Barbers

Aaron blinked at Sam’s comment, and just cocked his head for a moment before his typical quirky smirk appeared. “I can’t help it they won’t let me have a pair of scissors around here.” He looked upward and crossed his eyes, able to see the tips of his own hair. He touched his chin. His beard had gotten rather unruly, too. “I’d hardly say shaggy yet though,” he countered. “Almost. But not quite.” 

He’d always kept himself very well kept while on duty…not only was he sitting here wasting away, but feeling like this was driving him nuts. He just hadn’t said anything because he knew no one else would care. Unless…Sam would? 

“Don’t know any barbers who would make a house call to a prisoner do you?” He shook his head and took the last fry out of the container, disappointed that was it. Sam would leave. It would be back to him and his magazines again. 


Justin smiled a little, appreciating Hope’s attempt to make him feel better. He did have to admit they could make a good team. She had a softer touch than he did, which made her good at her job. He was better suited for the rougher edges since he was usually rougher himself. But…any hope for future teamwork was over.

Taking advantage of the fact that she could use some coffee, he excused himself to go get two cups. The time away didn’t matter though. When he came back a few minutes later and sat back down again after handing her the warm drink, his mind was still stuck exactly where it had been.

After blowing a little on his own coffee and taking a sip, he sighed. “How do you do it?” he questioned. “Work for the Elite, I mean. My…involvement…got an innocent girl murdered. She’s dead because of me. Because I decided to work with the Elite. If I hadn’t made that decision…she’d still be alive, and the most important woman in my life wouldn’t now have a gaping hole in her heart. How can Reese ask me to come back after all that?”


Eli took the paper from Katie and glanced at the number. “Thank you…I really appreciate this. You’ve been a great help.” He stood up and tucked the paper in his jacket pocket. “I’ll give them a call and… I think I’ll talk with Hunter too.” He smiled and nodded his farewell. “See ya around.” As he walked out of her cubicle, he glanced over his shoulder. “You can tell your boyfriend he can come back now,” he mused teasingly. 

Making his way back outside, he mounted up once more and hit the road. He had to get to work before he got into trouble…

“…She does?” Hunter’s eyebrows rose. Ryan really did actually want to go to Texas? He leaned over his open car engine, having been tinkering in his apartment’s parking lot that afternoon when Eli had shown up. 

“Mm-hmm.” Eli nodded as he folded his arms. “Well, at least last night she was pretty interested. Haven’t talked to her about it today.” 

Hunter fiddled with his wrench. What was Eli getting at? And why, all of a sudden, were they his friends? It felt a little odd. “Might be good for her,” he commented before looking back into the engine. “They’ll take good care of her if she does decide to go.” 

“That’s…kind of why I’m here.” 

Ah. There was more. Hunter had thought so. He finally stood up straight and abandoned his work for now. “Shoot.” 

Eli shrugged. “Well, she’s not comfortable driving herself, and I can’t get that much time off work. She doesn’t have anyone else to take her, and bus fare is ridiculous. You…mentioned you were heading that way, and I guess I wondered how you felt about a passenger.”

Hunter’s eyes widened again. “Boy, you don’t waste any time, do you?”

“Nope. I’ll understand if you’re not comfortable with it, but it was worth asking?”

“Naw, it…” Hunter shook his head as he pondered his own quick response. “It’s alright. I mean… if I’m going that way anyway… I don’t see a problem with her tagging along.” 

“Really?”

Hunter chuckled. “You sound surprised.”

“I guess I am a little.” Eli grinned. “This whole thing is…rather awkward and far from typical, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yep, pretty much. But to be honest, if it’ll help Ryan, I’m happy to take her with me.”

Eli studied his face. Katie was right. He was a good guy…


… “Ryan?” Eli got inside the apartment a little later than normal, and greeted Zidan with a loving scratch to the head. “You here?” he called. “Brought Chinese for supper…”