Page 36 of Skeletons in the Closet

“Some.”

“How much is some?”

“Female red-tailed boas can grow up to seven feet long.”

Tallus’s brows rose. They were nicely groomed and expressive in ways that intrigued me. “That’s insane. Where will you put her? The tank isn’t big enough.”

“I’ll get her a new one.”

He stood, shaking his head. “I still don’t understand what you have against cats.”

“I don’t have anything against cats.”

Tallus studied me, gaze raking up and down my body like a physical touch. I shifted uncomfortably. “What?”

“Rough night?” Sympathy radiated from his hazel eyes.

I grunted, unsure how to respond, unwilling to get into it. Tallus was not one to beat around the bush, and I was not one for heart-to-hearts.

We were at an impasse.

“I didn’t figure you’d want to chat about it.” Tallus sipped his beer, his throat bobbing. “But… maybe I can cheer you up.” My mind slipped into the gutter before he added, “Have you had a chance to look at those newspapers?”

“Newspapers?”

He chuckled. “The ones Beth sent to Olivia.”

“Oh. No.”

“Can we sit?” Tallus motioned to the couch.

I mumbled something resembling agreement but hesitated. The couch was a love seat, and it was not long enough for usto share, considering my personal space issues. For whatever reason, they had grown astronomically in Tallus’s presence. I feared I would slip up if I didn’t keep a solid distance between us. I would make suggestions I didn’t want to make. I would invite activities that would mess up a working friendship—is that what we have?I had no clue. All I knew was the urge to see him naked again was taking over my ability to think.

But we sat, and I did my best not to come across as Frankenstein’s monster. Tallus shifted to face me, folding an ankle under his ass so his knee came to rest on my side of the cushion. He wore fashionable black trousers and a deep purple dress shirt. If he’d worn a tie earlier, he must have removed it. The shirt collar was unbuttoned, sleeves rolled to nearly his elbows.

I clung to my beer but didn’t drink. It was hard to know where to look, so I focused on where his knee invaded my side of the love seat, counting inches.

Tallus removed a paper from the front pocket of his shirt and unfolded it. “Take a look at this. I did some comparing of the two newspapers today, seeking commonalities. There were four overlapping topics of relevance. I mean, there were tons of others, but considering our situation, I felt they were dismissible. What do you think?”

I took the paper and scanned it. Abuse on prostitutes in the downtown area, a politician making a fool of himself—shocking—a York University professor selling drugs and sleeping with students, and a drag queen story time at a local bookstore.

Tallus had made notes on each, but I couldn’t see how any of it connected with the case. I peered questioningly over the top of the paper.

“I know, I know. They seem like random everyday news events. Nothing special. But we know there’s an elusive bastard involved, right? He’s the question mark. His email implied…more or something else. So I asked myself. Who is our elusive bastard, and how does he tie in?”

“Maybe he doesn’t.”

“Or maybe he does. You just have to get creative. He expressed concern about keeping Noah quiet. He knew something of relevance. What if Noah was somehow tangled up in the assaults on these prostitutes? I mean, if Faye thinks he’s a cheater, why not turn him into an abusive cheater? Why not consider he was involved with them? Beat them. Raped them. Who knows? It could explain why the police showed up. They suspected him. It could explain his sudden fear. What if he was arming himself to defend against an angry pimp? There’s your elusive bastard.”

Tallus’s delivery was full of energy. He radiated with it, and it made him even more attractive. I drank my beer and stared at the glow emanating from his eyes.

His theory was convoluted, but I didn’t have the wherewithal to stop his momentum. He was on a roll, and once he was sure I was following his breadcrumbs, he continued.

“Next, we have the politician. They’re always fun and full of dirty secrets. Okay, so, I don’t know how his story would fit, but…” Tallus paused, raking his teeth over his bottom lip as though building the suspense. “He and Noah are the same age, and… they went to the same public school. Don’t be shocked. I did research. It probably doesn’t mean anything. I mean, who stays friends with someone from grade school? And I have no proof they even knew each other back then, but it’s not something I could dismiss. Even tiny clues are clues, right? Okay, I know, don’t say it. I’m grasping at straws. Let’s move on.”

I was barely paying attention, more intrigued with the intensity with which Tallus spoke. More consumed by his mouth and hands. The spicy scent of his cologne fueled my desires. In amoment of weakness, I found myself wanting to touch him, but I didn’t know how.

I drank deeply from my beer instead.

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