"That rotation held in the third against Columbus," Kieran said. "Coverage didn't give."
"Different shooter with a different release point. There was a full second less in the cycle," I said. "These aren't comparable situations."
"Fair," he said.
We left it there.
I cut the projection. Kieran snagged another grape. Heath went to the window and stood with his arms folded, watching the lights reflected in the Chicago River. I tracked both of them from across the room.
They moved like people who were past the dating stage. Back in November, Varga cornered me like he was sharing big news.Those two are so married it's actually insane, Pratt. You see that, don't you?
I'd seen it before November, but I hadn't figured out a reason to say so.
There was a knock at the door. Two quick raps with no hesitation. I crossed the room, checked the peephole, and opened it.
He was there again, leaning against the door frame, weight easy on his back foot. He'd lost the coat and held a bottle of wine.
"Okay," he said. "I know how this reads."
I waited.
"I went back, thought about it, and landed on the fact that walking into your condo unannounced was probably not the best introduction." He held the bottle up slightly. "This felt proportionate as an apology."
"It's a bottle of wine."
"A good one." He glanced past my shoulder, spotting Heath and Kieran. "You've got people. I'll make it quick."
He extended the bottle toward me. I took it. The glass was cold.
He reached forward with his other hand. "Sully. Next door, when I can find it."
I shook it. "Pratt."
"I know. You're on the TVs—you know, in the bar." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a key. "I have a problem with my door. The auto-lock. It's not an occasional thing. It's a bad pattern that I've accepted about myself. The last neighbor held a spare. That arrangement worked."
Behind me, Heath turned away from the window.
I looked at the key.
"You'd just have it," Sully said. "For the nights I'm in the hallway at midnight with no good options and worse judgment." He smiled briefly. "No obligation. If I somehow solve theproblem on my own, you can throw it out, and we never need to discuss it."
He paused and watched my face.
Heath crossed the room. "Are you actually considering this? Or is that the face?"
"What face?"
"Your nothing face. I've seen it a lot."
I looked at Sully, who was carefully watching the exchange.
"Don't worry about him," I said.
"I'm not worried," Sully said. "I want to know about the face."
"It's subtle," Heath said, behind me. "He makes it when he's working something out. Others have the resting b. Pratt has THE face."
Kieran spoke up. "Heath—"
