Page 38 of Bait and Switch
“Ugh, I would, even though all you ever do is call for favors,” she teased. “One of these days I’m going to call in a biggy. But I can’t today. There’s a family emergency and I’m on leave for the week, not in the office at all.”
“I’m sorry, is there anything I can do to help?”
“Fix my dysfunctional family? Ha.” She sighed and Casey heard a car door being beeped open in the background. “My estranged cousin was killed last week, and my asshole uncle just got around to telling me. I know it’s because he’s grief-stricken and alone, but fuck, the man brought it on himself. He’s the one who couldn’t handle the gay. Now he’s dead and there’s no chance for them to reconcile, and I think Uncle John wanted to reconnect. I’d been talking to Pete recently about it, and I think he was coming around to the idea. God, humans are so monumentally stupid.”
At the namePete, icy invisible fingers crawled down Casey’s spine.
“Marlene, your cousin’s name was Peter? Did I hear that right?” Casey grimaced as he forced himself to ask the next question. “Did he use the same last name as you? Was he on your mom’s or your dad’s side of the family?”
“My mom was Uncle John’s sister, so we don’t share the same last name.”
Marlene and Casey had been study-buddies in college who’d bonded because neither one of them had been big partiers or into the recreational drugs that were readily available on and around the campus. They had a running joke that school officials might as well have invested in drug vending machines; at least then they would have gotten a kickback, maybe been able to fund a few scholarships.
Still raw from Mickie’s trial and incarceration, Casey hadn’t mentioned his family situation and Marlene had taken the hint and hardly ever talked about hers. He had known that she’dgrown up in Westfort, that her mom had died of breast cancer while she was in high school, and that her dad owned a fishing boat. While Marlene knew that Casey was from Heartstone, had a soft spot for rescue animals, and spent his summers hiking the backcountry trails. That had been enough to form a connection that had persisted past college graduation.
“And no on Pete, too,” she said, like Casey’d known she would. “After Uncle John kicked him out, he started usinghismom’s maiden name, but I didn’t know that until later. He is—was,” Marlene corrected, “older than me. We weren’t super close growing up, but I ran into him a few years back. Why?”
Instead of answering her, Casey asked another question. “I know this is going to sound weird, but had you talked to your cousin lately?”
He heard the thump of a car door shutting, the clatter of keys, and the hum of an engine.
“Funny you should ask that. He called right after you did the other week. Had a question about the same person you did, Gabriel Karne. Said he had something of his and wanted to return it. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I mentioned your request. It just seemed so odd.” She was quiet for a moment. “Why are you asking me these questions, Casey?”
“I’m not sure yet,” he said honestly. “Does your uncle happen to own a sailboat?”
“My aunt did. Sailing was her dream. She was such a goof, she named itShangri-Laafter that moldy old book. It was moored at your marina last I heard. Pete and I thought that was kind of funny too, such a small world. Seriously, Casey, tell me what is going on.”
“I can’t. For one, I don’t have a good grasp of it all yet. But also, the less you know the better. I think anyway.”
Marlene huffed, clearly not pleased with Casey’s response.
“I’m driving up to Westfort now to help my uncle organize Pete’s memorial.” It sounded to Casey like she was choking back tears. “Which is really just me because my uncle didn’t know anything about his own son and my dad honestly wants to smack Uncle John every time they’re in the same room. I generally run interference, it’s cheaper than a visit to the ER. Keep an eye out for me. I’ll be in your neighborhood as soon as I can and I’m going to want some answers. None of this evasive bullshit. You’re my friend and I expect better from you.”
There was a click and then Casey was listening to empty air.
“Dammit.” Then he added, “Fuck,” for good measure.
An ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach was warning him that shit waspossiblyabout to hit the fan. But at least now Casey thought he’d figured out how Peter Vale had known to ask for Gabriel the other day.
It was Casey’s fault.
He gulped the rapidly cooling coffee, making a face as he did so. The exchange with Vale had been short and sweet. Casey had just returned from the Weird Gabriel Karne Family Reunion at Elton’s after detouring through the park to walk Bowie and trying to reclaim his sense of equilibrium. He’d parked at the marina and was unlocking the gate when a stranger had pulled up in a flashy white BMW, effectively blocking in Casey’s Wagoneer.
Casey’d been about to tell him to fuck right off and get his damn car off private property when the driver stopped him by asking about Charming Fucker.
What had Casey said? “He’s not here.” Seemed straightforward, and even better, it had been the truth.
“But he is staying around here?”
By this time, he had gotten out of his car and was approaching Casey. For his part, Bowie had ignored the stranger and was instead sniffing around for the stray cat—some guarddog he was. Casey, on the other hand, had immediately been irritated by the man’s manufactured perfection. The short, tidy, blond hair, the khaki slacks that showed no signs of wrinkles, the pink oxford-style shirt that peeked out from his high-end parka—it had all bothered Casey for reasons he still wasn’t willing to think deeply about.
“If you say so.” Not one of his better responses, but he had a natural suspicion about sharing information with strangers.
“Sorry, my manners are terrible,” the man had said. “My name’s Peter, I’m a friend of Gabe’s. If you see him, will you pass a message along for me?”
“I’m not Karne’s personal secretary. Come back when he’s here.”
Nice, Casey.
