taking in every bit of his clothing. He whistled softly, shaking his head. “Oh Mackenzie Hunter are you going to be owing me big,” he muttered loudly enough for her to hear.
"Hi,” Hawk said, coming up next to Mackenzie and dipping his head down to kiss her soft cheek. “I had a few minutes so I thought I'd come and see you."
"I'm glad you did,” she said, feeling a blush stain her cheeks as Brett looked on enthused.
"Who's this?” Gideon asked, cocking his thumb at Brett.
"Gideon Hawkins, my cousin Brett Hunter,” Kenzie said quickly, watching as the men sized each other up.
"Pleasure,” Brett said, grinning as he held out his hand.
"Yeah,” Hawk said, returning the firm handshake. “You live in Monroe City?"
"No, I'm in town on some...business, I guess you could call it.” Brett struggled to hide the grin that wouldn't behave.
"He's leaving for home today, as a matter of fact,” Kenzie jumped in, patting Brett on the arm. “He just came in to say goodbye before catching his plane, didn't you cousin?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's been so long since any of us has really gotten together. Maybe I should stick around for a couple of days. We could get together, compare facts and stuff,” Brett grinned. “I know that Cousin Dillon would love to know all about stuff."
Mackenzie rolled her eyes, before glaring at him, quickly changing her expression when she saw Hawk give her a strange look. “I'd hate you to have to miss out on any new cases coming in, Brett.” She turned to Hawk. “My cousin Brett runs my other cousin's private investigations firm out of Michigan. He's a busy, busy man."
"Interesting work?” Hawk asked, still giving Mac strange looks.
"Oh it has its moments. Listen, Kenz...I'm going to go check in at the hotel and catch a nap. I'll be by to see you later?” He didn't even wait for her nod. “It was very nice to meet you Gideon... Mackenzie is always so tight lipped about the men she dates.” He shook the detective's hand again and then bent down and picked up his briefcase and small bag. “Later cousin, I'll be sure to tell Dillon you send your best.” His chuckle trailed behind him as he left.
"Putz,” Mac glowered.
"You don't get along with your cousin?"
"Oh no, we get along great. He's...it's nothing. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what brings you here?"
"An informant. I might have found someone who actually knows who the arsonist is. I'm meeting him in about ten minutes."
"Really,” Mac said, her eyes glimmering with interest.
"No, Mac and I mean it. You aren't going and you aren't conning me out of any information. This man came to me because he's informed for me before. He trusts me and I'm going to keep that trust, got me?"
"Yeah, but you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?"
"No,” he said, glancing at his watch. “I've got to run. We're still on tonight?"
"Definitely,” she said, lifting her cheek for his kiss.
"Okay, see you then.” He turned and walked toward the elevator, glancing back at her as he waited for the door to open. She seemed lost in thought, staring after him. He raised his hand in a wave goodbye and then walked into the elevator.
Kenzie slumped down into her chair. Her life had just grown all that more complicated. “Dammit it,” she growled, picking up her phone and punching in the numbers she knew by heart.
"We aren't here right now so please leave a message at the beep,” she heard after three rings. “Damn,” she growled. She waited for the beep. “Dillon, I'm a big girl now, call off the watch dog.” Without another word, she hung up.
"Hunter!"
"It's coming Ron!” she snapped, smacking her mouse so that the screensaver disappeared.
Quickly ending the piece, she sent it off to Ron before grabbing her purse and heading for the elevator.
She went home, and kicking off her shoes dropped her purse onto the small table by the door. Going into her fridge, she found a bottle of wine that was half empty, opened it and
"Hi,” Hawk said, coming up next to Mackenzie and dipping his head down to kiss her soft cheek. “I had a few minutes so I thought I'd come and see you."
"I'm glad you did,” she said, feeling a blush stain her cheeks as Brett looked on enthused.
"Who's this?” Gideon asked, cocking his thumb at Brett.
"Gideon Hawkins, my cousin Brett Hunter,” Kenzie said quickly, watching as the men sized each other up.
"Pleasure,” Brett said, grinning as he held out his hand.
"Yeah,” Hawk said, returning the firm handshake. “You live in Monroe City?"
"No, I'm in town on some...business, I guess you could call it.” Brett struggled to hide the grin that wouldn't behave.
"He's leaving for home today, as a matter of fact,” Kenzie jumped in, patting Brett on the arm. “He just came in to say goodbye before catching his plane, didn't you cousin?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's been so long since any of us has really gotten together. Maybe I should stick around for a couple of days. We could get together, compare facts and stuff,” Brett grinned. “I know that Cousin Dillon would love to know all about stuff."
Mackenzie rolled her eyes, before glaring at him, quickly changing her expression when she saw Hawk give her a strange look. “I'd hate you to have to miss out on any new cases coming in, Brett.” She turned to Hawk. “My cousin Brett runs my other cousin's private investigations firm out of Michigan. He's a busy, busy man."
"Interesting work?” Hawk asked, still giving Mac strange looks.
"Oh it has its moments. Listen, Kenz...I'm going to go check in at the hotel and catch a nap. I'll be by to see you later?” He didn't even wait for her nod. “It was very nice to meet you Gideon... Mackenzie is always so tight lipped about the men she dates.” He shook the detective's hand again and then bent down and picked up his briefcase and small bag. “Later cousin, I'll be sure to tell Dillon you send your best.” His chuckle trailed behind him as he left.
"Putz,” Mac glowered.
"You don't get along with your cousin?"
"Oh no, we get along great. He's...it's nothing. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what brings you here?"
"An informant. I might have found someone who actually knows who the arsonist is. I'm meeting him in about ten minutes."
"Really,” Mac said, her eyes glimmering with interest.
"No, Mac and I mean it. You aren't going and you aren't conning me out of any information. This man came to me because he's informed for me before. He trusts me and I'm going to keep that trust, got me?"
"Yeah, but you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?"
"No,” he said, glancing at his watch. “I've got to run. We're still on tonight?"
"Definitely,” she said, lifting her cheek for his kiss.
"Okay, see you then.” He turned and walked toward the elevator, glancing back at her as he waited for the door to open. She seemed lost in thought, staring after him. He raised his hand in a wave goodbye and then walked into the elevator.
Kenzie slumped down into her chair. Her life had just grown all that more complicated. “Dammit it,” she growled, picking up her phone and punching in the numbers she knew by heart.
"We aren't here right now so please leave a message at the beep,” she heard after three rings. “Damn,” she growled. She waited for the beep. “Dillon, I'm a big girl now, call off the watch dog.” Without another word, she hung up.
"Hunter!"
"It's coming Ron!” she snapped, smacking her mouse so that the screensaver disappeared.
Quickly ending the piece, she sent it off to Ron before grabbing her purse and heading for the elevator.
She went home, and kicking off her shoes dropped her purse onto the small table by the door. Going into her fridge, she found a bottle of wine that was half empty, opened it and
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