Ten braced his hands on the counter, feeling sick to his stomach. One thing was for certain. He needed to get to the bottom of the damned letter before he worried himself into an ulcer. Ten knew the best thing to do was trust his husband, not the crank letter writer.
He turned from the counter and spotted the mail Ronan had left on the table. At the top of the stack was another letter in the same block printing. “No, no, no!” Ten shouted. “Not again!”
On unsteady legs, Ten walked to the table and picked up the envelope. It looked exactly the same, block printing, Salem postmark, no return address. Ten tore open the envelope and started to read.
“My dearest Tennyson,” he read out loud. “I know something you don’t know.” His stomach recoiled at the same taunting opening line as the first letter.
“It seems you didn’t take my first letter seriously. I think it’s time you were taught a lesson, so here goes. I spy with my little eye, a lonely man in a bar. He’s twenty-something, handsome, charming, and flirting shamelessly with famed Cold Case Detective, Ronan O’Mara, who was allegedly working late on a case. Your darling husband had a glass of whiskey in his right hand. His left was on the charming man’s knee. I suspect your husband’s drinking and flirting has to do with the fact thatyou’ve stopped taking care of your husband’s needs. Better act quick before Ronan trades you in for a younger model.”
Ten read the letter for a second and then a third time. Was Ronan spending time in bars flirting with younger men? Had Ronan started to look elsewhere since their sex life wasn’t as spicy as it had been in their early years together?
Not knowing what to do or where to turn, Ten burst into tears.
5
Ronan
Fitzgibbon was waiting for Ronan at the bottom of his front stairs when he walked out of the house. “You ready to do this? I’m not sure I am.”
“It’s going to be fine, Ronan.” Fitz said, looking both ways before crossing the street to Jude’s house. “Jude knows just as well as we do that we’re snowed under with cases that we need help working. He also knows how far ahead of the game we are by knowing the man who’s coming to join our team.”
“Fuck off!” Jude’s voice boomed from inside the house.
“Fuck you double!” A second, familiar voice responded.
“Please tell me that’s not Greeley in there fighting with Jude.” Ronan felt his shoulders and neck tense up.
“I told Greeley I’d text him when it was time to come over.” Fitzgibbon sighed.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Jude shouted.
“Fuck. My. Life.” Fitzgibbon rolled his eyes and opened the front door.
Ronan was right behind him, ready to break up the fight. He knew Fitz would go for Greeley, meaning Ronan would take Jude.
“Hey, Dad!” Greeley called, sounding chipper.
“Hey, Dad?” Fitz asked, sounding stymied. “You too were just telling each other to fuck off and then Jude’s screaming for you to get out of his house. What the hell is happening here?”
Ronan pushed Fitz forward into the house, so he could catch a glimpse of what was going on. He saw Jude and Greeley sitting side by side on the sofa, each with game controllers in their hands. “You’re playing video games?”
“Are you guys okay?” Jude asked with a snicker. “You sound like you’re the ones with head trauma instead of me. Shut the door, let’s not heat the neighborhood.”
Ronan did what Jude asked, shutting the door and shrugging out of his coat which he set on a free coat hook.
“I brought donuts and hot coffee if you want some.” Greeley pointed toward the kitchen.
“Sounds good,” Fitz said, walking away.
“Is he okay, Ronan?” Jude asked.
“Yeah, he’s fine. There’s something we want to talk to you about and I’m guessing Fitz didn’t expect Greeley to be here.” That was an understatement. He hoped to hell Greeley hadn’t already told Jude what was going on.
Greeley zipped his lips behind Jude’s back, which told Ronan their new recruit hadn’t spilled the beans. “Bring me back a strawberry glazed, will you, Ronan?”
“Me too!” Jude echoed.
Ronan walked into the kitchen to find Fitz pacing. “Take a breath, Fitz. Greeley didn’t tell Jude why we’re here.”
