Chapter 10

Cassidy was curled up contentedly on Garrett’s lap in his office back home when Holly burst into the room. Cassidy fairly jumped off him – didn’t need *that* to be the new teatime discussion.

Holly, however, didn’t seem to notice. “He’s dead,” she choked, looking at her son.

“Mom? Who? Who’s dead?” Garrett asked, getting up and walking around the desk to his mother.

“Your father. Your father’s dead, they killed him…”

“Who told you?” Garrett demanded, picking up his phone. “I need to know what the hell went wrong.”

“One of his people. One of the men we sent with him. The car exploded, they never actually made it to the contact…”

Cassidy felt suddenly sick again… Nathan had taken Garrett’s car.

“Fuck.” Garrett muttered putting the phone down. “Mom…you should probably go lie down. I’m….” Garrett paused. What was he going to do? Nathan had still been in the process of helping Garrett make the transition to the head of the organization…but what was he supposed to do with something like this? How was he supposed to handle it? “I’m going to have to talk to some people…” He ran his fingers through his hair and hesitated before giving his mother a comforting hug. “Get some rest.”

Holly was openly sobbing now. For all her peculiarities, she had loved her husband dearly.

Cassidy felt a sudden pang, knowing how she’d feel if it had been Garrett in the car. She got to her feet and made sure Holly made it upstairs before she went back to the office. “Garrett?”

“Yeah?” He said distractedly, having just hung up the phone again. “Damnit. I was supposed to be at that meeting today…”

“Well… we should just be glad you didn’t both go…” Cassidy watched. He looked… lost, she realized. Rather bewildered. She softly kissed his cheek. “What can I do to help?”

“Honest to God, Cass, I’ve got no idea.”

“Sit down,” she advised in a gentle tone. “I think it’d help.”

He paced the room for a second before sitting on the couch. “What the hell am *I* supposed to do?”

“You talked to security? It was your car, Garrett, they’re trying to kill you.”

“I know, and I did…we’ve got a mole somewhere at the bottom of the organization…one of the mechanics maybe…someone who’d have access to any of the cars. Security’s running a full check on everyone.”

“And you’ve dealt with your mother. I’ll talk to the kids later, for once they’re all sleeping and I don’t think we should wake them up right now.”

“I…should make arrangements…for the memorial service.”

“Did somebody call the contact he was meeting?”

Garrett nodded.

“Then it might be safe for you to react right now. He *was* your father, you know.”

“There’s something else I have to do…I just don’t know what it is.” He buried his head in his hands.

Cassidy sat next to him, gently rubbing his shoulders. “Shh,” she soothed. “It’ll keep until you remember.”

“I can feel it. There’s something I’ve gotta do right away…”

She continued to rub his shoulders, trying to soothe him.

“Damnit, Cassidy…why’d it have to be him?”

“Garrett, it was a horrible thing to happen to anybody… I’m just selfish enough to be glad it was him and not you… who would you have rather had it be?”

“Gavin….fuck!” Garrett got up and picked up the phone, dialing his brother’s number.

“I told you not to call me from your office. In fact, I think I told you not to call me at all,” Gavin said by way of greeting.

“Dad’s dead, Gav.” Garrett told his brother, ignoring his greeting completely.

There was a moment’s pause. “What?”

“On a way to a meeting…the car exploded…dad died in the explosion.”

“I don’t want details,” Gavin said sharply. “Just… tell me when the service is.” Gavin hung up.

Garrett stared at the phone before slamming it down. “That fucking, ungrateful asshole.” He muttered darkly.

“What did he want?” Grace asked Gavin, having heard his greeting when the phone rang.

“What’d he do?” Cassidy asked, having gotten up to stand by Garrett’s chair. She was very aware that he’d need her more than usual right now.

“Dad’s dead,” Gavin said flatly.

“Acted like his usual self and like it didn’t even matter.”

“Oh no…are you okay?” Grace asked, trying to decipher his expression.

“I don’t know… Garrett’s all business, of course, probably glad he doesn’t have a babysitter anymore.”

“I’m sure it matters to him…” Cassidy sighed.

“Yeah…I’m sure.” Garrett replied dryly. “About as much as it matters if I ever call the little bastard again.”

Grace sat down next to him. “You need anything?”

Cassidy gently tugged on his hand, leading him out of the office and upstairs, where she gently pushed him down onto his stomach on the bed. She sat by his side. “You need to rest, yourself.”

“No… I don’t think so.” Gavin looked rather forlorn.

“I can’t…I’ve got to make arrangements.” Garrett protested.

