Hale took a shower the next morning, dressed in yesterday’s clothes, and was ready to go. Austin watched as he groomed himself in the bathroom mirror, enamored, even though he knew that he shouldn’t have been. Hale looked different when he didn’t have access to his beauty products, but Austin didn’t mind the change. His hair was a little less bouncy and radiant, and his skin was a little more uneven, but Austin thought he looked flawless no matter what. It was the energy inside that made him gorgeous, not necessarily the way he presented himself on the outside.

The realization hit home much harder than it should have, and Austin found himself understanding some of what Dr. Shimota had told him in a whole different light.

“We have to make it look like we weren’t… you know… last night,” Hale said before they left the apartment. “I mean, unless you want Michael to know that we, um… well, that you… fuck me. You know?”

“I know.”

“So we’re going to say that I came to your apartment first to drag you over, okay?”

“Wait, what?” Austin blinked. “My apartment first?”

“Right. Before we head next door to Michael’s.”

“Michael slept there last night?” Austin gawked at Hale. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“What?”

“You let him sleep there,” Austin said, hoping Hale would clue in. “In his apartment. Where he was kidnapped.”

“I stayed with him until three in the morning, when I came to see you. No one was going to do anything. They would have already come if they were going to, and they’re not going to do it now that it’s daylight. It’s too risky.”

“Too risky?” Austin didn’t want to sound like a dick, but he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You mean like leaving Michael in the first place his assailants would think to look for him?”

Hale sighed. “It’s not really that bad. I know it sounds bad, but I mean… I weighed the risks, and it just wasn’t something I thought was an issue.”

“Sometimes I don’t believe you,” Austin mumbled. He wasn’t mad, but he was in a state of disbelief. “Is it a McMillan thing? Whatever Michael did to get himself into this mess had to have been pretty short-sighted, too. I guess I know why you needed my help now. I can’t believe you let him do that.”

Hale frowned. He was cute, even when he was oblivious. Austin sighed. He couldn’t stay frustrated with him, even if he’d made a horrible choice. Hale was young and inexperienced. He’d never left Hidden Creek, never seen the world, and probably had never worked a job outside of his family-owned business. He didn’t have the life experience that Austin did.

But that didn’t excuse Michael for staying in a place that dangerous. He knew better. When Austin saw him, he was going to chew him out.

“So, you came to get me this morning,” Austin said, getting the conversation back on track. “And now we’re going to head over to Michael’s and talk to him about what the hell he was doing with those people in that warehouse.”

“Right.” Hale nodded. The embarrassment and guilt left his face, and Austin hoped all was forgiven. “I’m going to find out what he was doing even if I have to drag it out of him. He can’t keep us in the dark when all we’re trying to do is help.”

“Then you’ll want as much time possible, because I know Michael, and I know he’s as stubborn as you are.” Austin gestured to the front door. “Let’s go.”

They left the apartment and crossed the hall. Austin unlocked the door, then knocked three times and entered. Austin followed him in.

“Michael?” Hale called. “We’re here. Make sure you’re decent. Austin is here, too. We need to talk.”

“It’s too early,” Michael grumbled from what had to be the bedroom. “Come back later.”

“We need to talk now,” Austin said, stepping in for Hale so he could back him up. Hale smiled at him. “We’ve waited long enough. We need to know what we’re up against, and you’re the only one who can tell us about it.”

There was noise from the bedroom—Michael was getting up. Austin listened to the floorboards creak and followed Michael’s movement from the room as he approached the bedroom door. He opened it looking exhausted and disheveled. His hair was stuck up at all angles, and there were bags under his eyes. It looked like now that he’d had a taste of relaxation, his body was demanding he get the rest he needed. It was too bad he needed to be present for just a little while longer while they figured out what had gone on.

Michael plucked at his t-shirt to fan it out, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants and left his room. He stood before them, unimpressed. “What do you want to know?”

“Who were those people, and why were you with them?” Hale demanded. He wasn’t shy about speaking up. “We need to know so that we can figure out what steps to take next.”

That wasn’t going to be necessary, but Austin wasn’t going to tell Hale that. For all Hale knew, the bad guys were still at large with no one out to stop them. Austin knew otherwise. It wouldn’t be long before his tip led the police to the right place and the criminals were shut down. Then they could all sleep easily.

“I don’t want to tell you.” Michael said.

“You’re going to tell us whether you like it or not. We’re the ones who saved your ass,” Hale shot back. “Who was it, and why were you with them?”

“I’m the one who saved your asses after you got caught.” Michael shook his head. “You’re not going to win this one, Hale.”

