"This is Detective Schanke. I figured you'd want to hear the latest news on the case."
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"The girl we arrested for killing John D. Pickpocket turned out to be innocent. Nick is going to attempt to smoke out your fugitive by using her as bait. Nat's taking her home from the hospital this evening."
"Thanks for the update."
"No problem, glad to help. Let me know tonight if you make any progress toward finding your friend."
"I'll do that. Bye." No sooner had he hung up the phone than there was a knock at the door. "Now who--?" The call had awakened him sufficiently to allow him to pull on jeans and a sweatshirt in a reasonable amount of time. He opened the door, not knowing quite what to expect.
Mace stood outside, appearing haggard and tired but still grinning broadly. "Rise and shine, Dare! Long time no see." He pulled his ex-partner into an exuberant bear hug, complete with back-pounding and inarticulate expressions of greeting.
"Mace! What happened to you? How did you find me here?"
"Long story, easy answer. I followed you."
"You followed me?"
"Yeah, from the Raven. I was watching the place, hoping Graham would show up, and you walked right in."
"Graham is a fugitive?"
"Yep. I thought I'd give you an assist."
Darien struggled hard to keep his exasperation in check. "Mace, what were you going to do with him if you caught him? You don't have any TXP! You couldn't send him back."
Mace shrugged, unfazed. "I'd've thought of something."
Darien groaned. "Never mind. Just tell me what happened to you night before last."
Mace had the decency to look sheepish. "I was robbed."
"I know that. Why do you think I came here? Dammit, Mace, I thought you were dead."
That gave the other man pause. "Dead? Sure, I was knocked unconscious for a few minutes, but dead?"
Wearily, Darien told him the whole story, from the time SELMA found out about the homicide to the present. "Wow," was all the response Mace could give.
"Exactly. Now the police have CINDI, Graham has been alerted to your presence, and--"
"Hey, hey, amigo, calm down." He made placating gestures. "It's not so bad. Look, they'll have to return CINDI to me, since she's mine, and Janette has an 'in' with the police, she'll help us out. I bet she can even get us access to Graham, once the police nab him."
"Great. Let's go talk to her."
"Oh, not right now."
Darien took several deep breaths. Perspective. He had to have perspective. A few short hours ago he was grieving over his friend...he shouldn't be fantasizing about wielding the knife himself. "Why not?"
"Janette is something of a night person."
Darien threw his hands up in surrender. "That's it. I've had enough. I'm sending you back. You have been nothing but trouble from the first time I set eyes on you. You've gotten me into the middle of a mess I didn't need, and your actions have been completely irresponsible." He turned toward the nightstand on which he had left his PPT.
Mace crossed his arms over his chest. "Now tell me how you really feel."
Darien halted like a man poleaxed. He stood frozen for several moments, then sank slowly into one of the hotel chairs and rested his head in his hand. "I blamed myself. If I had sent you back in the first place, as I should have, you wouldn't have died. My mistake cost you your life."
"Oh?"
"I couldn't stop thinking about the cases we'd worked together and how much I would miss knowing you were out there somewhere. Despite being such a pain, you're a good friend, and I don't want to lose that."
"Me neither, partner. Me neither."