Cards on the Table - lanyon Josh - Страница 34

walked around to the back gardens, avoiding his beautiful kitchen gardens with the seedy and forlorn crime scene tape trampled into the mud.

The baby moose was nowhere to be seen, but Nelson stuck his head out of the greenhouse, then waved and went back in, like a turtle ducking into his shell. When Nelson had first come to work here, he was so diligent with the gardening that Peter had kept a close eye for marijuana seedlings popping up between the parsley and the cilantro, but so far, nothing illegal.

The blueberry bushes were neatly mulched, clean and a joy to pick. They were an Alaskan varietal, with extra early berries. Peter started filling the bucket, ate a few berries that were fat and warm and bursting with juice. The paths down to the boat dock were in good repair, too. Nelson kept a tidy garden, and Peter could see Sebastian down at the dock. He had one of the fishing boats tied up. The outboard motor was pulled up and out of the water, and Sebastian was shaking out the life vests.

Peter sat down on the edge of the dock, ate a few more blueberries. Sebastian kept working. He was always working. If he didn't have any of his own work to do, he would go out and find some, like he was doing now. Peter tossed a blueberry in his direction. Sebastian turned his back.

O-kay! It wasn't like he didn't have a home. Sebastian had a home with him anytime he wanted one! As long as he wanted one. But what was their longest – eight or nine months? That was as long as Sebastian had ever lasted before he started getting twitchy, before he had to head off into the wilderness and live alone like a brown bear in a cave. But did Sebastian really feel like this thing he'd had with Jacob, that might have…

Peter tossed a fat blueberry Sebastian's way. It fell into the bottom of the boat. Sebastian picked it up and tossed it out into the waters of the bay as if he was used to blueberries falling into his boat from the open sky. He looked good, faded Levi's snug against his ass, and a polar fleece pullover the same color blue as the glaciers surrounding Icy Straits.

Peter had put it in his drawer months ago, and Sebastian had put it on this morning. This was how Sebastian got all his new clothes.

Their little spit of land was tucked up close against the mountains, and the deep blue waters of Glacier Bay out the back door looked endless. The humpbacks would be coming back soon. This was his place, and this was Sebastian's place, too. He'd know that if he would just slow his restless feet down long enough to feel the pull, the ferocious tug of love that came with being home.

Susan was right. He was in a snit. Peter lobbed a couple of more blueberries in Sebastian's direction, endured being ignored, ate a few, closed his eyes when the sun was bright overhead and warmed his face. He got lucky on one toss, hit Sebastian in the back of the head. Sebastian stood up, rocking slightly with the movement of the boat, legs spread for balance. He put his hands on his hips, stared out at the water as if he were praying for patience. Then he turned around and stared at Peter, two vertical lines between his eyebrows. «I'm trying to get a boat ready so I can take your guests out on the bay, Peter.»

No, he wasn't in a snit. He was furious. Before he could think if it was a good idea, Peter snatched up another berry and bounced it off Sebastian's nose.

Sebastian was fast. He climbed up out of the boat and was across the deck before it could cross Peter's mind to run. Sebastian straddled him, knees pressed against his hips, big arms on either side of his head.

Sebastian stared down at him, then he reached into the bucket. «I could squash you like a bug.» He held a blueberry up to Peter's mouth. «Why are you trying to piss me off? It's not like you to make me mad and run me off before I've had anything to eat. I'm hungry, Peter.» He sat down on Peter, pinning him to the dock, and ate a handful of berries. That was as close to a whine as Peter had ever heard from Sebastian.

They eyed each other. «Your lips are blue,» Sebastian said. «Listen, I don't want to get into things yet. Things between you and me. We just need to get through these next few

days. Let Susan figure out what happened to Jacob. You and me…that's what I've got to depend on, Peter. You understand?»

Peter stared up at him. No, I don't understand. So what's new? Sebastian was so big, loomed over him so large that he blocked out the sun. From so close, with the light on his face, Peter could see signs of age in Sebastian's face, lines by his eyes and mouth, but they were sexy, warm like a ripe peach, and he still looked strong and unyielding as a mountain. Peter wanted this landscape every day. This was his mountain, and this was his view. Why couldn't they find a way to be together every day? Why was that so impossible? «I'm right here, Sebastian.» «Good.» Sebastian ate another couple of berries. «So just stay there.»

Peter wasn't sure this was the sort of conversation where they were actually talking to each other. It was more that they were talking in the vicinity of each other. But he was enjoying the crush of Sebastian's big body on his, enjoying the sun and the water and the blueberries. «I might have screwed up.» «What did you do, Peter?» «I called Jacob's cop.»

Sebastian snorted. «Ha. How 'bout that. And that means I just won ten bucks from Susan. How was it?»

«It was bad. No more than I deserve, I guess. He was pretty messed up. He should be, that cocksucker. But…he was pretty messed up. He said that when we knew who killed Jacob, it would turn out to be my fault that Jacob got killed. He said something about coming to get me.»

«Nah. I won't let him beat the shit out of you, Peter. I think dealing with you is a pleasure I will reserve for myself.»

Peter felt his eyes go wide, and Sebastian gave him a slow grin, his eyes hooded.

Casper came strolling down to the dock, hands shoved down in his pockets, and Sebastian climbed off Peter and offered his hand and the bucket of blueberries. «It's not domestic violence, Casper, no matter what it looks like.» Casper laughed and took a handful of berries, started popping them into his mouth like popcorn.

«Peter, listen. Maybe the night shift isn't such a good idea for Travis. He needs to have some hard, physical work to do, a regular routine, enough sleep and other people around him. And sunshine. You got any outdoor work like that for him?»

Peter let Sebastian pull him to his feet. «I can find some if that's what you think he needs, Casper. What do you think, Sebastian?»

«The boats aren't in the best shape, Peter. They could use some maintenance before the summer comes.» «Okay. When he regains consciousness I'll talk to him.»

Sebastian turned to Casper. «Listen, Casper. I don't know Mike hardly at all, and I haven't been around Travis much since he was a kid. But neither one of them strikes me as being a dangerous man. Or a man acting under some sort of desperate…whatever. What's your take?»

Casper nodded. «I'll have to agree with you. But they weren't the only men on the island. I think this island is too small to narrow the list of suspects down to just those who were at the hotel. The whole town knows when the Elvis contest is held at Tiny's. That would be a perfect time to take someone down.» He pointed a finger at Sebastian. «Mike and Travis?» Casper shook his head. «Now you, my friend. You strike me as a dangerous man.» Sebastian gave him an easy, lazy smile. «Ditto.»

Casper went off for a walk in the woods, with a promise of a boat ride in the afternoon, and Sebastian sat back down on the edge of the dock. «Peter, come sit down for a minute. Let's think. What else do you know about Jacob? Did he say anything about parents, family? Which symphony was he in? Did he mention any friends, anything like that?»

Peter shook his head. «I don't really know anything about him. Other than… Well, I guess his character. His nature. People are usually at their best when you first meet them, Sebastian, but I think he was probably always sweet and gentle. But other than that, I don't know. I can't believe there was anything about him that would make someone want to hurt him.»