“If he’s not going to win, then I’ll step up to the plate.” Austin stepped forward. “Who the fuck was that, McMillan, and why were you involved with them? Are you part of their gang? Going through initiation? If you don’t tell me, then I’m going to take what I know to the police, and they’ll be the ones asking the questions. So tell me—who was that, and what the fuck were you doing with them?”

He couldn’t see Hale’s face, but he felt the energy in the room brighten—Hale’s doing, no doubt. He was pleased that Austin had stepped up for him, and in a small, perfect way, that pleased Austin as well.

Michael glared at him. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Fucking try me.”

“All this because you’re pissed that I stole your headphones?”

“So you admit to it.”

Michael sighed and shook his head. “Listen… this has gone on way too long. You want to know what I was doing out there? I defaulted on a loan, okay? They took me in and they told me that I was going to start working for them in order to repay it. One month. Those were the terms—and they were generous terms, too. They went easy on me.”

“And they kept you in a warehouse?” Austin demanded. It didn’t add up. “Who did you get your loan from, Michael?”

Michael glared at him. “Why is it your goddamn business?”

“Because we need to know what we’re up against,” Austin replied just as aggressively. “Tell us. Your cousin deserves to know so he can work on saving his own ass. It’s clear that you don’t care in the least what happens to yours.”

The tension was amping up. Austin’s body was already bracing itself for a fight, and he struggled against the tiny voice in his head that told him to resolve this dispute with fists instead of words. Michael was being a shit, but Hale deserved better than that.

“And you’ve made it clear that you don’t care what happens to his ass, either.” Michael’s eyes narrowed. “What were you thinking, letting him do something like follow me to somewhere so dangerous? You let him get caught. He could have been killed.”

“And if you had told anyone about what was going on—if you hadn’t involved yourself in allegedly illegal activity to begin with—no one would be in this mess.”

Anger simmered in the air between them. Austin locked eyes with Michael, who glared at him in return.

“It was a bookie,” Michael admitted, but his voice still simmered with anger. “They had bad connections, and I got dragged in when I couldn’t repay my debt.”

“What were you borrowing all that money for?” Hale asked, looking pale. “What were they making you do?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“What are you spending the cash on, Michael?” Austin demanded.

Michael scowled. “I have a… poker problem, okay? I lost some money I shouldn’t have lost because a game was fixed, and I needed cash to make up for it, but I ended up blowing through that, too. They were letting me work off the money I owed them by doing what they wanted.”

“You didn’t kill anyone, did you?” Hale asked, paler than before. “Michael… we would have helped if we’d known. I swear.”

“It’s done now,” Michael said. “Except they’re going to be pissed that I left a week early, and they’re going to come looking for me. It’s not going to be pretty. You need to stay out of this so that you don’t get involved. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“This is crazy,” Hale murmured. “I didn’t know you had a problem. I didn’t even know you gambled. Why… why didn’t you tell us?”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” Michael said. He folded his arms over his chest. “It’s not a big deal. It’s not a problem—I win most of the time. I’m good. I make extra cash to keep me going, and I have fun while doing it. It’s not like I’m sitting at a slot machine for eight hours a day, cranking a lever. Poker takes skill. It’s mathematical. I’m getting better all the time.”

“It’s a problem if you’re betting enough money that you have to take out loans from people—then can’t afford to pay them back.” Hale shook his head. “Michael… I’m sorry. If I’d known, I would have helped you sooner. We’ll make sure you get help.”

“I don’t need help,” Michael insisted. “I’m fine on my own. I’m doing what I want to do, and I’m on my way to making a career out of the game.”

“A career?” Hale squeaked. “What are you talking about?”

“Look.” Michael grabbed the television remote and turned it on. “There are professional poker players, and I’m almost ranked in the professional tier. There’s a whole network on TV for it. It’s insane. And—”

He stopped speaking abruptly. His eyes were glued to the television screen. Austin looked as well, trying to see what the hold-up was.

The television had turned on to a news channel, and it was playing footage from a bust on the warehouse they’d been in not even twelve hours before. The room went quiet, and the television did the talking.

“Sixteen arrests have been made so far, but one suspect is still on the loose. Full details are unknown, but the police describe the suspect as a male in his late thirties with black hair and a thin frame. He’s armed, and considered dangerous. Residents of Hidden Creek and the surrounding townships are asked to exercise caution when they leave their homes. Should you witness a suspicious individual matching the police description, the department urges you to call in a tip at the following number…”

“Oh shit,” Michael murmured. “It’s Kevin. This isn’t good.”