James had spent some time on the phone with Euan that afternoon discussing the situation of Justin's mother. He consulted frequently with Euan about cases involving children that overlapped FBI jurisdiction. Cops and the Feds might not have the best reputation of working together, but Euan was one hell of a cop and he deserved to have made it to Captain. In saying that, James also knew Euan personally, so he knew that Euan blurred the lines in cases he felt passionate about, but was excellent at keeping private and professionally separate. The only person here today who wasn't a father now was Hunter, but he had come because Justin had opened up about something and given Hunter consent to discuss it with his dad and family. Each father here today, James himself included, would literally kill to protect their kids.

As Mark's brother, James knew he wasn't doing well. How could he be? Mark tried to keep his shit together, but inside he was probably desperate for both a drink and to storm into the lock-up where the cunt was being held and crush her with his bare hands for harming his baby. Justin might be seventeen and able to fend for himself, even planned to get married some day, but he was still Mark's baby. His flesh and blood, his everything. Everyone thought Justin's story couldn't possibly get more messy and horrifying that it already had been, but here they were. Taking his seat, James saw how stony-faced Hunter was, and he could see even Euan had worry lines etched in his forehead. Clint wasn't joking or pulling the piss. It wasn't a usual fatherly-hangout they often had together. "On a scale of one to ten, how homicidal are we all going to feel after this chat today?"