door jangled. He continued listening and then went to the old mail slot next to the door.
A piece of paper had been pushed through, and Kevin picked it up by a corner.
Back Off or Else! Anyone Can Get Burned! was written in black block letters like the other note.
“What is it?” Willy asked as he came in. Then he saw the note. “What the heck is going on? Do you think Frankie did this?”
“No. This is different, and I think it’s directed at me.” Kevin set down the page before picking up the phone to call Carter. “Maybe the first one was too.”
Carter answered with, “What’s up?”
“We received another threatening note. I thought the first one was sent by Frankie, but I don’t think he would be dumb enough to leave a note after our conversation today.”
“Do you have both of them?” Carter asked.
“I have the one we just received. Unfortunately Benjamin got hold of the first one and decided it was a chew toy. I only touched the corner of this one. Do you or Red want to stop by and get it?” Kevin was getting really angry. Just when one thing seemed settled, another popped up.
“How is Willy taking it?”
“That’s the thing. I think this one is aimed at me, which means that I’ve been followed.” He wasn’t sure what he thought about that. “And it means that because I’ve been staying with Willy since my accident, I’ve brought this mess to his door. We have to get to the bottom of it fast.”
“I’ll come by first thing in the morning to get the note. You keep all the doors and windows locked. I’m going to put out a note for the night patrols to make their presence known in your area. If someone is watching, that will give them pause.”
“I hope so.”
Carter told Kevin to stay alert, and they ended the call. There was nothing more he could do. Kevin thought about going home right now, but that would only leave Willy and the kids alone in the house. It was safer with all of them together.
He checked all the windows and doors, making sure everything was locked, including the gate to the yard. Then he explained what Carter had said to Willy.
“It’s okay. We have this.”
“Yeah, we do. I’ll stay out here tonight, and you go on to bed.”
“No.” Willy took his hand. “Come on. It’s late and we’re both tired. And I want a night with you.” He led Kevin to his room and closed the door.
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Kevin asked softly.
Willy let go of his hand and turned to him. “Nothing is going to happen to any of us as long as you’re here.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because you will move heaven and earth to make sure we’re all safe.
Well, I think it’s time that someone looked after you the same way you watch over all of us.
So tonight, after I rock your world, we’ll keep the door open and listen.
” Willy drew closer. “I think it’s time we figure this shit out, and then we can get our heads around what’s happening between us. ”
“Okay. If that’s what you think best.”
Willy shrugged. “I don’t know crap about what’s best. Hell, I don’t think I know about anything right now.
My life is about as twisted as it gets, but there are some things I’m coming to understand, and one of them is that I can count on you.
But I don’t want to be a burden or someone that you think you need to protect because it’s in your DNA or something. ”
Kevin pulled him into his arms. “I would never do that. Helping people is part of who I am, but that doesn’t extend to taking them to bed or watching out for them or their kids. Those things I do because of you, so stop worrying. I love April and Grant. They’re special.”
“That they are. But, well… you just wait until my mother and father come to visit. I suspect you’ll reevaluate your feelings then.”
Kevin tugged him nearer. “Okay. First thing, we are in your bedroom with the door closed. I have my arms around you, and I’m thinking of all the delicious ways to get you out of your clothes… and you’re talking about your mother.”
Willy couldn’t help groaning. “She sent me an email. Apparently she’s worried about the kids and the fire, so she’s coming out for a visit to make sure that her grandchildren are living in a proper environment.”
“What?”
“She has very definite ideas on parenting, especially mine. She loved Mark, and everything was fine until he passed away. Then she got it into her head that the kids shouldn’t be raised by a single parent. Let’s just say that I do my best to keep her visits short at the moment.”
“Did she try to take the kids?” He could feel his anger rising.
“No. But she can be a little overbearing, like she knows best. She was quiet right after the fire, but I think she’s making up for lost time.”
“Then let her come. You’re a great father, and you put those kids above everything else.
As it should be.” Kevin slipped his hands under Willy’s shirt, found a nipple, and gave it a light tweak.
Willy hissed softly. “That’s a father’s job.
My job is to make sure you remember that you are a man and sexy as hell, in addition to being a father. ”
“But my mother can—”
“Stay in her box for now. Along with threats, stupid messages, and everything else. Right now it’s you and me, and the rest of the world can go to hell for a few hours. Okay?”
Willy moaned softly as Kevin tugged off his shirt and sucked on his smooth, soft skin. “Are you trying to make me crazy?”
“If you can still talk, then I’m not doing a very good job.
” He captured Willy’s lips and kissed him until he was breathless and shaking in his arms. At least that should keep him quiet for a while.
Kevin had already learned that the best way to stop Willy from worrying was to blow his mind in the best way possible, and it looked like he had just succeeded.
