Betrayals (Cainsville 4)

Ioan looked confused. "We're not a court, Liv. We know he's guilty. Why he's done it is meaningless."

"Can you tell me anything about the murders?"

"The facts, yes."

"Do that, then."

--

It was two blocks back to where Ricky had found street parking. He was quiet as we walked. When we reached the bike, I caught his hand, and he looked over and said, "I'm okay." When I kept giving him a look, he pulled me into a hug and whispered, "I'll be okay."

I eased back. "I know you suspected Ioan was your grandfather, but having it confirmed is a different thing."

Ricky made a face. "Yeah. Not in the way he thinks..."

"What's pissing you off is what he did to your grandmother and your father. He helped them financially, but there's more to supporting your kid than that. Which is a lesson your father learned well." Don had raised Ricky from birth, letting his mother continue med school and then go on to lead her own life and build her own family.

Ricky said, "When guys screw around and leave a kid behind, it's a thoughtless, stupid mistake. But the Cwn Annwn do it intentionally, and I can't wrap my head about that. My grandmother was an unwed mom in the sixties. Ioan fucked up her life, and now he stands there, telling me the truth like I'm going to get all misty-eyed. I wanted to--" He broke off.

I hooked my fingers in his belt loops and tugged him closer. "You're angry. You have a right to be angry. Accept it. Redirect it." I leaned to his ear and whispered, "I kinda like the way you redirect it." I reached into the saddlebags and waggled a skirt I kept stuffed in there. "Ride?"

He chuckled and nodded.

--

We lay in a patch of forest, the temperature plummeting as the sun dropped. Ricky pulled me against him, his warmth wrapping around me.

We weren't dozing. The sex hadn't been strenuous enough for that. We just rested, as we usually did, finding a bit of forest and catching our breath, enjoying each other's company. The last time we'd been out, Ricky had joked that we should squeeze a blanket into the saddlebags, as the days grew shorter, autumn settling in to winter. I would, too, if it meant holding on to these moments for a few weeks longer.

As Ricky returned texts from his dad, I made a call. Gabriel didn't answer until the fourth ring. That gave me pause, but we'd parted on good terms, no need for concern. That's what it's like with Gabriel--even a moment's delay and I'm racking my brain, worrying that I've annoyed him in some way.

"Hey," I said. "Just calling with the post-Ioan update."

More silence, and when he replied, it seemed grudging. "Did it go smoothly?"

"As smoothly as can be expected with the Cwn Annwn," I said, adding an extra note of brightness, as if that could even the balance. "I was going to suggest we pop by and update you, but you sound busy."

"I am."

I started to ask, Is everything okay? then bit my tongue. I could tell it wasn't, as easily as I could tell with Ricky earlier, but with Gabriel, asking even once makes me feel like a court-ordered therapist nagging him to share his feelings.

"We haven't heard anything from the police, have we? About Ricky?"

"I would tell you both immediately if I did."

"Okay, then," I said. "Do you want to wait until Monday?"

"Yes. Monday will be fine."

"All right. I'll see you at the office--"

"No," he said abruptly. "We should talk tomorrow. Will you be in the city?"

"We planned to spend the night in Cainsville."

"There, then. Ten tomorrow morning?"

"Is everything okay?" The words came before I could stop them, and I winced as they left my mouth, but even then I scolded myself for being so dramatic, always expecting the worst with Gabriel. There was nothing wrong with asking--