Page 27 of A Simple Mistake
“Only if there’s an official report in the system.But there are layers to misconduct, and some don’t trigger flags.If Clive has anything, I have somewhere to start.If he doesn’t, then Manville goes on my list, anyway.”
Jack’s tone suggested he had something else on his mind.Gareth made haste to get through his evening ablutions so he could join Jack in bed.Jack was more likely to discuss problems when the darkness and quiet of their bedroom wrapped around them.And despite the dark circles under his eyes demanding sleep, he seemed to need Gareth as a sounding board.Jack had closed his tablet and laptop by the time Gareth came back and they settled, as they did most nights, with Jack draped over Gareth.The tension in his shoulders was unmistakable and Gareth, ready for sleep himself, tried to speed matters along.“My mum is in court Monday afternoon,” he said.“You’ll catch her at home if you head over before work.”
“I’ll also miss the rush-hour traffic,” Jack agreed.“I’ll run the two to school, then, pop over to see your mum after, come back to switch wheels and come to work.”
“You could bring the car.”That wasn’t the way they usually did things.Riding the bikes to and from the Strand was faster than getting the Range Rover stuck in the daily nose-to-tail.The deviation from the routine pulled Jack from his abstraction.
“Do we need anything?”
“Depends.You are building escape routes this weekend, aren’t you?”
“That’s the plan.Though I don’t think we’ll finish.”
“Then keep a list of anything we’re missing, and I’ll pick it up on Monday.”
“If I’m driving in, I can do the shopping on the way.”Jack settled back down, but the tension in his frame hadn’t vanished.
“Did anything else happen?”
Jack’s silence was answer enough.Gareth waited, and, eventually, Jack took a deep breath.
“Nico asked if he could help me hunt.Online.”
The words dropped into the darkness, each like a gut punch.Even the qualifier Jack had added didn’t improve matters by much.“Because he thought we didn’t believe him?”
“He says not.”
“Then why?”
“The dance class made him feel as he did at Goran’s—helpless and only able to cling to Daniel for support.He said he didn’t want to feel like that ever again.”
“Holy hell.Nico and rage.Not a healthy combination.”Gareth wondered how to defuse that brewing shit storm when Jack pushed himself upright and turned on his bedside light.
“Just so we don’t cross our wires,” he said.“Because it’s not that bad.Nico admitted Manville made him angry, and I told him that letting rage guide him wasn’t the way to go.But then he told me that asking me to teach him to hunt wasn’t a new idea.He’s wanted to do this ever since he went to Scotland Yard to help identify those bastards from Goran’s place.”
“You’re going to do it, aren’t you?Teach him how to hunt?”
“Yeah, I am.I made a deal with him.No acting on rage, and he promised me he’ll step away if the past gets on top of him.”
“You’ll watch for that?”
“You bet.He’s so like you, you know?Protecting our family is important to him.”
Gareth almost laughed.To him, Nico was like Jack, someone who needed a crusade.But then, he and Jack were more alike than he’d supposed.“I feel we’re having the same conversation time and again.We want to protect them and instead we made Nico feel like a victim.”
“I don’t think we did.Couldn’t have done if he realised what was happening.But at the same time… they’re ours.Something comes up, we stand in front of them.And Nico, if I understood the matter correctly, got his strength from standing in front of Daniel.He was Daniel’s protector, and then suddenly he wasn’t and that was hard for him.”
“Okay, I get that.So, letting him help you might help him.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking.”
“And you’ve already put guardrails in place.”Gareth pulled Jack forward and dropped a teasing kiss on his nose.“Clever of you.Now turn out that light and come here.”
“Jack!”Roz Flynn pulled the door wide and beckoned him inside.“That’s an unusual time for you.Did anything happen?”
Jack shook his head and kicked out of his shoes.“All serene,” he reported.“But I have something I’d like to discuss.Over the phone wasn’t the place to do it.”
“Then come in and have coffee.Are you back to work later?”
