Page 153 of Every Day of My Life

“What are we hunting?”

“Whom,” Jackson corrected.

“You know,” Oliver said with a grimace, “I did this dance fairly recently andIended up being the one hunted.” He imagined he could save for later a detailed recounting of how that hunt had left him sprinting into the past where he’d met the love of his life.

“Who was after you?”

“Patrick MacLeod.”

“I haven’t met him yet.”

“You’d like him.”

Jackson considered that. “How did it go?”

“Tiringly,” Oliver said with a faint smile. “In the end, I gave him a fat lip and he left me limping home, barely breathing.”

Jackson considered. “I suspect that isn’t the entire truth, but I’ll let it lie for now. What of my venture?”

“I’ll bite,” Oliver conceded. “Whom are we hunting?”

“I have a pair of wee cousins who need to be found.”

“Medieval ex-pats?”

Jackson nodded.

“Do you want them to survive the experience?”

“Hard to torture them if they don’t.”

Oliver held out his hand and shook Jackson’s firmly. “I’m in.”

“Awesome,” Jackson said. “So are Derrick and Zachary, who have their own reasons for corralling the little blighters to at least thank them for their efforts.”

“Text me time and place.”

“We’re planning a strategy meeting at Wyckham next week. Bring your lady if she likes.”

“She will.”

“Mine will as well.” Jackson rubbed his hands together. “Let’s celebrate our future success with dessert.”

Oliver couldn’t think of a better way to do it.

Several hours later, he woke to an elbow placed very gently in his side and realized that the mystery on the telly he and his lady wife had turned on after their guests had left had reached its end. He yawned, shook his head sharply, then looked at Mairead who was nestled in his arms and looking perfectly comfortable in her spot.

“Is it over?” he managed.

“It is,” she said. “Who did it?”

“The deacon with the purple trainers.”

She smiled. “When did you know?”

“Four minutes in,” he admitted, “which was all I could manage before I fell asleep.” He put his feet back on the floor and looked at her. “And speaking of mysteries solved, I found something for you.”

She smiled and reached out to touch his cheek. “Is the gift your own sweet self?”