Solving the case of Michael's shooting consumed most of Spinelli's time over the next few weeks. There was no footage of the actual shooting, but Spinelli's every instinct screamed at him that Ian Devlin was the shooter. But why? What could Mr. Corinthos, Sir, possibly have done to him that would make Devlin want to kill him? Where was the connection?

Spinelli hacked into the police department and read the police report. The bullet had ricocheted and hit Michael. Sonny had been the intended target. But it still didn't make sense. Why did Ian Devlin want Sonny dead? He didn't seem to have any connections to the mob.

Jason had told Spinelli that Nikolas had paid Devlin for an illegal drug to slow down the growth of his tumor, which had been causing hallucinations of Emily. That had been the reason for the ten million dollars that had appeared in Devlin's account from Nikolas's. Spinelli couldn't blame Nikolas, but at the same time he knew The Princely One had a child who needed him. Nikolas was playing games with his own life and it wasn't fair to Spencer. He hoped Nikolas came to his senses before he left his child an orphan.

After a decidedly fruitless search in Cyberspace for more information, Spinelli decided it was time to take action in the real world. He needed to get close to Devlin somehow and put a tracking device on him. He was pondering how to do it when his doorbell rang. The white-haired, slightly eccentric landlord had suddenly decided the apartments needed doorbells; that was all right with Spinelli. He always thought a doorbell sounded more polite than a knock, anyway, and if a doorbell rang it was less likely to wake Kendra when she was born.

"Hi," he said happily, hugging Georgie, who had brought dinner.

"You haven't eaten," she said with finality.

"How did you know?"

"I know you; when you get busy, you forget to eat or sleep. You look exhausted."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"You're right; I haven't slept much in the last couple of days. I have a lead, but it makes no sense. I need to take action outside Cyberspace; I'm just not sure how to do what I'm planning."

"Can I help?"

He hesitated. He trusted her implicitly, but he didn't want to put her in danger.

"I know you're worried about me, but I promise to be careful. Please, I wanna help you."

The plan suddenly hit him and he grinned at her.

"I think there is something you can do."

His computer beeped.

"Wait a minute."

He looked at the alert and tried not to panic.

"He's leaving town; he's making arrangements to flee!"

"Who? Michael's shooter?"

"The suspect, yes. The police don't know who he is yet; they have no reason to suspect him. As I said, it makes no sense. Why would he shoot anyone?"

"Who is he?"

"Dr. Ian Devlin."

"What?"

"He was at the coffee warehouse that night; Stone Cold discovered the tags on his car. I saw the car, but missed the tags. Hold on; I need to call Stone Cold."

Spinelli couldn't reach him.

"This is not good."

"OK, slow down. What was your original plan? You said I could help. How?"

He outlined his plan and she gave him a hug, smiling proudly.

"You're brilliant! I can definitely help you stop him from leaving."

"How?"

She took out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Dr. Ian Devlin, please."

She waited a few seconds.

"He's gone for the day?"

She pretended to sound frantic.

As she spoke, Spinelli accessed Devlin's travel plans. He was planning to leave by boat. They had to stop him or Little Michael might never be avenged.

"He's already gone," Georgie said apologetically when she hung up. "There's no chance of stopping him at the hospital."

"That's OK. I know where he's going. All we have to do is drive by the docks and we, The Jackal PI Investigative Team, will nail the suspect."

She smiled. She knew he was trying to boost his own confidence, as well as reassure her that it could be done.

They drove to the docks and got out of the car, watching carefully for Devlin. When he appeared, Spinelli doubled over and grabbed his abdomen.

"Help!" Georgie cried frantically. "We need a doctor!"

Devlin looked reluctant, but came over.

"What seems to be the trouble?"

"My boyfriend's really sick. I think it's his appendix!"

Devlin looked nervously at the harbor, clearly not wanting to miss his boat.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but I-"

"You're a doctor!" Georgie cried, faking near hysteria. "Help him!"

Devlin sighed and began to question Spinelli carefully. He had researched the symptoms of an appendicitis attack before going to the docks, so he was able to describe the symptoms accurately.

"You're right," Devlin told Georgie. "It is his appendix. He needs to get to a hospital, but I'm gonna miss my-"

"Please," Spinelli said, grabbing Devlin and faking terror, "don't leave me, kind physician!"

"He's really scared and he trusts you. Please, stay with him until the ambulance comes?"

Devlin looked over at the water again. His boat was just pulling out of the harbor. He nodded, looking angry and nervous.

At the hospital, Devlin tried to sedate Spinelli. He was no longer faking fear now; he hated needles. Devlin was becoming more and more annoyed with him, which was exactly what he wanted. He and Georgie had talked out the plan carefully.

"He's afraid!" Georgie said angrily when Devlin called him a weirdo. "You're supposed to be helping him and instead you're insulting him? How dare you call him a weirdo! You don't even know him!"

She grabbed the needle out of his hand and jabbed it into his arm. He dropped to the ground, asleep.

