Normally at this time Pike was just waking up for his run, but tonight sleep did not come. Images of another life flooded his mind. Like a river overflowing its banks, the images washed away the calm leaving chaos and uncertainty. Pike practiced his breathing techniques and fought the chaos, his world was all about control.
The phone on the nightstand vibrated and Pike's heart raced.
"What's wrong?" He answered.
"Dad, Micah has disappeared."
Pike sat up at the edge of the bed.
He heard the fear; her voice trembled as she fought for control.
"Eric called and said no one has seen or heard from him in 4 or 5 days now. I know something is wrong."
"Is Elvis with you?"
"Yes, we're at the airport in Fiji waiting for a storm to clear. I'm going to Eric's as soon as we land."
"I'll text you the address."
"I know where he lives."
Pike hung up the phone, he had done his homework. Something had drawn Pike to Micah Mooreland other than the fact he was his grandson. He had watched the young man from a distance on several occasions. He had seen much of Diane in his looks, but there was Pike in him, too. His build, the way he held himself reminded him of Diana. The hairs on the back of Pike's neck prickled when Micah stared in his direction as though sensing someone was there watching. He didn't have the eyes, but he had the senses to keep himself alive.
Pike had gone to Eric's gallery to get a look at Micah's paintings. He waited until neither man was there. The family resemblance between he and Diana was too strong not to notice. Micah's paintings were good, very good. Pike was proud, Micah's work was as good as anything he had seen hanging in a museum. There finally was someone in the family who was able to create, not to destroy.
Pike picked up the cell phone and called John Stone. Elvis was the World's Greatest Detective, but Stone had resources neither one of them had access to. Stone worked for the government from time to time and he had deep connections. If there was any dirt to find on Eric Mooreland, Stone would find it.
"Do you know what time it is?" Stone grumbled.
"Yes."
"With what you just interrupted this better be freaking good."
Pike heard the muffled voice of a woman in the background. Stone had company.
"I'm done saving Cole's ass. You still owe me for that job."
Pike couldn't repay a marker Stone hadn't called in. He always paid his debt, always.
"I need some information."
"So what else is new? Business or personal?"
"You don't need to know."
Pike remained silent, but so did Stone. Stone knew how to get information out of people, too.
"Personal."
"BS Pike, the only friend you've got is Elvis and I'm not saving his ass again. You don't have a personal life. You're sitting in your condo all alone, aren't you?"
Pike didn't know how to answer. He hung up the phone, he had called at a bad time and there wasn't time to waste on Stone's games. He wanted all the information he could get on Eric Mooreland before he met the man. Having family was a liability that people in Diana's line of work didn't want. He knew Diana had gone out of her way to distance herself from her son. If Stone could fit together the pieces then so could someone else. Like him, Stone was an expert at hunting people, extracting information people didn't want to give.
Pike sat in the dark, fear bubbled like a spring from the ground, filling him with coldness and doubts. Fear that Diana's enemies had come to take revenge on her son. Fear he would lose a grandson he never had gotten to know and fear that John Stone was right. Pike sat in the darkness, alone.
Pike had accepted that Diana and Micah were a new part of his family, DNA didn't lie. But he had not welcomed Diana as a father should welcome a daughter. Having a daughter with so many enemies was a liability, too. Their worlds could not collide.
The phone on the nightstand buzzed, Pike saw it was Stone."
Pike said. "What."
"Pike, I'm sorry about being such a dick. I was just kind of busy at the moment, if you know what I mean."
Pike said. "Understood."
"What is it that you need?"
"Any information you can dig up on Eric Moreland. He's an artist and owns a gallery. I want to know anything you can find out and if he's clean. This is a personal favor. It goes no further than you and I. Do not mention my name. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, yeah or you will hunt me down and kill me."
Pike did not respond.
"Okay then. I will make some calls and get back to you."
An angry woman came out of the bedroom wearing nothing but Stone's oversized shirt.
"I'm sorry sugar, but business calls."
"Yeah, well it always seems to call in the middle of the night. What the hell is her name?"
"Now, don't pout. You know the drill, business first, pleasure second."
She glared at him and turned to leave the room.
"You know you're my favorite girl. Next time I'll bring you something pretty."
She turned back and gave him a smug smile. "Unless it's got a really big diamond in it, don't bother." She took his shirt off and threw it at him. She stood there for a minute in all her naked glory, and then she slammed the bedroom door in his face.
"Pike," he mumbled.
"Let yourself out," she yelled through the closed door.
Stone wondered what secret Pike could have that would be considered personal. He had known the man for what was a lifetime in their business, and he was the most private, solitary man he had ever known.
Pike was by no means a monk. He was the only other man to get offered more tail than him; Stone was just never sure if Pike took advantage of it. You were never sure with Pike, no telltale grin or boasts of conquests around the campfire. There was only that stony silence and your own image reflected back at you in those damn glasses of his. Pike would disappear or maybe he was only sitting out of sight by himself in the dark, watching. The man was an enigma, but definitely someone you wanted watching your back in a fight.
They all had ghosts, shadows of past lives that haunted them, even Pike. He was going to have to help him out, because now his curiosity had gotten the better of him. It had to be one hell of a ghost from the way Pike sounded, one he would guard at all costs.
