A Deadly Game

by J. P. Bowie

  “So,” Eric murmured, his voice still only barely audible. “You took care of Garcia?”

  Nick nodded. “He’ll never bother us again, babe.”

  “I don’t remember anything after he shot me.”

  “I’ll tell you everything once you’re stronger.” He smoothed back Eric’s light brown hair from his brow. “Right now, you have to rest, and get well enough so I can take you home.”

  Eric’s lips moved into the semblance of a smile. “I can’t wait, you have to make good on that kiss—and a whole lot more.”

  Nick grinned at him. “Still insatiable I see.”

  “Only where you’re concerned.”

  Nick leaned over him and kissed his lips. “Hurry home to me.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Andrew ran up the steps to Eric’s apartment and rapped loudly on the door. “Physical therapy man’s here,” he yelled.

  “Come on in,” Eric yelled back. He chuckled as Andrew burst into the room, a bright smile on his wholesome face. “Are you always in such a good mood?” Eric asked him. “Always Little Mary Sunshine?”

  “Nearly always,” Andrew replied, grinning. “David tells me to cut it out sometimes when I’m too much. How’re you feeling today?”

  “Pretty good. I think I overdid it yesterday. We went looking at houses with Henry. It was fun, but getting in and out of the car was beginning to do me in.”

  “Well, the docs have said you can’t overdo things for a while yet.” Andrew clapped his hands together. “Now, get off that couch and let me look at you.”

  Eric groaned, but rose slowly to his feet.

  “Take off your tee. Hmm…” He studied Eric’s chest wound. “It looks a little inflamed. What’s Nick been doing to you?”

  “Not enough,” Eric said with a rueful grin. “This has totally put a cramp in our sex life. He’s scared to touch me, most of the time.”

  “Most of the time?” Andrew looked at the livid scar on Eric’s back, evidence of where the surgeons had repaired the damage done by the bullet exiting his body.

  Eric grimaced. “It’s ugly, isn’t it?”

  “Not as ugly as it could’ve been. You still keeping it covered when you shower?”

  “Yes, Mother!” Eric gave an exasperated chuckle. “What with you and Nick nagging me all the time.”

  “’Cause we love you, you ingrate,” Andrew said fondly. “Okay, we’ll take it easy today—just some isometrics. When d’you see the doctor again?”

  “This afternoon. Nick’s coming home early to take me over there.” He threw Andrew an anxious look. “I have to speed up this recuperation. My mom and dad will be here next week for Thanksgiving, and Nick’s family too.”

  “Well, they’re hardly likely to expect you to be the hostess with the mostess, now are they?” Andrew remarked, chuckling. “I’m pretty sure your mom and Nick’s sister will take over when they get here.”

  “Doreen and Rich were supposed to come out for a second honeymoon,” Eric told him. “But all that got thrown to the wind with me being in the hospital and all.”

  “So instead they’re bringing the kids and you’ll all have a terrific Thanksgiving.”

  Sighing, Eric sat back on the couch. “I want this to be special for everyone. It’s the first time our families will all be together, so I don’t want to be sitting around like a wet noodle, not able to help out.”

  “As long as you don’t overdo it, of course you can help. Besides, it’s a week away—you’re gonna feel a lot stronger by then. Now come on, let’s get to work, buckaroo.”

  § § § §

  Nick glanced up from the paperwork spread across his desk. “Jeez,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. “When the heck does Monica get back from her vacation? This billing crap is killing me.”

  Jeff grinned at him. “Not ‘til after Thanksgiving. Isn’t it hell how we’ve come to depend on her for practically everything?”

  “Tell me.” Nick swept up the pile of papers and dumped them into the “In”’ tray. “I know, I’ll deal with it tomorrow!”

  “Okay, Scarlett,” Jeff chuckled.

  “Watch it,” Nick growled. “You hang around with those Brits way too much, you know. You’re picking up all that campy movie stuff they revel in.”

  “Seems to me, those Brits did you a big favor not so long ago—introducing Norman to Henry. Got you out of a very tricky situation, so I’m told.”

  Nick gave a hollow laugh “So you’re told? I told you, for Pete’s sake!”

  “Oh, right. So show a little more gratitude to our friends and allies from across the pond, why don’t you?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Just trying to inject a little humor into your day.”

  “Yeah? Well, don’t give up your regular job.”

  “What a grouch.” Jeff stood and stretched. “Wanna get some lunch with me and Peter?”

  “Sorry, I’m meeting Henry. He’s got a couple of houses he wants to show me, and I thought I’d check ’em out first. I think we wore Eric out yesterday.”

  “See anything you liked?”

