Epilogue
“I should put you two under house arrest,” Warden said. “Of all the idiotic… Do either of you have any sense of self-preservation?”
“It was my fault,” Bryn said, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat at the conference room table. “It just kinda came into my head that I needed to do something. There’s no doubt Romano would have killed that woman.”
“But you didn’t think it was possible he might kill you? The GRC’s most valuable asset.”
“Well…no. I knew Gunnar would find a way to rescue me, I just had to stay alive long enough for him to work out how.”
Gunnar stared at him. Warden shook his head.
“You two raise my blood pressure to stratospheric levels, you know that? No, don’t say anything else.
You.” He pointed at Bryn. “You ever do something like that again and I will personally cane your ass. And you.” It was Gunnar’s turn. “You should know better.”
“I think I should be calling human resources,” Bryn muttered. “That kind of sanction can’t be in the staff handbook.”
“There’s a special fucking chapter written just for you. Don’t push me.”
Bryn pouted. “So not fair.”
“We’ll put a line under this fiasco and be thankful that neither of you ended up in the mortuary. The FBI is very pleased with yesterday’s result and Romano is singing like a canary. He’s talking about fifteen other killings across four states. Seems to be proud of not being caught for so long.”
“Jesus, what a nut job,” Bryn said.
“Quite. What he said to you about drugging Frederics was also true, Bryn. The autopsy showed cause of death was drowning but there were massive amounts of LSD in his system. That stuff works within one to four hours and the effects can go on for up to twelve, so the Lord only knows what he was seeing when he drove off that bridge.”
“The fifth Boston victim then,” Gunnar said.
“Indeed.” Warden leaned back in his chair. “I have other news. Salvatore Russo has left the country. The feds tracked his private jet to Colombia last night. They believe he’ll wait for the dust to settle following the accountant’s trial before returning.”
“That’ll give him time to cook up more ways to get to Bryn,” Gunnar said.
“Possibly, but for now, he’s out of your hair and has plenty of other things to worry about.”
“So just an escaped maniac and half the criminal underworld to look out for then,” Bryn said. “That’s a relief.”
“You can both take the rest of today off to have a break. No going out. You can go, Bryn. Emmett has been frantic with worry so go reassure him that you’ll try to develop some common sense.”
“Yes, boss.” Bryn slunk out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Gunnar eyed Warden. “I take full responsibility for what happened yesterday. I put Bryn in that situation.”
“I don’t hold grudges, Gunnar, and he’s as culpable as you. It’s done. The most revealing thing out of all of this is that he trusts you completely. I was right to bring you in.”
“You mean you asked for me? I wasn’t suggested?”
“That’s right.” Warden steepled his fingers.
“Wait a goddamn minute…” Lightbulbs flashed in Gunnar’s brain. “You’re a fucking augur, aren’t you?”
“Not quite, and my abilities are at nothing like the level Bryn’s are. I have occasional glimpses of the future. In my dreams.”
“And you saw me?”
“I saw the two of you, together. Let’s leave it at that.”
“I…got nothing. You didn’t think it was worth telling me this sooner?”
“It would have made no difference. There’s no need to tell Bryn.”
Gunnar’s head hurt.
“Also, I need to let you know about something else that I’d rather he not hear about yet.”
Gunnar’s stomach knotted. “Templeton?”
“Yes. Another letter arrived here yesterday.”
“Fuck. He knows where we work.”
“A succinct summary of the situation, Detective.”
“What did it say?”
“‘I haven’t forgotten you. See you soon, Everard.’”
“How does he manage to make a few words sound so threatening?”
“It’s a talent. Same paper and ink as before. The handwriting matches. It was mailed from Dallas, Texas, though that doesn’t mean he’s there.”
“It would be nice if he is that far away, but he’s probably nowhere near there.”
“No, but the FBI are on it. Someone mailed the letter, even if it wasn’t him.”
“So…what’s next?”
“We carry on working. You and Bryn continue the excellent work you’ve been doing and I will focus some of our resources on tracking down Dr. Templeton.”
“But not us?”
“No. There are too many cases that need your attention. Templeton will reveal himself in time. He, or one of his allies, will inevitably make a mistake.”
Gunnar wasn’t convinced but there wasn’t much he could do about it. “Okay. I won’t tell Bryn. He already knows Templeton wants him. He doesn’t need a reminder.”
“No, he doesn’t. You can go now. You’ve earned a few hours off.”
As he climbed the stairs to the top floor, Gunnar wondered if Warden ever took time off.
That was quite the revelation about what he can do but I should have worked that out sooner.
Why would he be in charge of this place without some personal understanding of what it’s like to have gene abilities?
It makes sense. He found Bryn and Emmett in the kitchen.
