Page 84 of Oddly Fine

“Let me guess. You’re Green Beret,” he declared drolly, while staring down the gun barrel pointed at his head.

“Hooah!” the Marshal responded, confirming Beckett’s hunch.

“Could be worse—could be Air Force.” Hayes smirked as he shared a conspiratorial look with Beckett.

“Listen guys, just go, alright? I’m safe for now,” Franklin said, and when Beckett turned to look at him, he read fear behind that statement.

“And what, I’m just supposed to lie to our mother’s face?” Beckett asked, looking between Franklin and the team of Marshals.

“You lied about being straight for 30 years,” Franklin pointed out. “Pretty sure you can manage this deal for a few weeks.”

Hayes lost the battle in his attempt not to laugh. Beckett shot him a furious look of betrayal.

“Now, Agents!” The scary Marshal barked over top of Hayes’ snickering.

With a dramatic sigh, Beckett raised both hands in a show of surrender. Surprisingly enough, he reached for Franklin and pulled his older brother into a hug and whispered something in his ear.

“You’re a fucker!” Beckett said accusingly, stepping back and pointing at Franklin. “We’ll figure it out.”

That sounded far too much like a promise for Hayes’ liking. Hayes frowned, knowing damned well that he was not going to enjoy anything that Beckett was probably already cooking up for them. He sighed inwardly.

Beckett started to turn away before suddenly turning back to slap Franklin right across the face. Hard.

“What the fuck!” Franklin howled in pained outrage.

“Agent Thérault!” The ex-Green Beret roared angrily and moved to stand in front of Franklin, ready to intervene in case Beckett tried to hit him again.

But Beckett was done.

“That was for Nickel!” Beckett glared at Franklin.

Hayes wasn’t sure if he’d intended to exact revenge for his leaving Nickel behind, or for forcing Beckett to take care of the dog. Oddly enough, he had a feeling it was probably the former, not the latter.

“Alright, come on!” Hayes pushed him towards the door. Beckett didn’t put up a fight. He let himself be moved. Hayes didn’t bother hugging or speaking to Franklin. Silently, he led the way out of the house towards the black SUV idling at the curb.

As soon as they were back in their own car, Beckett pulled out his phone.

“Gill?” Hayes guessed.

Beckett didn’t answer. He simply connected his phone to the car’s Bluetooth and waited for Gill to answer.

“Thérault,” Gill said, with a heavy sigh, like he already dreaded what was coming.

Hayes thought to himself that Gill was not alone in that.

“You absolute fucker!” Beckett yelled one of his favorite insults at the top of his lungs.

“Might I remind you—” Gill began, clearly unhappy with Beckett’s lack of respect.

“Fuck. You. I thought my brother was dead, goddammit! Dead, Gill!”

In the silence that followed, Hayes mentally braced himself to get sacked right then and there.

“Yes—I’m—” Gill took a long, steadying breath. “I’m sorry, son. Truly. I tried to convince David there had to be another way, but the FBI operates under strict rules and regulations that he could not deviate from. It was out of his hands.”

Hayes easily detected Gill’s genuine distress.

Apparently, so could Beckett because his temper dissipated immediately and he fell silent.