Page 114 of The Fallen Man

“Pete says there’s no point in meeting him. It would take too long to catch up and there’s nothing I can do. I can’t—” Jackson cut off and Evan looked at him. Jackson looked miserable.

“You could be at the hospital with Caitlin.”

Jackson reared back a step as if Evan had hit him. “I can’t. Evan, I can’t. She doesn’t want me there and it’s even worse than here. I feel helpless.”

“Did she say she didn’t want you there?”

“She would have to be conscious for that. But the last phone call was pretty specific and clear. How could I let this happen?”

“You met someone, and you didn’t exchange entire life histories. Believe me, it happens. You said she was nice?”

“Sheisnice! She cares about everybody. She cares so fucking much and nobody cares for her and it is killing me.”

Evan stopped cooking to hug his cousin. Jackson gave a growl of frustration and finally hugged him back. After a moment, Jackson stepped back and wiped his nose.

“Your eggs are going to burn.”

“I believe the burner would have to heat for that,” said Evan, returning to the stove. “OK, so Aiden and I are here. We will go through the files. We will find whatever it is that Granger thought he had—”

Jackson’s phone rang and they both jumped at the sudden sound. Jackson answered it, with a frown.

“Hey Nowitsky,” he said, sounding tired. Evan couldn’t hearthe other side of the conversation, but Jackson rolled his eyes. “That is notmydead body. OK, yes, I know Dominique hit someone again. Twice is not a habit.”

“Hm,” said Evan. “Aiden was right. How annoying.”

He slid Jackson’s eggs onto a plate and put them on the table, giving Jackson a little shove. As Evan predicted, Jackson couldn’t focus on being stubborn at Evan and Nowitsky simultaneously and started eating. Evan started on the next round of eggs for Aiden.

“Well, if you talked to Dominique, I don’t know why you’re talking to me. I’m at the office. No, Nowitsky, I’m really at the office. I don’t know why you’re so suspicious.”

“I do,” said Aiden. “I heard there were eggs. Is that Nowitsky?”

“Yes,” said Jackson grumpily, handing the phone over. “Here. You talk to him.”

“Hello, detective,” said Aiden cheerfully. “No, we’re at the office. Well, now he’s eating eggs. Well, I don’t know. Probably because he’s hungry, and Evan made him eggs. That’s why I’m going to be eating eggs in a minute.”

“More than a minute,” muttered Evan.

“Yes, I believe we’re aware that he’s a loan shark with ties to the Russian mafia. I’m sure I couldn’t speculate as to why he was attacking Caitlin Granger.”

There was a long pause while Nowitsky said something loudly and angrily.

“Well, I’m not aware of what name is on the lease, but I assure you thatisher name. As I said, I couldn’t speculate…”

There was some more angry chatter on the other end.

“Yes, Dominique and Jackson said her injuries were very worrisome. I don’t know who the other attacker was. I wasn’t there. Would you like us to send our research on Baranov over to you? Perhaps that could tell you something. No? Are you sure? We’re happy to. I’ll just have Kerschel email you in a minute.Yes, I’m sure we’ll be available for conversations whenever you like. Hm. OK. Well, whatever you think best. The Deveraux family always likes to cooperate with the NYPD.”

Evan put the eggs on a plate as Aiden handed Jackson his phone back.

“He told me to go fuck myself and hung up on me. I think I’m offended. I wasn’t lying. We do alwaysliketo cooperate.”

“We just don’t always do it,” said Evan.

“Thanks for the food, Ev,” said Aiden tucking in, and Jackson made an agreeing grunt with his mouth full.

Evan poured himself a cup of coffee and watched his relatives eat.

“Didn’t you say you were hungry?” demanded Jackson as he scraped the last of the eggs off his plate.