Cat’s chest tightened. “That stinks.”
“Yeah. But Larry was Larry, and I was used to his secrecy. I figured he had a good reason. Sometimes I even wondered what he thought he was protecting me from. If he was.”
“That’s also a good question.” Ben had given her two points to put in the mental mill for processing. Hopefully some kernels would pop out of all the chaff.
“Anyway,” Ben continued, “I was surprised by being kept out of sight. It left me wondering what he might be working on, though he wouldn’t say, no matter how many times I asked. I quit asking. Anyhow, the year I was anticipating with the love of my life turned into two months, and they were...difficult. For me, at least.”
Cat had no trouble imagining how that must have felt. “It would kind of make me wonder what kind of relationship we had.”
“The thought crossed my mind.”
Boy, did Cat feel bad for him. Relationships inevitably had their ups and downs, but to be kept out of the good things? To be relegated to a back room in Larry’s life?
For the first time, she didn’t think so well of Larry. “Did he spend any time with you?”
“He’d come over at night a lot. We’d share some beers or wine, cook together, spend hours just lolling around gabbing. It wasn’t every night, though. Two months may not be enough time to judge long-term, but he really wanted me not to be connected to him.”
Cat didn’t have to say that was terrible. Ben already knew.
Still, the secrecy was another layer on this case. As outgoing as Ben was, she’d have expected him to squire his boyfriend around town. Instead Larry had shown up at least a couple of times a week to have a drink or play darts. Not fair at all to Ben to be left out. That must mean something. She made another mental note. She might have to question Duke about it. Great. Most of the time that man did a great imitation of the Sphinx.
“I have some idea how it feels, Ben. I lost my mother about the time you moved here, but I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as what you’re going through.” Useless words, but she needed to address this man’s grief.
“I heard. You nursed her, right? Really tough.”
“But I knew what was coming. I had time to say all those important things, and to show her. You didn’t even get that.”
He nodded slowly, then wiped under his eyes as if tears had overwhelmed him. “Damn,” he said presently. “I keep crying.”
“Anybody would. Let it flow.” She rose and brought back a box of tissues to place in front of him.
He gave her a muffled thanks and wiped his eyes a few more times. “I didn’t mean to dump on you. I just needed to talk to someone, especially about Duke. What does he want?”
“Justice for Larry. I think I’m supposed to keep him from wrecking the case. He was sure loaded for bear when he got here.”
Ben wiped his nose, then reached for another tissue. “That would be Duke. He’s a battering ram.” Then Ben shrugged. “That’s part of the job.”
“Were you a Ranger, too?”
“I didn’t try, honestly. Wasn’t for me. I met Duke over in Afghanistan, though. I was on a patrol and we met one of his units, and there he was, striding along with his men. That night we all shared a camp, and Duke and I became friends. We met up a few times when we got back to the States. One of those times he introduced me to Larry, who was in town to visit him.”
“I’d wondered, the way you two talked.”
“We weren’t best friends, but we could sure have a good time knocking back some beers.”
Cat tried to imagine Duke having a good time and failed. Of course, that wasn’t a fair judgment under the circumstances. “And Larry?” she asked.
“We hit it off like a house on fire. A couple of weeks later, we were together. Secretly, of course.”
Too many secrets, Cat thought. Entirely too many. First to protect Ben while he was still in the military, then hiding an investigation from Duke that had caused him serious problems, and now more secrets. To protect Ben again? No way to know now.
Given Larry’s penchant for playing it close to his vest, she had to wonder what other kinds of secrets he might be hiding. A chill trickled through her. Not because she suspected Larry might be a baddie, but because now she had to wonder who else he might have crossed in his career. Especially recently.
Again, no way to know. Frustration began to build in her.
Ben spoke. “I don’t know what Duke thinks he can do that the sheriff’s department can’t.”
“I think he wanted to talk to people who’d met Larry. He thought people might be franker with him than with us.”
“Not likely,” Ben said sourly. “Larry didn’t tell anybody anything. At least not about his work. At this point, I wouldn’t be shocked if he had an ex-wife somewhere.”
Ouch! Cat’s sympathy rose another notch.
“Not that I think he did,” Ben hastened to say. “But the last few days, I’ve been wondering what else he might not have told me. Pointless.”
“I know. I’m sitting here wondering the same thing.”
Ben sighed. “I’m sorry I’m taking up your evening. I’ll go home now, but I want to talk to Duke some more. We may still have to iron out a few things.”
“I’ll tell him.” Cat walked Ben to the door and watched him drive away over pavement that glistened beneath streetlights.
The weather had nothing on the storm she felt brewing.
THE RAIN WAS really beginning to annoy the three men in their gully. They’d had to move up the slope because the creek was so engorged, and now they sat with their boot
