You Can Never Walk Away

Chapter 2-2

Kegan watched from the trees on the other side of the lake, scanning the area around the boathouse. He’d already checked out the interior of the small building. He’d wanted to be certain that Morse hadn’t planted someone to witness their conversation—and perhaps do more. The park had closed to vehicular traffic at nine-thirty, meaning anyone approaching the boathouse had to do so on foot. Morse did, precisely at ten, going up the steps then across the main room to one of the arched openings that looked out over the lake, resting his hips against the railing.

Moving stealthily, Kegan rounded the lake—ever aware of his surroundings, and any possible watchers—until he was at the steps. Sensing that they were alone, he joined Morse, staying in the shadow of the arch.

“It’s been a while, Kegan,” Morse said with a nod of his head. “From the look of you, you’ve been keeping fit.”

Kegan shrugged. “It gave me something to do.”

“Bored?” Morse asked, almost smiling.

“I had my moments,” Kegan replied before getting down to why he was there. “What do you know about the murder of the drug company VP?”

“I know who did it, if that’s what you’re asking. Gage Dekker. At my orders.”

“Yeah, I figured you were behind it. Why Dekker?”

“Calvin James needed to be eliminated. The company he worked for was manufacturing and selling counterfeit drugs to several dealers in the city.” Morse pointed one finger at Kegan. “I decided, why not kill two birds with one stone. Get him out of the picture and hopefully bring you back at the same time. I was well aware, if you learned about it, and how he was killed, you would want to find out who was impersonating you.”

“Damned straight.” Kegan shook his head. “And I fell for it.” He paused, looking out across the lake. “Why Gage?”

“He knows your style well enough to imitate it accurately.”

“Nope. I would never kill someone so publically. At least not up-close-and-personal, the way he did.”

“True. But if he hadn’t done it that way, the method and your name would never have been made public. We needed witnesses who would tell the cops, and the press, what they saw. We got what we were aiming for; although it took you long enough to react.”

Kegan nodded. “I rarely kept up with the news—the outside world. No phone. No computer or TV. Sometimes I’d pick up a newspaper. It was just luck that I did this time and saw the story.”

“You really did go into seclusion. But then I knew that. If you had kept your phone and used it, or gone online—”

“You’d have found out where I was before I hung up or shut down.” Kegan began to pace, pausing to look at Morse once or twice. “Why do you want me back? I f****d up my last assignment and Tony died because of it.” He heard the pain in his voice when he said Tony’s name, and felt the ache in his heart that had never truly left him.

“You took out the man you were after, and got the information we needed. That’s hardly f*****g up. As far as the guards showing up, when you didn’t expect them to—” Morse sighed. “One of them lived long enough to tell us that your target had an arrangement with them. If he brought someone home with him, they were to stay well-hidden until he notified them that his guest, or guests, had left. Apparently it was the dog that clued them in that something was wrong, so they decided to check it out.”

“Lying bastard,” Kegan spat out, followed by, “If it hadn’t been for the dog, I might have stopped the second man before he shot Tony.”

Morse laughed. “They can be a problem, in the wrong circumstances.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

“I have a job that needs doing. The kind that you excel at.”

Kegan almost smiled. “Meaning one that doesn’t require taking out the target with a well-placed shot from a roof top.”

“Exactly. However, I’d rather not discuss it here.”

“What makes you think I’d be interested?”

Morse smiled. “It’s what you do, and do well.” He held up a hand before Kegan could reply. “And you love your job. You wouldn’t be working for me if you didn’t.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not working for you anymore.”

Morse shook his head. “You can never really walk away, Kegan. You know that. I’m going to consider the last two months an extended leave of absence for you.”

Kegan started to say, “You can’t make me come back” then thought better of it. He knew damned well that Morse could, with the right incentives. If Kegan still refused…I won’t have the element of surprise that I had when I took off two months ago. “Let’s talk. But as you said, not here.”

“Good. My office. Now. Well, as soon as we both get there.”

“You’re trusting that I won’t vanish again, as soon as I’m out of your sight?”

“I know you, Kegan. Probably as well as you know yourself. You’re intrigued. You’ll show up.”

With that said, Morse pushed off the railing then left the boathouse. Kegan followed more slowly—but he did follow, figuratively if not literally.