The 6:20 Man

“That’s great, Jill,” said Devine. He didn’t know if she had heard about Chilton’s murder, and he was not going to bring it up.

Speers looked at her and said, “How did you get into the online dating space? I know your background because I googled you. You could be working for NASA or NSA.”

“I got offers from both while I was at MIT. But while NASA does many wonderful things, I’d rather focus on this planet. And the NSA? I don’t want to spy on people. I want to help them be happy.”

Valentine finished his vodka tonic in one impressive gulp. “But people can be happy alone. I am example of this. I do not need nobody to be, as you say, happy. I am happy with me.”

“Come on, Will, everyone needs somebody,” countered Tapshaw.

Devine eyed him. “How’d you end up in Mount Kisco doing what you do?”

“I can do what I do from anywhere. This is nice place. I move around a lot before, but this is nice place. I stay here.”

“Where were you before?” asked Speers.

“In big city of New York. But I did not like it. Too many people. Remind me of Moscow, only in Moscow people either stay home or go to bar. They do not, how you say, wander around. You wander around there, you get shot or arrested.”

Tapshaw said, “Well, I like it here, too. But I also like to travel. I did that to learn about what people wanted from each other. That helped me put my platform together. Other sites ask you all these questions to build a profile so they can match you with a person of like interests. And we do some of that, too—but what about the old saying, ‘Opposites attract’? A great relationship doesn’t mean that the people are carbon copies of each other. Then it’s like you’re staring in a mirror every day. What about two very different people getting together and learning from each other? Changing what they like and dislike because they have someone who lets them see another slice of life?”

“Me?” said Valentine. “I want another slice of pizza. Then I am happy man.”

Tapshaw tittered at this, but Devine didn’t join in. Speers had eyed Valentine in a way that Devine didn’t like. A thought suddenly hit him.

Did these two know each other before? But if they did, why was she searching his room?

Then he thought about the picture in Valentine’s room. And the girl.

“Hey, Will, do you have family back in Russia? Brother? Sister?”

Valentine finished his beer before answering. “I have nobody, dude. Nobody. Way I like it.”