53. Keeping A Secret

I'm a good detective. Oh, sure, I've read the articles and heard all of Spencer's little quips. I know I'm at least half way to being a laughing stock most days. But I also know I'm a good detective. Damned good, actually. They don't make just anyone Head Detective, you know, especially not when you're as young as I was.

Ahem.

Anyway.

My point was that I can solve a case, solve a mystery, without Spencer's help. And damn it if Spencer wasn't one of the biggest mysteries to ever walk through my door.

I always knew he wasn't psychic. For one, there's just no such thing. For another…Well, okay, I don't have another, but come on! Psychic? Not on your life!

At first I just thought he had some kind of source, but with every case he solved, that became more and more unlikely. The cases were too different, too random. He'd have to have multiple sources to know as much as he did, and I would have caught him with one of them sooner or later. So it wasn't a source.

Santa Barbara's a pretty nice place; most people seem happy to stay here their entire lives. I have connections, and with the right words to the right people it isn't hard to get a list. Classmates, teachers, that sort of thing. Turns out Spencer's always been the sort to run at the mouth. And it turns out that Henry's had to explain things to more than one teacher who couldn't understand how the kid who seemed to sleep through class somehow still managed to ace every test.

Not everyone is Gus. Not everyone is Henry. Not everyone is willing to lie to the police for that little fraud.

Now I know. I know how he does it. Doesn't mean I like him any better. Sure as hell doesn't make me happy to know that the reason he keeps solving my cases is because he's just that much better at my job than I am. And it won't keep me from trying to keep him out of dangerous cases. Good or not, he's still a civilian. I don't care if Henry did raise him for this, he's still someone I've sworn an oath to protect.

Vick has a right to know that her precious 'psychic' is a fake.

But, you know, I'd never tell her, but Vick's pretty sharp. She must know that he isn't what he says he is. And she still keeps him around.

And I guess, in the end, the fact that she just has to already know is going to have to be enough for me.

Whether I like it or not, the bastard gets results.

Kristin: This rapid update has been brought to you by the letter I. I is for insomnia. Gah, insomnia. Gah! From hell's fiery depths I stab at thee!

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