“Oh, right,” he said, lowering his voice. “Sorry. Happens all the time, though. Pilots get cocky.”
She shook her head. Sometimes it was like he completely forgot about other people’s feelings. “Honestly, Mike. You’ve spent too much time living with gangsters. Where are your manners?”
“I said sorry!”
Margie let out a huff. “Like I wassaying, Claire is sweet and smart and – ”
“I believe you,” he said, cutting her off. “She sounds great. You’ll find her the perfect guy. But it’s not me.”
She frowned and was about to form a response when he spoke again.
“Is Hank around?”
Margie crossed her arms. “I don’t know.”
Mike smiled. “I need to talk to him.”
On cue, Hank walked into the kitchen. “Did I hear my name?”
“Hey, yeah, you did. I was looking for you.”
“What’s new?” Hank asked, picking up an apple from the kitchen basket and taking a bite.
“Well,” Mike said slowly, lowering his voice, “I just got back from my funeral.”
Margie gasped. “What are you talking about?”
“I was able to follow Lenny to New York City. First of all, Hank, do you have any idea how he was able to make bond? How he could travel like that? Isn’t he breaking the terms?”
Hank sighed. “The FBI took over the case last week.”
“Do you know anything else?”
“Nope. I actually just found out about it myself from the district attorney.”
Mike nodded. “Ah. Lenny must’ve cut a deal. With the Seattle FBI office, I’m guessing. Because the New York office is ‘moving in another direction,’ and not doing any undercover assignments in organized crime.”
Hank smiled. “That is a change in direction.”
Margie put her hands on her hips. “Well Mike, then I guess that means you should take the hint to graciously exit your role as chief investigator here and pick up a new hobby. Like gardening. Or – ”
“Long walks on the beach with women who are too young for me?” Mike said with a smile.
Hank laughed. “Sorry, honey, I think he’s caught on to you.”
All she could do was glare at him. “You’re going to have to live a regular life eventually.”
“You’re right,” Mike said with a nod. “But not yet. I followed Lenny to an art gallery in Queens. Imagine my surprise when gunfire broke out, scattering the crowd.”
Hank whistled. “Wow. Did they hurt anyone?”
“No, thankfully. But I was able to call it into my old unit, and they arranged for a scheme to give my undercover persona a permanent end.”
“Did you really have a funeral?” asked Margie.
“I did. They even had a team put together a realistic-looking corpse. For the open casket.”
Margie gaped at him. “Mike! That is awful!”
