Chris had just finished changing the SUV's oil and was just about to focus his attention on the Harley when he heard the phone ringing. "Damn." He swore in irritation. Toby had gone to Miami on business with Katherine, Bob and his lawyer, Arnold Zelman and Peter-Marie was out shopping so he was home alone. He made his way out of the garage and into the kitchen, picking up the portable phone.
"Yeah?"
"Hello, this is Bevilaqua Harbour General Hospital..." *Toby?!*
"...may I please speak with Mr. Christopher Keller?"
"Speaking." His heart was exploding in his chest and he suddenly couldn't quite breathe.
"We have a patient by the name of Angelique Carole Kenmin..." Chris let out a great sigh of thanksgiving.
"...she was brought in this morning with a slight case of food poisoning and she gave us your name as a local contact."
"I'll be right there." His heart continued it's rapid pace, but for a different reason as he left for the hospital
After checking at registration and the nurses station Chris made his way towards Angelique's room. He hadn't spoken to her since the party, almost a week ago. She had called a few times and he had been distant and curt with her, she hadn't seemed to consider that Toby or Peter-Marie might pick up the receiver, then again maybe she had.
Now that she was lying in a hospital bed, he felt kind of bad about it; he had shown interest even while he had protested against her overtures.
He quietly opened the door and peered inside. She was sitting up in bed reading a magazine, looking up as he entered. A tired, but happy smile coming to her lips.
"Hi." I hear you and a tuna sandwich came to blows." He said coming in further and standing at the foot of the bed. Man, she looked drained; dark circles under the eyes and a pallid complexion.
"Yeah, I only took a few bites and an hour later I was struggling to call 9-1-1." She said smiling at him. "I hope you don't mind that I gave them your name and number today. I didn't have anybody else, my best friend Sarah's back in San Francisco. So...I hope you don't mind." She finished quickly.
"No, 'course not. But, how do you feel. I hate to say but, you look..."
"Like shit?" She said with a quiet, little laugh. She wasn't worried about her looks in general, but she hated that she looked so sick and unattractive in front of him. He didn't seem to mind though.
"No, just sick." He came closer and settled on the other, empty bed in the room. Silence. "So how's your story comin'? Are you making my home look good in your piece?" He asked clumsily. This fucking awkwardness was weird. Previous to this he had felt a natural rhythm with Angelique.
She looked at him and instead of answering she reached for the water pitcher. He promptly jumped up and poured a cup for her. She took a deep swallow. "Yes, it's almost finished. I just need to cover Beecher's boating exposition and a photographer is coming down on Saturday. I should be finished and ready to go home in about three, four days, if I'm feeling better by tomorrow." She said looking at him while slowly sipping her water.
His eyes were hooded. He didn't really know how he felt about the fact she would possibly be gone in less than a week.
"Does he know you're here?" She asked tiredly, leaning back into her hospital sheets.
"No. He's in Miami. He'll be back this Saturday, day before the thing at the country club."
"I thought it might be something like that. I doubted that you would have come if he had been near." She said matter-of-factly.
"Probably not. Angelique, I love Toby. I've caused him so much pain by becoming involved with you. I'm sorry that it hurt you when I wouldn't see you, but he's first with me. Leaving here and goin' off to California..."
"I understand. I don't mind being second. I travel all the time in my job and I like Florida..." Angelique said seriously. "If you don't give me a chance to try, how can I make you fall in love with me?" She added simply.
"You mentioned love before, but C'mon Angelique you and me both know part of the reason you want me is because of revenge. If I weren't with Toby would you be so willing to be the other person, attraction aside?"
She licked her dry lips. "It started that way, I admit it and a little of it might still be that. But honest to God, Christopher. It's you I want. It's you I love. I don't know why, exactly, but I do." She murmured as the tears started to well up. It was all just too much for her to take at that moment; Jia, hating Tobias, working, realizing that she was falling in love with him; it all made her feel as if her entire body would combust.
He instantly came to the bed and took her in his arms protectively, murmuring to her and kissing her tear stained and sweaty face, telling her that everything would be okay...
