“Assure me that you’ll stay away from your usual haunts.” “Jesus, Gabriel. Has lack of sleep addled your brain? You don’t need to lecture me. I don’t have haunts anymore. I’m a damn hermit these days.” “Right,” he says after an awkward pause. “Well, my work here is done then.” Despite myself, I smile with true amusement. “Yeah … It’s been fun.” “You’re a terrible liar, John.” “Don’t John me.” “Did you or did you not just pull a Gabriel on me?” he retorts. “You were being a wanker again.” “Speaking of people who call you John—” “Excellent segue,” I cut in.
