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you may as well spare yourself the breath. As to your last charge that this situation is all of Sir Ross s
making I can assure you that the decision to remove you from the force was fully as much mine as his.
Until that moment, Nick had never realized that Morgan s opinion was so important to him. But he
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experienced a genuine stab of pain, a killing sense of betrayal and failure.  Why? he heard himself ask
hoarsely.  Was my performance so unsatisfactory? What more could I have done? I solved every case
and caught almost every man you sent me after and I did it by the rules, the way you wanted. I did
everything you asked. More, even.
 There has never been a problem with your performance, Morgan said quietly.  You ve discharged
your duties as ably as anyone could have. I ve never seen any man match you for bravery or wits.
 Then back me against Sir Ross, Nick said roughly.  Tell him to shove that writ of summons up his
arse that you need me at Bow Street.
Their gazes clashed and held, and then something in Morgan s face changed. Damned if he didn t look
almost fatherly, Nick thought with sullen fury, despite the fact that Morgan was only about ten years older
than he.
 Have a seat, Morgan said.
 No, I don t 
 Please. The invitation was uttered with steely politeness.
Please?Nick occupied the nearest chair, practically reeling in shock. Morgan had never used that word
before Nick wouldn t have thought it was part of his vocabulary. Gripping the arms of the scarred
leather chair, Nick gazed at him warily.
The magistrate began to speak. In their three-year acquaintance, Morgan had never talked to him like
this, with a friendly, rather paternal, concern.  I don t want you at Bow Street any longer, Gentry. God
knows it has nothing to do with your effectiveness. You re the best runner I ve ever seen. Since you
came here, I ve tried to offer what modicum of guidance I thought you d accept, and I ve watched you
change from a self-serving bastard into a man I consider to be both dependable and responsible. But
there is one thing that I regret to say has not altered. From the beginning, you ve taken suicidal risks in
the course of your work because you don t give a damn about yourself or anyone else. And in my
opinion, you ll continue to do so if you remain here at the cost of your own life.
 Why do you give a damn?
 I was a runner for ten years, and I ve seen many men die in the course of their duties. I myself came
close to it more than once. There comes a time when a man has tweaked the devil s nose once too often,
and if he s too stubborn or slow-witted to realize it, he ll pay with his own blood. I knew when to stop.
And so must you.
 Because of your famous instincts? Nick mocked angrily.  Damn it, Morgan, you stayed a runner until
you were thirty-five! By that count, I still have seven years to go.
 You ve tempted fate many more times in the last three years than I did in ten, the magistrate
countered.  And unlike you, I didn t use the job as a means to exorcize demons.
Nick remained expressionless, while the frantic questionWhat does he know? buzzed and stung in his
head. Sophia was the only one who knew about the full ugliness of his past. She had probably told
Cannon, who in turn might have said something to Morgan
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 No, I don t know what those demons are, Morgan said softly, his eyes warming with a flicker of either
pity or kindness.  Although I can make a competent guess. Unfortunately I have no advice to offer about
how to reconcile yourself with the past. All I know is that this way hasn t worked, and I ll be damned if I
let you kill yourself on my watch.
 I don t know what the bloody hell you re talking about.
Morgan continued as if he hadn t heard him.  I m rather inclined to agree with Sir Ross s opinion that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]