An hour later she was in a deep sleep and he crept out quietly, planning to go and retrieve a few of her things from the hotel. He had promised Angelique that he would stay with her until visiting hours were over and be back bright and early the next day to see her. Chris thanked the stars that Tobias was out of town for the next couple of days while he sorted this mess out. He had his cell so he'd not miss any calls. He met Doctor Nathan as he exited.
"Keller, hi."
"Hi, Doc."
"Your friend..." She began looking at the chart "... Ms. Kenmin, as you know it was a slight case of food poisoning and we're releasing her tomorrow afternoon. But she still needs someone to stay with her for a day or so, makes sure she drinks water, takes her meds, that kind of thing."
"Done." He said.
"Great. You have any other questions or concerns?"
"No, I trust you Doctor Nathan and Angelique looks pretty good for food poisoning." She grinned at him.
"I'll see you later, and say hello to Beecher for me." She said with a pleasant smile as she walked down the hall to continue her rounds.
He felt a twinge of guilt. Yeah, he'd do that. He headed out to the Days Inn.
"...my parents will take it as an insult." Tim protested slightly.
"C'mon, they know I'm crazy about'em. But even I'm not so into kink that I feel comfortable fucking in the next room to your parents." Scott said, leaning heavily against the pharmacy counter.
"It's not right next door, the den's in between and they sleep like rocks. There's no reason to stay in a hotel when we go to Orlando."
"It's not just that. It puts us closer to the theme parks, gotta' go on the roller coasters..." He said quickly kissing his lips and looking around to see who might have seen, not that he'd have given a shit. The second best thing about his relationship with Scott was that he was a risk taker and loved the excitement of danger; biker, rollercoaster enthusiast. He never felt that Tim's job, even if they did live in a relatively quiet town, was a problem; too dangerous or unpredictable: those had been some of the words used by a couple of ex's in Miami.
"We'll talk about it later." Tim said as Gloria approached them. The look that Scott gave him said he knew he'd get his way. Probably.
"Hi Timmy. Scotty." She said pleasantly. Gloria and Tim had dated briefly, about six months after her husband had died. It had been more like a fling, six weeks to be exact. He'd gotten suddenly all possessive and clingy; her husband had just died and the last thing she had wanted was another one. Gloria had ended it and somehow, she knew in great part to him having met Scott Ross a couple months later, they had gone back to being friends not lovers as it should be.
They both greeted her warmly. "I gotta' get back to my drugs. I'll see you later." Scott said and went back to work.
Tim and Gloria headed off further down the hall. "Gloria was that Chris Keller I saw you talking to earlier. Did something happen with Beecher or Mrs. Reimondo?" Tim asked.
"No, a friend of his. Angelique Kenmin."
"Ms. Kenmin. What's her room number? I'd like to give her some information about her brother and maybe just say hi."
"15A. But don't stay to long, she's still a bit weak." Just then her pager went off. "See ya." She called as he took off back down the hall towards Angelique's room.
He lightly tapped on the door.
"Chris?"
"No. Tim." He said stepping in. Her face showed extreme disappointment.
"Hello Angelique, are you feeling any better?"
"A lot better since this morning. Food poisoning, it's a bitch." She said with humor.
"I ran into Dr. Nathan and she mentioned you were here. I also saw Chris Keller and wondered why he was at the hospital." His eyes watched her.
"We've become friends." She said simply. She was not about to reveal anything to him. That was a change from the woman who had been probing him for some answers and had expressed her feelings openly.
"Like Tobias Beecher was a friend of your brother's?"
"Something like that."
"I talked to Tobias awhile ago and he seems to be under the impression you blamed him for your brother's death. This thing between you and Christopher wouldn't be a direct result of that, would it?" She didn't say anything, her black eyes matching his blue ones. "I don't know all your reasons or motivations for staying here. I know you're aware that your brother's case is still open, but that we have no real leads. It may be eventually regarded as an accidental drowning or just an unsolved case."
Her eyes flickered for a moment.
"If you know anything or have any kind of proof that your brother was murdered you'd tell the police I assume, you wouldn't do anything dangerous or rash?" He asked. He looked at her and saw unwaveringness there.
"I know I'm stepping way over the line here, but on a personal note, I think you would be best not to try and come between Beecher and Keller. You seem like a nice woman, but with everything that's been going on you are way too vulnerable and forgive me for saying so, out of your league in this. You really don't know those two." He said as kindly as he could.
