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Declan nodded. “Anything new from Hunt and theFeds?”
“Not last Iheard.”
Declan had enlisted Logan Hunt’s help through an introduction by Nolan Burke, head of the Syndicate’s Boston territory. It had been a long shot, but the information they’d given Hunt had been enough to secure a search warrant for Neil Curran’s apartment. The fact that Neil had disappeared was an embarrassment, but it had also served to make Hunt and his team invested in finding Neil, and that was a win for Declan, even if the Feds hadn’t turned up anything new justyet.
They needed all hands on deck, and between the Feds, the Syndicate’s cyber lab, and Clay’s team, all the bases that could be covered werecovered.
Not that it had done them anygood.
“Morning.” Nick entered the kitchen smelling like soap and expensive aftershave. As usual, he was dressed in a suit, a formal foil to Declan’s jeans and T-shirt. Nick’s dark hair was cut to a length that was neither as short as Ronan’s military-style cut nor as long as Declan’s, overdue for a trip to thebarber.
“Morning,” Declan said. Normally Nick and Alexa were attached at the hip, working and living together and everything in between, but apparently she had something else going on, which was why Nick needed aride.
“Let me just grab some coffee for the road and we can go,” Nick said, pulling a travel mug down from thecupboard.
Declan made small talk with Ronan while Nick made a cup of coffee. Then they were on their way stepping out into the courtyard and heading for Declan’scar.
“How’s Alexa?” Declan asked as he pulled out intotraffic.
“She’s good.” Nick turned his face to the window and hesitated. “We’re thinking about adoptingactually.”
Declan looked over at his brother. “Really?”
Even before he’d learned he was Griffin’s father, it had made him sad to know Alexa couldn’t have kids because of a car accident she’d had as a teenager. Nick and Alexa had never spoken openly about wanting children, but they were so good with John Thomas that Declan had assumed it was in theirfuture.
It was something Declan tried to be sensitive to when he was tempted to wax poetic about the joys of parenthood, a topic he’d never been entirely sure how to broach with Nick. Was it something his brother wanted to talk about or something he wanted toignore?
With Nick you neverknew.
“Why do you sound surprised?” Nick asked, turning his green eyes on Declan as they came to a stop at a redlight.
Declan shrugged. “You never said anything. I wasn’t sure if it was something youwanted.”
“I don’t think we were sure either. That’s part of why we waited. Lex wanted to make sure she didn’t make the decision just to prove shecould.”
“I can see that.” Alexa had been an Assistant Attorney General when she’d met Nick, a woman who had overcome all odds to survive the car accident that had killed her best friend. She’d learned to walk again, had gone to law school, earned a coveted job at the AG’s office. Achievement was coded in her DNA. Like Kate. “What about you? How do you feel aboutit?”
“I’m all in,” Nick said. “I’ve been all in since before she mentioned it. I just didn’t want topush.”
“That’s awesome. You and Lex will be amazingparents.”
Doubt shaded Nick’s eyes. “Youthink?”
“I know. You’re great with JT, and Griff loves you. Have you started the process yet?” Declan asked. “I mean, I don’t know much about adoption, but I guess you have to sign up with an agency orsomething?”
“That’s one way of going about it,” Nick said. “We could also foster with the hope of adopting.” He sighed. “I don’t know. We haven’t done anything but talk about it yet, but we’re open to all the possibilities. The main thing is thehouse.”
“Thehouse?”
“Whatever we decide, the vetting process will be pretty serious. They’re going to want to interview everyone in the house, run background, come and check thingsout.”
Nick didn’t need to elaborate. On paper, MIS was aboveboard, a garden-variety investigative firm with a solid paper trail of paying clients, properly filed tax returns, and a multi-year history of turning a healthyprofit.
But they’d been investigated by the AG’s office after the job that had saved Elise. It was how Nick had met Alexa, and while they’d ultimately been cleared of wrongdoing thanks to the Syndicate’s connections, it was all on record for anyone tosee.
“Won’t the business be a problem regardless of where you live?” Declanasked.
“To some degree,” Nick said. “But the case was dropped by the AG’s office, so I don’t think it’ll be a seriousbarrier.”
