Page 81 of Puzzle for Two

“Ben, Flint decided to question you without discussing it with me. If he’d checked with me first, I would, of course, have told him it wasn’t you in the garage. And when I see him, I’ll make it clear to him—”

“Don’t bother,” Ben broke in. “I’m filing a restraining order against both of you.”

Zach started to reply, then stopped. Maybe this was the best solution. It didn’t seem to have occurred to Ben that a restraining order worked both ways.

And while Zach was genuinely sorry Flint had gone after Ben—they were going to have that out just as soon as Zach could get hold of him—he couldn’t help noticing that Ben had zero concern or even sympathy that Zach had been attacked. This was entirely about Ben’s experience, Ben’s feelings.

Which, frankly, was kind of how it had always been.

Why had it taken him this long to realize that?

Ben was saying, “When I think of how much of my life I wasted on you.”

“Why was it a waste?” Zach broke in. “We loved each other and we were happy for a long time. Why doesn’t that count?”

Ben glared. “Because it was all leading to this. It was all fornothing.”

“Ben—”

Ben did a‘talk to the hand!’

“I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say, Zachariah. Now or ever. It’sover. I’mdone.” He turned and shoved open the glass door, pausing to throw back a scathing, “I’m so glad it’s Flint. You’re going to get back everything you did to me times ten.” He stepped out into the bright sunlight.

The heavy glass doorshoompedshut on air-conditioned silence.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Did it not occur to you to tell me what you were planning before you called on Ben?”

The minute Ben left the office, Zach was on his cell phone to Flint. He was shocked and angry that Flint had not bothered to consult him before approaching, no,accusingBen.

He had been even more flabbergasted when Flint answered with a cool, “What’s up?”

And when Zach said what was up, Flint replied, “Sure, it occurred to me. I knew you’d be against the idea. But it’s important for us to be able to rule Franken out. That attack on you seemed to fly out of left field, so if it isn’t part of the larger pattern, we need to—”

“I’d be against the idea because I know it wasn’t Ben!”

Flint said patiently, “It’s understandable you’d feel that way.”

“No, you don’t get it, Flint. I’m not being sentimental. I lived with the guy for years. Do you seriously think I wouldn’t know if I was wrestling around withBen?”

The hesitation on the other end was more telling than words.

“His size, his shape, his smell… Even the way he breathed. That wasnotBen. I’d have spoken up if I thought Ben attacked me.”

“Would you? Or would you think you could talk to him on your own?”

Okay, Flint wasn’t wrong about that. On that one single, solitary point, he was right. Zach would probably have tried to talk to Ben. And, yes, that probably would have been a mistake. But it was all beside the fact, because his attacker had not been Ben.

“I’m not an idiot.”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot. I think you’re inexperienced. And too soft-hearted.”

“And I don’t appreciate being treated like the junior partner when this is my case.”

“Okay, well, it started out as your case, but it’s our case now.” Before Zach’s outrage found voice, Flint clarified, “We’re partners on this.”

“If we’re partners, then treat me like a partner and tell me what the hell you’re planningbeforeyou go in with guns blazing.”

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