"I know what I need to know Detective McManus. I checked out Tobias Beecher online. I know that his parents are old money living on the eastern seaboard, he has an MBA from Harvard, and I even know his wife committed suicide about five years ago. See, isn't the superhighway wonderful?" She just wanted him to go away and leave her alone. "As for Chris, well he's a puzzle. But when I was a little girl I loved to try and figure them out."
"You may not like what you find."
"I'll tell you something someone else in this place told me a few weeks ago. I don't think it's any of your concern."
"Bye Ms. Kenmin."
"Bye Detective McManus."
The following Friday Annette was again at the courthouse. She had received a call from Katherine explaining that they; Katherine, Tobias, Mr. Rebadow and Mr. Zelman would be returning from Miami Friday afternoon, not Saturday morning as first planned. She had been busy getting some documents filed and ran straight into Father Mukada as she hurriedly made her way back to the office.
"Father, hi."
"Annette. You look frazzled." He said with a little concern.
"Just in a hurry. Ms. McClain will be returning today, instead of tomorrow and she gave me a million things to do between now and then."
"How about you, you look to be in a hurry yourself." She noted.
"I am. I'm running late. I was at the hospital talking with Angelique Kenmin, you remember her. I escorted her to Tobias Beecher's party. She was ill and was feeling a little down, she just wanted to talk a bit; I don't know if I really helped her or not we were interrupted by Christopher Keller. He was taking her back to her hotel so we didn't really get a chance to finish. I'm now on my way to the jail to take confession; I just needed to talk with another parishioner who works here."
"You're such a wonderful man Father, I hope God appreciates you." She said with a fond smile, as she waved him goodbye.
He returned the wave, suppressing a twinge of regret and made his way down the hall in the direction of Jon Coushaine's office.
The short business meeting in Katherine's office between Bob, Mr. Zelman, and Tobias had been over around five minutes when Toby tried once more to reach Chris on his cell phone. He had called home and spoken to Peter-Marie who had informed him that the last time she'd seen Chris was the morning before and she'd been out until around 6 pm. She didn't know when he'd left, if he'd come back at anytime, but that he hadn't called or left a message.
"Damn, I still can't reach Chris. I just wanted to let him know we were back early. His cell's been unresponsive since I called from Miami this morning." He complained to Katherine, who feigned sympathy. Annette came in at that moment carrying some burgundy portfolios and after handing those to Katherine remembered what Ray had told her earlier.
"You may want to try the Days Inn." Tobias became stiff at her words. "I bumped into Father Mukada at the courthouse. He told me that Keller had been at the hospital. Your friend, Ms. Kenmin was sick and he was taking her back to her hotel." She said helpfully. Just then her phone rang, quickly picking up a pile of black portfolios she went to retrieve it.
The look on Tobias' face was one that she had never seen before. Utter disbelief. Katherine hurriedly closed the door and looked at Tobias straight back. She hesitated for a moment.
"Tobias?" He didn't answer. She came around to the side of his chair and knelt down, placing her palm over his hand, and looked into his eyes. He looked blankly at her, his mouth a line. Her brown eyes searching his face. Usually she could read a person, that was a part of her job, she couldn't figure out what he was thinking. Tobias suddenly blinked a few times and looked at her, really looked at her. He leaned down and kissed her. His soft mouth pressing slightly against hers, the smooth glide of lips touching. He pulled back a bit. She gave a small smile. He shook his head slightly, removed his hand, and left her office.
Tobias got out of the taxi, paid the driver and slowly walked up to his house. He stood on his stoop for a moment. Chris and Angelique. Together. Again. He didn't know that anything had happened between them. According to what Annette had said, Angelique had been sick and Chris had taken her home. If nothing had happened between them, then where the fuck was he? It didn't take that long to go pick someone up and deposit them at their hotel. But of course he knew that it was far from that simple between them. Why couldn't he get in touch with Chris? Why was his cell phone unresponsive? He wasn't stupid; he knew that Chris would never have risked calling him while in her company. Where the fuck was he! Toby had thought about storming into the hotel and kicking the door in; it might appear that he was in a surreal soap but damned if he was going to act like a clichéd soap character. He needed a drink.
