Page 97 of Mann Hunt
“I have never been more humiliated in my life. I’d always pictured him seeing me naked under different circumstances.”
“The circumstances beingunder him?”
Charlie sighed. “Why is life so cruel?”
“Oh, stop whining and eat these,” she said, plunking his plate in front of him. “And don’t expect this kind of service every time you’re caught in bed with a murderer.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t think he did it.”
Charlie scooped up some eggs and shovelled them into his mouth. “God, these are good.”
“I’m glad you like them. I’ll teach you how to make them for next time.”
“I’m sorry. I must be getting in the way. I promise I’ll start looking for my own place soon.”
“You are not in the way. I kinda like having you around. You’re my best friend in the world, and it’s nice having someone I trust to cuddle up to at night without worrying about sex. That, and you look ridiculous in that robe, and that makes me laugh.”
She reached over and tousled Charlie’s hair as his phone rang. Carrie grabbed it off the table. The display said ‘Declan’.
“It’s your boyfriend calling.” she said with a smile.
“Which one?” Charlie teased.
“The older one who isn’t in jail,” she said, handing him the phone.
Charlie answered the call. “Morning, Declan.”
“Hey, Charlie. You all right?” Declan asked.
“Fine. Taking the morning off, as instructed. Have you heard anything from Luke?”
“Nope. He wasn’t answering his phone. I left a message on his voicemail but he hasn’t gotten back to me. Before I see him, I want to check on something. I’m going to head over to Katherine’s to fill her in on what you learned last night. I want to have another look at those pictures. You up for coming along?”
“You bet.”
“Good. I’d like to have you there. She seems to relax more when you’re around.”
“Do you think she knows something she’s not telling us?” Charlie asked.
“I don’t know. There’s something not quite sitting right. What you said about Justin… I’ll swing by and pick you up at one.”
“See you then,” Charlie replied, before putting the phone down. “He thinks I might be right,” Charlie said.
“He said that?”
“Well, not in so many words. But he implied it. He’s coming over to pick me up sowecan interrogate a former suspect.”
“If it’s a former suspect, why are you interrogating them?”
“It’s detective stuff. You wouldn’t understand,” he replied with a mock sense of superiority. Charlie sat back and had another sip of coffee, trying to look serious in the frilly floral bathrobe.
* * * *
At a quarter to one the doorbell rang. Charlie, now dressed for work, ran to the door. “You’re here,” Charlie said, smiling.
“I hope you don’t mind. I’m a little early.”
“Not a problem.”
