Page 39 of Fish in a Barrel
He stumbled out dressed in his second-best suit and sat down to a plate of scrambled eggs with cheese and sausage and toast. Ellery watched him apprehensively for a moment, to see if they were going to have the familiar battle over whether or not Jackson should eat. Most of the time, these days, Jackson ate dutifully, and sometimes even enthusiastically, but when he was upset or hurt, the first thing that went was his appetite.
“Stop watching me,” Jackson said quietly, shoveling in a bite of scrambled eggs and cheese. He swallowed and continued, “Food is fuel, and you have important things to do that have nothing to do with me. Don’t worry about me, Ellery. Worry about Zeke.”
Ellery had glanced up from his tablet to see Jackson eating, and now he nodded. “Thank you,” he said dryly. “That’s very generous of you. But you know, the law degree comes with a multitasking caveat. Turns out I can do more than one thing at a time, so yeah, gonna go kick ass in courtandworry about you. It’s part of the marriage… I mean boyfriend, rules. They both happen simultaneously.”
Jackson pulled up a corner of his mouth in a dry smile. “You think I missed that, but I didn’t. Way to stir the pot there, Counselor. Because we don’t have enough to worry about today.”
Ellery shrugged nonchalantly, pretending his heart wasn’t beating a million miles a minute at his M-word gaffe. “Freudian slip,” he said blandly. “Finish your toast.”
“Freudian slip my toasted white ass,” Jackson retorted. “You may notice I’m still sitting here eating eggs, so stop sweating.” His voice dropped a little, became silky and intimate. “I’m not sure if you heard this last night, but when I was hurt and cold, all I wanted was you. When I could have stayed in the hospital with Cody last night to prove that I could, I came home for three hours of sleep and a scolding, because Cody was going to make it through the night and I know I can deal with a hospital if I need to, but three hours of sleep in your bed is worth all the pride in the world. You can say ‘marriage rules’ and I won’t head for the hills. Doesn’t mean I’ve got a ring in my pocket, but it doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about one either.”
Ellery’s eyes burned, and he had to force himself to swallow. He’d heard wedding bells the first time they’d slept together, but he’d scrupulously avoided mentioning them to Jackson unless Jackson mentioned them first. Jackson’s life—gah! He’d had precious little power in it to wield. It just felt like, as micromanaging as Ellery could be, this one thing had to be on Jackson’s timetable.
Ellery would marry him in a heartbeat, but Jackson’s heartbeat was irregular, and not only in the medical sense.
“Platinum,” he managed to say, treating the matter with an insouciance that fooled neither of them. “With a black onyx band in the middle. I’ve always thought those looked really classy.”
Jackson’s smile went fond. “Nothing but the best for you, Counselor. I’ll keep that in mind.” He used a bit of toast to scoop up the last of the eggs on his plate and finished them off. “There,” he said, his tone changing to that challenging, snotty voice he used when he was going to be an asshole on purpose. “I’m done with my food. Do I get coffee now?”
“No,” Ellery said primly. “You’ll get tea with vitamin C and like it.”
“The hell I will!” Jackson sounded properly outraged. “You’re having coffee—”
“I’m having the last of the coffee, and you have a heart condition!” Ellery argued. “Now normally you get one cup, but how many have you had in the last twelve hours, Jackson? Come on, fess up.”
Jackson swallowed, his forehead puckering irritably. “I donobodyany good if I fall asleep in court! I’m gonna text Henry and have him bring me coffee.”
Ellery scowled at him. “Henry will bring you decaf! Jackson—”
Jackson shook his head, looking mulish. “I ate like a good boy. I did all the things. I’m tired, grumpy, in pain, and I want my coffee.”
“And I want you to live long enough to buy me that ring!” Ellery retorted.
Jackson rolled his eyes. “Ellery, believe me, when something gets me, it’s not gonna be coffee. Please.” He yawned and looked pissed at the timing. “I’m begging you—let me have some caffeine this morning. The day’s gonna suck hard enough as it is.”
Ellery took a deep breath. “Fine. But I get to doctor it.”
Jackson narrowed his eyes. “Is this like when you told me all tea should taste like codeine-laced grape cough syrup?”
“Yes and no. This is when I tell you I’m lacing your coffee with immune system boosters and actual dairy creamer with sugar. None of that chemical bullshit.”
Jackson perked up. “This? This is bad? This is adeal! Can it taste like vanilla or something too? Cause vanilla creamer sounds like heaven right now, not gonna lie.”
Ellery snorted. “You’ve very cute, but no complaining about eating the extra vitamins. You get sick after nights like the last one. I can’t stop it, but I can head off the worst of it.”
Jackson’s cheeks went suddenly pink. “You do take very good care of me,” he said warmly.
“When you let me,” Ellery agreed. “Now let me get your coffee. It’s time to move.”
Home Team Pitches
ANNETTE FRAZIERseemed so happy to see both Jackson and Henry that Jackson didn’t have the heart to ditch out on her testimony. One of them had agreed to stay with Cody when the Marshals arrived, which meant Henry would be the one staying in the hallway with Cody Gabriel until alerted by text. Cody and Annette were surprise witnesses—and Ellery had been gloating a little because they were both on the witness list beforehand. The prosecution had enough witnesses in Goslar, McMurphy, Freethy, and Brown. They didn’t need Cody Gabriel, Undercover Police Officer at the scene on their side, did they? And if they chose not to call the victim out of compassion, well, the defensehadto try this case, otherwise their victim, erm, defendant would be stuck in jail without bail, right?
Well, Ellery was about to shoot holes in all of that bullshit—and use the prosecution’s untapped witnesses to do that.
And if he wanted Cody Gabriel to make a surprise entrance to do it, well, Jackson could forgive him for a little bit of drama.
“Ma’am,” Jackson said softly, after he’d greeted Annette and Larry at the side of the courthouse and pulled them through to the courtroom where their case was being tried, “are you ready for what’s going to come next?”