Page 58 of Trigger

Heclosed his eyes with a sigh. “Yeah, that’s Raj. Was. ThatwasRaj. Ikeep forgetting.”

Hetook a sip of tequila and handed me the bottle as I sat across from him.

“Howlong were you partners?”

“Twoyears. In fact, Raj was the one who introduced me to Vic.”

Iblinked in surprise. “You’re kidding?”

“Nope.Raj’s parents are well-off, so he and Vic went to the same private schooltogether. She was throwing a birthday party and invited him. He invited me togo with him, and then… Vic and I hit it off, I guess.”

Ialways wondered where he met Vicky since they weren’t moving in the samecircles, but now it all made sense.

“Howdid he die?”

Carterbowed his head, biting his bottom lip in a way that had to be painful.

“Hey,it’s okay,” I said, shifting closer to him. “You don’t have to talk about it ifyou don’t want to.”

“Iknow I don’t,” he bit out.

He wasspiraling. I could see it in the way his shoulders trembled. I could feel it inhis gaunt body. I could hear it in his labored breathing. Without thinking, Isat behind him and pulled him toward me. He tensed up like a wounded animalready to attack, but he remained motionless.

“We’renot strangers anymore, pal,” I said with a sad smile. “Sorry to point it out,but we slept and pissed in the same stinking pit for three days. You can restyour back on me without getting an anxiety attack.”

“Okay,”he said through his teeth. “What… what do I do?”

Ispread my legs wide so he would have more space and pulled him closer to me.

“Leanback and relax.”

Whenhe rested his back on my chest, I reached for the bottle and gave it to him.

“Nowtell your story.”

Hetook a sip of tequila as I slid my hand to his chest and started to rub thespot above his heart with my thumb. Just like the last time, he relaxed almostinstantly.

“There’snot much to tell. Raj and I were friends. Partners. Everyone loved him in thestation, while for some inexplicable reason, he loved me. ‘Cause, you know me…I get grumpy.”

Ismiled. “You’re not grumpy, Dominic.”

“Aren’tI?”

“You’renot grumpy now.”

“It’sbecause you relax me,” he grumbled. “When you don’t annoy me, that is.”

“Andthen what happened?”

“Lifehappened,” he said with a sigh. “We were on a stakeout. Raj left the car inpursuit of the suspect. I should have followed him straightaway, but I didn’t.He caught the guy but lost his life in the process. I was two minutes too late.Two minutes that I will regret for the rest of my life.”

“Whatdid you do to the suspect?” I asked him because I knew he didn’t arrest him.

Hesmiled bitterly. “I beat him within an inch of his life, of course. I believehe’s still taking his food through a straw somewhere. And I ended up in the LD.Deserved.”

I tooka sip of tequila and passed the bottle to him.

“Itwasn’t your fault,” I said when the alcohol burned away some of the pressureinside me. “It’s that goddamn job. It eats at us, can’t you see?”

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