"You have any idea how would a question this guy without making it sound like an interrogation?" Nathan asked as he and Vin waited for Dylan to arrive for the hastily called meeting the next day.
"Don't need to. He's talking about getting involved in Big Brother which means we get to make sure he's appropriate."
"Yeah, but don't you think something along the lines of "are you aware of the fact that your father was a criminal and that your half-brother is on trial for murder" might make him a bit suspicious, or at least curious?"
"Not given the fact I'm aware of the kind of man my father is." The reply came from the doorway, where Dylan now stood stock still. "You really should close this if you planning to be covert about things."
Vin was on his feet. "Damn. Sorry Dylan. Really wasn't the way I planned for this to go."
"No, it's alright. I can't say I'm especially surprised, even though I'd hoped to keep my family legacy a secret."
"Why would that be?" Nathan asked. Dylan looked surprise.
"Seriously? You can ask that. Not exactly the character reference one puts down when they're hoping to work in a social-services setting. Or to be a Big Brother. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."
"Hold on. Nobody asked you to leave."
"You will."
Vin shrugged. "Maybe, but for now, sit down. Let's talk."
Dylan rubbed his hand over his face for a moment, then studied the men closely. Vin knew they were being sized up and it felt eerily similar to the way Ezra had watched them when he first joined the team. Apparently, they passed whatever test he was applying, as he stepped in and closed the door.
"First off, we aren't necessarily going to write you off based on your family. That's not a group of people you get to choose."
"As a rule." Vin added to Nathan's opening comment.
"But is not going to help me."
"How strong a connection do you have with them?"
"Virtually none on my father's side. He abandoned my mom when I was a baby. Not even a year old."
"But you know about him?"
"Mom was in a bad place at that point. When I came along, she cleaned up her act. Back to school, reconnected with her family. She tried to get him to change to, but he left instead. Good riddance."
"So you know nothing about him, or his family?" Dylan hesitated a moment but realized there was nothing to be gained by holding out.
"I know his name. Never tried to find him. And yes, I saw there is a guy named Standish on trial on the West Coast. I wondered if he was connected, but really didn't want to know. Not giving the matter much attention."
Vin watched him closely as he asked the next question. "I take it from the way you are referring to him that you don't know Jacob Standish is dead."
Dylan spun his head to look straight at him. "Are you sure?"
Well that wasn't the response he'd expected. "Yes. Saw it happen myself."
"Well, mom will be relieved to hear that."
"You aren't interested in the details?"
"Don't need them."
"Not even after a worker at a community centre just admitted to being a witness to your father being killed?" Vin asked, his bullshit radar on high alert.
Dylan blanched. "Oh, guess I should've caught that. Fine – full story. Everything I've said is true, but I haven't told you everything."
Well – Vin thought – he has Ezra's way of turning a sentence around to suit his needs.
"I have done a bit of digging through the Standish family tree. Never made contact with any of them. Didn't really want to. Just needed to know if there were any of them who weren't rotten."
"You needed to know what role genetics played?" Nathan asked.
"Something like that. Was relieved to see most – well some anyway – were decent folks. Then I found that we actually had some on the other side of the law. There's a cousin, or cousin once removed - not good at the terminology - anyway, family who's a cop in New York. And then I found another who's an FBI agent no less. I admit, that made me curious. Eventually, I learned he switched over to ATF and came here. So I decided I could attend University of Colorado just as easy as any other."
"How'd you find us here?" Vin wondered.
"Well that was just dumb luck. I got the name of some of his coworkers –"
"How?" Nathan was immediately concerned about that.
"All I'm gonna say is I have a few friends who are good at finding things out. Don't ask. I won't turn on them."
He's loyal, Vin thought, seeing more of Ezra in Dylan with each revelation.
"Anyway, I really did want to get involved with the community, and with Big Brothers. That wasn't a con, not that I expect you to believe me now. I know what it's like without a father figure around, and I thought I could do something. You have no idea how stunned I was when I saw your name on the roster of workers here. I figured it was some kind of sign."
"How come you haven't tried to contact Ezra?"
"The truth? It scares the hell out of me. First real contact with the Standish. What if I was making a mistake? What if this all blew up on me? I've been working up the nerve."
"You've been here over 3 months."
"What can I say, I'm a slow worker."
"Okay." Vin pushed back from the desk and stood. "Thanks for coming by." The young man stood, trying not to show his dejection. "We'll have to check out a few things, but at this point, I've got to say I think you'll be an asset to the program."
Dylan was putting a hand out to shake Nathan's and froze in place, transferring his gaze.
"Seriously?"
"Absolutely."
"Even knowing all of this, including the less than honest way I've been with you."
"You had your reasons, and believe me, we understand the circumstances." Nathan explained.
He decided to push his luck. "What about the rest of it?"
Vin wasn't sure how to answer that one. "Won't lie to you. I need to talk to some people about that too before we can make any decisions. What I can say for now is that this probably isn't a good time for you to meet up with Ezra. For a lot of reasons, your own safety being one of them. I will tell him about you, and if we can work it out, will then we'll see."
Dylan smiled, and again Vin saw some of Ezra in that look. "You're watching out for him. I'm thinking he's lucky to have you guys for friends."
"That goes both ways."
Dylan nodded his understanding. "You know where to find me." He hesitated. "Look, if he decides he doesn't want anything to do with me, I'll understand. But would you ask him if maybe I can talk to you guys about him. I think after talking to you, he's someone I really do want to get to know."
