When Eve arrived home, it surprised her to see Galahad alone in the foyer. With a slight worry, she used a house scan and asked for Summerset.

"Summerset is in the library, Darling Eve. Would you like to view it on-screen?"

"Nevermind.", she scowled. "Is Roarke here?"

“Roarke is in the library, Darling Eve.”

She went there and saw the two men sharing a glass of whiskey, and from the looks of it, they were discussing a very serious topic. Roarke sensed her before she could enter the room.

"You're quite early.", he greeted with a smile.

“Need to shuffle some things in my head using a decent computer.”, she said, pecking him a kiss. “I have no idea we’re celebrating the scarecrow’s resignation. Golly, I should’ve brought some poppers and balloons to go with the mood.”

Summerset stood up and replied, “I don’t think that will happen in my lifetime, Lieutenant. Now Roarke, I think I need to retire myself so that both of you can do your respective tasks tonight.”

It was usual for Summerset to spat on Eve’s sarcasms, but it was unusual for him to say it in an affectionate tone that she’s starting to doubt if she’s hallucinating or not. She was a trained officer who could see sarcasms, and definitely sure she’s not hallucinating, but for him to be kind to her was something that should not exist in a Book according to Eve.

Damned if he gave a slight bow and left silently.

“Is he drunk?”, she gaped that Roarke had to laugh at her horrified expression.

“He’s fine, Darling. He could walk straight and in his perfect senses. We barely finished a bottle here.”

“Barely finished a bottle after how many…?”

“Come sit here.”, he chuckled as he pulled her to his lap. “You’re so irresistible and sexy tonight, Agrah.”

“You’re drunk Pal.”, she scowled.

“I’m not. Irish never get drunk.”, he murmured on her neck. “Why don’t you and I stay here and let’s discuss your case today?”

“What did you and Summerset discussed about?”

There’s no need for him to dodge the question, or even point the obvious. He married a well-trained cop, one that knows everything about him. And his silence verified it all.

“You told him.”

“I have to.”, he answered. “And you know that Summerset was the one who introduced me to Don Miguel. But there’s something you need to know about Summerset, and our connection to you.”

She tensed suddenly that he had to ease his hands on her arms. “What are you saying? What do you mean connection? Me and that zombie? In the past?”

He sighed. "Summerset, or Basil that time, was doing some petty things for Don Miguel. Underground information I must say, something that was less hazardous compare to my dealings. Marlena was still alive during that time."

She was silent as Roarke explained everything.

"One day, Don Miguel summoned him to look for an LC named Samantha, mentioning that she's staying somewhere in Dublin using a name Sophia. No child was mentioned yet, so Basil assumed that the illegitimate child rumours were not true. Besides, it's a normal thing for mafia not to elaborate the reason whenever they commanded a man-hunt."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, enough to restrain her in case she would run away. "I have my own diversified network, so Basil would often consult me without sharing his side-lines. I respected that confidentiality, as he also respected mine. And when he asked me if I have some possible leads about an LC Samantha/Sophia, I aided him for free. And guess what, I bloody tracked her."

"Roarke..."

"Let me finish, Eve. Let me fucking finish this.", he said coolly. "I bloody tracked her, and I gave him her ID. I could dig further if I wanted to, but I didn't because it's his job, not mine - and that's one of my worst mistakes.  When Don gave him a go signal, he immediately packed up for a week's travel, and told me to look after Marlena. That night, Marlena...she was murdered."

"Bullshit. That’s why the two of you played a Blame Game here without me?", she said with a brooding fury. "And to borrow your words: bollocks to that!”

“Eve…”

"Dammit Roarke, you're caging me like I'm going to chicken out here! Why don't you release me so that I can boot your ass, and then pull the stick out of that scarecrow's ass to beat the hell out of your brain?!"

He loosens her and got a surprise when she cupped his face to pinch his cheeks. He yelped.

"If the point of this conversation is to forgive you and that idiot scarecrow, then bad news - I won't. Why would you say sorry for a thing that happened indirectly in the past? And why would I forgive someone - and for the love of God, Summerset - for staying behind? Use your brains here for once, Roarke, and do some calculations. Whether Marlena lived or not, whether Summerset found me or not, whether you learned about Stella or not, the end results will never change – I killed Richard and survived."

"If Summerset found you.", he murmured, "Trudy Lombard will never harm you. You will be spared from poor life. You will have a family that loves you."

"Eve Dallas will never exist in this world."

He couldn't find any appropriate words to combat hers, and realized that she was right. Little things, he thought, can make great outcomes.

"Aye, she might, but I will still find her - find you. If Summerset was able to locate and returned you to Don Miguel, I will definitely meet you. Fall in love with each other like the first time. Nothing between us would change."

Touched, she moved towards him and gave him a warm, passionate kiss. She sighed beneath him.

"I need to talk to that sonnovabitch."

"Easy with him, Darling.”, he whispered. “He was hurt too.”

While Eve was updating her murder board, Roarke summoned Summerset. He arrived a minute later.

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?", Summerset asked as she entered the room.

"Sit.", she said, almost freaked her out when he silently obeyed. "Do you have something to say to me?"

He glanced at Roarke who was sitting on the couch, and with the glint in his eye he knew that Eve was already aware of their connection.

"I believe Roarke explained to you everything, so it's appropriate if I would a - "

"Hold right there.", she inserted, raising her hand. "If you're going say some S-word that will make me responds with F-word, unless that's Shits or Fucks, I will haul your ass, pull that stick out, and then beat you with utmost satisfaction."

"Why, Lieutenant, that's a - "

"Mean, evil, rude? In case you’ve got dementia, let me remind you this - Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a legendary top bitch cop of NYPSD, and you're a tight-ass, boney and ugly majordomo. Use your pea-sized brain once in a while, will you, to see that border line."

He gawked, and realized the underlying meaning of her words: I'm still the same me.

"You're still crude as ever, despite having a blood of a well-breed family.”, he scoffed.

“Well-breed, my ass.”, she sneered as a reply. At least they’re back to normal.

“And in case you’re wondering why I called and forced myself to look at your ugly face is because I have some questions to ask. You too, Roarke.”

“You mentioned about your Unsub vic this morning. You solved it already?”, Roarke asked. “Or not?”

“Not yet, but I got some leads, and I believe you wouldn’t like it.”

She showed them her well-arranged murder board, and registered the genuine shock on their eyes. Three major cases were pinned there - McQueen’s centralizing Stella’s ID; Eve’s centralizing Dipallo/Asgard’s ID; Interpol’s centralizing Don Miguel’s ID.

Summerset looked at Eve, then to Roarke, and then to the single question mark at the murder board. It never takes to be a cop to know the subtle message of that symbol, and that knowledge itself chilled his blood.

“NYPSD and Interpol are trying to create a task force for hunting a certain killer/s subject to the murder of my vic, who was an undercover agent to a business tycoon, and this business tycoon has a connection to a mafia that happened to be involved in catching the Unsub murdered in Dallas. Nobody has seen the connection yet, but we goddamn knew that the mafia and the Unsub were connected to me, and also connected to the next murder victim, Roarke.”

“So now we’re battling which face would be first on that board, Darling? Will it be mine or yours?”

She clenched her fist at Roarke’s vicious words, and left with no choice but to confess everything.