Page 19 of Snow One Like You

“Welcome to my world,” Nate mutters, and I snap out of my own head regarding this and focus on his.

“You can do this,” I tell him. “No one knows them better than you.”

“Not always a pro,” he reminds me.

“It is when it means you know how they think, how they view things, people. What steps they might take.”

“That’s true,” he concurs, my words breaking through whatever wall went up when he discovered who some of the players are. “They are who they are,” I continue, “but at the core of it, they do love you.” I have no hesitation in saying that. Their moral compasses may differ, but blood is sacred to the Morettis, and that includes their son, the detective. I don’t think there isn’t anything they wouldn’t do for him. Not necessarily a good thing in the eyes of some, but it’s a fact nonetheless.

There might also be a piece of Nathan Senior that wishes his oldest would accept his place in their world and embrace all it entails.

“Any idea how long?”

“Indefinite.” Turning to look at me this time, he adds, “They want me to infiltrate the crime syndicate.”

“Holy fuck.”

“That was pretty much my response,” he grins. “To the captain and chief.”

I snicker at that, visualizing the latter’s reaction. He’s so buttoned up and by the book that Nate’s instantaneous, and unfiltered, response would’ve definitely ruffled his polished feathers.

“Who do you report to?”

“The captain only.” He seems to be debating something, but he and I have never kept secrets from each other, so I know he’ll tell me. If he can. “Holmes and Latimer,” that’d be the chief, “suspect someone is on the take.

“The fuck you say,” I snap at the thought of one of our brothers or sisters on the force betraying us.

“Again, my response.”

“You know I have your back, no matter what. You need me, you call. No questions asked.” We do the bro hug thing, keeping it quick lest our emotions get the best of us.

“I do,” he assures me, “and thank you. I’ll reach out from time to time, slip you a postcard or something as proof of life.” Morbid humor usually helps in our field, but it makes my gut clench right now.

“I kept my email from last time,” I inform him. We’d set up an encrypted one, creating code words to serve as a warning, an SOS, and an I’m okay.

“We’ll use that then. I’ll only have a burner.” You learn not to take anything of personal sentiment or items that can identify you just in case your target gets suspicious and decides to toss your fake residence. “I’ll give you the number. You can’t pretend to be anybody related to me because I’m going as myself,” he states. Meaning they know exactly who his family is and deviating from that can have dire consequences.

“Bookie? Dealer? Former partner in crime that keeps in touch?” They may know who he is, and what he does, but being in that world, and in contact with your ‘former’ partner, would raise some red flags. We hash out the remaining details, wanting to cover any possible bases while we’re together and can get our stories straight. “You sure about your house?”

“We wouldn’t feel right about taking your home,” Snow chimes in as she rejoins us. “What about when your assignment is over?”

“Honestly, I don’t know how long that’ll be. I’d prefer it not sit empty and I know you two are struggling to find yours.” Snow still looks uneasy at the prospect of using his place because it’s putting him out, so I find a compromise.

“How about we live here until you need it again? In the meantime, we can keep searching, maybe build like we talked about.”

That appeases Snow, so we shake on it, but Nate takes it a step further, letting me know he’s been planning this for a while. “Sign these.” He only accepted the alternative as a courtesy to Snow, to make her feel better.

I accept the papers he thrusts at me, noticing they refer to buying it and not merely renting. Raising a brow, he nods at it, silently asking me to do this, as a favor, and I agree. “One condition,” I tell him as Snow excuses herself to use the bathroom after signing, once more giving us privacy. “I want our realtor to get credit for this. She deserves the commission she would’ve gotten from us.”

“I can make that happen.” I know he can, and I know not to ask questions as to how he accomplishes it. Adding my name, I watch as Nate does the same and I try to put my emotions in some semblance of order. I’m thrilled Snow and I now have a home where we can start our lives together, but I fear it’s at the cost of my best friend’s.

Epilogue One

Snow

December 23rd…

I don’t know what strings Nate pulled to expedite the switch and making the paperwork official, but he made it happen. It’s bittersweet being here. I know how blessed we are to have finally found a home, but we have it because he’s potentially in danger.

---