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CHAPTER 25 - IF HE COULD TURN BACK TIME...AND OFF TO BLIGHTY WE GO!

 

MICHAEL’S HOUSE - FOUR DAYS LATER

 

LOUNGE

 

MICHAEL

 

I sigh crossly as, yet again, Mercy’s phone rolls over to voicemail. Ethan has called me a few times about his watch, but I can’t give it to him until I get it from her. She’s been like a ghost these last couple of weeks. I give this some thought and realise that the person who should be fixing this problem is not me, it is Barnabus. He was the one that gave the watch away, so he should be the one to get it back. The relief that I don’t have to have another somewhat tense conversation with Mercy floods through me, I reach for my phone, but he also doesn’t pick up.

 

“Hmm, I wonder if they are at the office cramming ideas?! I could just drop by to say hi…”

 

My phone rings and it is Ma. I am tempted to just send her to voicemail, as I have other more important things to do, however, as I have a spare minute or two, I put her on speaker and then pick up Lindsay's script. “Ma, hi, how are you?”

 

“Great. You? What do you want?”

 

I frown at the screen. “What do you mean, what do I want? You called me, or don’t you remember that in your advancing dotage?”

 

“I am in full control of all my faculties. I am calling on behalf of Mercy, as her PA, wanting to know why you are blowing her phone up? !”

 

“Blowing up her...what do you mean, PA? What is going on?”

 

“As I said, Mr Novotny, I am her PA, and Mercy is currently between continents, and she does not wish to be disturbed. Now is there a message I can take?”

 

“No, there isn’t. And where exactly is she?”

 

“That is on a need to know basis...and as there is no message, I bid you arrivederci!” She hangs up before I can say anything, so I dial her number instead. “This is the voicemail of Debs Novotny, PA to Meredith Mercedes and co-owner of Liberty Avenue Diner. Sorry I can’t take your call at the moment. If the call is pertaining to Ms Mercedes, then please dial 487-298-1626. If not, please leave a message.”

 

“Ma, this is Michael. When the hell did you become Mercy’s PA? Call me back immediately!” Then I realise something and dial again, this time jotting down the number. I check the time and decide to try Barnabus again; he picks up chuckling. I wait for him to stop, but the chuckling turns to distinct sounds of kissing, so I switch to speaker. “That is so rude! Stop that immediately, and…”

 

“Michael, what do you want?”

 

I freeze because that is Mercy’s voice! “What are you doing? Ma said you were between continents.”

 

“I am. Caleb is originally from Australia, and Barney is from the USA. Since I am lying between them...I am between continents.”

 

I hang up.

 

ESMERALDA SKYES PICTURES - TEN MINUTES LATER

 

MERCY’S OFFICE

 

MERCY

 

I hand Emmett the tissue so he can mop up his tears of laughter. “Oh my goodness, how the hell did you come up with that?!”

 

“As I said, I can be whip and bitch smart depending on whom I am talking to. So why is he calling you?”

 

“No idea.” Barney replies, shaking his head. “That was just genius, though could’ve done without watching you and Caleb make out!”

 

“Pfft! Call him back…” The room goes quiet as I begin to pace. “...he has been blowing up my phone, and now he is…” I pause as Brian and Justin come in then swallow hard. We are all holding our breath. “What did the doctor say?”

 

“That there is hope.” Brian replies quietly, but Justin is struggling not to cry.

 

“Look, you guys have found each other now…” Ben begins to console. “...and…”

 

“A big fat 80% chance that I will get all my memories back.” He interrupts. “This calls for a box of La Flor de Antillas...” I almost snatch the box out of his hands. He laughs, then hands Justin his handkerchief. “...robusto. Justin, stop crying and go fix your face, I won't light without you. Daph, Chris, can you…” With wobbly smiles they lead Justin out.

 

BATHROOM

 

CHRIS

 

“Can you tell us now?” I ask Justin as he finally stops crying. “One minute you were in the loft, the next you were running indoors to pack. Your folks were fuming!”

 

“I called them when we got there, but we had to go as that was the earliest appointment. He...he, I mean Brian, asked me why I kept moving about?”

 

“In bed? You and Chris have that in common, he fidgets too.” Daph turns to the knocking door then takes the glass that is pushed through. “And this is? Oh, okay, another ten minutes.” She tells the person on the other side. “Cognac. So the fidgeting?”

 

He takes a sip and sighs. “No, on Liberty Avenue. He asked why I kept moving when I was busking.”

 

“Moving when you were...you mean he saw you before you saved him?!” I gasp and take the glass off him and almost knock it back. “How long before?!” I croak at the burn.

 

His shoulders slump slightly. “That he can't remember, but…” He grins. “...he does remember the guitar as being the most hideous looking thing ever, but never has something so ugly made such beautiful music. He said the one he saw in the hospital was much nicer.”

 

“We need to go back!” Daph exclaims. “Come on!”

 

Our crashing through the office door stops all conversation. Daph grabs her phone and starts to scroll through.

 

“What are you looking for?” Justin joins Brian on the sofa and I sit next to him.

