Page 46 of To Die For

Glass smiled. “I’m sure you’ve been thoroughly briefed on what I’ve been up to. At least the government’s side of things.”

“So there’s another side?”

“There’salwaysanother side, Travis. Presumed innocent and all, right?”

“Right.”

“Why did you get out of the Army?”

“I had a sense my luck was running out,” replied Devine.

“I can relate. Who wants to die in a foreign land for no good reason?”

“Well, we were serving our country.”

“Like I said, no good reason.”

Devine let this slap against the Stars and Stripes slide. “So why did you want to see me? I know you’re a busy guy. Must be a reason.”

“Just wanted to say hello to a fellow soldier who was with me in a tight spot.”

“We all owed you. I said so in my letter to the brass.”

“I’m glad you said that, Travis. Theowingpart, at least.”

The tension in the room had gone from eleven all the way to doomsday.

“You understand me?” said Glass.

“I must be slow, so no, I don’t.”

“Betsy is a great kid. What happened to my sister and her husband? Beyond tragic.”

“Yeah, it was.” Devine decided to take a shot at something andalso divert the direction of the conversation. “Did you know of their drug use?”

“I didn’t know much of anything about them. They got married while I was overseas. I saw Alice when I was on leave, and Dwayne was off looking for work, which he almost never found. This was before they had Betsy. After she was born, they moved around a lot. Yesterday was the first time I’ve actually seen her in person.”

“And now you want to be her guardian?”

“Our parents are long dead. And Dwayne’s folks are, too. I feel obligated. I’m all she has left. Betsy is my family.”

“So the owing part?” said Devine, bringing the talk full circle. “Just to be crystal clear, I have no control over what happens to her. And even if I did, I would do nothing to interfere in the process.”

Glass’s features went from light and upbeat to junkyard dog in a breath. “So you don’t really feel like you owe me then? Your words were just bullshit?”

“You had to know I could do nothing for you, Danny. So why am I really here?”

“I remember you as a by-the-book kind of guy. But people change. Maybe you haven’t.”

“I haven’t, at least not with respect to something like that.”

“Then I have my answer and this meeting was worth it for me.”

“Then let’s make it worth it forme. You ever hear of a guy named Perry Rollins?”

“Sorry, rings no bells,” Glass said so smoothly, Devine figured he was lying.

“Okay. You and Betsy seemed to hit it off at brunch.”

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