“Daddy!” The cry broke through everything. Willy tumbled to the floor in his haste to get to his son, and Kevin helped him up as Grant cried out again. Willy grabbed his shirt off the floor and raced out of the room like the hounds of hell were after him.
“What’s wrong?” Willy asked as soon as he got into the room, picking up Grant. Kevin was right behind him.
“Fire, lots of fire,” Grant said through tears. “Right there.” He pointed toward the bedroom window.
Kevin left the room and hurried out the front door to the side of the building between them and the neighbors.
The street was quiet, and he covered his mouth as he coughed before looking over the area under Grant’s window.
He didn’t see anything, and he doubted he would.
Nothing had been burned, and there were no signs of footprints as far as he could tell.
It was likely just a nightmare. Out of caution, he checked the rest of the outside before returning inside and locking the door.
“I didn’t see anything outside,” he told Willy, who was still holding Grant, rocking him slowly. “What about April?”
Willy sighed. “She will sleep through a tornado, thank God,” he said as Grant quieted.
“Daddy, I wanna sleep wiff you,” Grant whispered.
Willy looked at Kevin, who nodded, because what else was he supposed to do? His plans for making sounds of a very different variety were going up in smoke, or more accurately with the fear of a four-year-old.
“Okay, but you gotta stop crying. I’m here, and nothing is going to hurt you.
” Willy carried Grant to the master bedroom and got him under the covers.
Then he took off his shirt and pants, slipped into bed, and turned out the light.
Kevin got out of his shirt and pants and got under the covers next to Willy.
“I love you, Daddy,” Grant said softly into the darkness.
“I love you too. Now go to sleep. You have to go to school in the morning.” Thankfully Grant hushed, but Elsa and Thumper took places at the foot of the bed.
Jesus, this bed was as full as it was going to get.
Kevin could only hope that April and Benjamin didn’t end up in here with them.
The poor bed frame would probably collapse, and they’d all end up sleeping on the floor.
“If fire comes, will Uncle Kevin save us?” Grant asked a few minutes later.
“There isn’t going to be any more fire. And yes, Uncle Kevin will save us.
Now go to sleep or you’ll have to go back to your own bed.
It’s late, and we all need to get some rest.” Willy was so patient, and thankfully that was the last they heard from Grant that night, but the dogs were another matter.
Every time Kevin moved his legs, he got a growl from either Elsa or Thumper until he finally found a comfortable spot and settled to sleep.
KEVIN WAITED for Carter to pick up the note before getting his things together.
Moving home was about as exciting as a toothache.
The dogs went inside and checked their bowls, wandered through the house to make sure everything was still in place, and then sat watching him, like they were wondering where the kids were.
Their toys were left unplayed with, and even the things hidden under the sofa were ignored.
“I know, guys, it seems strange.” He went upstairs to his bedroom and put away his things and took the dirty clothes to the washer in the basement. Once all those chores were done, he ended up watching television to pass the time.
His phone rang after noon, and Kevin snatched it up, completely bored. “What’s going on?”
“We got something,” Chase told him. “I was working with Red and Carter to see what we could find in the rubble of the apartment building, and it’s a miracle that place was standing at all.
The foundation concrete was substandard and is crumbling in places.
They sent it off for testing, but there is no way it should behave like that, even after a fire.
Accelerant was definitely used, and we tested for residue. ”
“So once the tests come back, we have a case against them?”
“Red and Carter aren’t so sure. Maybe not a legal case, but definitely a public safety one. They said that they will prepare a media statement. At least that should get people’s attention and bring the company’s misdeeds to light.”
“That’s really good. But are we any closer to figuring out who set the second fire and why the building went up so fast?”
“We are. You know they skimped on the interior walls that could have acted as firebreaks. But they also failed to fireproof the beams before sealing up all the walls. They did some of them, probably what they showed the inspectors, but other than that, they sealed the walls without it, so basically the building was wood-frame construction with nothing at all to stop a fire. It really is a miracle that no one was killed.”
“Great, but what recourse do we have?”
“Red and Carter are compiling everything and will give the information to the district attorney. Hopefully he will be able to find a way to bring a criminal case against the company. If nothing else, it should put them out of business.”
“And the arsonist goes free,” Kevin huffed. “There has to be a way to catch these guys. This isn’t the first building they’ve torched to cover up evidence.”
“I know. But we aren’t getting very far.
No one saw anything other than the flames.
There aren’t any cameras that caught anything either, so there aren’t a lot of places to look.
It was a simple fire that anyone could set with a few cans of gasoline and sucky construction already weakened by the first fire. But maybe we’ll catch a break.”
“Maybe we will. You have to contact Red and Carter. When they make the public statement, I think I need to be there.” An idea formed in his mind, one he knew Willy would hate, but it was the only way he could see to bring the people responsible for all this hurt and heartache into the open.
“Why?”
“Willy and I have been trying to figure a way to lay a trap, and I think I just found it.” And Lord help him if anything went wrong.