Badlands by Morgan Brice

Author:Morgan Brice
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Darkwind Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12

VIC

“You’re whistling Springsteen. You never whistle,” Ross said as Vic walked to their shared desk and hung up his jacket.

“It’s a nice day out. Whistling isn’t a crime.”

“Springsteen isn’t meant to be whistled, or hummed,” Ross grumbled. He looked up, eyes narrowed, assessing Vic like a crime scene. “Dammit. You slept with him again, didn’t you?”

“Since anything I say can and will be used against me, I’m not going to answer that,” Vic replied. His leave-taking from Simon that morning had gone much more smoothly than before, with some kisses and a sleepy make-out session that left them both hard and breathless. He had promised to have Simon over to his apartment, although Vic knew it lacked the charm of the blue bungalow and he intended to text at least once during the day.

“Seriously, Vic? There are plenty of fish in the sea—surely some of them aren’t crazy.”

Vic rounded on him. “You want to back that up, or walk that back?”

Ross’s eyes widened at the change in tone. “Whoa, partner! I guess this guy’s really gotten under your skin.”

“His name is Simon. And, yes, he has,” Vic admitted. “And he’s not crazy.”

“I kinda get the ghost tour thing,” Ross said. “It’s entertainment, like the pirate show. But if he’s claiming to give séances and readings that aren’t just putting on a play, then that’s either fraud or crazy.”

“My nonna could put the Evil Eye on someone,” Vic replied, logging into his computer. “Nobody in the neighborhood would cross her.”

“That’s hardly the same thing.”

Vic struggled with himself over the need to defend Simon. He hadn’t told Ross about his visit that first day he and Simon met, or his tip about Iryena’s ghost. And while the hotel with the blue fish and the light-up palm tree hadn’t materialized into a solid lead yet, Vic wasn’t ready to give up on it. But if he told Ross, his partner would fault him for revealing police business—or worse, think Simon was somehow involved. So he kept that to himself, at least for now.

“It’s a matter of belief,” Vic muttered, as he waited for his email to load. “Cause from what I remember out of catechism, the saints had all kinds of visions and heard plenty of voices.”

Ross gave him a look. “That’s different. At least back off until we catch the Slitter. You don’t want rumors to start. Like last time.”

Vic glared at him. “I’m well aware. Drop it.”

Ross raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “This is me, dropping it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Vic knew he shouldn’t be more than mildly pissed at Ross; after all, it was a good partner’s job to butt in and push back when their counterpart was about to do something stupid. Then again, Vic kept his mouth shut whenever Ross vented about marriage or parenting, aside from a few snarky comebacks. Or maybe Ross’s warnings sounded too much like that fatalistic voice in the back of Vic’s head that always told him everything was about to go to shit.

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