Grey: A Novella

Chapter 32

I decided to go back to Susan. Between my buddy Dave not talking to me and my wife losing her mind, she was the only thing in my life that seemed stable. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help myself.

I caught her again as she was finishing up her shift. As she left, a hand came out and slapped her ass. She slapped it back. "Quit it, George."

"Ah, c'mon, honey. It's nothing big."

She walked a few steps and then froze when she saw me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?"

"For the way I acted last night. I didn't mean what I said."

"Oh, it's all right, Derek. I mean, I should be the one who is apologizing."

"You don't understand. I meant that going to see you wasn't a mistake; that getting kissed by you wasn't a mistake. I want you, baby. I want you real bad."

Her face lit up and it was as radiant as the sun. It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. She went over and kissed me passionately. I hugged her and kissed her back. We went back to her place and undressed. The love we made that night was the best I've ever had.

After it was done, we both lit a cigarette. I sat up on the bed.

"What's wrong, tiger?" she purred.

"It just feels like everything is going upside down."

"I know that feeling. I have been feeling it for a while now. Seeing Jeff die only made it worse."

"Oh, about that. I think I know who killed your husband."

She sat up, her eyes wide. "What? Who?"

"The Feds."

"You better not be pulling my leg."

"Darling, I don't kid around when it comes to this. It was the Feds, or I'm a plump turkey. You know what this means, don't ya?"

"What?"

"It means this goes much deeper than we both thought. There's something rotten in the state of Denmark. The police are in on it, too."

"Oh, Derek, please don't do anything rash. I can't afford to lose anyone else."

"I'm sorry, toots, but this is my job. I find the inconvenient truths that people don't want found."

"But, Derek, if the police are in on it, then this actually goes against your job."

"It doesn't matter. Those dirty good-for-nothings don't deserve to call themselves cops. They don't care about justice. They just care about lining their pockets."

"Well, that's quite harsh. Don't you have any friends on the force?"

"I used to." I took a drag of my cigarette and blew out the smoke. "Not anymore."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Okay, then." She went over to me and started stroking my arm. "Please be careful."

"You got it."