“Want to take a break for a bit? You’ve been working on that case for a few hours, now.”

“Guess I should,” Gavin said.

“Baby… please don’t take this wrong, but he’s not going anywhere, the arrangements will keep.” Cassidy played with his hair soothingly.

“I can’t…. I can’t not be doing something. I can’t let the work pile up.” Garrett sat up.

“Come on…we’ll get you something to eat or something.” Grace pulled him up and into the kitchen.

Gavin just let her lead him.

“Shh.” Cassidy gently but insistently pushed him back down. “You’re not going to get an awful lot done right now. You need to just be still.”

Garrett gave up and just lay back down, realizing she was right.

“Come here.” Grace pulled Gavin into a hug. “You are allowed to be sad…” She told him softly.

“I honestly don’t know if I am,” Gavin admitted.

Cass smiled a little bit. “That’s it. Just rest,” she soothed, playing with his hair. “That’s better.”

“No…no… I can’t.” Garrett got off the bed and left the room. He walked back down to his office. He had to keep working…it wouldn’t do to let a personal matter interrupt.

“Well…” Grace paused for a second. Not like they’d been part of the close knit family anyway. “I don’t know…what do you want to do? Get something to eat? Get some sleep?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

Cassidy flopped out on the bed herself. Garrett didn’t want the fussing, but that left her with nothing to do but dwell on Nathan’s death herself… the way at first he hadn’t been quite sure about her but once he’d accepted her, how he’d been determined to defend her… how he’d always been so supportive of her and Garrett… She rolled over onto her side. If Garrett hadn’t cried, certainly she wasn’t entitled to. But it was wrong that no one but his wife would shed tears for Nathan Spencer.

~*~*~*~

The service was a fairly simple and quiet one. Aside from Holly’s open, dramatic sobbing, it was a nice memorial service for Nathan Spencer. Garrett sat like a piece of stone, Cassidy by his side. About halfway through she reached for his hand, but he brushed her off. The children sat quietly, even little Michael, who had never sat still for over fifteen minutes in all his short life. Gavin, meanwhile, had opted not to sit with his brother and mother.

While he refused to sit with him, Grace had somehow coaxed him into sitting a few spots away from them, and still remained in the front row.

After the service, Holly approached Grace wearing a dark expression. “This is your fault,” she hissed.

Grace raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I had anything to do with this?”

“You’re a little good for nothing, you’re passing on information, you’re probably still cozying up with your nasty father for chats once a week while my not-so-terribly-bright son is at work. You killed him… it’s *your* fault Nathan’s dead…”

“You’re delusional.” Grace replied coldly. “If my father ever *saw* me again he’d kill me on the spot because I killed his son. I wouldn’t want to go see him anyway.”

“Leave her be,” Garrett said sharply, sounding much older than he had a short week ago.

Holly turned to him. “Of course you want me to be nice to her… sleeping with your brother’s wife… your father wouldn’t have dreamed of misusing *me* like you are your poor wife…”

“Shut it, mother.” Garrett snapped. “This is not the time or the place to be discussing it, and for the sake of dad’s memory, just leave it the hell alone and go wait in the car.”

“You never denied it,” Holly told him coolly before she walked off to the car.

There was an intense sadness about Cassidy that hadn’t been there a week ago as she picked up her youngest child and led the rest down and out of the building.

Garrett sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Gavin…can I talk to you? Outside?”

Gavin nodded curtly and followed his brother out. It wouldn’t do to tell Garrett off in the church.

“Gav…I can’t do this alone. I need you to come back.” Garrett told his brother. It was as close as Garrett would get to beg for his brother’s help.

“I think I made it pretty clear that I was finished with our dear family’s trade, Garrett,” Gavin said firmly. “I’m not coming back just because you’re in over your head.”

“You might as well be finished with the family too. Where the fuck were you after I called? At home, fucking your little whore?” Garrett snapped. “I’m your brother, and I’m asking for your help.”

“Guess I’m done with the family, then. Maybe I’ll change my name to something that’s not associated with biological warfare,” Gavin said.

Garrett slammed his fist into Gavin’s jaw, suddenly wanting to hurt him, very badly. “You ungrateful son of a bitch.” He barked.

Gavin managed to stay on his feet, though he’d hardly been expecting Garrett’s attack. “You know something, big brother? You’re even more of a prick than usual.” Gavin walked back into the church to Grace.

Garrett stalked off toward the car. “Cassidy, let’s go,” he said sharply as she started getting the girls into the car.

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