Page 26 of Mann Hunt
“Do you know how Mr Attwal is doing?” Charlie asked.
“The doctors are going to try and cosmetically restore his ear, as best they can, but there’s nothing to be done about the finger.”
The office phone rang. Then a second time.
“Oh… I’ll get that,” Charlie said, scampering out of the office.
There was an awkward pause as Declan and Luke stared at each other for a moment.
Declan started. “So…that partner of yours…”
“Yeah. Not the easiest to work with.”
“He has no idea about you?”
“Not a bit, and I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t think it’ll be hard with McKeckran. The thing about bigots and homophobes, they’re not the brightest people out there. For McKeckran to figure it out, I’d have to make an obvious pass at him.”
“Or try to kiss him,” Declan joked.
“I’m not that desperate. Besides, there are better guys out there to go after,” he said, locking eyes with Declan.
Is he flirting?Declan wondered.
Luke shifted in his chair.
“What you’re doing—it’s a big secret to keep.” Declan said. “You up for it?”
“I don’t have much of a choice, do I? Unless I want to follow your example. You seem to be doing well for yourself since you left the force.”
“Leftis a polite term for it.”
“I was thinking about that. It’s funny that Professional Standards never looked into it—the fight, that is.”
Declan crossed his arms. “My father had to be good for something.”
Luke nodded. “We all just figured that the guy whose chops you busted was too scared of you to press charges.”
“Might have been that, too.” Declan laughed. “Anyway…things worked out okay for me.”
“So, I hear you handle mainly gay clients?” Luke asked.
“Most of the time I help out people who are too afraid to go to the cops. A lot of times they’re gay. Sometimes it’s parents trying to find a gay kid who’s run away and they don’t want their neighbours to find out. Most of the time it’s pretty routine—collecting evidence for wrongful-dismissal suits, partners dealing with cheating spouses—same as in the straight world.”
Luke said, “I’m working on a case like that with McKeckran. Looks like the husband’s gone AWOL. The wife filed a missing person’s report. McKeckran thinks he’s gay and has run off with his boyfriend.”
“Based on what?”
“He saw a photo of the guy at the house. Said he looked gay. I asked what made a guy look gay, and he said he could always tell. He claims he has a sixth sense. Obviously, that’s not true.”
Declan shook his head. “How do you not just lose it?”
“I talk it out,” Luke replied.
“With who?”
“With myself, mainly.”
“I thought maybe you debriefed with your boyfriend.”
