Page 135 of Playing By Ear

“Oh.”

“As a surprise.”

“Oh, no.”

“For his birthday.”

Jamie gave a low whistle. “And that went poorly?”

Perry could still hear it all. Nathan’s horrified stammer when he’d found his own mum and dad chatting to Perry at this very table. The slam of the front door as Nathan ran from these two people who had seemed perfectly nice when Perry had tracked them down. The sobs wracking Nathan’s body as he recounted a lifetime of abuse, one he’d put behind him until Perry had dredged it up. “Extremely poorly.”

“Ooft, that must have been hard.”

Perry sipped his tea slowly, letting the peppermint steam seep into his sinuses. “We were never the same after that. I had demolished his trust. When it was clear Nathan was only staying with me out of obligation because of my vision, I let him go.”

“It’s rubbish he couldn’t forgive you. Sounds like you meant well.”

“That doesn’t excuse it. Yes, I wanted him to be close with his parents like I am. My mum and dad aren’t perfect, but I can’t imagine living without them.” He shook his head in disgust. “I thought I was so clever, using my journalist’s skills and resources to find Nathan’s family, without ever asking if it was what he wanted. The utter arrogance, assuming I knew what was best for him.”

After a few seconds, Jamie asked, “Is that why you never pressed me for details about my family?”

“Largely, yes.” Apparently he had overlearnt that lesson.

“And you never asked to visit my flat.”

“I assumed you’d invite me when you were ready. Also, I’m not the biggest fan of unfamiliar places.”

“There’s not much to trip over in my home. In fact, there’s not much home, full stop.”

Perry thought of how diligently Jamie watched his own spending, with one eye always on the uncertain future. Meanwhile the MacKrays were no doubt as rich as they were powerful. If Jamie hadn’t left them behind, he could have had everything: a flashy car, a recording contract, all the latest equipment⁠—

Wait.

“You’ve got two phones,” Perry said. “Is one for your family?”

“Oh. Erm, yeah.” After a long moment, he cleared his throat and spoke softly. “In the criminal underworld, I’m known to all as Jamie ‘Two Phones’ Guthrie.”

Perry turned in his chair to face him full-on. Jamie met his gaze, blinking with wide-eyed innocence. Then his lips folded under, just a bit.

Perry’s laughter shot out with the force of the day’s tension. “Fucking hell, Jamie.”

“Now you definitely want me to leave.”

“Not at this late hour.”

“What about in the morning? Do you still want me to come to your match and meet your parents after I go to my dad’s?”

Perry jolted. “Must you go? If he killed Ritchie, what’s to stop him killing you? He doesn’t need to be healthy to wield a gun.”

“I’m safe with him.” Jamie’s voice was strangely serene. “I understand that’s hard to believe—I wouldn’t have believed it myself a few months ago—but I just know it.”

“What about his associates?”

Jamie gave a soft laugh. “They wouldn’t dare touch the Prince of Provanpark.”

“The what?”

“It’s a joke. Sort of.” Jamie brushed his fingertips over Perry’s arm, briefly. “What I need to know is, shall I come back to you tomorrow? Are we okay, me and you?”