This is Gonna Require a Little Finesse

((Recap))

I looked back to Jack, "I think maybe we shouldn't jump to telling Bobby, or he'll go ballistic. He's still really pissed at you, for what you did earlier."

He laughed, "You're definetally right, I like waking up alive in the morning. We're okay now, right.?"

"No, Jack." I said rolling my eyes. "I kissed you because I'm furious at you. Yes, we're better that okay."

"You've done weirder things." He teased and pecked me on the lips, "You going to bed now?"

"I'm kinda hungry, I'll see you in the morning."

Jack was still asleep in his room when I got up. I stretched, grimacing as pain shot between my shoulders. Shuffling to the bathroom I took a shower, then wiped the steam off the mirror at an attempt to see why my back hurt so much. I couldn't; so I pulled on a pair of light blue jeans and a bright orange sports bra. Gripping a black hoodie between my hands I plummeted downstairs, seeing that Bobby was a little tied up getting his wounds tended to by Sofi ("Ahh!" "You're such a pussy, Bobby." "Give me a break will you?").

So I hoped into the kitchen, "Angel why the hell does my back kill?" I demanded.

"O, now, come on Kari. Nobody needs to see that." Angel groaned shaking his head. He was refering to my lack of clothing.

"Fuck you. And I've got nothing to boast about, shut up. But seriously," I said, turning so my back was to him, "what, is it bruised or somethin'?"

He whistled and touched between my shoulder blades, "Damn! Looked like somebody hit you baseball style with a lead pipe, K." Apparently he didn't know what happened last night when he and the others had arrived home.

"Fan-freakin-tastic." I mummbled, "O...uhhh... Green and the rookie are heading this way."I warned looking out the window. I pulled on my hoodie and zipped it about half way. By this time I could hear Jack moving upstairs, Lazy ass. "Hey, y'all! Police in the house!"

Both Angel and I could hear the two rivals in the other room frantically putting away the first-aid kit. "Get me something to cover my arm. Hurry up!" Bobby was whispering hoarsely.

Green and Fowler stepped through the back doorway, "Angel, Kari. Mind if we come in?" Green asked, voice coated in charlatan sweetness.

"You're already in." Angel pointed out cruelly, he lead them into the dining room. "Cops are always welcome at the Mercers'."

"It makes us feel safe and cozy." I added, although with Fowlers vulture-like characteristics and disparaging eyes, safe and cozy were the last feelings I was getting. Zipping my hoodie to its full extent, I wished I had eight sweaters on between myself and the rest of the world. "Just the way we like it."

The two police officers caught sight of Bobby, as did Angel and I. I slapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my burst of laughter. Bobby stood there in one of Evie's old robes, light purple fuzzy trim, with a satin-like flower print on the rest.

"Ain't you sexy." Green comment, composing himself better than I was able to. I crossed the room with Angel, who sat on the arm of the couch, I stood in the doorway with Sofi.

Sofi clung to my arm, she was obviously worried Angel was going to be arrested. So I patted her arm reassuringly. "Thank you." Bobby said smugly, adjusting the knot of the belt. "Jackie wanted this little number for himself, but I fought him for it." Bobby told the men. Even when he's not here. Really nice, Bobby.

Sofi looked at me, she was the only one in the house that knew about me and Jack. She had a 'are-you-just-gonna-let-him-say-that?' look on her face. I shrugged, what was I going to say, while Green was here, he wouldn't appreciate a family fued over the sex life/orientation of the household.

"What happened to the hand?" Fowler asked, not beating around the bush.

"Did you happen to forget our little conversation we had at your brother's house about not interfering with our investigation?" Green questioned Bobby.

Bobby looked surprised at the wound, as if he hadn't known it was there. "Oh, no, no. This is Turkey Cup, man. Hockey. An old Mercer family tradition."

"Yeah," I cut in, "see: I've got one to match." I held up my hand that was wrapped in the bloody gauze wrapping. "They're too vicious, got a bruise on my back too, from hitting the sideboards."

"You remeber Turkey Cup, don't you, Green? You played hockey. Guys can be pretty rough out on that ice." Bobby pronounced, regaining the attention. By now, Jack had joined me and Sofi at the entrance, he touched the small of my back discreetly, I couldn't help but smile.

Fowler was obviously getting a little hot under the collar and needed the spotlight back on him, "Where's your car, Bobby? It's not outside."

It was safe to bet that at that moment the same thought went through everyone's head: O fucking shit... forgot about that... And for once Sofi saved our asses, I was pretty sure Bobby could have hugged her, "We left it a Jeremiah's."