Tobias threw his things on the living room sofa, including his light gray suit jacket and headed for the kitchen. A minute later he was seated in his usual spot, savoring the icy vodka. It calmed him, it soothed him, it wouldn't fuck some woman from California.
Peter-Marie had been upstairs vacuuming, so hadn't heard his return. As she entered the kitchen, they looked at each other in silence.
"What's wrong Tobias?"
"Shouldn't that be, what's wrong now?" She sat next to him and motherly took his hand. "Pretend I'm a shrink." He knew he could trust Pete. It wasn't so much the things that she had said or done in the past three years, but a silent support. Mrs. Reimondo didn't always like or approve of Tobias' and Chris' actions, but she understood them, accepted them, and in her small way tried to make their home a place of refuge and comfort.
"He's with her. It's not that I think he's fucking her. I don't. It's just...I feel like I'm losing him, that I've lost him. If I ever really had him." He said looking morosely at his crystal glass. "I'm so afraid that he'll go. I can't seem to get over the panic in me; I know it all goes back to Genevieve and Nate."
Her brows furrowed in question. She was fully aware of what had happened with his late wife, but she was not aware of anyone named Nate. By the look on his face, however, he had had a profound effect on Tobias' life. "Tell me about." She said softly.
Besides himself, his parents and Chris no one else alive knew the whole story. He took another swallow which helped to loosen his tongue.
"Nate Shemin. God that seems like such a long time ago. It's one of those boy meets boy while attending Harvard Business School, we were in the same classes together, same dorm. We got to know each other, nothing spectacular, just gradual, you know. I wasn't a teenager or anything, 25 in fact, same age as Jia. I'd had girlfriends, boyfriends before. Nate was the first person I loved. I'd told my parents long ago that I was attracted to men as well as women. They weren't pleased, but they never vowed to disown me or anything, they just seemed to accept it."
"Nate was the first guy, person that I felt really comfortable bringing home and introducing. Big mistake. It was Thanksgiving Holiday and we'd plan to stay with my parents the whole week...I think in their minds they must have thought before meeting Nate that it was just some phase I was going through, anyway they were cordial if a little cold. The week went by and when we returned to school he told me this bullshit story about how he felt we were moving to fast, blah, blah, blah. I just knew as soon as he said it, they'd gotten to him. I asked him how much and he denied it of course, but eventually he confessed they had offered to pay his tuition for the year and a little extra if he dumped me."
"I could understand on some level. His folks didn't have a lot of money; he was on scholarship and worked a job. My family were sending me to school. I never said anything to my parents." He looked at her, she looked so sympathetic.
"Anyway, I already was a heavy college drinker as it were, that just kind of gave me more incentive to dull the pain of living." He got up and retrieved more ice from the refrigerator. "I met Genevieve a few years later. She was so sweet, kind, gentle. My parents loved her. But, she was like me, she had a constant sadness about her, didn't know it at the time, but depression. I was kind of wrapped up in myself, my work at the company. She was so quietly supportive, classic enabler. I'm ashamed to say I probably just never paid attention to the signs. Anway, she got pregnant. Twins. Boy and girl. She had a miscarriage. It sent her deeper into a depression and I couldn't help myself, let alone her; my drinking, I still hated my parents for what they'd done. I found her in our garage; carbon monoxide." He drained his third glass.
"What am I to do Pete?" Then suddenly "Why's your name Peter-Marie anyway?" He'd always wondered, but never got around to asking.
"Father wanted a boy. After five girls, he was giving up hope for a junior. So when I came along, he and my mother compromised." She said with an amused smile, then turned serious. "Tobias, I won't give you advice. I will give you my opinion and observations. I think drink has clouded you and your judgment for so long, you don't even trust yourself, let alone Chris or anybody else, fully." He flinched, knowing it was a true opinion and observation.
"We both know he loves you, but he's got a lot of issues that don't have anything to do with you. You've decided Angelique or no, you want to be with him and that means he has to make the final choice in your relationship, because you've decided to give him that power. If he chooses to go with Angelique Kenmin, it's not anything you've done. It will have been his choice..." As she finished that last sentence, both heard the jangle of his keys in the kitchen door lock
They lay naked in bed. Toby on his back. Chris on his stomach, his face turned to Toby's profile, and his palm flat to the other man's chest. Tobias' fingertips absently tapping against it. Neither had spoken a word concerning Chris' whereabouts earlier. He had panicked upon walking into the kitchen and seeing Toby and Peter-Marie, but to his relief and surprise Toby hadn't asked him where he'd been. He wasn't about to volunteer any information.
