I was pissed, so pissed, and before I’d worked on my anger issues, I’d have lashed out at Leduc and made everything worse, but I was in the wrong here. If I’d seen another police officer smooching someone while we were in the middle of a murder investigation and Bobby’s life was hanging in the balance, I’d have ripped them a new one, so what could I do? I tried for a version of the truth, because I couldn’t think of a lie that would help dig me out of the unprofessional hole I’d just fallen into.
“I’m sorry, Sheriff. I have behaved unprofessionally, and I’m embarrassed by it,” I said fast as he was drawing breath to yell at me again.
He hesitated like he was rethinking what he was going to say, which was what I was hoping he’d do. “Hell, Blake, you keep apologizing for all the over-the-top PDA, but you’re still doing it.”
“I know and I’m sorry, but . . . You have a wife, right?” I said.
Leduc frowned at me. “Yes.”
“What would you do if she showed up on the job and wanted you to give her a hug?”
“My wife would never do that. She knows when I’m working, I’m working.”
“Did she know it when you began dating?”
He frowned harder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Blake.”
I leaned into him like I was confiding in him, and he leaned in to hear me. Let’s hear it for social conditioning. “I was unprofessional with Nicky. I own that. But then I didn’t greet the women the same way, because one stupid moment was all I allowed myself.”
“So why did you kiss both of them? I can’t even wrap my head around the fact that you’re dating this many people.”
“It’s a lot of people even to me, Sheriff, tru
st me.”
“Then why do it?”
I glanced back at the two women and Nicky. “Which of them would you kick out of bed for eating crackers?”
Leduc glanced behind me and got a considering look on his face. Then he grinned and started shaking his head. He gave me that guy-to-guy look that I’d gotten from a few of the police officers at home when they met some of the women in my life. I’d had two of them tell me, “You dog.” I knew it was a compliment, just not one I’d ever thought I’d get.
“Well, now, can’t argue that, but that much eye candy is going to be damn distracting.” Leduc’s eyes narrowed to nicely skeptical cop eyes. “You going to be too distracted to do your job?”
“I deserve that, but I promise the public displays of affection are over until we get a break in the case.”
“You said the big guy was your mistake, so why kiss the others if you knew better?”
Then I lied, and I took a chance that a long-married man would understand something that you only learned if you dated women. “Some version of ‘if you loved me as much as you love him.’ Basically, those two kisses just kept me out of the doghouse with two women.”
My answer wasn’t strictly true. Angel wasn’t that serious about me or anyone. Pierette would never have pushed her advantage. She saw herself as serving her queen, me. She’d volunteered and pursued the relationship, but she still wouldn’t push that much. But I couldn’t explain all that to Leduc. I could explain trying to keep the women in your life happy.
“But you’re a woman, too, Blake.”
“Trust me, what sex I am doesn’t matter at all, only theirs.”
“So, what if they get their feelings hurt and need more romantic reassurance again? They’re going to distract you from the case.”
“I’m going to make it really clear that this is the one and only PDA for this trip, and if they can’t understand that, then I’ll be in the doghouse when we get home.”
“I can’t quite picture a woman being in the doghouse the same way that a man ends up there.”
“Trust me, Duke”—yes, I even stooped to using his nickname—“if you’re dating women and certain men, the doghouse doesn’t care if you’re male or female.”
He frowned at me. “Seems like women should be smart enough to stay out of trouble.”
I shook my head. “Maybe, but I’m not.”
He smiled. “I heard the rumors that you were sleeping around, but that’s not it. That’s casual, and casual doesn’t give people the power to make you do stupid shit like you just did.”