stiff breeze would shatter her into a million pieces.
Ten hoped the evidence he collected today, combined with Ronan’s efforts on television, would shake loose a new lead in this case. The Washingtons deserved justice.
And peace.
9
Ronan
Ronan was staring at himself in the bathroom mirror at West Side Magick. John Jameson and his film crew were already there and setting up in the reading room. He looked fine, but was nervous about speaking on camera. It had been a while since he’d last taken questions from the media.
He’d done it hundreds of times in the course of his career with the Boston Police Department, but this felt different. Deep down, he’d known every case he’d spoken to the media about was consequential, but he also knew a stack of other cases were waiting on his desk. In this instance, the Washington case was the only one that mattered.
Glancing at himself one last time. Ronan headed out of the bathroom. Ten was waiting for him next to the door. “Shit, did you have to go?”
“No,” Ten snorted. “I’m fine. I just wanted to make sure you were too. They’re ready for us.”
“Us?” The last Ronan knew, he was going to be interviewed alone.
“John told me that women respond more favorably to me and it would be a help to have me there with you.” Ten’s cheeks pinkened as he spoke.
Ronan raised a skeptical eyebrow at his husband. According to the gossip page in The Boston Herald, John Jameson was a player, showing up to events with a different man on his arm each time. Ronan hoped the suave TV reporter didn’t have his roving eye on Ten.
“Oh, please.” Ten rolled his eyes. “Not with a stolen dick, Ronan.”
Ronan burst out laughing. Ten’s line was a take on an old George Carlin joke about someone being so ugly, George wouldn’t fuck her with a stolen dick. “He is pretty handsome.”
“So then you fuck him. I’m going home to my daughter and Dixie tonight, with or without you.” Ten waggled his eyebrows.
“No one’s fucking anyone,” Truman said on an exasperated sigh. “John is ready for you both. The GoFundMe page is all set up and ready to go. Cassie and I named it Skye’s Saints, figuring the name would draw more people to the page.”
“Good plan,” Ronan agreed. “Wish me luck.”
Truman gave him a quick hug. “Ten is sober as a judge and you look like you’re about to have a litter of kittens. Are you okay?”
Ronan nodded. “There’s so much at stake, Tru. You should have seen the Washingtons’ house. Skye’s pink hoodie is still on the back of her chair at the dining room table. It’s been there for thirty-five years.”
“Carson and I already donated the first thousand dollars to the GoFundMe. We’re here to do anything we can for that family.”
“That means a lot. Make sure to stand where I can see you. I won’t be so emotional with you standing behind the camera.”
“You got it.” Truman headed off.
“You’re going to be just fine.” Ten reached up to straighten Ronan’s blue tie.
“Every time I think about Skye, I think about Everly.” Ronan could feel his emotions quickly rising to the surface.
“I know you do. So do I. We’ll talk about this later when we’re alone, but in the meantime, you need to dig deep and find your inner strength. People are going to reach out and help this family, but only if we can deliver a clear and concise reason as to why they should.”
Ronan knew Ten was right. “I’ll keep it together.” He took Ten’s hand and pulled him along toward the reading room. Cope, Carson, and Cole were standing in the door.
“Break a leg, guys.” Cope grinned.
Nodding, Ronan walked into the reading room. It looked mostly the same, aside from the lights set up around the room. “Hey, John.” Ronan held his hand out to the handsome television reporter.
“Good to see you again. You too, Tennyson.” John shook with them both.
“Did you know that interview you did with Ten after he helped the Scituate police find that missing boy was what brought us together?” Ronan felt himself getting emotional simply remembering that day in the breakroom. He’d spilled coffee on his pants and had gone into the kitchen to clean himself up. The television had been on and tuned to Channel 5 where Ten was being hailed as a hero. Ronan thought it was a crock of shit, until he realized how helpful a psychic could be with the yet-unsolved