"Thanks," Spinelli said with relief.

"No problem."

He got down off the gurney and put the tracking device in Devlin's pocket. Then he and Georgie lifted him onto the gurney and Spinelli took off his scrubs and put them on himself. Georgie went to a supply closet and got some nurse's scrubs and put them on. This next part of the plan was risky. They couldn't risk anyone seeing their faces.

He and Georgie headed for the elevator, casually pushing the gurney as if they were a doctor and a nurse wheeling a patient to another floor. They made it down to the morgue, where Georgie kept a lookout while Spinelli hacked into the computer system and made it look as if his illness had been dealt with. Then Georgie went to a supply closet while Spinelli kept a lookout, both on Devlin and for someone who might be coming who could possibly discover them and blow their cover. She brought back a wheel chair and they wheeled Devlin out the front exit and to Spinelli's car. Then Georgie took the scrubs and the wheel chair back where they belonged.

They drove Devlin to his car near the docks and put him in it. When he woke up, he would think he'd just fallen asleep and missed his ride. With any luck, he would think the whole encounter with them was just a dream.

Spinelli's cell rang as they were driving back to his apartment. It was Jason, returning his call. Spinelli explained that he and Georgie had managed to stop Devlin from leaving.

"You got Georgie involved?" Jason asked angrily. "What were you thinking, Spinelli?"

"I'm sorry, Stone Cold, but I couldn't find you and I couldn't let him leave. Georgie was with me, so she helped Jackal PI carry out his plan, and it worked. There is now a tracking device in Ian Devlin's pocket. Jackal PI will know everywhere he goes, at least as long as he's wearing those pants. Georgie was in no danger; I wouldn't have agreed when she offered to help if I thought she wouldn't be safe. Honestly, I couldn't have pulled it off without her."

They beamed at each other as, on the other end of the phone, Spinelli heard Jason give a resigned sigh.

"The tracking device was a good idea, but involving Georgie-"

"I didn't want to, but I couldn't do it alone. Stone Cold, with all due respect, you know I don't make a habit of intentionally endangering the people I love. If I thought there was even the slightest chance that Georgie would have been hurt I would have tried to come up with some other way that didn't involve her."

"I'm sorry," Jason said quietly. "You're right. Where's Devlin now?"

Georgie was driving so Spinelli could monitor the tracking device.

"He's still in his car, probably still sedated."

"You sedated him?" Jason sounded surprised and a little amused. "How did you pull that off?"

"Well, we had to go to the hospital and sedate him. I faked an appendicitis attack and purposely annoyed him, then Georgie gave him the shot that was meant for me and we put him back in his car after I put a tracking device in his pants."

Jason had to admire the kid's resourcefulness. He didn't like his involving Georgie, but considering that he'd been trapped in a cabin with Claudia fighting off a killer, Jason couldn't fault Spinelli for doing what he thought was necessary.

"OK, let me know if anything develops."

"OK."

"You did good, Spinelli," he said honestly before hanging up.

Spinelli beamed.

Later, Spinelli called Jason with an update. Devlin had gone to Sonny's compound. Soon after, a million dollars had been transferred from Kate Howard's business account to Devlin's account. Devlin was leaving town again and had somehow gotten Kate to give him the money.

Jason met Spinelli at the penthouse and they took The Mob Mobile to follow the tracking device. They caught up with Devlin at a bus stop, where he held a scalpel to Spinelli's throat.

"Your little sidekick here is my insurance policy," Devlin told Jason. "We're gonna take a little ride and you're gonna let us go. One wrong move and he dies."

He turned his attention to Spinelli, foolishly taking his eyes off Stone Cold. Spinelli could feel the Dastardly Doctor trembling and prayed his hand wouldn't slip and accidentally cut the throat of Kendra's terrified father before she was even born.

At the thought of Kendra, Spinelli's fear was forced to the back of his mind.

"Do you know how sharp a scalpel is?" Devlin asked, trying and failing to sound casual.

Spinelli brought up his knee and hit Devlin where no man wants to be hit. Devlin dropped the scalpel and Jason shot him as he doubled over in pain from Spinelli's inflicted injury. He felt he had to shoot to keep Devlin from picking up the scalpel and killing Spinelli for defending himself.

"Why did you shoot Michael?" Jason demanded, standing over Devlin. "Why would a doctor wanna kill Sonny and risk shooting a little boy?"

"Zacchara," Devlin managed, then died.

Jason was a thunderhead.

"They broke the truce!"

Spinelli nodded.

"What are we gonna do with him?"

Jason blew out his breath, wishing there was a way to keep Spinelli out of this part for his own protection. Spinelli was a witness, which also made him an accessory, the last thing Jason ever wanted for him.

"We can't call the cops; we have to hide the body."

He paused and looked at Spinelli.

"You shouldn't be anymore involved in this than you already are; maybe you should-"

"The Jackal will not abandon his friend and mentor!"