Emmett, puffy-eyed, was clutching a plate of cookies while Bryn made coffee.
“Hey, Emmett, you okay?” Gunnar asked.
“I am now. I was so worried. Agent Bell kept calling with updates and when he told me what was going on, I felt horrible. It’s my fault you had to go after Drake Romano and you could have been killed. I couldn’t concentrate on anything even though I knew you were safe.”
“You are absolutely not at fault here, Emmett,” Gunnar said.
“I already told him that,” Bryn contributed. “We decided coffee and cookies were needed.”
“Sounds good.” Gunnar took a sniff of the cookies. “Honey and stem ginger.”
“You’d better bring the tin, Emmett, or we won’t get a look-in.” Bryn poured coffee into three mugs. “Where honey is concerned, you’d think he was a bear, not a wolf.”
Emmett frowned. “You think there are any ursines out there?”
“Not that I know of,” Bryn said. “And I’ve seen plenty of gene-affected people, but who knows. Never say never.”
“I kinda like the idea. Bears have the cutest fluffy ears.”
“And massive claws,” Gunnar chimed in, getting a baleful look from Emmett. “Sorry.”
They took their drinks and cookies through to the couch. “Warden gave us the rest of the day off,” Gunnar said. “Which means you’ve got the day off too, Emmett.”
“Me? Really?” Emmett munched a cookie.
“Of course. You work just as hard as we do.”
“It would be nice to go do some shopping for the apartment… Not that we don’t like your stuff, Gunnar, but Talbot and me want to add some homey touches of our own.”
“Then you should do that.”
“What are you guys going to do?” Emmett asked.
“Use the gym in the basement, maybe. Catch up on some personal admin, that kind of thing,” Gunnar said. “Order in later.”
“Sounds way too productive,” Bryn said. “I’m having a bubble bath then vegging in front of the TV. I need to catch up on all the daytime dramas.”
Emmett swallowed the last of his coffee. “Well, have fun. I’m glad you’re not dead. I’ll see you in the morning.” He grabbed another cookie before he left.
“That boy has zero social skills,” Gunnar said. “Though I’m glad we’re not dead too.” He flopped onto the sofa next to Bryn.
“If Everard Templeton or Salvatore Russo get their way that might change.”
“Both problems for another day,” Gunnar said.
“You know what I want right now?” Bryn said.
“Tell me.”
“You’ve kissed me twice and both times have not been in the most romantic circumstances. I want you to kiss me again. Right here. Right now.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
“Yes, I do.” Bryn swiveled around to straddle Gunnar’s thighs. He pulled Gunnar’s hair loose from its messy bun. “I’ve been wanting to do this for so long.” He ran his fingers through the long strands. “I knew it would be soft.”
“You’ve been thinking about my hair?”
“Mmm.”
Gunnar laughed. “You’re full of surprises.”
“And you’re wasting time,” Bryn countered. “What are you waiting for?”
Gunnar’s gaze flicked to Bryn’s lips, then back to his strange but beautiful eyes. He gripped Bryn’s hips, steadying him. “I should still be mad with you.”
“You can yell at me again later.”
Gunnar leaned in and Bryn’s teasing smirk gave way to a hopeful smile.
“Stop talking.” Gunnar brushed Bryn’s lips with his own then deepened the kiss.
Bryn melted into him and the kiss grew hungrier, more urgent.
Gunnar didn’t want it to end but it had to.
He pulled away, breathless. Bryn’s expression was one of dazed satisfaction.
“Better?” Gunnar asked.
Bryn laughed, his cheeks flushed. “Much better.”
Before Bryn could say anything more, Gunnar pulled him back in, eager to taste him again. For a long time, they kissed and touched. There was nothing but sensation and desire until Bryn leaned his head on Gunnar’s shoulder.
“I wondered if we’d ever get here,” Bryn admitted, his voice quiet. “Not like this. This is everything.”
“Sometimes, the best things come out of chaos.”
“You’re a poet now?”
“Just a wolf trying to make sense of it all,” Gunnar replied. “I wasn’t sure if I could do this—be this person. With you. For you.”
“You’ve been this person since the day we met,” Bryn said, “you just needed to let it happen.” He entwined his fingers with Gunnar’s. “And now you have. This is only the beginning.”
“You seeing that in my head?”
“That and a whole lot more.”
“You’re blushing.”
“Are you surprised? Your future intent is…stimulating.” Bryn hid his face against Gunnar’s chest. Gunnar wrapped his arms around him, holding him, feeling him breathe.
“We’ll take it slow.”
“Not too slow, though,” Bryn whispered. “Kiss me again?”
“If you insist.” That was a request Gunnar was more than happy to grant.