Chapter 34 – And the Suspects are?

Emmett can, as can any gossip maven, listen to two conversations at once. The group in front of him was having a fascinating discussion on the plans for renovating the church, a project he'd love to help with. But the conversation just outside the door was far more riveting.

"Hey," murmured the voice of Axe, Brian's bodyguard. "Good to see you, Kid."

"It's good to see you, too, Axe." A new voice with a Scottish accent responded. "How's Sherry?"

"She's doing okay. The kids are good, too."

"Sorry to drag you away from them to help me out."

"It's not a big deal. I go where the colonel assigns me. Sherry's used to it. Just be happy he thinks he owes you one."

"He does owe me." The flat statement, full of pain, echoed in Emmett's mind as he eavesdropped.

"No shit. If you have trouble collecting, just let me know." Axe's voice rose slightly as he changed the subject. "I've been meaning to ask you. Why Pittsburgh? The place is a hole and you could've been relocated anywhere."

"I'm not staying here. Kinney is relocating to New York and I'm going with him. The time in Pittsburgh is just helping establish my identity. Besides, do you know how hard it is to find an interesting, gay-friendly untraceable job? I sure as hell couldn't keep doing what I used to do. I'd be leaving footprints all over the net for Rashid to find. Even working as a bodyguard is too risky. Famous people get their pictures taken too much."

"I wouldn't worry. You've changed – a lot. You look older and the short hair style completely changes your face. I almost didn't recognize you."

"I am older." A deep sigh sounded. "I also wanted to get away from Washington. The colonel wouldn't be able to resist asking for help. I'm hoping that out of sight equals out of mind."

"You're not doing great at the out of sight part." Axe responded with a small chuckle. "Are you sure you don't want to keep consulting for us? Rashid's not looking for you."

"I know that. I've been tracking his movements. I've still got one sister left. I can't..."

After an extended pause, Axe's voice came back softly. "I'd feel the same. Is she looking forward to moving to New York?"

"Very much. She's been cooped up in the flat and didn't finding new mates since we're only here for a month or two. I've taken her to the cinema a few times, but it isn't enough. I'm amazed she doesn't hate me."

Emmett heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall as a break occurred in the conversation.

Axe's voice raised slightly in greeting, "Have you met Tank yet?"

"No, not yet. Pleased to meet you Tank."

"Tank, this is Gerald – otherwise known as the Kid." Emmett was pleased to finally hear the name associated with the Scottish burr as Axe responded.

"Gareth, you stupid sod. My name is Gareth." Emmett's interest sharpened at the reminder. This was all too interesting. "I'd rather not blow my cover with my new boss immediately."

"They're going to figure out something. Why would Gareth be able to find bodyguards through the Federal Executive Protection Agency?"

"Kinney doesn't know where I got you. Just that you're here. We'll send him a bill as if you were a private agency."

"You can tell him the truth." Tank responded in a nasal, high-pitched voice. "It's not going to be a hard sell. Apparently, some big wig contributor is pissed that Kinney got shot, lady by the name of Avery. An order for inter-agency cooperation came down. It made it easy for the colonel to do you a favor, especially since Taylor's been classified as a civil rights leader."

Emmett's eyes narrowed at the thought of Justin's press coverage, wondering if that was the reason he'd gotten shot.

"Well, shit," Axe responded sarcastically. "That means I'm stuck in Pittsburgh until we figure out who's gunning for your boss. What did you find when you went digging?"

"There are definitely three guys working together on the assaults. There appears to be a fourth, a ring-leader but I haven't been able to track him yet. The three idiots I have found are using e-mail to send their plans. The cops should find it in a few days. Their computer expert is good, methodical. I'm nudging him in the right direction, but he has to wait for warrants. They're coming fast because a cop got shot, but it's still slowing him down."

"Must be nice to be a civilian and not have to pay attention to the niceties like warrants," Tank murmured.

"The Kid never did," Axe commented.

"I never officially worked for FEPA and we weren't trying to arrest anyone, so I didn't have to."