  “Nope, but Henry says he thinks he’s found the ‘one.’” Nick got up and walked over to the window, where he stood looking out for a moment before he turned and said, “I want this to be very special, Jeff. I want to be able to call whatever we find, ‘home’—know what I mean?” He sat on the edge of his desk and looked at his partner, a thoughtful smile lighting his face. “Can we talk for a moment?”

  “Sure…” Jeff sat down again.

  “All that’s gone down in the last few weeks has made me see things differently somehow. Norman said something to me while Eric was still in the hospital. He said that Eric had changed me in certain ways. Calmed me—matured me. He said I probably didn’t even realize those changes. I think he used the word ‘subtle.’ Not a word I would ever have used to describe myself. But you know I’ve come to believe he’s right, and I began to wonder what I’d brought to the table in this relationship. I love Eric, more than I thought it was possible to love anyone—but what have I done for him?” He paused and grimaced. “Well, apart from getting him almost killed a couple of times. Anyway, we’d talked about getting a house off and on. But before all that madness on the yacht that day, we’d talked about it again, and now I don’t want it to be just any house, Jeff. I want it to be our home. A place we’ll enjoy together; where he can decorate to his heart’s content. A place we’ll both love coming back to at the end of the day.”

  “Wow,” Jeff said quietly. “Who knew Nick Fallon, ace detective, was such a romantic?”

  “Sappy, huh?”

  “Not at all. And I have to agree with your friend, Norman. You have changed from the hard-faced, hard-assed cop I met in New York—”

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Nick protested.

  “Peter also figured it was Eric’s influence,” Jeff continued. “But I gave myself all the credit, actually.”

  “You?”

  “Yes, me. After all, how could my sweet nature, my cool and collected attitude, my subtle and dry wit not rub off on you eventually?” Jeff leaned backed in his seat and laughed aloud. “Gotcha!”

  “You rat,” Nick said, laughing with him. “And after I bared my soul to you.”

  “Let that be a lesson.” Jeff stood and walked over to his partner. “Go find your dream home, Nick,” he said, squeezing his arm. “You and Eric deserve the best.”

  § § § §

  Eric sat quietly with Nick by his side as Dr. Burton read the latest entry in Eric’s file. The doctor looked at them both over the top of his glasses and gave them a faint smile.

  “So,” he said, closing the file. “How do you feel, Eric?”

  “Good,” Eric replied. “Just a little stiff, but otherwise good.”

  “Nick tells me you were a paramedic in New York. You must have seen some pretty nasty injuries, I would imagine.”

  Eric nodded. “Yes, you could say that. S
ome, I try not to remember.”

  “I know what you mean.” Burton closed Eric’s file and leaned forward on his desk. “I still find myself looking at you with a great deal of amazement. When I first saw you being admitted to this hospital, I thought, this poor man won’t live through the night. You’re one of those medical marvels, Eric. You are truly very lucky.”

  “I know,” Eric said quietly.

  Burton continued, “I think, if you as a paramedic had come across someone with that same type of injury, you wouldn’t have given them much of a chance. You had lost so much blood that your reparative and immune systems were extremely compromised.” He looked at Eric and smiled. “You know, medical miracles come but rarely, and sometimes with conditions and restrictions. Happily, in your case, I see none of the above.”

  He tapped Eric’s file with his forefinger. “The results of your tests are excellent. Everything checks out just fine. Just don’t over exert yourself. Keep up the physical therapy regimen and I’ll see you in another month.”

  Eric leaned on Nick as they walked to the hospital exit and Nick put his arm around him to support him.

  “You feeling tired?” Nick asked, looking at him with concern.

  “No. I just like the feel of your arm around me.”

  Nick grinned and held him close. “So, good news, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I want to show you something on the way back to the apartment.”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “Tell me,” Eric whined, as Nick opened the car door for him.

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “I hate surprises.”

  “No, you don’t. You love ’em.”

  “Only when I know what they are.”

  “You’ll know soon enough,” Nick chuckled, starting the engine. He pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto Coast Highway. It was already dark, and Nick had to strain to see the dimly lit street names.

  “Here it is,” he muttered.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Just up here,” Nick said, watching for the street he wanted. “Yeah, here it is.” He pulled over and stopped the car.

  Eric peered out of the car window. “I can’t see anything.”

  “You will.” Nick climbed out and went around to the passenger side. He opened the door and helped Eric out. “Careful, babe.” They stood for a moment at the side of the road, their arms around one another, their faces pressed together.

  “Did you bring me up here for a quickie?” Eric asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

  “No, although the idea’s appealing. Come on.” Nick led Eric to a gap in a tall hedge. “Through here—watch your step.”

  Eric grumbled, “Nick, what on earth?” He stopped suddenly as his eyes made out the shape of a house in front of him. “Are we visiting someone?” he whispered.

