“That’s not what I meant.”
“Maybe. But itshouldbe what you mean. You’re right,” I went on over the top of his protests, “and we’ll figure out a way to go see your folks. We’ll plan something. Okay?”
Aidan looked sad, but he nodded. “Okay.”
“They even know you’re here, yet?”
“No. I told them I’d had to change my plans about coming early to Boston but…I should call them.”
“Why don’t you do that and let them know we’ll pay them a visit tomorrow,” I told him. “That’ll give me enough time to get a plan together.”
His clear eyes studied mine for a moment, and I wondered what he was thinking. “Thank you,” he said eventually. “I’ll write down their address for you.”
“Already have it.”
I didn’t add that we also already had surveillance on his parents’ house. As soon as I’d heard Aidan say he’d been planning to stay there while in Boston, I’d suggested to the Boss that he order a watch on them from our associates, and the Boss had agreed. But telling Aidan that now would just worry him, so I gave him a reassuring smile and let him get back to his prayers.
* * *
Mr. Dand the Boss made an appearance by lunchtime, but by then Tara Donovan had left the house, and Róisín was nowhere to be found.
“What’d we miss?” Mr. D yawned as Hudson put together a couple of BLTs for him and the Boss, who had already gone into an office to make calls back to the city.
Carlucci caught my eye and grinned. I glared. “Nothin’ much, Mr. D,” he said, and then made a kissy face at me when Mr. D looked away. I gave him my middle finger.
Aidan, too, stayed upstairs. When I went to check on him I had to climb all the way to the sixth-floor attic again, where I found him reading a Bible and making notes. “I’m okay,” he told me softly.
“You don’t wanna go out? Take a walk maybe?”
He shook his head, reading on in the Bible. “I spoke to my parents, by the way,” he murmured. “Told them I was staying with friends but that we’d come around tomorrow.” He looked up. “That’s still on, right?”
“Sure.”
He nodded and went back to his reading, fiddling with his rosary in one hand. His eyebrows pulled together as he read, his eyes moving rapidly back and forth. I almost wanted to ask what part he was reading, but I didn’t.
There was some part of me afraid to hear the answer.
After dinner, Mr. D wanted to go out on the town. Tara agreed, though Róisín excused herself, and Aidan, who had been quiet all day, also cried off. “I think the last few days are catching up to me.”
“I’ll stay behind,” I said at once, but Aidan shook his head quickly.
“No, you go. I’ll just…be here.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening,” I said easily. “Wherever you are, I’ll be there, too. It’s fine,” I continued to the wider table as they started to protest as well. “You all go on and enjoy yourselves.”
Mr. D was studying Aidan and I wondered if he would push him to go. “Maybe you should think it over, Aidan,” he said, but more gently than I’d expected. “You know, you’re taking your vows soon. I don’t think you’ll be able to party after that. Maybe you should, you know.” He shrugged. “Live it up a little beforehand.”
“No, thank you,” Aidan said stiffly. “I have no desire tolive it up.”
I wondered if he was thinking of our previous night together. I hoped not, if he was going to sound like that about it.
Although, Ididlike the idea that he was still thinking about it.
Dinner ended, and the crowd who was going out took some time to get ready, and on their way out they were loud enough that the house seemed even quieter after they were gone. I watched TV for a while, but like Aidan, I was tired enough that a late night hadn’t seemed like much fun anyway. I checked with the house guards, and then I did one last circuit of the house, top to bottom, making sure every door was either shut or guarded.
Then I had no more excuses. I had to go up to the bedrooms and check on the man himself.
I went in to my room first, and then, after listening at the communicating door, I knocked quietly. “Aidan?” After a brief pause, he called me in. I opened the door to find him kneeling again in prayer. “You want a cushion for your knees?” I asked.
