Andi nodded. “It’s usually 80-20 for male and female deaths within the span of a year in the entire country. Small amplitudes are to be expected as this group is a lot smaller.”
“And if we look only at the suspicious deaths, it’s all males. Would you expect that?”
Andi nodded.
“I guess we’ll start with Thomasin’s apartment and then make a little trip to the lake where the judge and his fishing buddy died. As soon as Officer Kaustrowitz tells us when we can meet with Rosalie.”
“Yeah. The trail is already two weeks old, so to speak.” Andi closed his eyes.
“Do you want to do some meditation while we wait? I need to call my mother.” George had procrastinated long enough. It was time to grab that bull by the horns before they dove deeper into this strange case—if it was a case at all.
“I can do that. Or I can stay with you?” Andi was offering his support, and George welcomed it. At the same time, he knew his mother wouldn’t react kindly to the news he was about to share with her. It had been enough that Andi had heard her opinion on them living together. Even though he knew his man didn’t care because he generally made a habit of not caring about other people’s opinions, more so those of people he hadn’t even met yet, George didn’t want Andi to feel unwelcome or rejected. Even though he did a good job of glossing it over, George was convinced nobody could go through life being constantly rejected and not have wounds from it. They might be hidden deep, they might even be scarred, but they were there, of that, he was sure.
“No. This is going to be ugly. I could do with some cuddles afterward if we still have time.”
“Of course. I can go downstairs into the hotel garden if you want to talk here? Less of an audience.”
“Thank you.” George thought about where to have the call, and the hotel room was by far the most attractive option. He didn’t need witnesses when his mother tore into him.
“No problem. They have a pool I’m going to check out.” Andi leaned over, gave him a peck on the cheek, put his shoes back on and left the room without another word. It had taken George some time to get used to his man not wasting breath on useless conversation. Now that he had, he saw the advantages. Not to mention the conversation he would be having once the call connected would be full of wasted breath, he had no doubts. With a sigh coming from the depths of his heart, George got up as well because having this talk while sitting down just wasn’t happening. He needed an outlet for his nervous energy and quite soon for his anger. Seeing as he still hadn’t started dialing his mother’s number, George wondered briefly when he would get old enough to no longer care about what she had to say about his life choices. Since he was a realist, he knew the answer to be never. He started pacing from his side of the bed to the door of the hotel room, from there to the bathroom, the second bed at the window and back to the first bed, bypassing a small desk with a wooden chair with blue upholstery matching the carpet and the bedsheets. There was definitely a theme here. As far as hotel rooms went, George found it tolerable, in the dull way of serialized accommodations.
It wasn’t the most satisfying trail, but it was better than standing still. He swiped the screen of his cell, found his mother’s contact and called.
After three rings, she accepted.
“George. How nice of you to call. And so shortly after our last conversation.”
Translation: She knew something was up and was already chastising him for ruining the rest of her day.
“Hello, Mother. Yes, we talked only yesterday. About my birthday. And you coming to Charleston.” He wasn’t the most eloquent, as he willingly admitted. In his defense, he was trying to figure out how to deliver the news and soften her reaction. An impossible task, as he well knew, but hope sprung eternal.
“Are you trying to tell me we can’t come?” The hint of steel in her voice promised danger.
“No. If I didn’t want you to come, I would have already told you.” There, he could be direct if he wanted to.
“Then what is it?” She didn’t comment on the bluntness of his statement. Her disapproval nevertheless managed to reach over the connection.
“It has something to do with Andi.”
“Ah. The partner you’re living with. I still don’t get why your chief tolerates this. It’s unbecoming.”
“Chief Norris not only tolerates me living with Andi, but she also tolerates us being in a relationship.”
Silence. George held his breath and waited for the explosion. He had come to the conclusion that there was no subtle, easy way to break the news, so he just put it out there in all its unbecoming glory.
“Relationship.” For once, his mother sounded utterly shocked. George didn’t think he’d ever seen her like this—or heard since they were on the phone—but he could vividly imagine her expression.
“Yes, Mother. A relationship. It’s very fresh and we’re taking it slowly.”
“You’re living with this man. How is that taking it slowly?” Aaand she was back, scathing tone included.
“I moved in before we got together. I know…it’s kind of backward.”
“Kind of backward? George, you should never have started living with a colleague, your partner, to begin with! Just imagine what this can do to your career! And after you’ve worked so hard for it.”
To anyone listening to this conversation, her comments might have sounded cold, but George knew it was love making her talk in such a way. For his parents, success in their chosen profession was the epitome of fulfillment, something they had instilled in all their sons. For them, it never mattered which profession the three brothers chose. If George had decided to become a landscaper, his parents would have expected and helped him to be at the top of his trade. The same went for any other occupation under the sun. Of course, they were pleased when all three of them had chosen careers in some form of law enforcement, but they would have been as invested in any other occupation. And because they loved their sons, they were also invested in seeing them thrive. In her opinion, George had made a grave tactical mistake that could cost him in the future. Something George had known and decided to ignore when he chose to be with Andi before the office had made itself known. How he should explain that to his mother, he wasn’t sure.
“Well, actually, this is a huge step forward in my career.”