  Nick was looking around with impatience. “Where the heck is he?” he muttered. “It’s so frickin’ dark here.”

  “Who’s he?” Eric asked, again in a whisper.

  “Hello! Sorry I’m late!”

  Eric almost jumped out of his skin. “Henry—God, you nearly scared me to death.”

  “Sorry again,” Henry said cheerfully. “Let me just run up there and turn on the lights.”

  “What’s going on?” Eric demanded, poking Nick in the ribs.

  “Ouch. Just wait and see, will you?”

  The darkness was suddenly, as if by magic, turned to light, and Eric gasped as he looked around at a lushly landscaped front yard and a wide set of stone steps that led to a ranch style home, the door to which was open and welcoming.

  “Who lives here?” Eric asked.

  “No one—yet,” Nick said, guiding him up the steps. Before they entered the house, Nick turned Eric around and pointed west. “Look,” he whispered. “Isn’t that great?” Eric looked out at the Pacific Ocean bathed in the moon’s silvery light. “You should see it during the day,” Nick said, holding him close. “It’s incredible.”

  “It’s beautiful now.” Eric felt tears well in his eyes as he now realized what was happening. “I can’t believe you would do this for me, Nick. You bought it for us, didn’t you?”

  “No. I wouldn’t do that without you seeing it first.” Nick grinned at him happily. “Does this mean you approve? Wait. You haven’t seen the inside yet.” Nick led Eric indoors where a beaming Henry stood in the middle of a spacious living room.

  “I’ll just wait outside while you two walk around,” he said. “Take your time.”

  Smiling like a happy kid, Nick took Eric’s hand and led him through the kitchen to the backyard. “Lookit!” he yelled.

  “A pool! A pool, Nick?” Eric exclaimed. “They have to be asking a fortune for this place.” He looked around him. “Everything’s so new. No one lived here?”

  “Nope. It’s kinda sad really. The guy and his wife designed and built this, and then he got promoted and transferred to Colorado. They’ll be real happy to unload it…” He winked at Eric. “But let me show you the master bedroom suite. Suite, Eric.” Together, they walked into the master bedroom and again Eric gasped as he took in the size of the room and vaulted ceilings.

  “French doors out to the pool,” he murmured. “Am I dreaming, or what?”

  “Just say the word, babe, and it’s all yours.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Very sure.” Nick put his arms around him and held him close. “Now, give me a big, sloppy kiss.”

  “Just one?”

  “Well, Henry’s outside, waiting.”

  “Let him wait.”

  Epilogue

  Thanksgiving Day:

  The first inkling Eric had that all was not as he had planned for this day was when he went to the refrigerator to get the turkey ready for stuffing.

  “Nick,” he said, scratching his head. “What did you do with the turkey?”

  “Huh?”

  “The turkey—it’s not in the fridge.”

  “Doreen’s got it.”

  “Doreen’s got it?”

  “Mmm. She’s cooking it.”

  Eric looked at Nick in amazement. “She’s cooking it? Where? In her hotel room?”

  Nick chuckled. “No…”

  “Nick, what’s going on?” Eric, hands planted on his hips, did not look happy. “Where’s my turkey?”

  “I just told you. Now, if you’d like to come with me on a little trip, all your questions will be answered.”

  “What are you up to?” Eric demanded, not moving.

  Nick sighed, got up off the couch and walked slowly over to where Eric stood glowering at him. He kissed Eric’s lips tenderly. “Did I ever tell you that blue is definitely your color? That shirt looks so good on you.”

  “Nick…” Eric melted into his arms. “You are up to something.”

  “I don’t want you over exerting yourself.”

  “Nick. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

  “I know you have, and believe me you’re going to enjoy this day. Now will you please put on your shoes and come with me?”

  “I wanted to have everyone here,” Eric pouted. “Not in a restaurant. It won’t be the same in a restaurant.”

  Nick rolled his eyes. “Am I going to have to carry you to the car?”

  “Oh, okay.” Eric sulked. “I guess. I’ll be ready in a minute.”

  “Where are we going?” Eric asked as Nick headed south on Coast Highway.

  “You’ll see.”

  “Which restaurant?” Eric uttered the word with as much disparagement as he could muster.

  “A new one.”

  Eric sighed. “Is everyone meeting us there?”

  “Yes.”

  They drove in silence for a time, then Eric asked, “Didn’t they have turkey on the menu?”

  “Huh?”

  “Doreen’s got the turkey, you said. Is she bringing it to the restaurant?”

  “Mmm…”<
br />
  “Mmm? What does that mean?”

  “Eric—were you always this annoying?”

  “Well, I like that! You steal my turkey, force me out of the apartment I spent all of yesterday cleaning for this occasion—”