Drink Me

23. IT'S BETTER IN THE DARK

IT'S BETTER IN THE DARK

As those words sunk into Riley's brain, a shiver of anticipation crossed his body.

He had relegated his suspicions to the back of his overstimulated brain as the prospect of becoming a father had eclipsed all other matters. But now that he had the password, Aidan's implication in his recruitment was very much high in his list of hot topics.

"What about?" Riley asked cautiously.

Aidan took his glass and nodded towards the balcony, prompting his cousin to follow him.

Riley's heart beat fast as he walked behind Aidan, and he welcomed the chilled air of the evening on his face.

Aidan scratched his chin, evidently buying time as thoughts crammed into Riley's brain without a break.

Is he going to tell me?

Maybe I was wrong all along...

"I need you to look into something for me..." Aidan said eventually in what was little more than a whisper.

All five senses in Riley piqued as an uncomfortable feeling rose in the pit of his stomach.

"What do you mean?"

Aidan took a quick sip of wine, which Riley doubted he had the time to taste.

"I need a profile check on someone..." Aidan explained.

Riley blinked, his untouched wine still in his hand. "Who?"

But Aidan shook his head. "I can't tell you until you agree."

Riley's eyebrows knitted together, and he studied his cousin, trying to detect the slightest sign of amusement for the joke he was saying. But Aidan was dead serious.

Riley finally took a sip of wine. "Is it for work?" he offered.

Aidan shrugged slightly. "Something like that."

"Why don't you just have one of your PIs do it?" Riley suggested. "Legally," he added then, with emphasis.

But Aidan shook his head with determination. "We have, but we need something more thorough, something they can't get to. Legally."

At that Riley scoffed, almost offended by Aidan's request. "Aid, I could go to prison!"

And I don't want to push my luck with the agency...

"Well, I'm a lawyer..." Aidan stated matter-of-factly.

Riley's eyes widened at the audacity of his cousin's implication.

But then Aidan tittered. "OK, OK, I know, it was a long shot. Let's just talk hypothetically then," the man said. "Could you do it?"

Riley relaxed and took another sip of wine. "Hypothetically? Yes, I could."

Well, I have. But Aidan doesn't need to know.

Unless he already does.

"Discretely?" Aidan asked.

"Yes. Unless somebody was purposely watching me..." Riley replied, observing his cousin's reaction to those words.

Aidan nodded and the faintest smirk appeared on his lips.

The two men were silent for a moment, tasting the expensive Merlot in their glasses.

"Would it be a quick job?" Aidan probed again.

"Fairly," Riley replied simply.

Aidan nodded, apparently satisfied by his answers, but Riley was anything but content with their conversation.