"I wish you'd known my grandmother." Toby said suddenly.
"Why? What was she like?" He asked with a surprised smile. He knew that Toby'd been crazy about her and that the money they lived on was all due to her.
"Ever since I was a little boy, grandmother was just so...what a grandmother is supposed to be. Kind of like Mrs. Reimondo, but without the sex appeal. She was the only reason I stayed after Gen died. When Grandmother Irene passed away, I knew there was no reason to stay in the family fold."
"I'll be your family."
"You will?"
"Uh huh." He said crawling closer and kissing an erect nipple. Toby closed his eyes savoring the feel.
Toby walked around the large country club grounds sipping his drink and watching the goings on. The public relations firm that they had hired to work with the Bevilaqua Harbour Country Club had done an excellent job in a short amount of time. They had wanted to begin working this project before August and they had succeeded. Most of the 350 individuals, press, and institutions they had invited had RSVP'd and were in attendance. He was happy, not as happy as he had been earlier in the week, before returning from Miami, but when had he ever been without some anxiety to occupy his mind.
He finished his martini and going to one of the bars, got himself another. He knew that he should slow down, the heat, drink and the fact that he'd only had fruit for breakfast would be his undoing if he didn't watch it; he forced himself to down three hors-d'oeuvre, not even tasting them, perhaps something with shrimp. He played hosts, sharing the duties with Bob, however, having given up business after leaving his family's company and just letting his money work for him, he was not personally or professionally familiar with most of the organizational representatives, so Toby smiled, chatted lightly and scanned the crowd for people he knew.
He saw the Nathan's, and a few others he socialized with regularly. He saw Angelique Kenmin looking fit and healthy; she was being trailed by a photographer. He hated her. His anger was generated totally at this woman, not at Chris. Toby knew that it was a weakness that he blamed her for all this. Whatever her charms, he knew that she didn't have any magical powers that forced Chris respond to her; he had spent time with her of his own valition. Chris had always been into controlling himself and his surroundings. Yes, he lived in a house owned by Toby and the money in their accounts was from his grandmother's Trust, but had he not wanted to be with Tobias Beecher, he wouldn't. He was a smooth operator they both knew; Toby had been more than willing to let himself be controlled on a certain level by Chris and vice versa. He could never and would never hate Christopher Keller and so Ms. Angelique Kenmin would bare the brunt of it.
He was so unsure about where they stood, Peter-Marie had been right, his judgment was so often clouded that the only thing he was sure of was his need for Chris, but everything else surrounding it was foggy. Of course, that didn't stop him from taking another drink and heading inside to escape the humidity. He sat in an empty chair, slightly hidden behind a potted palm. All of a sudden, he felt lonely. Chris hadn't come with him because Toby left early, however, he expected him soon. He could see glimpses of people as they entered and exited, hearing pieces of conversations...
"Chris, I need to know...answer....you and me together...." He started and tried to listen, without being seen.
"...go somewhere private." Chris replied.
He was sick in the potted palm. Tobias' heart raced and he suddenly felt trapped. He had to get out of here. He quickly went to the parking and looked for the car, instead he saw the motorcycle and without thinking he retrieved his keys and grabbed it. It was no problem, even without the particular valet stub; He, Chris, and Mrs. Reimondo each had a key ring with all three modes of transport's keys on it.
He tore out of there, leaving the celebration behind. He wasn't even sure where he was going as he rode faster and faster. The bike was going faster than his thoughts as he exited to the highway. He hadn't gone fifty feet, when the inevitable happened and he took the curve to fast; everything disappeared.
They all were there. At the hospital. Chris, Katherine, Peter-Marie and Angelique. Bob had been and gone, so had the police. It had been a couple of hours since the accident and Dr. Nathan was still in with Toby. Peter-Marie held Chris' hand and patted it reassuringly, even though she felt far from it. Her own husband had died in an automobile accident and it brought back all those painful memories, even now after ten years. Chris' face was white and stricken, his eyes full of fear.