The mention of the missing Mercer brother snapped all of us back to reality, "Yeah." Angel agreed, "Jerry drove us home. You know, Volvos are one of the safest cars out there. Volvos are incredible, man, when it's a blizzard outside. So we--"

"Fascinating." Fowler interrupted, not sounding fascinated at all. "Hey, Gretzky, you know what this is?" he requested. Between his fingers he held a small bag, marked: EVIDENCE, with, what I guessed was, a brown hair.

"A hair from you wife's tit?" Bobby said sitting on the coach with a smug grin on his face.

"Try from your thick skull. Forensics took it off a pair of contract killers we found dead this morning."

No, they are not.[/] I let out a small giggle at the pathetic attempt they were pulling to get Bobby to talk. Fowler shot a death glare in my direction, I just continued to snicker. Jack obviously didn't trust Fowler, just as much as I; he tugged the hem of my hoodie nervously, the only thing he could do to stop himself from wrapping his arms around me protectively.

"That's an old one, boys. Come on, Green" Bobby said, faining hurt. Green was even laughing a bit -he'd obviously warned Fowler that Bobby wasn't that stupid. "You know when I'll know you got my hair off a dead body, right? When I hear the jailhouse doors close behind me, girls."

Green managed to recompose himself into a more serious cop-like demeanor, "Okay, then you tell me what they told you. You think that these thugs were hired to kill Evelyn, is that it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Green." Bobby said defiantly. I was finally understanding why Jack hadn't wanted to tell me about what had happened. It was so that I wouldn't have to lie to the police if they asked me, so that I wouldn't get in any more trouble because of them.

"Wait, Green, how do you go from petty thug to contract killer?" Angel invited, cockily. "And if they were professional shooters, like you say, they'd have never told us who they was working with anyway." A smile spread of his face, "even if they got one hell of an ass-whupping."

Fowler looked as if he could just shoot all of us right then, "You think you're pretty cute, don't you?" He asks Angel, advancing. "He does. Everbody's a smart guy until I bust them in the mouth." Angel was on his feet now, in the detectives face.

"You gonna bust me in my mouth?" Angel said defiantly, sticking out his chin.

"Hey, cut it out!" I shouted. Everyone in the room converged on the two, trying not to have a fight start.

"Hey. Stop." Green bellowed standing between the two. "Look," he turned his attention to Bobby, "Bobby, if you got something, you give it to me. And if it's something vital, we'll run with it. But don't try and take on Detroit by your damn self."

"If he were, does it look like he's alone?" I asked, Green looked at me warningly, but he didn't scare me, Green's a good man.

"You keep knocking on the devil's door long enough, and sooner or later, somebody gonna answer you." Green finished his little speech as he and his ugly shadow disappeared into the Detroit morning.

Once they had left I'd run upstairs to change into a 'Guns 'N' Roses' T-shirt under my hoodie.
Bobby and Angel were sitting on the couch discussing one of the shooters IDs'. Bobby interrupted conversation by speaking to me, "Hey, you alright Legs? You seemed jumpy earlier, have you talk to Jackie yet?"

I laughed, Bobby was being too nice, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just not a fan of that 'Fowler' guy. And yes, I have, we're cool."

Bobby just looked at me skeptically, but let it go. I skipped into the kitchen and sat next to Jack at the table. "You don't think they're on to us, do you?"

"Us, like US?" Waving a hand between the two of us, "...Or like," he gestured to the rest of the house, " US?" He smiled and kissed me on the lips, "Morning, by the way."

"'Morning. I mean the cops, you don't think they really know, do you?" I was worried for the guys' safety.

"Nah, and Bobby's right. If they had anything they'd woulda made a move by now." he reasured me while shoveling a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

I sighed and sat back. Jack saw that I wasn't convinced and pulled me onto his lap. I snuggled into his embrace and hid my face in his neck. He laughed, "That tickles." I laughed too, looking up at him. Jack pressed his lips to mine, his tongue easily slipping between my lips, learning every portion he could get at. I moaned softly fighting back against him, teasing him. Bobby's voice broke through the house, "Come on, Fairy, let's go!" Jack groaned and rolled his eyes as he slid me off his lap and dumped the last of his cereal in to the sink.

When the two of us arrived in the doorway to the hall, Angel and Sofi were arguing, again. And Bobby wasn't helping, "She's so la vida loca." he grinned at me and Jack.

"Man, don't do that right now." Angel said, obviously tired of his brothers anticts.

"Shut up, Bobby." Sofi hissed. "Don't start with that crap!"

Yep, one big HAPPY family. HA!

