Chapter 17: Returned

Dirk called at eleven that night, from a number I didn't know.

"Hal. Please don't hang up."

"You have one minute."

"I need to see you. Alone. I'll tell you everything about her."

"I'm not seeing you alone."

"Then bring him," he said. "Bring Jerome. I don't care. Just come."

He named a diner on Lake Street that stayed open all night.

We got there at midnight.

Jerome took a stool at the counter with his eyes on the booth by the window.

Dirk was already in it.

I would not have known him from across the street.

He had not shaved, and his shirt was wrinkled at the collar.

His wedding ring was still on his hand.

"Thank you for coming," he said.

"Talk."

The waitress filled my cup and left.

"I didn't know she'd do that today," he said. "I swear I didn't."

"What did you think?"

"That she was a little unstable. That you'd frightened her."

"In the security room you said she'd told you in advance," I said. "What I would do to her."

He rubbed his eyes.

"She said you'd been looking at her strangely for months."

"And?"

"She said she was afraid you might push her one day, on the stairs, at the gala. She said I should be ready to back her up."

"And you believed that."

"I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to be safe."

"Safe from what?"

"From you finding out about us."

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