The Lone Wolf and the Detective

THE LONE WOLF AND THE DETECTIVE Chapter 10

They needed a plan to outwit Callen's father. Deeks was good at taking attention away from the team, but Callen promised he wouldn't go lone wolf on him. Deeks had held up his end of the bargain, it was time he trusted him like he did Sam. Without a car, they weren't going anywhere. They needed the keys. He looked to Sam. "We need to find the keys for this thing. Where do you think Ava would hide them?"

Sam scanned the garage, emptying jars of nails and screws. It reminded Callen of Gibbs' basement and a hint of a smile merged on his lips. Sam looked back at him with a scowl. "What you are smiling about?"

"This garage, it reminds me of Gibbs' basement. Swap the car for a boat in the making. He puts his nails and screws in jars too. Empties them to drink scotch out of."

"You and Gibbs go back a long way."

"We do. At least he's never kept anything from me, secrets about my past."

"Hetty will have good reason for keeping your grandmother secret from you, G. You know she'll even die to keep you safe. She's already proved that to you a few times already."

Callen heaved out a sigh, "I know, Sam. I just can't help feeling like she's treating me like a kid again. Holding things from me that I have the right to know. I'm a grown man, have been for a real long time. I deserve to know the truth. I know she has all that she knows all locked away in a sealed envelope. I have to wait until she dies to read it all."

Sam nodded, he knew about the envelope, Callen had revealed it to him a few years back.

Callen stepped back and studied the vehicle.

Sam continued on his hunt, annoyed he'd lucked out he turned and looked at his partner quizzically. "What you doing?" He watched his former partner roll underneath the SUV on a creeper, his feet remained in view.

"Keys, GPS trackers." Sam heard a grunt and then Callen pushed himself back out, holding one of each in his hand, a smirk spread across his face.

'You think you're clever?"

Callen stood up and threw him the keys. "No, I don't think, I know."

Sam narrowed his eyes, "if you hadn't succeeded, I would wrestle you to the ground to put you in your place."

"You miss me as your partner." Callen's smirk broadened into a full blown cheeky smile.

"Yeah, as much as I like having Granger as my partner now."

Callen patted Sam on the back, "come on bro. Dad's not that bad. We've rubbed the rough edges off him and he ain't so bad."

Sam huffed, "I'd still rather you have my six."

"But lovebirds prevent that ever changing. Now," Callen grabbed a notepad and pen from a draw and started on a plan.

Sam watched on, impressed with what Callen came up with. The good night's sleep had done him good. All of them. If Sam had to admit, he felt better for it. Although he understood the hesitation in Callen over trusting any of his family after Ava'a stunt of drugging them.

He nodded, "okay. Let's do it."

He searched the vehicle and smiled when he saw their weapons in the boot. What was Ava up to? he mused. Swapping vehicles was one thing, but to hide the keys underneath? After he checked everything out, he entered the house and quietly climbed the stairs. He found all of their belongings and took them down to the vehicle.

Callen entered the kitchen, his father was busy in his delaying tactics with Granger and Deeks, unaware of the progress he and Sam had made in the garage.