Vin understood. "All we can do is ask, but I will pass it along. I think it would be good for him, but it's kind of hard to convince him of things when he gets his mind set."
"Sounds like that is a family trait." Dylan responded. "No matter how this plays out, thanks for everything." He pulled the door closed as he left.
"What do you think?" Nathan asked when he was sure they were sure he was gone.
"Everything says he's legit, and I sure as hell hope so. Not sold yet, but my gut is wanting me to accept this."
"Your gut, or what you want for Ezra?"
Vin shrugged, unsure of the answer himself.
"And what do we tell Ezra?" Nathan continued.
"Everything. He doesn't need anyone else holding out on him. We may have to rein him back, but we absolutely have to be straight with him."
7-7-7-7-7-7-7
Three relatively quiet days had passed since the night at the ranch. Work wasn't proving to be the distraction they needed as their pending case was suspended when the IRS, of all people, moved in and arrested the target. That left them with nothing major on the horizon, allowing them to unofficially continue the investigation on the Standish clan. Ezra tried to help out, but halfway through the second day he had to excuse himself from the office. It was getting to be too hard to pretend that none of the revelations mattered to him. He'd spent the time at Inez's, and before leaving asked her to confirm to Chris he'd had only two drinks during his time there.
"I take it he told you I called him?" She did not sound the least bit apologetic about it.
"Yes, he did. And as I believe I have failed to mention anything on the matter, allow me to offer my deepest appreciation for your concern, unwarranted and unearned as it might be."
Her gaze softened somewhat. "I have a tendency to be concerned about people I care for. I'll let Chris know you're alright for today. I don't expect to see you here alone again tomorrow."
He called in on the third day, letting them know he was going to spend some time on his own and promising them that did not mean anything they would fail to approve of. He got texts within minutes from each of his teammates, all offering to spend the day as companion, sounding board, chauffeur or whatever other service was needed. He gave them all a firm, but appreciative, 'no thank you' response, and reassured them he would check in at the end of the day. Despite what he had envisioned for himself, he ended up staying home, trying to distract himself with television, reading and cleaning. He had little success. It was only after a single visitor had come and gone with a delivery that he decided he needed to head over to the office to share his news. He arrived at the same time most people were leaving for the day and made his way up to his team.
"What the hell do you mean you've been subpoenaed?"
"I would think the statement was self-evident. I assure you, it was not at my suggestion."
Chris eyed Ezra for a moment, not entirely convinced of that claim. "Why would the defence want you there? It makes no sense."
"They have no doubt concocted some justification for the play. My take is that they have one of three motives. The first would be to throw all of you off your game. They might be hoping that this will disorient and discombobulated you to the point of affecting your testimony. Obviously, they underestimate you."
"Thanks. What else have you got?"
"It seems highly likely, as DA Keller proposed before, that they intend to put me on trial in the minds of the jury. If I can be connected in anyway to this, then a reasonable doubt verdict would be inevitable."
Josiah had immediately assumed this was the likely reason for the action, and it worried him. The questions would be difficult for Ezra to deal with. He had no doubt the testimony would be calm and composed, but the days after of far greater concern. When it came to family, and self doubt, it didn't take much right now to send Ezra into a tailspin.
Chris had the same concerns but didn't think this was the time to discuss them. "You said three?"
"This last is one you will not like."
Chris snorted. "Hell, I don't like any of this."
"I would suspect William is behind this."
"Why?" JD asked, an instant before it fell into place. "Shit, he wants you out in the open, doesn't he?"
"I believe he may be contemplating vengeance. San Francisco as his turf, not mine. That gives him home field advantage, as it were."
"We'll get the DA to challenge the subpoena." Vin suggested.
"Why? They will find another avenue. At least with this route, we are on our guard."
"Like I said, I don't like this." Chris voiced.
"I did warn you of the possibility. There is no reason for concern. I will accompany all of you next week to San Francisco and in a few short days this will all be over."
He turned to leave and was surprised to see Chris fall into step with him.
"I do not need a body guard."
"With everything going on I doubt that, but I have better things to do with my time. Didn't occur to you that maybe I was leaving now anyway?"
Ezra grinned, not believing him for a moment.
He and Chris headed from the building. There were still quite a few cars in the lot; the office never shut down. But things had quieted for the moment as the two law men headed toward their vehicles.
"How is Chaucer fairing?"
"Misses you. No one else spoils him like you do."
"I would not have been the best of company in recent days."
"I doubt he'd care. None of us do Ezra."
"Yes. I have neglected my two-legged friends as well." Chris stopped walking, taking Ezra's arm and spinning him gently.
"You don't need to be putting on your damn game face around us Ezra. You need to take the time to get through all of this, and we get that. We just want to know that you'll talk to us, any of us, when you need to."
Ezra smiled. "Where else would I possibly go?" Chris was about to answer with a list of worrisome possibilities when the timed lights of the parking lot came on. One created a reflection from a car a few rows away. Instinct as much as observation told him what that reflection was, and he grabbed Ezra and threw him to the ground as the gunfire began. Ezra had the wind knocked out of him by the force with which he landed, and by the time he could move again the car had sped out, and security was rushing from the building.
"That was a most fortuitous observation Chris." he gasped out, still catching his breath. "Chris?" Panic set in when there was no response. He scrambled over to where Chris lay face down on the pavement, and cautiously rolled him. "Oh, dear God!" He looked up at the security officers running towards them. "911. Call 911."
tbc
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