Chances Like That by Hollis Shiloh

Author:Hollis Shiloh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: private investigators, lgbt mystery, gay romance, private eyes, detectives, noir hardboiled, historical gay 20th century fictional, mystery, detective fiction
Publisher: Spare Words Press
Published: 2022-11-03T00:00:00+00:00

I DIDN'T FEEL SO WORRIED about it in the morning. I felt determined. Jack was still asleep, and I let him sleep. I headed out to the kitchen to make a hearty breakfast so we'd have traveling fuel.

Katz met me out there. He looked bedraggled, like he hadn't slept much. I looked at him, then away.

"You've got something to say to me?" he guessed. He sat slowly, carefully on a kitchen chair.

"Nothing that won't keep," I said. Till you're long gone and I never have to see you again.

"Okay," he said carefully, like he was weighing his words. "But my life depends at least partly on your ability to pull today off. I'd appreciate it if you weren't distracted. If there's something that needs settled, now's the time."

"It's settled already. You're leaving. Jack's not going with you." I looked at him. "I won't play nice if you try to get around that and get him for yourself. Even just a taste. I'm the jealous sort, you know."

That was how Jack described himself. The jealous sort. Maybe I'd never completely understood it until now. It hurt physically to be jealous this way—to feel that level of insecurity, like maybe Peter could get him away from me if he wanted to. Like I could lose the man I loved. Like maybe I wouldn't actually be enough for him.

I guess I was more confident in my charms than I thought, because somehow, I'd never really doubted that I was enough for Jack until Peter came around making eyes at him. I'd never felt quite this way before, about anybody. Insecure and all that. It damned well hurt.

"I can't say I wouldn't be tempted to try," he said, "if it wouldn't ruin Jack's good opinion of me. Nothing's worth that. I really will be gone soon, and you have nothing to worry about from me. I'm no competition for his beloved Ollie."

The last words out of his mouth came with a little twist of his lips, and a sound of great bitterness. Maybe it hurt him to know he couldn't ever compete with me, that it wasn't even worth trying, because he'd only make Jack see him as small and mean.

I gotta admit, I liked the sound of that. Music to my goddamn ears. If he knew he couldn't compete, perhaps he wouldn't put it to the test. Because I wished I was as sure about that as he seemed.

Then again, he'd been a spy. If anybody knew how to lie and tell you what you wanted to hear, if anybody knew how to play both sides against the middle, well, it was probably him. Maybe I shouldn't take his words at face value—even though I hoped they were the truth.

I changed the subject. "I'm making pancakes and bacon," I told him. "If you want scrambled eggs, I'll make them too." I glanced at him. "We'll need a big meal for the traveling."

"Maybe some sandwiches for the trip as well," he said. "Shall I put them together?"

"Sure.

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