A Minute to Midnight by David Baldacci

Author:David Baldacci [David Baldacci]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE MANAGER’S NAME, he told them when they returned, was Clarence Spotter. He was sixty-eight years old, had a male partner, knew the gay community in Savannah well, and also was aware that Gillespie was working as a dancer at a nightclub called the Silver Shell.

He shook his head sadly when he was told of the man’s death.

“Damn shame. Layne was a good person.”

“Did he have any friends?” asked Pine. “Folks he hung out with who could help us?”

“He never had anybody come by here. You can check at the Shell. You might find somebody who knows something. Andersonville?” He shook his head again.

“He ever mention the place to you?” asked Wallis.

“No. He was in the Army for a spell till they made him get out. He traveled a lot then before coming here, least that’s what he told me. Maybe he just wanted to settle down.”

“We knew about his leaving the military but just didn’t know the circumstances.”

“I never really knew, either. But I imagine it had something to do with who he was.” He added sardonically, “The Army probably likes its soldiers in pants at all times.”

“You know you could have told us all this when we first got here,” pointed out Wallis.

Spotter smiled. “Sure I could have. But I decided not to.”

“Why not?” asked Laredo.

“’Cause you never told me what happened to Layne, that’s why. You want the whole truth from me, you got to be reciprocal, all I’m asking.”

“That’s fair,” replied Blum.

As they were walking back to the car, Wallis shook his head. “Never would have pegged that guy as a homosexual. He just didn’t seem the type.”

“What type would that be?” asked Blum.

“You know…”

“Flamboyant?”

Wallis shrugged. “Yeah, I mean something like that.”

Blum said, “My youngest daughter is a lesbian. I didn’t know until she came out at twenty-two. Maybe I should have looked for more flamboyance in her.”

Back in the car Pine said, “It’s nearly six o’clock. We can head over to this club and maybe talk to some of the folks there before it gets too busy. You good with that?” she added, glancing at Wallis.

“I guess.”

“Problem?”

“No, no problem.”

“The world is big enough for lots of different people,” Pine pointed out.

“Hell, I know that. And I’ve seen my share of, well, different. It’s just all this LGB, whatever that acronym is, it gets confusing.”

“LGBTQ,” said Blum. “With more letters to come, if they want them.”

“See, that’s what I’m talking about. How’s a person to keep all that straight?”

“But you don’t have to,” said Blum. “The people who identify with those groups do. And I think they have no problem with realizing who they are.”

When Wallis looked puzzled she added, “Just think of it this way: You’re clearly an MH.”

“I’m a what?” said a confused Wallis.

Pine said, “Male heterosexual. Think you’d ever forget that?”

Wallis exclaimed, “It’s who I am. How can I forget that?”

“Well, then, you must see Carol’s point.”

Wallis blinked and then nodded. “Yeah…Well, I guess I do, now that you mention it.”

“So, Silver Shell, here we come,” said Blum.

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