Page 42 of Bait and Switch
“I’ve been a fool, Cox.”
Gabe recognized the sound of defeat, of futility, practically dripping from his words. Why had Stevens come here, to Elton? When Elton had mentioned Stevens to Gabe, his tone hadn’t been one of admiration. The Elton approval meter clearly pointed toward scorn and disgust, not friendship and acceptance.
“No doubt you have,” Elton agreed. “Are you going to come inside or are you going to make me hold this door open and let the heat and the cat out?”
“Dammit,” Gabe muttered under his breath as he spun back around. He’d forgotten about KeithandBowie, but neither of them were in plain sight. Bowie must have been in the kitchen with Casey while Keith was somewhere plotting murder, or whatever it was cats did most of the day. He turned back to the door.
One last hesitation, then Stevens bowed his head and stepped over the threshold. Peter’s father was a thin man who had once been tall but was now stooped with age or illness. He looked like a plant desperately in need of watering. Still, it was easy to see where Peter had inherited his thick hair and prominent straight nose from.
“Have a seat.” Gabe gestured in the direction of the couch.
The one-sided conversation in the kitchen abruptly ended and Casey appeared at the archway, his head down as he looked at his phone. Nodding, he tucked the phone into the side pocket of his cargo pants. Then he looked up and saw Stevens. Alwaysimplacable, Casey’s expression stilled to something scary, somethingother.
“What’s he doing here?” he asked, his tone stony.
“We don’t know yet,” Elton said. “Do you have time to find out?”
Gabe had an inkling of an idea. They’d seen Stevens at the station earlier. He must have recognized Elton or maybe one of the deputies had said something.
“No, I don’t.” Casey turned his flat dark gaze on Stevens. The disdain he felt for the man oozed from every pore. “What are you doing here?”
“Let the man sit down, Casey. Before he falls down.”
Stevens shuffled across the room to take the spot on the couch that Casey had occupied before the phone call. Having experienced Casey’s frustration and irritation firsthand, Gabe knew what his glare felt like, and at the moment, Ranger Man’s emotions were so strong they made the air feel thick and almost difficult to breathe.
Stevens’s shoulders rose and fell. He seemed to gather himself before looking at Elton, then Gabe. His gaze skittered past Casey and turned back to Gabriel again.
“You’re the one who moved ontoThe Golden Ticket. You knew my son.”
Gabe’s suspicion that it had been one of the deputies who had had loose lips, or perhaps the sweet old gal at the front desk, intensified.
Never underestimate small towns.
“Yes, I briefly lived on theTicketuntil somebody decided to torch it and a neighboring sailboat. And I don’t think Peter let anyone know him, not really.”
“That’s my fault, I –”
“It’s a little too late to apologize, and we’re the wrong audience—at least I am,” Casey interrupted, his tone laced withimpatience now. “I learned you kicked your son out when he told you he was gay and now you have to live with the consequences. The one person who should have had his back, and you turned on him.”
“Yes,” Stevens agreed, cocking his head, “I deserve that. It’s the truth, I have no excuse.”
“So why do you suddenly care?”
Obviously, Casey was not planning on letting this go. And, frankly, Gabe was curious too. He might have gone about asking in a different way, but this was Casey. Ranger Man was front and center.
“It’s not sudden—look, I don’t have to explain myself to you,” Stevens retorted with a burst of arrogance. “The sheriff says that Peter talked to you just last week, Casey. What did he want? Did he say anything? Please.”
The man was grieving, possibly ill; his son had been murdered, but the lawyer in Stevens was alive and kicking and looking for any answers. It was easy for Gabe to see why he’d been a successful prosecutor. He’d also saidplease.
“Don’t call me Casey like you know me. Why should I tell you anything? Why would you believe anything I say?”
Elton winced, caught Gabe’s quick glance, and pursed his lips.
“You’re right, of course. You don’t have to tell me anything. I just—” Stevens’s voice broke again. He looked down at his hands for a moment, then, clearing his throat, he looked at Elton, probably his safest choice. “Peter’s dead. He deserves justice. I owe him that much.”
“That’s rich coming from you. I’d say you owe him a great deal more than that, but as you pointed out, it’s too late.”
“Casey.” Elton said his name quietly, but there was a warning there. Or an admonition. Gabe was impressed.
