Page 91 of Body Count

“That’s it?”

“I mean, Tip started fucking everything that moved.A lot of dad types, you know?And you know what’s funny?Tip used to be so goddamn picky.Nobody was good enough for him except sweet little Jordan until he realized I was coring out his old man.”

A warning bell began to sound inside my head, but I couldn’t quite put the thought into words.Instead, I said, “Must be hard to have a competition like this—” I nodded to the pictures on Rory’s mirror.“—when you’re super picky.”

Rory’s phone yowled again, and he picked it up to read his message.He didn’t even really seem to think about it as he said, “That didn’t start until after.He saw my pictures and started putting up his own.Didn’t even say anything, but he wanted me to see.Turns out Tip’s a real whore when he has the right motivation.”

That warning bell got louder.

“You told me you and Tip never hooked up,” I said.

“We didn’t.”Rory finished his message and dropped his phone.“Are you done?This guy is almost here.”

“I bet that drove you crazy.”

“Not really.He can fuck whatever piece of gutter ass he wants to fuck.”

“He can’t, though,” I said.“Because he’s dead.”

Rory ran his hand down his chest.“You know what I mean.”

“Did you ever make a pass at Tip?”

“No.”

“Did he ever come on to you?”

“Uh, no.He and Jordan were practically married.”

“No, he was out fucking every piece of gutter ass that moved, remember?”

He made a face, but a hint of color came into his cheeks.“I meant before.”

“I’m asking about after.”

Dropping back to stare up at the ceiling, he said nothing.

“You don’t like it when guys say no to you, do you?”I asked.

“Nobody likes it.”

“Sure, but most people shake it off.It makes you angry, though.I saw it.Just a minute ago, when I told you I didn’t want to screw around.”

He was silent.But the flush was spreading across his bare chest now, and he was breathing faster.

“Doesn’t it?”I asked.

So quickly that it caught me off guard, he propped himself on one elbow to stare at me.“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but if somebody says no, it means no.You were fucked up that night at Sunny’s, but you knew what you were doing.Now what?You’re trying to pretend I would have gotten mad if you’d changed your mind.”

“How many times did Tip turn you down?”

His eyes slid away from mine again.“I already told you: none.That guy is almost here, so you need to leave.”

“You’re more convincing when you’ve had time to practice,” I told him.And the more I talked, the more I watched how he reacted to each question, the more I knew.Not with evidence, not yet.But Iknew.I thought about how he’d acted, after that first, idiotic hookup.The barrage of texts.The sense of mounting desperation.He couldn’t stand being ignored; how would he respond to downright rejection?“More than once, wasn’t it?At least once before he found out about you and Eddie.But he and Jordan were together, so that was a no.And then again, after.And he said no again, didn’t he?”

“You’re nuts.”

“What’s Jordan going to say when I ask him?”

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