"You know what? I want a girlfriend like you." Bobby growled sarcastically, "Can we go now?"
"Angel." Sofi pleaded, "You said this time was gonna be different."

"Ay, chica, you're breakin' mi corazón." Bobby whimpered, holding his chest, Jack and I were laughing at the sight, Bobby was always amusing. Turning to Angel, "She's getting real comfortable here, huh?" Sofi disappeared into the kitchen leaving the four of us there. "What are you doing? I though you was a macho man. A tough guy. You know, it's a real shame that little Jackie's the only one down to ride."

"Hey! I'm fucking going too!" I ordered.

"No, you ain't Legs. Hang out here." Bobby bossed.

"PLEASE, don't leave me here with them." I pleaded. Bobby laughed, and Angel punched me in the arm.

"Let's go, Jackie." Bobby called from the front door. Jack squeezed my hand quickly and smirked at Angel as he stepped past him. "Say goodbye to your big sister, Jackie. Let's go!"

"You gonna leave me too? I just need 15 minutes, man." Angel argued.

As Jack backed out of the front door he teased his big brother, singing: "She's addicted; to what Angel's dick did."

I laughed shaking my head and sprinted upstairs. I closed my door and blasted the radio to drown out Angel and Sofi. Why couldn't they just be PG for once!?

...Bobby better keep Jack outta trouble. I prayed.

I didn't hear the doorbell ring, so Angel had to get it. However, he called me down a minute later, "You always understood shit better than me." he told me.

There was an much older man in the house, with a white-gray moustache, and a stupid looking hat that he insisted on playing with nerviously between his hands. "Uh, yes. I have a question or two about your mother's insurance policy. It's imperative that I speak with Jeremiah immediately. The check is being processed, but nonetheless, some red flags have been raised."

"Wait. What do you mean, 'red flags'?" I asked worriedly, Check... money... Jerry? What's going on?

"Well, it's an unusually high payout for simple life-insurance policy. For the last two years, the premium was paid via check from your brother's bank account. With your brother's criminal record and his business near bankruptcy, well, it's our responsibility to investigate." the agent continued.

"Bankruptcy?" Angel interjected.

"Wait, so Jeremiah's broke?" I gasped. Sofi burst into the room a moment later, waving a roll of condoms in the air, but I barely noticed. Broke? NO money. Shit, why didn't he say...? And life insurance... perfect timing----Jerry wouldn't...As my scrambled thoughts cleared, I realized that Angel and Sofi had disappeared from the room, I could hear Sophie yelling as Angel locked her out on the porch.

"So, how much is our brother getting?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"A little more that $400,000." The old man told me.

"That's crazy." Angel said, running his hand over his shaven head.

Angel and I managed to get away from Sofi in the end. I let Angel drive my car, my mind was still reeling. But Angel broke through my thoughts, "You know, Sofi told me about you and Cracker-Jack."

"Shit. And I was just starting to like her, too. Now I'm gonna have to kill her." I grumbled sarcastically. "Don't say anything to Bobby, he's gonna go ballistic, he wanted me to get outta Detroit."

"So you're staying?" He sounded pleased. "Well I won't say anything... but if Sofi knows, and Bobby starts raggin' on her again..." Angel grumbled, more to himself than anything, letting his voice drift off.

I raised and eyebrow, "I don't know yet... maybe... and are you blackmailing me, Angel Mercer?"

"Huh? Nah, Sofi just likes to talk." he laughed.

I, and the second youngest Mercer brother, strolled through an underconstruction building toward and old friend. "Big Chief." Angel greeted.

'Big Chief' looked up at his visitors, "Angel Mercer. And do my eyes decieve me? Kari Molloy, is that you?" I just smiled.

After a while of not paying attention to what the two of them were talking about, I reentered the conversation.

"I ain't worked for Jerry, for a long time. Not since he started up those luxury condos. High-dollar stuff like that brings in all the gangsters."

"Wait. So you're saying that Jer' got mixed in with some gangsters?" I exhaled.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, just as stunned.

"There's this do-gooder. He's on city council. His name's Douglas. He's the guy who shut down Jerry's warehouse project. He'll know who Jerry got mixed up with."

O shit Jerry. What have you done?

"I think this should be something we look into before we tell Bobby." Angel said, he'd been thinking hard about this. I nodded in agreement.

The two of us arrived late to find Bobby and Jack at the dinning room table, guns spread out on its entirety.

"Looks like Santa came early." I grinned. Hoping onto the table I leaned over Jacks shoulder to look at the camera in his hand, I could see him smile as I rested my chin on his shoulder. I pointed confusedly at the digital screen, "Hey, isn't that..."