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Quinn said it so calmly, so casually, that for a moment Andy wasn’t sure he understood. Then he absorbed the expression in Quinn’s eyes—Quinn was not kidding.

“No.” Andy wanted there to be no room for doubt. He was terrified at the very idea of what Quinn suggested. “No, he couldn’t. And I don’t want that.”

Quinn considered him, and then seemed to relax. He nodded. “Okay, then we’ll continue to try to curb him throughlegal channels. It’s liable to be messy. Noisy. You have to be prepared because it won’t be pleasant. He’ll fight back any way he can.”

No exaggeration there, and Andy moved his head in acknowledgement. He was trying to decide whether Quinn had been serious about what he’d seemed to be hinting. Had Quinn actually suggestedkillingMarcus? No. Surely not. But maybe putting Marcus out of action somehow? Either way, it was alarming. What the hell had Quinn been up to all these years that he could speak so off-handedly about putting another person out of the way?

He said carefully, “I appreciate what you’re saying—what you did tonight—but Marcus is not your problem.”

“He’s your problem. Which makes him my problem.”

Quinn seemed dead serious. Andy stared at his hard, handsome face, and he laughed, but this time there was no amusement.

“Please don’t be a psycho,” he said. “I really,seriouslycan’t take it.”

Quinn’s expression changed, softened. To Andy’s astonishment, Quinn reached across the table and covered his hand with his own. “I’m not a psycho, Andy. I’m, well, let’s say I’m a retired…problem solver.”

“Not reassuring.”

Not at all. But what was reassuring, inexplicably reassuring, was the warm strength of the hand covering Andy’s. That gesture of comfort, encouragement was unlike anything Andy had known from another man, at least since he’d reached adulthood.

“You can’t know this,” Quinn said, “but you saved my life that year. You were the only person in this goddamned town who didn’t treat me like I was a menace to society. You andCutty. And you’re sure as hell the only person who cared when I left.”

Andy said wryly, “I was in love with you.”

“I know. In fact, you were probably the first person whodidlove me. That’s not something you forget. I sure haven’t forgotten.”

Nor, clearly, had he felt the same.

Andy gave Quinn’s hand a little squeeze, and pulled away. “That’s sweet. But you don’t owe me anything, Quinn.”

He was thinking how absolutely, utterly bizarre it was after all these years to be sitting here in Uncle C.’s kitchen, listening to Quinn Rafferty tell him how he’d never forgotten how much Andy loved him. Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe he was still lying in that narrow bed in Uncle C.’s guest room with the winter wind whispering around the windowsill…I sure haven’t forgotten…

“It’s not about owing,” Quinn said. “It’s about caring. I care what happens to you. When we were kids, there was nothing I could do for you. There was nothing you needed from me. But now you could use some help, and I’m more than happy to lend a hand.”

Quinn sounded uncharacteristically earnest. It was disconcerting.

Andy realized he preferred Quinn cocky and unrepentant, so that he could remain safely distant and mistrusting.

“I appreciate that, but I think the police are—”

“I don’t. I don’t think Chief Millard has a clue. I don’t know if Bok showed up tonight with an actual plan beyond teaching you a lesson by scaring the hell out of you. But after saying our goodbyes, I can tell you this: he plans on killing you.”

Chapter Nine

“That must have been some chat you had.”

Quinn looked startled. He protested, “Hey, it wasn’t anythingIsaid.”

“Jesus.” Andy scrubbed his face with his hands, muttered, “No, I know.”

How the hell had it come to this? There had been a brief moment when he’d actually believed Marcus might be the guy he’d spend the rest of his life with. Granted, it had been a brief moment. Even before Marcus had lost his job at Philadelphia PD, Andy had realized they weren’t nearly as compatible as he’d imagined.

“Andy?” Quinn’s voice was soft. “Andrew.”

Andy looked up.

Quinn said quietly, “I promise I won’t let any harm come to you.”