Auggie counted out the seconds. Theo’s nails bit into his hand, and it hurt like hell, but Auggie knew Theo was hurting even more. After almost half a minute, Theo exhaled sharply and opened his eyes.
“Anyway,” Theo said. “That’s that. And I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did. I’m sorry about that. Oh shit, your hand.” He released Auggie, and then he turned Auggie’s hand, exhibiting the white crescent marks his nails had left. “Christ, Auggie, why didn’t you say something?”
Auggie made a questioning noise and wiggled the fingers of the hand covering his mouth.
With a groan, Theo dropped his head back onto the pillow. “Please, can we not talk about this anymore? I really don’t think I can talk about this.”
Auggie held up one finger.
“No, Auggie, please.”
Auggie made a pleading noise.
After a moment, Theo nodded, but he looked away.
Dropping his hand from his mouth, Auggie said, “You’re a great man and an amazing father, and you’re doing the best you can in an impossible situation. When you’re ready, I want to do whatever I can to help you, but I promise I won’t bring this up again until you want to talk about it.”
Theo gave a jerky nod, still staring at the tulip-print curtain.
Auggie might have made a mistake, might have said more, because the anguish on Theo’s face was still so raw, but the door opened, and Auggie shot a glance over his shoulder.
“Hi, Auggie,” Detective Somerset said quietly. “Theo, how are you?”
“Ok,” Theo muttered, wiping his face and coughing hard once.
“I know you’ve both been through a lot,” Somerset said. “I’d like to get your account of events, Theo, but that can wait. I need to ask you both something else first, and it’s very important that you tell me the truth.”
Auggie tensed, waiting for the questions about corrupt cops, about Lender, about everything that had really been happening over the past five months.
Somerset frowned. “We can’t find the flash drive anywhere. We know it was in the house; I saw it in Jessica’s hand when I went inside. We’ve searched the house a couple of times since then, full sweeps. It’s vanished. Do either of you have it? Maybe you just picked it up by mistake?”
In the words, Auggie could hear the offer: Somerset would let it slide, would let them take the easy route by claiming it had been a mistake. He shook his head. Theo shook his head.
“Damn,” Somerset said, riffling his hair. “Here’s the real question, then: do you have any idea who might have taken it?”
22
Theo was exhausted by the time Somers left; Somers hadn’t exactly interrogated them, but he’d come pretty close. He’d pressed Auggie pretty hard about contacting Les and his brothers; Somers had wanted to know if Robert’s cousins had killed any Volunteers when they cleared a path for Auggie, but Auggie had just shrugged and said he didn’t know anything. After Somers had finally left, it had taken even more time to send Auggie home. The poor kid had been a wreck, physically and emotionally, and he needed food and sleep in a real bed, even if he hadn’t been willing to admit it. After Auggie left, Theo closed his eyes and tried to sleep; the room smelled like old cigarette smoke and liniment, which Theo guessed was probably courtesy of his roommate. The guy’s cough had gotten steadily worse throughout the afternoon. Theo could barely hear Wheel of Fortune over his hacking.
Theo felt like his eyes had barely been closed for five minutes, though, when the door opened again.
“Well,” Cart said, “you look like shit.”
Theo studied Cart, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Cart was wearing a button-up that was shockingly trendy: the fabric was printed with old-fashioned Christmas lights, and it looked good on Cart’s compact frame. He had on khakis and loafers. He was carrying flowers.
“Oh my God,” Theo said.
Cart blushed. “I wouldn’t have gotten all dressed up if I knew you were going to be in your panties.”
“You look like you’re fourteen years old and picking up your first date.”
“Fuck off,” Cart said. Then that huge, shit-kicking grin exploded. “So I look good, huh?”
“You don’t look like a reprobate who only owns gym shorts.”
Cart came across the room and settled into the chair that Auggie had recently left. With that same crazy-ass grin, he held out the flowers.
“These are nice,” Theo said.
“I don’t know how to pick out flowers, so I just got a big one.”
“They’re really nice. I like carnations.”
“My first date, when I was fourteen, was Alexis Lind,” Cart said. “But I’d gotten a handjob the summer before from Joey Ridenhour at Scout Camp. So maybe that was my first date.”
“You want to count getting a handjob in a canvas A-frame as your first date?”
“Joey was a sweetheart. And I think tents are romantic.”
“God, you’re a certified hoosier. You understand that, right?”
Cart just grinned and stretched out in the chair. He looked around and said, “Where’s your boytoy?”
Theo looked at him and waited.
“It’s just a joke,” Cart said. “Don’t get your panties in a wad.”
“If you’ve got any more jokes, get them all out of your system.”
“Did your preschool buddy give you a little . . .” Cart mimed jerking off.
Theo rolled a finger.
“Did he kiss it and make it better?”
“You get one more, so make it good.”
“Did you show him just how adjustable that hospital bed can get?”
Theo shook his head. “I don’t even know what that means.”
“It means he rode your dick while you—”
“Jesus, Cart.” In spite of himself, Theo was grinning. “Who
