“Dziekuje,” Toby whispered, laying his hand over Miko's and tilting his head up for more.
The commercials finished on the channel he'd stopped on. It was one of Ophelia's movies. She died at the end. Miko cuddled up against him, the only person who'd made him feel better through everything, just like Nasir had said; who knew Miko better than he knew himself. Who took care of him. Miko closed his eyes, wanting to remember her with the scar. To remember her being free, finally at peace.
Toby lovingly stroked Miko's hair, and turned it back to sharks.
A New Beginning
Miko: Age 29
Miko stood alone before the bathroom mirror, fiddling with his tie, his hands out of practice and unsteady with grief. Even though Miko hadn't seen him for some time, his death still marked the end of a period in his life and the pain of his passing was more intense than Miko had anticipated. Feeling defeated, he straightened his hair instead, the orange-smelling pomade Hector used to use that he'd picked up last year in Germany with Toby. He couldn't get that right either.
With the tie draped over his shoulders he left the bathroom, his head down. “I cannot do it.”
“It's a wonder you ever managed this as it was,” Toby said, standing from the bed. He'd managed his tie just fine, and he stepped forward to manage Miko's too. “You look lovely.”
Setting his hands over the top of Toby's, Miko held them to his broken heart. “I am sad.”
“I know. But he lived a full life.”
“This is fat joke?”
“I would not make fat jokes about the deceased,” Toby scoffed, looking scandalized. He pulled Miko closer by the tie and kissed his forehead. “Anyway, he wasn't fat. He was just fluffy.” The cat was fat and had gotten fatter under Sophie's watch, but Toby was too polite to say. “Are you ready? Nasir's waiting for us.”
Miko nodded, slipping on his shoes. Nasir was parked outside the hotel, his propensity towards taking care of Miko translating well with his new role as Joe's associate, although Miko only had to work when Frank and Blondie or Bella were too busy.
Nasir hugged him and hugged Toby as well, all residual awkwardness between them gone. Toby was comfortable with Sophie now too, and would pick up the phone any time she was calling with problems of the romantic variety, talking her down from wanting to kill her latest in the endless string of boyfriends. Toby was best for those discussions, since the advice she got from Bella was to kill them and the advice she got from Miko was to let him kill them, and usually her murderous inclinations were quickly resolved with apologetic bouquets of flowers from her paramour.
Toby had taken the phone call about the cat as well, and had broken the news to Miko as gently as possible. Toby was good at breaking bad news. He fit well in cabinets.
Nasir drove them to Sophie's house, the three of them taking a step back when her father opened the door. Sophie had described him as a gentle giant, but giant hardly did him justice. Bertrand Durrant was nearly as tall as Nasir and about as wide as half a dozen Nasirs. Her father extended his hand to Miko but he was so large that Miko wanted his entire arm not just the hand itself and he went in for a hug instead.
Having heard a great many stories about Miko but never actually met him, the man handled the situation with an unexpected grace for someone his size and surly disposition and held Miko right back. He said, “Sorry for your loss,” in English as bad as Miko's French, patting him on the shoulder the way most people did when they wanted Miko to detach. Toby and Nasir settled for the handshake, and Monsieur Durrant led them to the backyard where Sophie was waiting.
There was already a hole dug in the ground and a small wooden box inside that looked a bit like Tola's old craft box. Sophie wore a black dress and veil but she had her red glasses underneath. Miko hugged her, which was far less cushiony than her father's embrace had been and far less dry, but he'd missed her and speaking on the phone or writing letters just wasn't the same. Nasir steered clear of her but Toby greeted her familiarly as if she actually was Miko's sister. “Toby is really cute,” Sophie whispered to Miko once she'd released Toby. Ophelia had said the same thing, although Fee never had the look in her eyes like she was picturing him naked. Somehow, this did not bother Miko.
With Sophie on his left and Toby on his right, holding their hands, Miko stared down at the grave marker Sophie had made, Mikocat Marlowe written in large loopy handwriting. He felt closer to Ophelia than he'd been in years, felt like this was where recovery truly started instead of with his unfulfilling mission of revenge. The red tattoo across his wrist served as a reminder of her just as much as the flower petals tattooed up his arms. He would have a paw print added amongst the petals for the cat. Sophie would get one too. Her first.
He had brought flowers for the funeral but there really was no need, since the cat was to be buried near Bertrand's flowerbed and Sophie had brought plenty of flowers on her own, even threading them around the marker with that extra special touch it seemed only girls would ever think of, and she held one in her hand, a red one, which she tossed into the grave with a sigh.
“Au revoir,” she sniffled, releasing Miko's hand to grab some dirt and sprinkle it over the flower on the wooden box. Miko took some as well, his handful bigger and his dirt covering a greater area than hers.
“He had full life,” Miko reassured her. “Not fat joke.”
Sophie nodded, dotting her eyes with a tissue and putting her glasses back on, leaving the black veil lifted. Then she smiled sweetly and said, “I think I am ready to kill people now.”
Acknowledgements
Miko started as a spinoff character of the Chance Assassin series, and low and behold was critical to reaching the end of it. This character is very dear to my heart and writing his story helped me through some tough times, as did many of my readers. I’m a fairly private person so I’m not heavily active on social media, but some of you noticed an increased absence from my usual absence and checked in on me, and I cannot say how grateful I am.
I have shout outs to the usual cast of characters, but I wanted to give an extra special one to Lisa T not only for everything she does but for everything she is. With all the shit raining down on this country and the rest of the world, I can always be sure that she’s doing something to make it better even for just one person.
To Steph, among many things, for preventing me from killing a certain character; to Jennifer for once again taking the time to read my work and help me improve, and just taking the time to make sure I was okay; to Grace, for reaching out offering her services; to Kaesha who has probably read these books more than I have; to Hazel for making me always think about Tola’s little craft box; and Ross, for cleaning up my mess. Thank you.
About the Author
Nicole Castle was raised in New Mexico. She now lives in Oregon. Anyone looking to contact her can find her on Facebook or at Goodreads.com. Thank you for reading.
Also by Nicole Castle
The Chance Assassin Series
Chance Assassin: A Story of Love, Luck, and Murder
Les Recidivists
The Inauspicious List
Old Wounds
The Mako Shark series
The Consequence of High Caliber
The Result of a Straight Razor
The Mercy of the Mako Shark
The Mercy of the Mako Shark Page 25
