Page 21 of Nothing But the Night (Basic Instincts 2)

“It’s not you. It’s this whole fucked-up situation. I thought I could control it, by getting ahead of Nadine’s story, but all I’ve done is make it worse.”

“You haven’t.”

“Haven’t I? That man is dead. He would still be alive if we hadn’t gone to speak to him.”

Jason fought to speak softly. “It likely has nothing to do with us. Or with Theo. Dan could have been involved in all kinds of shady business.”

“But he also knew things about Theo. And if we hadn’t pressed him on it, he might still be alive.”

“No one knew we were going to see him tonight. I doubt very much that he tipped off Theo’s killer he was going to talk. You’re making massive jumps here, with no evidence to back it up.”

There was a pained expression on Marc’s face. He bared his teeth and fastened his shirt. Jason realised that talking it through was only making him worse. He reached for him, putting a hand on his arm, but Marc shrugged him off.

“I need to go home. I need space to think.”

“Okay. Are you sure you’re all right to drive? Let me make you a cup of tea or a coffee first, eh?”

“I don’t need anything.”

How had they gone from such a moment of intimacy to this vast, cold distance? Jason opened a drawer and put on a pair of pyjama bottoms while Marc finished dressing. Anything he said now would only make the situation worse. He went into the kitchen and poured a shot of vodka. He knocked it down neat.

Marc came through a moment later, carrying his jacket.

“Are your clothes dry?” Jason asked.

“Still damp.” There was weary tone to his voice. “Doesn’t really matter. I’ll get soaked going to the car anyway.”

“You don’t have to go,” Jason said, trying again.

“I want to.”

The words hit like a punch. “Be careful then.”

Marc nodded and made straight for the door. “See you,” he said, letting himself out.

The flat was eerily quiet afterwards.

Fuck.How did that go so wrong?

Jason poured another drink. Marc’s emotions and feelings about his brother’s death and their relationship were obviously problematic and painful. More deeply rooted than Marc probably realised himself.

Fucking him had been a mistake. Huge. It had complicated an already complex situation.

In all likelihood, Marc would fire him in the morning. Then he’d have to admit to Ryman the reason why.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Jason knocked off the shot and went back to bed. Tomorrow could not be any worse than today.

Chapter Nine

Suspicions

Jason hadn’t heard from Marc when he reached the office the next day. He took his silence as an indicator that he hadn’t been fired and continued to work on the case. He felt like shit. The lack of sleep combined with too many shots of vodka before bed had resulted in a stinking hangover and he didn’t get to work until almost nine-thirty.

Olivia was already at her desk.

“Is Ryman in?” he asked.

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