“Would you like to get a cup of coffee?” he asked her. “I have a proposition for you.”
Alex gave him a wary sideways glance, but after examining the smiles on both their faces, she agreed and followed Kelly out of the room.
“What’s that about?” JD asked.
“Kels has a thing for redheads,” Nick quipped. “We’re going to file these reports in the morning, work to start getting your name nice and clear, okay? You’re going to have to answer for some things, including assaulting an officer of the law and discharging a firearm in a public area.”
“I figured.”
“Since I was the officer you assaulted, we can handle that one. National parks are federal territory, though.”
JD blanched, but he nodded. “I’ll . . . I’ll take the punishment. I did it, I deserve it.”
“I got a buddy with some favors owed him in the Bureau,” Nick said. “I’ll see what I can do for you.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Nick.”
Hagan cleared his throat loudly, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
JD chuckled. “And you, Alan. Thank you.”
Nick gave Hagan a melancholy once-over. He would have to tell his partner that he was quitting for good this time. It wasn’t going to be a mental health break like last time. There wasn’t going to be any coming back once he tendered his resignation, once he gave up his badge. His stomach turned at the thought. God, was he really ready to do that? He pushed it aside to worry about later, to talk to Kelly about it further, and turned back to JD.
“I know what you did,” JD said with a smile.
“Oh yeah?” Nick asked. “What’s that?”
“There’s no treasure under that monument. Not in a grave dug by minutemen.”
Nick laughed. “I guess you still have some work to do then if you want to find yourself a Golden and Rosy Cross. Huh?”
“I guess I do. You could have just put me in a cell, let me rot there,” JD said quickly. “You didn’t have to believe me. But you did. You took me in. You trusted me. You saved my life. I can’t thank all of you enough.”
“Well, you can try,” Hagan commented. They all laughed.
“Next book you write.”
“I’ll try to remember that.” JD tapped his temple and smirked.
“And hey, when you get out of here you can take us to dinner,” Nick offered. “Drinks on you.”
“That’s the least I can do,” JD agreed. He was smiling, though there was a hint of sadness to it. “And . . . Nick. You and the Doc don’t work out . . .” He smiled almost shyly, pointing to himself. “My books claim I’m amazing in bed.”
Nick laughed. He patted JD’s arm again. “I wouldn’t hold my breath for that if I was you. I’m going to go before Kelly does something I’ll regret.”
Nick said good-bye to JD, told Hagan he’d see him in the morning, and then left to find his wayward boyfriend. Kelly had probably already recruited Alex, called Emma, signed them up for a trip to Siberia, and gotten on his phone to buy subzero gear.
Nick smiled at the thought, but the smile rapidly turned into a worried scowl, and he quickened his pace. The probability that Kelly was already through half those steps was extremely high.
Well, either way, Nick knew he’d be going along for the ride.