Kateri couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand to see her friend so frustrated he was drinking in the middle of the afternoon and while on duty. She put her hand over his.
He froze in place, staring down at her fingers.
“Luis, for so long, you’ve been one of my best friends. After all we’ve been through, can’t we salvage a remnant of that affection?”
He traced one of the myriad of scars that crossed her hand, reminders of the tsunami, and the frog god, and broken bones and pain and recovery that would never end. “I don’t see how that’s possible. You know what I wanted from you.”
He was pouting. A very handsome pout, but a pout nevertheless. “And you would have won me, if not—”
He pulled his hand away. “Are you going to nag me about that forever?”
Kateri’s grasp on her temper was usually good, but he was being a pig. “You were dating me and you slept with Sienna.”
“Only once!”
Bertha edged closer. Sienna had come to Virtue Falls as an ambitious young graduate. She had quickly opened a sandwich shop, then a pizza shop, and now it seemed she owned all of Virtue Falls. That was, of course, totally untrue. But she did own Luis, in ways Kateri did not choose to imagine.
Kateri said, “It’s not a matter of degrees, Luis. Once is unforgiveable.”
“Sienna and I have a casual relationship.”
“That’s great, as long as it’s okay for the two of you.” Kateri thought Sienna would be surprised to hear her relationship with Luis was casual; that young woman was beautiful, spoiled and determined to have him. “As long as I’m not involved.”
Luis must have decided he was losing this argument, because he went on the attack. “After putting me off for weeks, you slept with another man. As soon as you got the chance!”
You started it! Kateri bit her tongue. Pretty soon they were going to be slapping at each other like two squabbling toddlers. “Sienna thought she was pregnant. You thought you were the father. I considered that infidelity. You got engaged. I was therefore free to do what I wished.”
Bertha had her back to them, her elbow on the bar, but by the way her head was cocked, Kateri knew she was listening with all her might.
“You wanted to do … him? You slept with him after one night! Stag Denali. For fuck’s sake. A gambler. Is he a casual relationship?” Heedless of Kateri’s rising temper, Luis charged on in a voice that carried across the bar. “Because if you’re into casual relationships, count me in!”
She didn’t hesitate, she most definitely didn’t think and she answered just as loudly. “I don’t do casual relationships.”
Bertha gasped.
Luis looked as if he’d been slapped.
Kateri couldn’t look either of them in the eyes, so she glanced around the bar.
The customers sat, mouths agape.
She whispered, “Most definitely not with, um, two men.”
Oh, shit. What had she said? What had she admitted?
Kateri picked up her hat, eased off the bar stool. “If you’ll excuse me, I, um, have to go check on my friend at the Good Knight Manor Bed and Breakfast. Early this morning she, um, got a threatening call and I put her off because … you know. The murder.”
Everyone was staring. Everyone was whispering.
“Luis—I wish you the best of luck in your next significant relationship, whoever it is with.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kateri stood on the street corner outside the Gem Lounge.
Rainbow lay in a hospital room dying.
The criminal John Terrance was still free.
A female tourist had been gruesomely murdered by persons unknown.
Her best friend of years past had been threatened by persons unknown.
Kateri’s ribs burned like sonsabitches. And within the hour, half the town would hear that Sheriff Kwinault had declared she didn’t do casual relationships—and would be told, in case they had forgotten, that she was in a relationship with Stag Denali. Might as well brazen it out and hope to hell Stag wasn’t among the half of the town who heard the story.
Yep. Being sheriff was as much fun as she had imagined.
Better get moving before the bar patrons got done texting their friends and they descended on the Gem Lounge to catch sight of crazy-in-love Kateri Kwinault.
She winced at the thought, got in the patrol car and headed toward Mrs. Golobovitch’s apartment. While she drove, she called Bergen, who said everything was quiet. Then in an ominous tone, he added, “Too quiet.”
He was quoting the oft-used movie line, and she said, “Very funny.”
“I’m serious. Where is that goddamned sonofabitch John Terrance?”
She hung up carefully … because Bergen never swore.
She checked in with Mike Sun, who told her in a tone of intense annoyance he would call when he knew something about Carolyn Abner’s murder.
Finally she checked in with Moen’s father, Ron. Moen hadn’t been at work and she was worried about the boy. She asked, “How is he doing today?”
“Thanks for calling about him. Thanks for sending him home and thanks for giving him a little time off. Rupert’s sleeping.” Ron’s voice got rough. “He, uh, he was pretty broken up.”
Which was code for: He’s been crying.
Kateri felt so inadequate. She knew how proud Ron was of his son and his career in law enforcement. She also knew about Rupert’s aspirations as an artist. So what was she supposed to say? Platitudes, she supposed. “He’s a good kid. He’s a good cop.”
“He is. I’m just not sure if he … Well!” Ron drew a breath. “He’ll toughen up.”
Now Kateri did know what to say. “I hope not. I like him like he is.”
“I’ll tell him you called.” Which was code for: Butt out.
“Thanks, Mr. Moen. Please do.” She hung up.
This had been a long day and it was just past noon. She had hours of work and heartbreak to go. She needed her dog. She parked at the curb, rapped on Mrs. Golobovitch’s door and when Mrs. Golobovitch opened, Kateri asked jokingly, “Can Lacey come out and play?”
“Dear, I don’t have her.”
“What?”
“When you didn’t bring her to me, I was a bit surprised, but I called Stag and he told me Lacey seemed anxious and assured me he would keep her today.” Mrs. Golobovitch patted Kateri’s hand and beamed. “He’s such a nice man. I’m so glad you have someone to take care of you.”
“Um, he doesn’t … that is, I don’t need someone to care for me. I can take care of myself.”
“Of course you can. But isn’t it lovely that he’s there to protect and cherish you anyway?”
Kateri shut up. Mrs. Golobovitch held Old World views of men and women and love and marriage and, well, hell, she was right. It was lovely that Stag Denali had her back.
Mrs. Golobovitch added helpfully, “I believe they’re at the construction site on the reservation.”
The casino construction site. “They’ve already started building?”
“Site preparation. Soil testing, then scrape it down a few feet and get ready for the foundation pour.”
Kateri cocked her head. “Mrs. Golobovitch, how do you know all that?”