 

“Mackleson's number; got it!”

 

“Mackleson?” Caleb frowns. “Who’s that?”

 

I sit bolt upright as it hits me. “The guy he buys his guitars from! Daph, you freaking genius!”

 

“Let's hope he’s...hi, Mackey, it's Daph! Yeah, Justin friend, good, all good, how’s business? Look, can you remember or have a record of when we got that monstrosity of his guitar replaced after it got crushed on the subway?!”

 

“Monstrosity?! That played beautifully!”

 

“And was very ugly, four trains it took!” Daph grumbles. “But finally got that thing busted!”

 

“You broke my guitar?” He looks so wounded that I snort.

 

“Bigger picture, Justin, trying to get a timeline!”

 

“Timeline?” Ben looks up from clipping the cigars with Mercy who looks as puzzled as the rest of them.

 

“J said that Brian saw him on the Avenue with that hideous guitar but can't remember when, so…”

 

“If we get the date, then…” Brian begins and reaches for his glass.

 

“Okay! Thanks, Mackey!” Daph hangs up and inhales then exhales slowly. “You were shot on the 14th March, right?” We all nod. “That was replaced in January, so you saw him at least three months before.”

 

“And?” Brian prompts and Ben gasps. “What? Ben?”

 

“The busker, Justin is the busker!”

 

“Yeah, we know that…” Barney begins, and then goes still. “...Jesus! He’s the busking bubble butt blonde you were going to nail!”

 

“Exactly!” Ben shouts. “You were locked on the busker, as you called him, on sight but you wanted to take your time!” He babbles. “...and warned off a couple of guys!”

 

“Hey!” Justin exclaims.

 

“I was an asshole about that in those days, I am not now.” Brian's reply mollifies him a little. “Besides, those who were circling would not have given you the patience you needed then. You were this little flower who just wanted to sing and play music, and…”

 

“...you were protecting me?”

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

 

“I did wonder why nobody was interested in me. I mean, not one person, well apart from Dead Dixon.”

 

“How’d you mean nobody was interested? Not even in college?” Mercy starts to hand the cigars around. “Look at you, you're beautiful.”

 

“Thanks. Everyone in school suspected, but I never came out, and I got hit on. But when I came out, all interest died, well most, he was plain obsessed.”

 

“Oh for...Michael, what do you want?!” Barney barks into his phone. “Yes, we have finished, but she’s sleeping. Seems she got fuckered out. Why yes, I have been speaking to Ben and Drew. Now, the point of your call? The watch? What about it?” He frowns and looks at Mercy. “Why am I asking her that? You're back in touch with that guy? No, I am not jealous, just surprised after he left so quickly, you know, after you topped him then tried to do sultry and ended up sulking. Now excuse me, I have ass to plough!”

 

BARNEY

 

I grin around the room. “Guess what Michael wanted to ask me?”

 

“How could I do a threesome?” Mercy huffs, her eyes flashing. “Not that this is any of his flaming business!”

 

“Well that too, but he wants the watch back, because the guy who left it asked him to get it.”

 

“Has it been authenticated as Brian’s?” Justin whispers.

 

“Blake is still working on it, and as for the bullet...that will take a few more days to come through.”

 

“Why is it taking so long?” Ben rightly complains, but then scowls. “Are you stalling…” He eyes me suspiciously. “...are you sure it is with Blake?”

 

“I thought you were past this, Ben!” I sigh. “I am a gay ex-cop who is trying to right a wrong. This was not investigated properly. The watch is with Blake, Caleb gave it to him, you were there. The bullet is taking time because the best guy in the business is working on other things. He is doing this a favour for me. I want whoever this is as much as you all. Kinney didn't deserve that, nobody does.”

 

There is silence as we all look at Ben, before he nods. “Sorry, but you can…”

 

“Understand? Absolutely, but I am not at fault in this. Michael is.”

 

“Michael is at fault for most things!” Brian grouches. “So that is it? The last angry-ex accusatory question?”

 

“Yes, the last.” Ben gets up and puts out his hand so I shake it. “But I am still gonna have a pop at Michael whenever I see him.”

 

“In that case…” Mercy looks up from her phone. “...we should go. He is on his way to the house.”

 

“Go? Who is? What house?” I frown like everyone else.

 

“Michael. Looks like he is on the way to where he thinks I live.” She is looking very smug and amused. “Oh sorry, forgot to say that I left my car outside the old place, and Michael has passed by a couple of times.”

 

“Jesus! And he has always been like that with you?!” Chris grouses. “Uh, how do you know that he is going there?”

 

“GPS tracker in his car. A rather fine idea by Caleb.” She kisses his cheek. “Now come on, guys, we have to go back and pack. All of us are going to London. Now, let me finish. Because I said we would, so this is just earlier, and…” The realisation hits us at the same time and she gasps. “...when was the threesome?”

 

“After Kinney got shot.” I pause and swallow down the revulsion of the memory of his callousness. “Michael was feeling neglected, because you, Ben, were spending all the freaking time God sends being Florence at Brian’s bedside...unquote.”


 

 

Chapter End Notes:

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