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Jack waited until Isa and Winston were gone before he grabbed both of their jackets off the pegs by the door. He tossed Victor’s at him. “Come on.”
Victor looked up from his spot on the couch. He frowned. “No.”
Jack responded by taking Victor’s hat off the peg and tossing it at him as well. “You’re not sitting in this flat, stewing.”
Victor hugged his arms across his chest. “I’m no stewin’.”
“Yes, you are and it’s nae good for ye.” Jack put his coat and hat on. “Now, come on.”
“Jack,” Victor tried.
“Victor,” Jack said expectantly.
Victor’s shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor. He sighed heavily. “Jack, I’m no feelin’ up to going out again today.”
Jack went and stood in front of Victor. He looked at his heartbroken friend for a long moment before he reached down to take Victor’s arm. “Trust me.”
Victor did and always would. He let Jack help him to his feet. He put on his coat and hat without a word.
The taxi ride passed in companionable silence. If Victor sat a little closer to Jack than normal, neither were going to comment on it.
Victor cracked a small smile when he saw their destination. “The gun range, but it’s not the second or fourth Thursday of the month.”
Jack held the door open. “I doubt one extra session is going to tipple anyone back in Craiglang to some of our extracurricular activities.”
When Victor had the earmuffs and safety glasses on and the familiar weight of the gun in his hands, he found that calm center and the tension in his gut eased. He fired and hit the paper target dead center and then in the head.
He fired until the sharp disappointment faded to a dull ache. He lowered his arms and took the earmuffs off. He smiled wryly at Jack next to him. “I knew John and the family werenae comin’. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.”
Jack put a hand on Victor’s shoulder. “He’s your boy. You’re entitled to be excited to see him.”
“Aye, but he always lets me down,” Victor said in a ragged whisper, guilty for voicing such a thought.
“I’m sorry, Victor,” Jack said earnestly. He nodded towards the target. “Go on. Empty another clip.”
Victor reached up to squeeze Jack’s hand. “No. I’ll catch the Kingsman taxi back home. I could use a little time to myself.” He managed another small smile. “No stewin. I promise. I’ll see ye later for dinner.”
“Aye.” Jack tried for a light tone and partially succeeded. “How about I get us some curry take out?”
Victor nodded. “Sounds great, Jack.”
Jack watched Victor leave. He turned his attention back to his own target. He slipped his earmuffs back on and fired. Just like Victor, he didn’t miss.
He pressed the button to bring the target forward. That’s when he heard Merlin’s warm, calm voice in his ear. “You obliterated that picture of John. What happened, Da?”
“You want to know what happened,” Jack sighed. “He did it to Victor again.”
“What? Saying he was coming for a visit and then not showing up?”
Jack crumpled the ruined picture in his fist and let it drop to the floor. “Aye.”
Merlin growled. “Why shouldn’t I declare cyber war on his arse again?”
Jack put a fresh clip into the pistol. “Because he has to support Victor’s grandweans.”
“Good point,” Merlin replied, sounding as if he was loathe to admit it.
“Can you do me a favor, Alec?”
“Sure. What is it?”
Jack raised the pistol again. “I’ll be here another hour. Can you put in an order for me to pick up on me way home for me an Victor?”
Merlin chuckled. “Curry?”
Jack aimed at the new target. “Aye.”
Merlin didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take care of it.”