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"Want a beer?" Gary asked.

"Sure."

Gary gave each of his kids a kiss and a hug before they followed Jessica over to the minivan in front of the house.

"Let's go inside." Gary led him into the house, which Tyler could see was still in the same renovation stage as it had been a year ago. "Yeah, yeah, I know," Gary said, following his gaze to the still unplastered framed doorway leading into the living room. "I haven't finished that yet, but I've been busy."

"I saw Jessica's bump; I know how busy you've been."

Gary laughed as he led him into the kitchen. "What can I say? For some reason, Jess still finds me irresistible." He opened the fridge and pulled out two beers and tossed him one.

Tyler took a seat at the island and popped the top, taking a good long swig as Gary gave him a contemplative look.

"It seems like you needed that, Ty."

"I did. I do," he added, taking another drink.

"What's going on? You're dirty and you reek of smoke. I know you didn't just drop by to catch up."

"I do want to catch up," he said, feeling guilty that so many months had passed since they'd last seen each other.

"But…"

"Jack is in trouble."

Gary's expression shifted. "What else is new?"

"Someone tried to kill him today."

"What? Okay, back up. Start from the beginning."

He took another sip, then said, "Jack collapsed on the street near my apartment last night. EMTs took him to East River Veterans Hospital. Apparently, he had to be sedated after waking up angry and incoherent. They admitted him. He disappeared a couple of hours later when the fire alarms went off for a fire in the stairwell."

"That doesn't sound like a coincidence."

"No, it doesn't. Today, I went to his apartment, and his front door was booby-trapped. Thankfully, we heard a click and got far enough away to avoid major harm when the explosion occurred. Jack wasn't home, but if he'd opened that door, he'd be dead."

"You said we," Gary said curiously. "Who was with you?"

"A doctor from the hospital. She was worried when Jack disappeared last night. She's also the one who found a note that Jack dropped with my name and address on it. She came to see me this morning, and that's where we are. Have you been in touch with Jack this past year?"

"Yes. He called me about three weeks ago. Said he wanted to reconnect. Asked me for your phone number and address, in fact. I didn't see a reason not to give it to him. Maybe that was a mistake."

"I was wondering how he got my address. But I'm more concerned with what's happening now."

Gary slid onto the stool across from him. "What is happening now?"

"I have no idea, and there's a part of me that doesn't want to know."

"But the bigger part of you can't not know," Gary finished.

"I don't owe Jack anything."

"I didn't say you did, Tyler. But I know you. When someone is in trouble, you can't walk away."

"I can let the police handle this."

"Can you?"