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“Or they could be common thugs running drugs and an extortion racket. Nothing to do with why we’re here,” Charlie countered. He lifted his hands to his companions. “We came here for a very specific job—to solve the mystery of where the Vergara paintings came from and how they ended up in the custody of Ehren’s uncle. We can put that on the back burner to take down the Perez family, but you know that could turn into a much bigger mess than we’re currently equipped to handle.”
“Not to mention, we ain’t getting reimbursed for either job,” West pointed out.
They weren’t hurting for cash to fund their little adventures after they’d gotten handsomely paid in Amsterdam by Soren and his new boyfriend, but it wasn’t like they could blow it endlessly on whatever caught their fancy.
“I say we follow up on the last lead that we have—Francisco,” Charlie suggested.
Kairo tilted his head to look at Charlie, sending a lock of hair across his eyes. He blew at it until it finally moved. “And if it doesn’t pan out, what? We’re just walking away? What about Doc Will? You think he’s gonna be safe? We don’t know if he’s mixed up in dangerous shit, or if he’s an innocent bystander.”
“Doc Will made it very clear that he doesn’t want us anywhere near his business,” Charlie sneered.
“I think the more accurate statement would be that he doesn’t want you near his business,” West smirked.
“And here I thought we were a package deal. You guys set to become a trio so you can protect Will?”
Edison held his hands up. “Geez, Charlie. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. Nobody’s talking about ditching you.”
“Even if Will is way cuter than you,” West said—because one of them had to throw gasoline onto the fire. West had zero interest in Will, but the sniper was excellent at finding the perfect spot to hit for optimal damage.
Charlie narrowed his eyes on the man, and West held his gaze without blinking. There was no one cooler than West. “You done?”
“No, I can keep going. You think Will is single? Or has he found himself a hot Latin papi to take care of him?”
Charlie was out of his chair before West finished speaking, and he wasn’t even aware of it. Both Ed and Kairo caught him as he tried to take a step toward his old friend. West didn’t move a muscle except to widen his grin.
“Enough. Let it go,” Kairo murmured.
“You know West is being a dick because he hasn’t gotten to shoot enough people recently,” Edison added.
Yeah, he knew that. West got restless and he lashed out at the people that mattered most to him rather than dealing with his own issues. Charlie usually didn’t mind being his target. It was just that West rarely ever mentioned Will. It was the most tender spot, the one that Charlie couldn’t remain rational about.
“We’re not leaving,” West announced in a voice closer to his normal grumble. “Even if Benicio Perez and the Perez family have nothing to do with Thiago Vergara, we’ve got to be sure that whoever that Francisco decided to piss off at the restaurant doesn’t decide to strike out at Monroe because he saved that guy’s life. Doc Will might hate your guts, but we still see him as a friend. We look out for our friends.”
Some of the tightness eased in Charlie’s chest so that he could breathe a bit easier. He hadn’t even noticed it until now. He took a step backward, and his friends released him so he could flop into the armchair.
“He doesn’t want our help,” Charlie growled.
Edison snorted. “When the hell has that ever stopped us?”
“Besides, it’s not like Doc Will knows what we’re capable of. He’ll never even see us,” Kairo reassured him. “Just some quiet digging. Maybe a couple of security cameras on the clinic and hidden at his apartment to keep an eye on him. Nothing major.”
When it came to Kairo, the concept of privacy was always a flexible, fluid thing that moved to suit his needs. Charlie wasn’t a fan of invading Will’s privacy, particularly without his knowledge, but a little surveillance would help him sleep at night and keep Will alive. That was a win-win in his book.
“We stay. We dig. Some surveillance,” Charlie agreed. He turned his gaze on Kairo and pointed at his reconnaissance specialist. “No cameras in his apartment or house.”
“Spoilsport,” Kairo muttered.
“Just until we confirm Perez isn’t involved in our mystery and we know that Will is safe.”
There was a chorus of agreement. It felt like it was almost too easy, too eager, but he did not want to think about it.
“I’m getting a beer. Anyone want another?” Charlie asked as he shoved to his feet. He looked over his shoulder to see West shake his head.
