“His wallet and credit cards weren’t touched,” Donny told him. “Hell, there’s even a damned classy audio system in that car that would have been a primo target.” He shrugged and arched his brows. “Not even a fingerprint.”
“And the car was in a weird place,” Shannon added. “Just pulled off the road at an odd angle.”
“Carjacking?” Colin suggested.
“Possibly,” Donny responded. “Let us get into it a bit more, Colin. We’ve just got the case, so we’ve only had a cursory look.”
“I want to check the local 911 call logs for that day,” Shannon told the two men. “See if anyone reported anything suspicious or unusual in that area.”
“Good thinking, Shannon,” Colin replied.
“And we want to review the evidence that the crime scene investigators gathered,” Anderson added.
“OK,” Colin replied. “Let’s meet again early next week. Sooner if you find any new information.”
“Are you handling the case?” Shannon asked.
“I am,” Colin told him with a quick grin.
“Wow! Your first murder case!” Donny replied, grinning in return.
“Well, weassumewe’re dealing with a murder,” Colin replied. “Depends on what you guys turn up.”
* * *
When he arrivedhome that night, Colin collapsed onto the couch and tossed his briefcase to the floor.
“Colin?” Joshua called, then appeared in the kitchen doorway, a spatula clutched in his hand. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Sorry, babe.” He slumped back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
Joshua slid onto the couch beside him. “Everything OK?”
Colin’s face went blank, and he shrugged. “I guess.”
“Something about that case?”
“It’s weird!” Colin blurted out. “No robbery. No one else seems to be involved. No,nothing.” He shot a glance at Joshua. “I justhatethe thought of letting that lady down. She wants justice for her….” He blew out a sigh and grimaced. “Her sweetheart.”
“And you’ll get justice for her,” Joshua said. He hugged Colin’s arm, and his head came to rest on his shoulder. “It’s just that…” He hesitated, then leaned closer to his husband. “You don’t yet know what that ‘justice’ might look like. It may not be what you thought at first. It might not even be what youwant. But you’re an honest broker, Colin. You’ll seek out the truth, and you’ll find it.”
Colin nodded but said nothing. Instead, he stared at the floor and pressed his lips into a taut, thin line. Then he glanced at his husband. “She wants someone to pay for what happened to René.”
“She wants vengeance?”
“I wouldn’t call it…” Colin winced, and his head gave a short, quick snap. “God, Ihatethat word.”
“But, baby, does it fit? Is it vengeance she wants?”
“I don’t think so. I hope not. Because vengeance is something I won’t deliver.”
Joshua smiled and leaned against Colin’s shoulder. “I love you for saying ‘won’t’ instead of ‘can’t’.”
“Why?”
Joshua pressed his face to Colin’s arm, feeling the smooth fabric of Colin’s suit jacket against his skin. “Because, my Yedid, ‘can’t’ is a decision made by others. You can’t because it’s against the rules or your boss won’t let you… something like that. But ‘won’t’ is a decisionyoumake because of your character as a man. Because your sense of decency and honor won’t let you take the lesser path.” He smiled again, then leaned back and touched Colin’s cheek. “What’s not to love?”
Colin gazed into his eyes momentarily, then grabbed a fistful of Joshua’s shirtfront and pulled him forward. “Thank you,” he whispered, his lips so close to Joshua’s that he could feel his breath against his mouth. “Thank you,” Colin said again, “for calling me an honest broker.” Again, he pressed his lips to Joshua’s and tightened his fist to pull his husband closer.
