Page 28 of Keep

He nodded. “Yeah, I know, but that’s not what I meant.” Curtis glanced back at the doorway. “I mean is there something going on that you want to talk about?”

Actually I was feeling pretty rattled by the whole weird meeting but I still couldn’t find any wisdom in dragging Curtis into it.

“Nope,” I said with a straight face. “Nothing’s coming to mind.”

Curtis didn’t look convinced. I didn’t blame him.

We chatted for a little while longer in a way that was friendly but steered clear of heavy topics. He said he and Cassie wanted to invite us over to have dinner tomorrow night. It was a nice invitation and since I was sure Camille would say yes, I accepted.

“Does seven p.m. sound good?” he asked after mentioning he had to get back to work.

“Sounds great,” I said. “Do you want us to bring anything?”

He shrugged. “Just yourselves.”

I grinned. “I think we can handle that.”

Curtis hesitated by the door. I got the feeling he wanted to say something. I knew he didn’t believe me when I said there was nothing strange going on. But even though we’d always gotten along great we didn’t have a pattern of spilling our guts to each other. Besides, Curtis had a lot going on. He worked hard and he was trying to raise one little brother while trying to figure out how to get his other brother out of the gang life he’d chosen. The guy had his own problems. Sharing mine with him would have been a selfish thing to do.

Curtis crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.

“Look, this is gonna sound corny as fuck,” he said, “but I’m around, Dalton. I’m around if you ever need anything. All you’ve got to do is ask.”

He looked me right in the eye and I didn’t doubt he meant what he said.

For a second I thought about telling him. About John Jones, about the warning from Cami’s reporter friend. About all the things I may not have known about Hale.

But all I said was, “See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” Curtis said and I thought he sighed after he walked out.

The rest of the day went smoothly and I could almost forget about the visit from Jones or whoever he was. I didn’t plan on telling Cami. She’d worry. Worse, she’d investigate. An old buddy of mine was on the Phoenix police force, a detective. It wouldn’t hurt to give him a call.

But all the while in the back of my mind I kept thinking about something. Hale had always walked on the edge. Even when we were kids. Always pushing the envelope and earning his reputation as a troublemaker.

Yet there was also another side to him. The side that helped me nurse a fallen falcon back to health and tossed endless pitches to me in the backyard so I could practice my swing. He did that even though he never liked baseball.

Hale was never an open book. There was always so much he kept to himself. I knew he was no angel but all things considered I also knew that beneath the layers of toughness he’d built up over the years there was a good heart.

Yet I was still afraid.

The worst had happened and I’d lost him but I was afraid of his secrets. I kept asking myself the same question over and over.

What did you do?

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