“Man has a name, brother.”
“Get away from me.” He put the answered phone up to his ear, grinning when he heard loud laughter over the call. “How’s my Guy?”
“Who were you having to beat off with a stick? Should I be jealous?” Denis’ voice carried a strong thread of laughter still. “Oh, oh. Don’t tell me. Let me guess.” A pause with more laughter. “Um. Oh, I know. Jinx. Was it Jinx?”
“No. Busk was being annoyingly attached.” Cherry grinned at the shout of mock rage from across the room. “Might need to get some surgery to get him off my...I’m going to stop right there.”
“You are the most amazing man I know.” There was noise in the background, a voice asking a question. “Yes, it’s Cherry. Did you want to talk to him?” A pause. “Okay.”
Muffled sounds then Warner’s voice came on the line. “I don’t know if Chapin picked up on it, but that rookie LaBlanc missed court today because he got burned a few nights ago. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If you’re thinking that my Guy missed that little tidbit, then you have no faith in him. I’ll bet you ten dollars he was going to tell me tonight. But yeah, the other thinking I’m doing is that it is an interesting coincidence. Far as you know, has your cousin ever hung out with the ASMC?”
“No, but I’ve been ducking him for years. There are whole swaths of years when I wouldn’t have to put up with his shit.”
“No worries. Give the phone back to Denis. We’ll sort out what might be going on.”
More muffled sounds, then Denis spoke, his tone put-upon, “I did catch that little tidbit. It’s why—” He sighed. “Know what? Never mind, I know I was going to tell you, and if all Marcus is going to do is mock me, then I’ll leave it.” In a whisper, Denis said, “But I was going to tell you.”
“I believe you, baby. You’re the smartest man I know.” Cherry got a glimpse of his own face in the mirror behind the bar and paused to study the reflection.I look softened, and happy.
“So we called for a dismissal and I think it’s a good chance of getting one. LaBlanc is the only witness that’s not second hand. His bodycam footage doesn’t prove anything one way or another. I think the judge is going to allow the dismissal as a kick in the ass to the rookie. Maybe he’s had to deal with him on other cases, too.”
“Did you call Ricky about the potential link between LaBlanc and the ASMC?”
“Of course not. That’s up to you to do. That way I can claim no knowledge of the conversation.”
“He is smart.” That was Warner from the background.
“Of course I’m smart.” Denis’ tone was haughty, making Cherry laugh. “I caught the biker, didn’t I?”
“God, Denis. You are—” Cherry looked at his reflection again. “I’m so glad we met.”
“Me, too, Tattoo. Me, too.”
***
Denis
Home, and in his favorite lounge pants, Denis threw himself on the couch. He buried his face in the cushion and came up smiling. Just a hint of masculine scent, and it brought back all the memories of him and Cherry making out.
He’d only been home a half an hour and already missed Cherry like crazy.
“It’s too early to ask him to move in.”
Rolling his neck, he stared at the ceiling.
“No, for real. It’s too early to ask him to move in with me. We’re not at the ‘rent a trailer to move him in’ stage yet.”
He sighed and rose from the couch, headed to the kitchen and the wine he had chilling in the refrigerator. Glass in hand, he returned to the couch, this time seating himself with more decorum as he grabbed the TV remote with his free hand.
Five minutes later the wine was gone and he still hadn’t settled on a single thing to watch.
“Doom scrolling on the TV is a new low.”
After speaking with Cherry earlier today, he’d halfway expected a visit so they could go over anything Ricky had found. Denis found himself resenting Cherry’s absence far more than a ‘not at the move in stage yet’ should demand.
His phone buzzed and he nearly took a header off the couch leaning over to pluck it from the side table.
