Page 4 of Shadows of Before

Will sighed. “Yeah. He was a great man.” He swallowed hard. “I met with the lawyer today. He left me all the property and a 500K insurance policy.”

“Holy cow.” This from Annie. “I told Diego to ask you if you needed money. I guess not.” She squeezed his hands. “I’m glad you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Yeah. I guess I have options now.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m suspended with pay until they decide if I can ever go back to a protective detail. I’ll never guard the president again, though. And there’s a chance that no bigwigs will want me on their detail.”

“I’m so sorry.” Diego scowled. “Eso es ridículo.”

“Not so ridiculous in their eyes.” He blurted out, “I glanced away for a few seconds and the shot came. I didn’t have time to dive in front of him.”

“That must be awful for you, buddy.”

“When I think too hard about it, I can barely breathe.” He shook his head. “I’m not pleasant company today. Too many bad things in my karma right now.”

“Hush. I made your favorite dish,” Diego said. “That Mama used to make.”

Just then the stove’s buzzer sounded.

“It’s ready. You two sit and I’ll serve it.”

“Okay. I’ll help clean up.”

“That’s Annie’s job.”

Dinner consisted of a rice and tomato casserole. The familiar spices of chili sauce and Worcestershire brought back eating atDiego’s house when they were kids. That was when his dad was alive. Even though he moved away, he knew his father was there for him. Now, he didn’t have that anymore.

Afterward, he and Diego went out to the patio. The warm air enveloped them. “I like spring.”

“Yeah.”

“Want to talk more?”

“No. I’m tired.” Of talking. Of the loss deep in his gut.

“Why don’t you stay overnight? You don’t have to go home to that house with so many memories.”

I’m not. But he couldn’t even tell Diego that he was seeing Katie again. For just sex. This would be the third time he’d be with her. “Nah. I want to be alone.”

“Not good for you.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter.” He stood and Diego joined him, walked inside, said goodbye to Annie and left their house. They stood on the porch waving to him. He was jealous as hell of what they had together. At one point he wanted that. But he doubted he’d ever have it now. These days, he wondered if anyone could love a loser like him.

* * *

Kate sat at the counter while her Dad basted a turkey. Its scent filled the whole kitchen. “That smells wonderful.”

“Yeah.” He did a bit of stirring and tasting from the pots on the stove top, then turned to face her. Sipped his beer. “You look like hell, Katie girl.”

“I’m not getting much sleep.” Which was true. The three nights Will came to her place they’d doze off then wake up and have sex again.

“Still in a funk because of your demotion?”

“Of course I am.”

“The police department is strict.” Her Dad was a retired cop and one of her brothers was climbing the ladder in the police force. The other brother, Hank, was a computer guy in Syracuse. “But you’ll get through it. I still have hope you’ll get back to where you were.”

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