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I’m just going to pray there aren’t any broken bodies along the way.”
    Brian lowered his head. “No, I didn’t drive. I had a few drinks at a bar downtown and got a ride to Nick’s from a friend. Sat out on the porch and had another few beers there. I didn’t drive.”
    â€œGood. Finish that and I’ll take you home.”
    Brian stared at him, shaking his head. “I know that Nancy came to you all the time. So sometimes I wonder…hell, with everything she must have said…why don’t you just go ahead and tear me to pieces?”
    â€œIt would be illegal for me to kill you. And I’m a cop. That would make it really bad.”
    Brian tried to form a smile; it came out more like a grimace.
    â€œYeah, but you could beat the shit out of me. Self-defense. I’ve given you cause a time or two. Why don’t you do it? Would it make you feel guilty?”
    â€œNo,” Jake said flatly.
    â€œThen…?”
    â€œBecause she loved you. And I loved her.” The other man looked up, startled, and Jake hastened to add, “I didn’t say that I’d slept with her, Brian, just that I loved her. And she always believed there was something decent in you. Damned if I can see it, but it must be there. So…finish that coffee and I’ll get you home.”
    Brian stared at him, bowed his head again and nodded. He drank the coffee and quietly asked for another cup. After that, he went into the head and cleaned himself up a bit.
    Brian had left his jacket at Nick’s; they stopped for it.
    Nick was behind the bar, working with Sharon, the woman he’d been dating for nearly a year, and with whom, Nick had informed Jake, he’d fallen in love. At his age. Love. She tolerated his almost twenty-four-hour work schedule. In fact, it was fine with her, since she was into real estate. She put in long days herself, sometimes—sometimes followed by days and days with little or nothing to do. She liked politics, though, and was planning on learning a lot more. She wanted to run for local office.
    They hadn’t seemed like a pair to hit it off so well. But then, who the hell was he to tell?
    Nick arched a brow when Jake walked in with Brian. “Everything all right?”
    â€œJust fine.”
    â€œCouldn’t be better,” Brian said.
    â€œYou didn’t come for another drink?” Sharon asked Brian warily.
    â€œI’m going to drive Brian home. He left his jacket here. We just came to pick it up.”
    â€œOh,” Nick said, looking from one of them to the other.
    â€œI can drive him, if you like, Jake,” Sharon offered quietly.
    â€œNo, thanks, I’ll get him back home.”
    Brian threw an arm around his shoulders. “Yeah, we’re fine. Jake and me, we’re like brothers.” He grinned. “I’d get him home if he’d had a few too many. You know—share and share alike.”
    â€œLet’s go, Brian.”
    Luckily, Brian remembered directions, since he was in a new apartment. The flight attendant’s name was Norma. She seemed like a decent woman, coming to the door with concern in her eyes when Brian couldn’t quite work the key. Brian managed to introduce Jake without making snide comments. She was nothing like Nancy. Norma was short, fair and incredibly soft-spoken. Jake realized that he’d met her once on a trip upstate; she laughed and told him she remembered him, as well.
    â€œWell, hell, why not?” Brian muttered. Those words brought a frown of confusion to the young woman’s brow, and Jake was tempted to deck him again.
    â€œI’ll get him into bed for you and get his shoes off,” Jake said instead.
    â€œThe first door upstairs,” Norma said. “I think I’ll get him a few aspirin and some water. That might help him tomorrow morning. Did he fall?”
    Jake pretended he didn’t hear. Brian was leaning on him heavily. He