Page 75 of In Plain Sight

The time for small talk was over. “What we want to know is… did Brad have any boyfriends?” Gary’s heartbeat quickened.

Sean fell silent, his mouth open. Finally he spoke. “You know he was gay?”

“I do now.” He indicated Dan.

Sean frowned. “I don’t understand.” He stared at Dan for a moment. “I remember you. Didn’t you stay here pretty recently?” He widened his eyes. “Oh God. You’re that psychic. The one who helped the police—”

“Yes, yes he is. Now, about—”

The door opened, and a young man dressed in black brought in a tray containing a coffeepot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and three cups and saucers. He placed them on Sean’s desk, then left the room.

“About Brad’s boyfriends,” Gary continued. “Did he have any?” Then his chest tightened when Sean’s eyes glistened.

“Yes, he did.” Sean grabbed a tissue from the box of Kleenex and wiped his eyes.

Gary stared at him as realization dawned. “Oh my God. You. You and Brad….”

Sean blew his nose and dropped the wad of tissue into the trash. “We started dating during our final year. It didn’t last longer than that—he died the year after. And no, I can’t think of anyone we knew who’d want to harm Brad. Because whoever killed him had to be a psychopath.”

Gary’s gut clenched. “I hate to tell you, but to misquote Wednesday Addams, psychopaths look just like everyone else.”

“You gave him a plastic ring, didn’t you?” Dan interjected.

Sean gaped at him. “How did you—” He held up his hand. “Forget I asked. Stupid question. Yes. I can’t remember where I got it, but I do remember slipping it onto his ring finger as a joke.” He swallowed. “Only I wasn’t joking. I’d have married him in a heartbeat.”

“He loved you.” Dan’s voice cracked.

Sean’s breathing hitched. “You… you learned that from the ring?” Dan nodded, and Sean teared up. “Thank you for that.”

“We’re going through Brad’s address book,” Gary told him, “contacting as many of his classmates as we can, hoping for a breakthrough.”

Sean froze. “Then stop what you’re doing. I can save you a lot of time. How would you like to meet all of them under one roof?”

Gary blinked. “Seriously?”

“Every six years, we have a class reunion. I have no idea who decided on six, but there you are. We like keeping track of each other, finding out who’s doing what, who’s doingwho. And there’s one coming up soon. It’ll be here, too, at the hotel.” He smiled. “I drew the short straw to organize it. And I thinkyoushould be here.”

“We’d have no right to attend it,” Gary protested.

Sean arched his eyebrows. “Yes, you would. You’ll be there representing Brad.”

Dan stared at him. “You think we might learn something.”

Sean’s smile lit up his face. “I thinkyoumight learn something. Like I said, I don’t think for a minute one of them will turn out to be Brad’s killer, but yes, you might learn more about Brad. If you leave me an address, I’ll send you an invitation. After all—” He gave Gary a sad smile. “—we could’ve been family.”

DAN HADlost all track of time. He’d been staring at the negatives and the photos relating to the Caravaggio since before dinner. Not that he’d learned anything. He couldn’t shake the feeling of curiosity that accompanied each touch of the negatives.

What aroused your curiosity, Cheryl?

And then there was theKama Sutra. Time after time, he found himself drawn to the book, and he had no idea why.

Gary joined him on the couch. “Hey, it’s late.”

Dan glanced at his phone. “Good Lord, where did the evening go?”

“Have you found something?”

God, he was weary. “Maybe? But it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

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