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Zeeb cackled. “You’re talkin ’bout Butch not being in his bed, right?”
Sol frowned. “How did you know?”
“Nothing strange about that. It’s a regular thing. Don’t worry. We all know where he goes.” Before Sol could ask what that meant, Zeeb chuckled. “You’re a dark horse, I’ll say that for ya.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You and Butch. You went to the same high school? You kept that quiet.”
Well fuck.
“Seems like I wasn’t the only one awake last night.” At least Butch couldn’t blame this on him—he bore some of the responsibility too.
“Hey, if you’re gonna talk when there’s other folk around… But whatIwanna know is, how comehedidn’t tell us?”
Andnowwhat do I say?
Sol thought fast. “Tell me something. When you were in high school, were you the perfect A-student or did you get up to some shit?”
Zeeb hooted. “Dear Lord, the latter. Don’t get me started on some of the stunts I pulled back then.”
“And that’s all stuff you’re happy to talk about?”
“Hell no. I was an asshole.”
Sol let the warm water rinse away all the soap lather. “I hate to break it to you, but a lot of people feel the same way. So wouldyouwant someone turning up who knew you back then? Who could tell everyone just howbigan asshole you were?”
“Okay, fair point. No, I wouldn’t. So I guess my next question is which of you got up to shit?”
“We both did. And if you were listening to our conversation, you’ll have realized neither of us wants to talk about that. So do me a favor? Don’t go spreading this around. If he wants to tell you guys, let him do it in his own time.”
“That’s probably what he was doin’ in the middle of the night—talking.” Zeeb snickered. “Among other things.”
Okay, one enigmatic statement was one thing, two was pushing it.
“Are you going to keep dancing around whatever it is you’re trying not to tell me, or are you going to have the balls to come right out with it?”
There was another pause. “Toby said you’re here to work on a new website. So you’re not really a guest, are ya?”
Sol laughed. “You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who gives a shit what he says or to whom.”
Zeeb’s rough chuckle rebounded off the tiled walls. “Lord, you catch on real fast. I guess it’s okay to tell you. I mean, you being a friend of Toby’s, and you knowing Butch since when the earth was cooling. I mean, I don’t suppose he’s changed all that much since high school.”
Sol couldn’t help wondering what on earth was coming.
“Look, it’s common knowledge around here Butch don’t sleep so well. Sometimes he has nightmares, not that we ever ask him about them. But when he gets them, he goes to Teague’s cabin. Whatever they do there seems to help.”
That“whatever they do”line was bogus and Sol knew it. Sure, he knew what itsoundedlike, but that couldn’t be right.
Could it?
Sol turned off the water, pulled back the shower curtain, and stepped onto the cool tiles, still dripping. “Hang on a sec. Let me get this straight.” He wrapped the towel around his hips.
Zeeb emerged from his shower and grabbed a towel from the rail. He snorted. “Not exactly the word I’d use to describe Butch, although I’m pretty sure that’s how he labels himself.”
“You’re telling me Butch and Teague…”
Toby’s joke about the gayest straight man award suddenly made sense.