"Who are the three suspects?" Tank prodded.

"The first one, Hobbs, is already in jail. The second is a kid named Jeremy Lofts. He's the shooter. I've confirmed his identity against Taylor's sketch. He looks just like it. I haven't found where he's hiding yet. He hasn't used an ATM or credit card. I'm starting to trace all his friends and check their net activity. I'll find him and feed him to the cops. The last one is a kid named Joe Borden. As far as I can tell, he hasn't done anything yet, but he's got money. I tried tracing the purchase of the gun or explosives to him, but couldn't do it." Emmett heard a small rustle of paper before the discussion picked up again with Gareth's voice. "Here's a picture and his address."

"When do you think you'll have something on the fourth guy?"

"I don't know. He's smarter. They just refer to him as Jim. He doesn't text or e-mail them. I'm starting on their phone records, but if they're using disposables, I'll need the phone to trace him."

"Do you want to wait for the cops to get to these guys or go for the phones now?" Axe asked.

Gareth paused for a moment. "I don't think we're going to be able to get the ring-leader legally, so let's nab Borden's phone. You always had a light touch, Axe. Up for a bit of pick-pocketing?"

"Consider it done, Kid. I'll get you the phone as soon as Katy gets in. She can cover Taylor."

"I can cover him while he's at Kinnetics and Ted asked him to come in today. Just tell him that you've got something to do and not to leave until you get back. He won't know how unusual that is."

Tank interrupted the planning. "I thought you were just a computer nerd."

Axe snorted softly. "He's a bit more than that. He can handle Taylor for a few hours. How are we going to scare off the last two?"

Gareth laughed, a sound devoid of humor. "I'm sure I'll figure something out but we need to find the leader first. I don't want to do anything to Borden until he leads us to him. Have you talked to Kinney and Taylor yet?"

"Not yet. They were a bit busy first thing this morning." Emmett snickered, imagining what Brian and Justin had been up to.

"How did I land with the hospital detail? It's always boring." Emmett started to move away from the door as he heard Tank complain. Emmett's eyes widened as the massive man entered. Although of average height, Tank's bulk filled the doorway. He wasn't overweight, just a mass of muscle. His square face seemed abnormally pale against the dark black hair.

"Don't worry." Axe murmured as he followed Tank into the room. "I don't think these two do boring."

Emmett couldn't stop smiling as Gareth entered the room. He'd never seen a more appealing specimen of manhood. Gareth seemed oddly self-effacing as he held up some forms. "Mr. Kinney, I've brought some paperwork for you to sign, sir."

Axe interjected. "Can we talk to you first? We need some background to figure out who is after you."

Emmett watched in fascination as Gareth moved to the side of the room, apparently uninvolved in the investigation he appeared to be leading. The younger man was tall, gorgeous, and had fabulous dark gray eyes. Emmett kept wondering if Gareth was a top.

Axe interrupted his thoughts with a question. "Do you want your son to stay?"

"Is he in any danger if he goes?"

"Unlikely. Hobbs and the rest appear to be homophobes. Killing a kid isn't part of that mindset."

"Hey, Sonnyboy." Brian murmured. "Why don't you go with Auntie Em and get some breakfast while we talk to these men?"

Emmett grinned at Brian, happy to help out. "Gus, my man! Why don't we go see Grandma Deb at the diner and then go to the park for a bit?" He pranced lightly into the room, moving with a wiggle in front Gareth, accompanying the gesture with a small, inviting smile.

As he reached the bed, Brian frowned at him. "Something caught your eye, Honeycutt?" Gareth looked over at his boss, frowning slightly before turning an appraising eye to Emmett's ass is it moved.

Emmett winked at Brian, much to the man's disgust. "I've always had a good eye." With a smirk Emmett reached for Gus. "Ready to go, big fella?"

"Okay." Gus gave his father a gentle hug, followed by a serious stare. "Just don't get shot again."

"Don't worry." Brian smiled softly and kissed Gus' head. "That's what the bodyguards are for."