Katherine and Angelique both looked to be deep in thought. Peter-Marie was sure that Katherine was worried about Toby, for all her insincerity she knew that she did care about Tobias on some level. As for Ms. Kenmin, Mrs. Reimondo wasn't sure if she might not be weighing the chances of Tobias' survival and her subsequent access to Chris.
"I'm going to go get some coffee, would anyone like some?" Volunteered Angelique.
"I'll come with you." Chris said quickly. Peter-Marie and Katherine just looked at each other.
In the cafeteria he motioned for her to take a seat. It was late afternoon, so the place wasn't overly crowded.
"Angelique. Go home." He said quietly, but firmly.
"Chris..."
"No. Go. Home. I fucked up royally. Toby could die. Do you know what that means?" He looked at her in anguish.
"If you're feeling guilty..."
"You just don't get it, do you? I love him. Only him. The thought that he could be gone and he would believe that I would leave him. That I didn't fully love him. If that happened, I could never stand to look at myself or you without disgust." He then got up and left her sitting there staring into her coffee.
When he returned to the waiting area, sans Angelique, Peter-Marie and Katherine once again looked at one another. He didn't explain. Soon, Doctor Nathan came out to see them.
"He's doing well. Two broken arms, two broken legs, a concussion, and body and face lacerations. But he'll mend and be okay." She said with a reassuring look. She loved when she could give the families good news. "He's under heavy sedation, but you can go in for a short while, one at a time."
Chris let out a breath of sheer joy and relief, hugging Peter-Marie with all his strength and even casting a smile at Katherine. Peter-Marie and Katherine took short turns looking in on him. Chris couldn't be budged from the hospital, so Mrs. Reimondo went back to the house and retrieved some of his things. He sat in the chair and just looked at Tobias. His head was bandaged; his face a mass of black and purple swellings, and his entire form was covered in a body cast. It hurt in Chris' soul to see it. Silent tears streamed down his face.
Two days later, his concussion cleared and the swellings down Toby was making a quick recovery. Gloria predicted he could probably go home in a few days; he just would need some home health care until his casts were removed, then physical therapy.
Chris had either been at his bedside or in the waiting area, showering in the hospital room bathroom. Peter-Marie had finally convinced him to come home to bathe and sleep in his own bed. When he was certain that Tobias was okay, he'd acquiesced. Katherine made sure that he was not there when she came to visit that day. She walked into his room carrying daisies.
"Tobias, you look much better." She said with a small smile. They hadn't discussed their disappointing small kiss since it occurred, and she for one preferred it that way. "How do you feel?"
"Better, worse. All those things. Their decreasing my dosage of drugs and I know it's only a matter of time before withdrawal kicks in." He said stiffly, his mind wondering how he was going to survive three months in a body cast.
She nodded her head in understanding. "How are things with you and Keller? I know this had something to do with him... and Angelique." His eyes followed her as she came closer and settled in the accompanying chair. It was strange how almost dying could make a person see things clearly for the first time; he'd heard that cliché before and now he knew it to be a fact.
"What do you mean?" He asked carefully.
"It's obvious there's something going on between those two. He was with her while we were in Miami and she was here after your accident." She tried to keep her tone neutral.
"You know Katherine; you're my oldest friend in Bevilaqua Harbour. I've known you longer than Pete, Chris, anybody in this town. I've depended on you, probably more than I should. Damn fine lawyer, you've made me an even wealthier man. Thing is though, you are a rotten human being. I'm an alcoholic and that's helped to make me weak. I've let your influence, your dislike, jealousy of Chris feed into my insecurities and fears. I just sat by and let you treat him with such disrespect, like he was my pet, instead of my partner."
"Your severance package will fully compensate you."
"Severance package?"
"Yes, you're fired."
"Tobias..." She began, alarm in her voice.
"...I've been thinking about maybe hiring Arnold Zelman." He interrupted.
Looking at him she knew it was useless to protest; eyes flashing, cheeks flushing she gathered her purse and briefcase leaving in a huff.
Tim walked slowly towards Angelique; she was kneeling at Jia's gravesite staring at the tombstone. Jia William Kenmin, his birth and death recorded underneath. When he had called her hotel she had informed him that she was checking out and was on her way one last time to her brother's grave. He had arranged to meet her there and had spent a good five minutes just observing her.
