“Jack told him that you were his brother in every way that counts, and he protected what was his, so don’t hurt you or your father would answer to him.”
“And how did he respond to that?” Fin wanted to rub the warm spot in his chest.
“He said he was happy and proud you were so well loved and respected.”
“I have your sweater, Fin!”
He turned to find Mrs. L waving at him from her shop door.
“I need you to try it on for me.” Mrs. L wore a Christmas dress today. Wool, it was black, with a young, almost naked Santa on the front.
“Nice dress.”
She smiled, then dragged Fin inside.
“Now take off your jacket, Fin,” Mrs. L said, holding a black sweater with a small cottage on the front. There was snow and a Christmas tree too, and Fin had to say, as far as her sweaters went, this was a good one.
“Nice,” Joe said when Fin had pulled it on. “Brings out the color of your eyes.”
“It’s black, and my eyes are blue, idiot.”
“Here’s yours, Joe.”
“I have one, Mrs. L.”
“You need another one. Strip.”
They left the shop wearing new Christmas sweaters and carrying a bag with their old ones in it.
“I say no several times every day,” Joe said. “No thanks, I don’t want a coffee. No, you can’t have that, or no, that’s not where that goes. No, Benjamin, don’t put your finger in your sister’s ear. That kind of thing. It’s a simple word, just two letters.”
“And yet neither of us can say it to the elders in this town.”
“Hence we are wearing Christmas sweaters.”
“Hence?”
“It sounds posh.”
“Or you sound like an idiot,” Fin added. “Now go away. I need to speak with Chief Blake about some stuff.”
“Good, I’ll come with you.”
“Why? To the best of my knowledge, you have a wife and children. Go and annoy them.”
“But you were my first love.”
“If you go home to Bailey with a black eye, she’d be pissed right?”
“Right.”
They reached the police station just as the Ryker chief of police came out of the building.
“Chief Blake.”
“Maggs just called. Someone broke into Artsy Fartsy last night. Joan opened up this morning and found the mess. She called me after Maggs, so I’m heading there now.”
Fin turned and ran back down the road without a word to where he’d parked his cruiser outside Phil’s, with Joe on his heels. Jumping in the driver side, he fired up the engine, turned, and headed to the gallery.
