for a third time.
“Yeah,” Ben grunted. “Sure seems like it. You’d think they’d at least have us wait someplace warm.”
“Aye, if you hadn’t been so pushy, maybe they would have,” Felicity offered.
“Just doin’ my job,” he returned.
He was still shuffling about, allowing his gaze to wander just as mine had, but with one overt difference-he was avoiding eye contact with me, and Felicity as well. Impatience, I could understand, but this was more than that. I’d seen him play the stone-faced cop more than once, so I knew for a fact something was bothering him that he simply couldn’t mask.
“What are you so nervous about, Ben?” I asked.
“I ain’t nervous.” He shook his head.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well then maybe you got trust issues.”
“These days, you’re probably right, but I’m pretty sure that’s not it. Why don’t you tell me what this is all about. What’s really going on?”
“Whaddaya mean?” He shrugged and waved his hand toward the far wall as he added, “What’s it always about when we come here, white man? You, a pissed off stiff, and la-la land.”
He finally stopped avoiding eye contact and looked at me expectantly as his words dissipated on the cloud of steam that was his breath. I stared back and frowned.
Pissed off stiff. My friend’s less than eloquent way of referring to the body of a murder victim was just another hallmark that told me something was amiss. Granted, any corpse I came here to see during an investigation had some form of brutality responsible for its date with one of the stainless steel tables. And, yes, the spirits once housed by the now lifeless bodies were less than happy about it. But Ben customarily showed at least some amount of reverence.
Still, I knew exactly what he was trying to say. I was here, for all intents and purposes, to translate. To tell the living what the dead had to say, all in hopes that it would shed light on why they were here in the first place.
But that was obvious. Moreover, it wasn’t what I was asking, and he knew it.
“No kidding, Ben. I pretty much figured that out when you herded us up here,” I said. “But you know it doesn’t work that way.”
“Yeah? So when have ya’ ever not gone Twilight Zone when you were here?”
“That’s not my point, and you know it.”
“Maybe not, but it’s mine.”
“Okay, so what if I do? You know how convoluted this can get. There’s never a straight answer from the dead. I’m not going to be able to just hand you a name or anything.”
“Yeah, I know that,” he nodded. “Just do what ya’ do, and we’ll go from there. That’s all I’m askin’.”
“Dammit,” I grumbled. “I let you sidetrack me again.”
“Me? Whaddid I do?”
“You avoided my question. You know that’s not what I was asking.”
He splayed out his hands in mock surrender. “Sounded like it ta’ me. You asked what…”
“Stop it,” I said, cutting him off and holding my own hands up, palms toward him as a sign that I’d had enough. “No double talk. Just answer the question.”
He shot me a concerned look. “You feelin’ okay, Kemosabe? You’re actin’ a little freaked.”
“Don’t turn this back on me,” I demanded. “Something’s up or you wouldn’t have been in such a rush to get us in here.”
“What rush?” he asked with a shrug.
“Give me a break. You met us at the Jeep, hurried us up here, and then bullied your way in.”
“I was just savin’ ya’ some time. ‘Scuse me.”
“Bullshit.”
“Look, Row, I don’t know what’s eatin’ ya’, but you need to calm down. Okay?”
“What’s eating me is that you’re lying about something, Ben. I can tell by the way you’re acting.”
“Jeezus, didn’t we already go through this shit last night?” he replied.
“Yes,” I snapped. “Which is why I’m not overly pleased about going through it again.”
“Then don’t.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t acting all squirrelly again.”
“You’re imaginin’ things. Listen, it’s simple… Just like I told ya’ on the phone, we got a missin’ woman who fits the victim profile of the two stiffs that just checked in here. But based on the pattern, she’s prob’ly still alive.” He pointed over to the storage drawers to punctuate his next statement. “Brass wants your input so maybe she doesn’t end up movin’ in over there next to the first two.”
“Okay, I can understand that.”
“Wunnerful. See? There ya’ have it. So if it seems like I’m in a rush, maybe I am… And for a damn good reason, don’tcha think?”
“I wish I could believe it’s that simple, Ben. But I can’t. Something else is going on here.”
“Well I said it once and I’ll say it again, you’re imaginin’ shit. Just chill out, okay? It’s all good.”
I shook my head. “No it isn’t. I still don’t get why your brass suddenly wants my advice on this.”
“I already told ya’. Prob’ly because of your track record,” he replied. “You’ve been instrumental in solving every case you ever consulted on. They know that. Some of ‘em definitely don’t like it, but they know it. Enough said.”
“Even if I buy that, there’s got to be more to the story…”
“Why?”
“Remember asking me if I had a hinky feeling earlier? Well, guess what? I’ve definitely got one now.”
“Maybe you’re wrong.”
“You know I’m not.”
He let out a heavy sigh and threw his hands up. “Look, just drop it. It ain’t important.”
“So there is something,” I replied, my tone sharp.
“Yeah, okay. There is, but I’m tellin’ ya’ it ain’t important,” he replied, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. “And right now you’re just blowin’ shit outta proportion.”
“You aren’t helping with the double talk.”
“Maybe not, but I’m kinda stuck in the middle here.”
“Unstick yourself. Just tell me what’s going on.”
“Listen, a wise man once said, what ya’ don’t know won’t hurt ya’. I highly suggest you listen to the wise man.”
“Uh-huh, well it just so happens another one said, when in doubt, do nothing,” I shot back. “And I’m having more than my share of doubts right now.”
“Well do us all a favor and get over ‘em is all I got ta’ say.”
“I will when you tell me what’s really going on.”
“Trust me, you wouldn’t believe me if I told ya’.”
“Very funny.” I wasn’t laughing when I made the comment. “This isn’t the time to beat me over the head with irony. I’m not in the mood.”
“Irony? What… Oh, yeah, I did kinda sound just like you right then, didn’t I?” he harrumphed and then gave me a sidelong glance. “Frustratin’ as fuck, ain’t it?”
“Yes it is, but you also know exactly why I say that.”
“Yeah, and I know ‘zactly why I’m sayin’ it too,” he countered. “Just leave it alone, Row. Seriously. It ain’t important.”
“Is the FBI involved in this?”
“Well hell, sure they are. I already told ya’ that.”
“No, Ben, I mean me being here now.” I wasn’t yelling, but my voice had definitely risen in concert with my darkening mood.
“Calm down. The Feebs got nothin’ to do with you bein’ here.”
“Who then?”