He was as surprised as Jason by the sharpness in his tone.

"You were defending me," he said in a more normal voice. "You saved my life. We're in this together."

Jason nodded, giving him a rare smile.

"What will we do with the body?"

Jason honestly was grateful for Spinelli's loyalty, but he couldn't let him be involved in covering up a murder.

"Spinelli, you're trying to get out of the mob; if I let you-"

Spinelli knew this was one of the stories he would never want Kendra to hear, but he couldn't and wouldn't abandon Jason now. Devlin had gotten what he deserved for what he did to Michael, and he had tried to kill Spinelli. Jason had acted in defense of his friend, but had also gotten both justice and a bit of revenge. Spinelli didn't wish death on anyone, but Ian Devlin could not be allowed to live if he had so little regard for human life that he would risk hurting a child just to kill his father. The fact that he was, hypocritically, a doctor made Spinelli's blood boil. He knew it would be better for him to let Jason take it from here alone, but he couldn't refuse to see this through after being part of it. He felt Jason might not have had to kill him if Spinelli's life hadn't been in danger. Jason had killed him for Spinelli and Kendra, as well as Michael. Spinelli couldn't repay that act with abandonment.

"I already know about what you did to Evil Al, Stone Cold; you told me the day Sam and Elizabeth were kidnapped by Darth Diego. This time you killed Devlin to save me. I'm in this with you!"

"OK," he said reluctantly, then paused for thought. "I'm gonna drive Devlin's car and get rid of the body. I want you to send an email from Devlin's account to Dr. Ford at General Hospital."

Spinelli started to say something, but Jason cut him off.

"You're already an accessory; I don't want you getting any deeper into this than you already are. You wanna help me and I appreciate that; you can help me by sending the email telling Dr. Ford what I'm gonna tell you. You do that while I'm getting rid of the evidence, then wait for me in the car."

He pointed to the SUV. Spinelli nodded, knowing Jason would never tell him what would be done with the body. His friend and mentor was trying to protect him, as usual. He knew intellectually that it was for the better; the less he knew, the less trouble he could get into with the police. He was already more deeply involved than either he or Jason wanted; it was best that he do nothing more than send one email and be done with the Dastardly Dr. Devlin. He didn't want Kendra having to visit him in prison.

As he clicked send, he looked up to see Jason coming towards him. He knew the reason Stone Cold hadn't called the police and told them he'd killed Devlin to save Spinelli. Devlin had implicated the Zacchara's in Michael's shooting. Sonny and Jason would want to handle this themselves and didn't want the cops involved. Thinking of Kendra and the possibility that he could have ended up in a situation like Sonny, Carly and Jason, he was relieved that he was taking steps to get out. For the first time since he'd begun working for the mob, he was getting a real taste of what it was really like and he didn't like it. He only wished Jason could find a way out, too, so he could have the life he wanted.

The next afternoon, Georgie met him for lunch at Kelly's and told him that Devlin had sent an email to the hospital saying that Port Charles was too intense for him and that he needed to get out, not liking the mob situation. He could tell that she had her suspicions about what really happened, but he was grateful that she didn't ask. The closest she came was asking what it meant for Spinelli and Jason now that their suspect was gone. Spinelli had thought carefully the night before about how he would answer that question, knowing she would ask.

"Jackal PI is still monitoring the Fiendish Physician's finances. If we find proof that he shot Michael, we'll have an idea of where to find him."

It wasn't exactly a lie; Jason had told him to keep monitoring Devlin's accounts. If the Zacchara's, or anyone else, used those accounts, Spinelli would know.

"Spinelli, I will be so glad when you're out of this business. Devlin might have hurt you; he looked close to it when you were in the hospital and-"

"But he didn't, in part thanks to my genius girlfriend and her quick reflexes."

They both smiled as he kissed her cheek, then his face turned serious. They were keeping their voices low, not wanting anyone to overhear them.

"I'll be relieved, too. Young Michael's tragedy has shown me how wrong I was about the glamour of mob life. I always knew it was dangerous, but it never crossed my mind that an innocent child could be struck down because he happened to be in the same room with his father. I was so happy to be accepted and valued that I was naïve about the rest of it. Ironically, if not for the mob, I would never have made friends with Lulu, or Stone Cold, or maybe even you. I wouldn't have tried to use a gun and shot myself in the foot, which means I never would have met Jolene and had Kendra. But now I can see the business taking me in directions I don't wish to go. I've seen what it's done to Stone Cold, Young Michael and his parents. Their past decisions have forever scarred their present and future and I don't want that for me or Kendra, or for you. I wanna be someone you and she can both be proud of."

"I'm already proud of you," she said, kissing him.

As they talked and ate lunch, neither knew of the events that would take place in the coming months. Each would have their own tests of faith and strength. Each would need the other to get through these tests. Together they would face more tragedy, happiness, fear and drama, including an obstacle that possibly had the power to destroy their relationship. Kendra's first year would be filled with changes and adjustments for everyone.