I'll Help You Hide From Them

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I instantly try to grab onto something when I wake up again. I'm surprised to find Kier sitting at the end of my bed, reading some kind of textbook probably for his studies.

"Hey, don't worry. They told me they sedated you because they didn't think you'd get back to sleep after you were attacked." He instantly reassures, looking up from his book to check up on me and calm me down.

I still have a moment of shivering in fear, opening my mouth to speak but only a whimper comes out.

Kier goes back to holding onto my right hand to divert my attention. As much as I'm aware this is what he's doing, it works. "Captain briefed me on what happened last night." He softly tells me. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you."

"He probably would've killed you if you were." I murmur to let him know I don't blame him for what happened.

"I thought that they should've explained to you what was going on before just sedating you." He sighs. "I don't know what they were thinking." He adds.

"At least I woke up." I murmur.

He smiles softly at me, keeping a secure but comforting grip on my hand. Just looking at his gentle expression helps me relax.

He's got the same presence Ralph did.

My lips tug upwards into a smile at the thought but being hospitalised makes it so much easier to remember how he died in more detail than I am comfortable with.

"Is the guy talking?" I distract myself to ask.

"He's denying everything, as expected. He's just someone for hire so we know that the shooter is getting pretty nervous to have you back on the case again. That must mean you're onto something." Kier encourages.

I nod slowly. "I'm sure I might be." I murmur. "There's a leak in the department." I figure out.

"Hey you were just sedated, you should probably wait a while before going that far." He tries to get me to relax.

"There's no other explanation for it." I recall. "Either you, Ryan or the captain are inadvertently or knowingly leaking information to the shooter." I calculate.

"What makes you think that?" He asks curiously.

"You're the only people who knew where the safehouse was, that my home would have security detail, that I've been put back on the case and so on." I list. "Do you have a journal or a diary, something where these details are written down?" I try to interrogate.

"I don't, Drew. Ralph taught me that much. I can't be a cop if I'm keeping a diary because it would violate the privacy of all the victims and witnesses." He recalls.

"Is your phone on you?" I check.

"No, the doctors confiscated it because they don't want the microwaves to interfere with their machinery." He explains.

I look him in the eye for a long time to try to detect just a hint that would show that he's lying or preparing to betray me. He doesn't look away and keeps his eyes fixed on mine. Focusing on his eyes to such detail almost makes it easy to mistake Kier for Ralph.

"Kier, tell me you wouldn't share any information regarding me publicly online or on any platform knowingly." I quietly challenge, trying to stay determined.

He doesn't at all deviate eye contact as he replies. "I promise Drew, I wouldn't ever post anything about you on any platform unless you specifically tell me to do so." He replies, his eyes still fixed on mine as he blinks.

I take a little longer trying to see if I can catch any telling signs but he doesn't offer any.

Either he's telling the truth or he's a pathological liar. I have no reason not to trust him yet. The leak must be somewhere around either the Captain Beveridge or Ryan.

"I believe you." I tell him, breaking the intense eye contact.

"Thank you." He replies genuinely.

I can't help but feel guilty for questioning him like this. I can tell that he knows that I have to be thorough to avoid having another attempt on my life.

"You don't mind staying with me after that, right?" I check.

He smirks. "Of course I don't mind, partner." He cheekily adds. "You're just doing your job and I need you make sure that you trust me if we're going to continue working together. As much as you keep challenging or interrogating me, I wouldn't throw away such an opportunity." He cheerfully adds.

I smile at hearing him say this. "You just have all of the good qualities of your brother. I really value your company." I tell him.

"I'm better looking than Ralph was." He taunts, giggling a bit.

"Ralph had a different charm to you, that's as far as I can see." I point out.

He looks mildly guilty when he hears this. "Sorry, it just slipped my mind that you loved him." He admits. "Again, I must've seemed insensitive."

"Don't worry Kier, I wouldn't find that insensitive. You're only being your usual cheerful self." I reassure. "You are one of the few good people I know so I know you never mean anything that you say through malicious intent."

"It just keeps slipping my mind, first that he's dead and then that he loved you more than anyone." He adds.

"He loved his brother more than he loved me. I know that for sure." I try to reassure him.

He looks slightly upset to be reminded of this. "Even if he did, he should've been loved in return but my own selfishness caused him not to be. I was just so angry at him, I didn't want to see him again. Now he's dead, he's the only thing I want back in my life." He honestly confesses.

I stroke his hand with my thumb tenderly to avoid having him upset himself over this.

His lips curl up into a small but sad smile, letting me know that he's satisfied with this response.