Page 80 of Trigger

“Hisgirlfriend,” I replied, vaguely remembering my drunken attempts to reachCarter. My calls went unanswered, the same as my texts. No surprise there,either.

Me:Carter, please.

Me:Don’t be such a child.

Me:Answer me, or I’m coming over.

Me:Wheve are you? I went to youv apartment, and you weren’t there.

Me:I drank the wine you gave me and now I feel suck.

Me:I puked and I blamme it all on you.

“Ipresume he’s straight?” Bazooka guessed.

“As anarrow.”

“Thenyou know what to do. Move on.”

“Easiersaid than done.”

“Why?”

“Because…”

Ipaused, not knowing what to say when he cut in.

“Don’tsay it’s love, Viking.”

“Why?”I grumbled, putting him on speaker so I could send a text to Carter.

Me:I’m sorry. Don’t be a dick and answer me.

“Becauselove is a bad, bad thing.”

It wasa very insightful thing to say coming from a guy called Bazooka.

“Ipresume we’re talking about Trigger?” Levi added. “You always sounded weirdwhen you talked about him. Although I saw his photo and I can’t blame you onebit. I’m straight, and I would do him in a heartbeat.”

“Please,don’t,” I said with a sigh. “He’s getting enough attention as it is. I don’tneed your hairy ass in the mix.”

“Youdon’t know that my ass is hairy.”

“Andyou don’t know that love is a bad, bad thing.”

Afterour chat, I gave up on sleeping and went to the station. It was early in themorning, and I expected it to be empty. This was the LD, after all, and none ofthe cops working here wanted to be on their jobs. As it turned out, almost noneof them.

“What’sup, Tye?” Adam said when I came in, keeping his eyes on his screen. “What areyou doing here so early?”

“Restlessnight,” I replied because it sounded better than a broken heart, blue balls,and the TV not working.

I satbehind my desk, staring at the stress ball he was squeezing with his hand.

“Whatexactly happened to Raj Taylor?” I asked him, deciding not to beat around thebush.

Helooked at me with a wide smile.

“I waswondering when you’ll ask me that.”

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