Gareth watched as Gus moved into Emmett's arms. As the pair left the room, Gareth couldn't help grinning as Gus glared at Tank threateningly, the family resemblance to his father obvious. The massive man held up his hands in surrender before murmuring to Gus reassuringly. "I'll take good care of him."

When Emmett and Gus had left the room, Gareth watched Axe begin the questioning, wishing he could do it himself. "We've got a lot of leads, but there's one question we haven't figured out." At the expectant looks, Axe asked, "Know anyone by the name of Jim who wants one of you two dead?"

Four jaws dropped simultaneously and then all eyes turned to Brian. It would have been comical, Gareth thought - if the situation weren't so serious.

"Well, shit. I never thought of him." Brian swallowed hard, shared a look with Justin and responded firmly. "Stockwell. Jim Stockwell would probably like to see me dead."

"Not just you," Justin murmured. "He isn't too fond of me either."

"No kidding," Lindsay said. "Especially after that incident at the GLC."

"No shit. He would have recognized Brian's handwork. And he was indicted." Michael warned.

"Is he homophobic?" Gareth interjected. "Capable of planning a bombing at Babylon?"

Four voices responded as one. "Yes."

"Tell me about him," Axe demanded, frowning at Gareth to remind him to stay out of it. As Gareth listened in disbelief to the story of the election campaign, police action on Liberty Avenue, job loss and ultimately, indictment, he knew Stockwell was a prime suspect. When the story concluded, he couldn't stop himself asking, "Is he on the police's suspect list?"

Justin frowned at Gareth, "Carl already knows about him. The rest of the cops wouldn't believe it anyway. He's one of their own." Justin glanced toward Brian, obviously embarrassed. "But if you're asking, did I mention him to the police last night? No, I didn't think of it. He wasn't the shooter."

"He's just the guy who set the shooter up." Gareth abruptly shook his head, reminding himself of the oft repeated security maxim - that all clients were idiots. He just hadn't expected Justin to be one of the bigger ones. "More importantly, did you leave anyone else off of it?"

Brian looked grim as he tried to decide who might hate him. "Vance Gardner. I ran him out of business. He's not homophobic, but he's not in love with gays either. Everybody else who loathes the sight of me is gay."

"Can we get a list of them anyway?" Axe interjected, taking back control of the conversation, glaring at Gareth in warning. Gareth nodded once, knowing Axe was right. He needed to stay quiet.

Michael laughed out loud at the thought. "If we include everyone Brian's ever insulted or rejected, it'd most of gay Pittsburgh – the male part of it."

"I don't know," Lindsay murmured. "He's insulted a fair number of lesbians as well."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys." Brian smirked at his two best friends from an increasingly pale face. "I can't think of anyone else named Jim."

"We don't take names, remember." Justin grinned slightly at Brian's look of irritation.

Brian looked at Axe, obviously exhausted. "Ask Emmett and Todd – you'll find him at Babylon. If there's somebody else out there with a hate on for me with the name Jim - they'll know who it is."

Axe nodded in understanding. "That's all for now. We'll be outside if you need us." Tank and Axe exited the room.

Gareth held up the papers he had in his hands. "Mr. Schmidt asked me to get you to sign these papers. It's pretty standard stuff, but the company is set up so only you can do it."

Brian groaned softly, lying back more fully in the bed. "Can't Justin sign? He's a full partner and surely getting shot counts as being fucking incapacitated."

"Not the way you two have your agreements structured at this time, however," Gareth responded efficiently, "Mr. Schmidt thought you might say that, sir. Option two is to sign this one and give Justin the authority to sign as a full partner in Kinnetics. That way he can deal with all the paperwork."

Brian grinned, tongue in cheek, as he held out his good hand for the form, quickly signing it. "I know you'll take good care of it for me, Justin."

Justin groaned good-naturedly before murmuring "Shit. I guess I know what I'm doing this afternoon." He leaned down and kissed Brian. "Get some sleep. The mom's will probably be around this afternoon and you'll need your strength."

Brian groaned as he leaned back into his bed. "Can I do the paperwork and you take the women?"