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“Good.” Lavender was watching Atlas and a delighted smile stretched across his face. “I was hoping this wouldn’t sit well with you. I wanted you to feeldeeplyconflicted.”
“You were testing me?” Atlas asked in horror, but Lavender held up a hand as he shushed softly.
“I was protecting a friend.First,” he said, widening his eyes at Atlas. “But if one is going to the trouble, it behooves them to kill as many birds with that stone as possible. Does it not?” Lavender’s head tipped expectantly.
“I guess…”
Lavender laughed softly. “I sent a message and it’s been received. The right people know that Declan Leary is under my protection and they’ve seen what happens if you get too close to Lake Cliff. Chicago is off-limits to anyone who wishes me or mine ill. Andyouknow that Declan is under my protection and truly out from under his father’s and his brother’s shadows.”
“Oh, no…” Atlas returned the pistol so he could scrub his face in distress. “I already feltdeeplyconflicted and like I was blowing it.”
“Blowing it?” Lavender’s brows pinched as his head cocked. “I thought you handled the situation with Speed and Frank Leary masterfully. And I was just telling Paul that you were off to a strong start and seemed to be fitting in rather well.”
That made Atlas a little dizzy. As far as after-action reviews, that was high praise and extremely flattering. But, considering the source…
“Thanks…” He said, then gave his head a shake. “I might be fitting in too well. It took Paulyearsbut I lost my ability to be impartial the moment I met Declan,” Atlas confessed.
Lavender sighed and was sympathetic as he leaned against the counter next to Atlas. “I think you misunderstand why Paul has recused himself and what his expectations are of you. But he should be the one to explain and I suspect that there is much to be learned here. Andthatmight be exactly what Paul has in mind for you.”
“He wanted me to fall in love with Declan and ditch my morals? I never took Paul for a matchmaker,” Atlas said wryly, earning another chuckle from Lavender.
“You fit so well because you see value in the life of someone like Eddie Flanigan, despite knowing he’d never pay for his crimes. A man like that is too dangerous behind bars because he’ll run his mouth to anyone who will listen and the FBI wasn’t going to allow that.”
“No…” Atlas shook his head. “He knew too much and they were lucky he didn’t make any trouble while he did his time with Coonan.”
“Flanigan blamed Winterstone and Leary for that and knew he had to behave if he wanted to get out and get even with them,” Lavender said, then clicked his teeth. “But Speed and I caught up to them first and all that was left was Declan, thanks to the FBI.”
“So, you’ve cleaned up another one of our messes and I owe you?” Atlas asked, but Lavender’s face pinched in offense.
“Shame on you for suggesting I’d ever be that tacky. I don’t need another FBI agent in my pocket, Beesley. Think!” He hissed as he tapped his temple. “I already have vastly better connections!” Lavender became serious and gripped Atlas’s arm. “But I couldalwaysuse another friend that I can trust, whowillpush back when my morals lead me astray. I can only put so much of a burden on my husband and I can’t run…everything by him, can I?” He asked with a cheeky wink.
Atlas laughed, stunned and probably blushing. “All of this means…a lotcoming from you. I was expecting you to tell me to get used to looking the other way if I wanted to fit in, but I think this kind of proves how quickly I’ve allowed myself to become compromised,” he mused out loud. Lavender snorted as he waved it off.
“You wouldn’t fit in if you could remain unbiased and clinical. No one wants to be observed or a case study,agent,” he added pointedly, reminding Atlas thathedidn’t want to be just another federal agent to Lavender and his neighbors.
“You’re right. It’s been eye-opening to see how normal and human you are. Sometimes, I feel like I’m hanging out with Dracula, but then I catch you carving pumpkins with Robin.”
“I can only see that as a compliment.” Lavender’s hand pressed against his tie as he bowed his head. “And I think you’re too hasty to consider your feelings for Declan or the rest of us as a weakness. Ask Paul, Lane, Wilder, Dr. Hawkesworth… Askanyof them if they were stronger before they came here or if they have many regrets. I know that loving Sage has made me stronger and that I’m a much better man for having known Lane and Aiden and the whole ridiculous lot of them.” He tossed his hand vaguely, but Lavender was smiling. “It’s for you to decide if the relationships you build here make you weaker or stronger. But you’re a fast learner and I believe Paul chose wisely.”
“Thanks,” Atlas said, laughing and waving for Lavender to stop. “You’re going to have to make that door bigger if you keep flattering me.”
“Nonsense,” Lavender replied and pointed at the ceiling. “The roof opens. Reginald likes to snoop when I have a new toy and you know what his ego’s like.”
Atlas laughed even harder, then stopped and glanced upward. “Why does that open and who’s selling you new toys?” He asked and Lavender sighed contentedly as he picked up a pistol.
“Let Eddie Flanigan also be a reminder that I prefer to keep you on your toes andsharp, Beesley. I am what I am and you should never forget, especially when I’m not here being normal and human.” He spun the pistol around his finger like a gunslinger, then held up the barrel so he could blow on it. There was a soft whistle as his eyes held Beesley’s. “It would be disrespectful if I were to go easy on you or give you anything less than my absolute best,” he added as he returned the weapon to its spot on the marble countertop.
“Ireallyhope you aren’t challenging me,” Atlas said, almost whimpering as he pressed his hands together. “I don’t need another reminder and I don’t want to see another one of your victims in my morgue. Stop throwing stones,” he said, but Lavender’s dark eyes sparkled as he tilted towards Atlas.
“You won’t stop me. And it’s OK to thank me for Flanigan. I won’t tell.”
Atlas’s lips pulled tight. “I’m never going to thank you for that. I’m glad Declan’s safe, but I would have triedeverythingelse first and put myself between him and a bullet before I would have sanctioned a hit,” he stated.
“That would have been a tragic and useless loss,” Lavender replied. “If it wasn’t Eddie Flanigan, someone else would have gone after Declan unless someone bigger and nastier scared them all off. That’s the way it’salwaysworked.”
“Yeah,” Atlas agreed, his gut sinking to the floor. “I just thought I was going to be the one who changed all of that.”
“And then you learned that what’s always worked, works for you too,” Lavender said sadly. “There will be always be monsters, Beesley. It’s the way of the world and the good guys only win in headlines and in movies. Real life is grinding and relentless and the people who are truly in charge like things the way they are. In fact, they want those monsters out there feeding on the innocent because that’s what worksfor them. And the only remedy for that is someone like me.”