"Ms. Kenmin." He said with a professional air. She looked up and gave him a tired smile.
"I thought I told you to call me Angelique." She said standing and walking over to him.
"What time's your plane?"
"2:30. I'll be leaving for the airport straight from here."
"Before you go, I think we have some business to discuss."
"Business?" She seemed a bit nervous. Tim had no doubt.
"Ever since you came here I've been disturbed by some things. That first day at the station, you told me that you and your brother weren't close; you said that you two spoke every few months. He was a bit nomadic, moved around a lot. According to you, you tried to call him and when you couldn't reach him you called the cops. Why? Why not call information and see if he'd changed numbers, moved and left a forwarding address?"
"You called the police 'cause you already knew he was dead."
She was cool, but he saw the flicker in her eyes. She didn't say a word.
"Another thing that has always struck me as odd, you've maintained that Beecher was responsible for Jia's death and that he should feel guilty. Yet never, in my interviews with him or you, had you ever said he murdered or killed him. In all my years of being a cop, when someone believes that there's been a murder, rape, or maiming they state it, forcefully-so and so murdered, raped or whatever. That was never your accusation, just responsibility and guilt.
He could see her facade cracking, lower lip quivering and the eyes a bit glassy from tears.
"And the final Jeopardy answer; you said your brother didn't tell you whom he loved, but that you got the feeling that he was in love. The other person didn't feel the same way. When I spoke to Tobias he relayed to me that you in fact told him that your brother wrote to you about him. When Angelique? When did he write about his and Tobias' relationship?"
"You've got the suicide note. Where is it?" He stated simply. By this time she had angry, silent tears streaming her beautiful face.
"I...don't know what you're talking about!" She managed.
"I'm a police detective. You've impeded an official investigation by withholding evidence and lying to a law enforcement official. I can bring you in for questioning and keep you there for quite a while. Sure it's all circumstantial, but by the time I'm done questioning you..." He said looking at her intently.
"You've wasted a lot of my time and caused people a lot of misery. I know you're upset about your brother's death. It is not Tobias Beecher's fault that he committed suicide. There were other factors at work and I think you know that, but you gotta' blame somebody. Give me the note."
Angelique hesitated, a trapped look on her face, finally she went to the Ford and opened her small carry on bag. Retrieving a white envelope sealed in a zip lock she handed it to him.
"I don't want to prosecute you, but I have to tell you, all this will go into my report that will be filed appropriately as a suicide. I'll explain that you just received it upon your return home and sent it to me. I won't discuss the details with anyone, not Tobias, not Christopher. But I warn you, don't come back to Bevilaqua Harbour or we will all face the music." He said with seriousness. "I know Jia's buried here..."
"...I'm thinking about having him brought home; put him next to our parents." She said quietly.
"Bye Ms. Kenmin."
"Bye Detective McManus."
He watched her drive away and let out a sigh of relief. His threat to her had been one part truth, one part bullshit, and major part bluff; he hadn't been 100% sure in his suspicions.
At his desk, Tim opened the note:
Dear Ang,
It's been awhile. I hope you are happy and things are going well in your life. I thought I'd finally found a place to rest; a big, wide space to be free. But I was wrong. Have you ever ached to be with someone? Just to be near them? Maybe just to seek their approval, but to be met with indifference. They don't love you, but they don't hate you either. You just cease to be important. It happened with ma and pa, with you. Now it's happened again, with Tobias. This indifference from the people in my life, the one's I love, is killing me. I can't live this way anymore. I'm sorry.
Jia
Laying the note aside, he turned on his computer and prepared to edit his report.
"So you finally fired her."
"Yeah, something I should have done awhile back, I know." Toby said with an apologetic tone.
Chris smiled at him lightly, then leaned in and kissed him softly.
"Angelique..."
"Day one, I should have fired her ass." Two pairs of blue eyes laughing at the irony.
"Doctor Nathan says you get to come home in a couple days."
"Lots of rehabilitation. Physical and mental." Said Toby.
"I want to stop drinking." He added quietly.
"And I want you to stop." Chris replied, placing his forehead gently against the side of the other man's hair, closing his eyes.
the end