Rob had never felt truly comfortable driving Dominick’s fancy sports car, a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, but today he was behind the wheel as they headed to Boston.

It had only been two months since Dominick had been discharged from the hospital. He seemed almost as good as new, although Rob noticed that Dominick got a little stiff if he sat in the same position too long.

As Rob drove, Dominick was absorbed in his iPad. Rob stayed quiet and let him concentrate. From the minute Dominick opened his eyes after rescuing Sophie from the mob, he had been thinking about the murder case he’d been investigating. Five members of the same family, stabbed to death in the middle of the night, a bizarre message scrawled on the wall in blood.

Dominick’s sister Sophie had uncovered a similar murder scene that occurred three years ago in Boston. Even though Dominick was on sick leave for three weeks, then on suspension until his interview with Internal Affairs, he was still wrapped up in that case.

Rob still wasn't sure if Dominick would lose his badge or not, and what they would do if he did. Rob’s husband had been a homicide detective for over sixteen years. He was well respected, but it had taken him years to earn respect because Dominick was a Cortez, son to the now imprisoned mafia Don, Frank Cortez.

In Dominick’s quest to rescue his sister from a mobster she refused to marry, Dominick had sidestepped a few rules, hadn’t followed protocol, and now might lose his job. His best friend and partner on the force, Betty, had gone along with Dominick. She was on desk duty, pending her own review.

When Rob had suggested he help Dominick find out what had really happened with the Boston murders, he was pleased Dominick had complied. Although he was off the job, Dominick told Rob he couldn’t let it go. “I can’t believe they put John Lewinsky as the lead in my place.”

Lewinsky and Dominick had a complicated history that involved a blowjob at an office party a few years back. Lewinsky was deeply closeted and overtly homophobic. It annoyed Dominick to no end that Lewinsky was heading up the Regis murder investigation.

Rob spotted the exit for Boston and took it. Dominick was still reading stuff on his iPad. They started to get a lot more traffic. “Dominick,” Rob said, feeling nervous. “I’m pulling over. You know your way round this city better than me, and I don’t like driving this car in the city.”

“Okay,” Dominick said, shutting down his iPad.

They’d rented a room in a 3-star hotel for two nights. Even though Rob was assistant director at Martindale Institute for Delinquent Boys, and made a decent salary, they didn’t have money to throw around right now. Dominick had been suspended without pay and it was all he could do to make the payments on his car.

Rob sighed with relief when he turned off the engine. “Your car is safe and sound,” Rob said, looking around. They were near the university. Students with knapsacks walked by them on the street, staring at their cell phones.

It started to rain.

“My car? It’s our car, Rob.” Dominick took the keys. They both got out and switched places. “Anyway, I’m going to sell it.”

“You don’t have to do that yet.” Rob put his seat belt on. “Honestly, given everything that has happened, it’s probably the practical thing to do. But you love this car.”

Dominick smiled. “Thanks for being honest, but you’ve been carrying the load lately financially and the car is worth over forty thousand. A few weeks ago, a man offered me forty-two thousand for it.”

“How much do we owe on it still?” Rob asked.

“I paid ten down, and so far, I’ve paid off about half. We’d be about twenty thousand to the good.” Dominick started the engine.

Rob touched his arm. “Wait until this stuff with Internal Affairs is all over. We’ll see where we are then.” Dominick had been through so much. He’d almost died. It didn’t seem fair to lose his car right now.

“Rob, you don’t even like this car and…well…it would be enough for a down payment on a house.”

Rob smiled. “That would be nice, but you do need a car, Dominick.”

“I’ll requisition one at work, and for us, well, maybe I’ll rent a car for awhile until the money situation is resolved.”

“If all goes well, you’ll get your salary back, right, the pay they’re holding back?”

“Yes.” Dominick pulled out and drove to the traffic light. The rain came down harder, and Dominick turned on the wipers.

“Learn anything while I was driving?” Rob asked.

“I checked old newspaper articles. A couple, two children, twin boys, seven-years-old were stabbed in the night.”

“Like the Regis case,” Rob said.

“Yes. Alice Kitaris was three months pregnant with their third child.”

Rob swallowed. “So sad.”

“Yes. The husband, Alan Perris ran a construction company. His wife did the bookkeeping, accepted the contracts, made the pays. They ran the business together, lived on a quiet street.” Dominick checked the street sign and turned right. “This street.” Dominick pulled to the curb and pointed to the house, a simple bungalow with a large porch and a tin roof. The grass was overgrown.

Rob looked at it. “Still vacant it looks like. Hard to see with the rain. No For Sale sign. Who inherited the house after the murders?”

“Alan Perris’ mother. She lives in Florida.”

“Do you want to talk to the neighbors?” Rob asked Dominick.

Dominick rubbed his eyes. “Not yet. I want to talk to the detective who was on the case first, but that can wait.” He smiled at Rob. “What I want to do right now is go to the hotel, relax, then go out for a nice supper with my husband.”