Thicker Than Water

 

 

- 2 -

​

 

Curry arrived back in El Paso two days after Heyes’ departure.

​

After delivering the signed documents back to the manager of the bank, he went to check in at the hotel where the desk clerk handed him Heyes’ message.

 

He booked a twin bedded room and headed upstairs to deposit his belongings. He sat down on the bed to read Heyes’ note, disappointed to learn that it would be another week before he would get to see him again.  He had a little money left, but not enough to last him for a week after his four day delay in Silver City waiting for Douglas Wilmott’s return, and Heyes had his share of their wages from the cattle drive with him. Although he was a reasonably good poker player, he was nowhere near as good as Heyes and couldn’t rely on winning enough to live on at the poker table, which meant he would have to try and find some paid work for a few days.

 

He headed into town to get a bath and then went across to the restaurant to get something to eat.

 

As he sat eating, he noticed a dark haired woman eating alone at a table in the corner.  She was slim, and pretty, with large green eyes that at this moment were gazing vacantly out of the window with a sad expression.  Curry wondered what it was that she was sad about. Just then, she looked around and caught his gaze.  He inclined his head to her and smiled politely.

 

“Evening.” he said conversationally.

 

“Good evening.”

 

Curry smiled again before returning his gaze to his plate.

 

Presently, the four other diners in the restaurant departed and Curry and the woman he’d spoken to were the only ones left.  He felt a little awkward sitting alone at his table while she sat alone at hers, and so, presently, he looked across at her and said,  “Since there’s only us here, would you care to join me?  I feel a little awkward sitting here while you’re sitting there alone.”

 

The woman gave a small smile, “I eat here most nights,” she told him, “so I don’t mind dining alone.  But if it makes you feel awkward, I don’t mind sitting with you.”

 

Curry smiled and she moved across to his table.

 

“My name is Thaddeus Jones.” He introduced himself.

 

“Veronica Browning.”

 

“Pleased to meet you Miss Browning.”

 

“It’s Mrs.”

 

“Oh.” Curry looked confused, “I’m sorry.  When you said you eat here most nights alone, I assumed you were single.  I beg your pardon.”

 

“I’m a widow.” replied Veronica.

 

“Oh.  I’m sorry.” said Curry.

 

Veronica smiled,  “That’s alright.  I don’t recall seeing you in town before.” she said, changing the subject.

 

“Just got in today.”

 

They chatted as they ate, and when he was finished Curry offered to pay for her meal too.

 

“There’s no need.” replied Veronica.

 

“I insist.” said Curry, even though his finances would only just stretch to it.

 

“No, it’s alright, really.” Veronica told him.

 

“As you wish.”  Curry would normally have overruled her, but he could do without spending the extra money right now and so he let it go.

 

They headed to the door and he held it open for her.

 

Outside on the boardwalk, he said, “Do you have far to go? 

 

Veronica shook her head, “Only a few streets away.”

 

“Would you like me to escort you?” he asked.

 

Veronica hesitated, but then inclined her head,  “Thank you.”

 

They set off towards Veronica’s house, chatting.

​

At the door, Veronica thanked him for walking with her.

 

“That’s quite alright.”

 

“Would you… er… like to come in for some coffee?” she asked politely.

 

“Thank you, but no.  I’m pretty tired after my journey.” Curry said, truthfully, “I’m going to the hotel to get some sleep.”

 

“Well, thanks again for escorting me home.  Goodnight, Thaddeus.” Veronica smiled and went inside, and Curry walked back to town.

 

*    *    *

 

The next morning Curry sent a wire to McCreedy, telling him that the documents were signed and now back at the bank in El Paso.  Then he went off in search of some work. 

 

After asking around, he managed to secure some carpentry work with a building crew who were erecting a new office building in town.   As a child, back in Kansas, he had enjoyed working with wood, but it had been many years since he’d done any kind of woodwork and his carpentry skills left a lot to be desired, although he found the actual process quite enjoyable.

 

As he was finishing for the evening, he ran into Veronica Browning heading towards the restaurant.

 

“Hello again.” he smiled, tipping his hat to her.

 

“Hello.” Veronica smiled, “Are you working here?” she nodded towards the partially constructed building.

 

“For the moment.” he replied.

 

“Are you going to the restaurant?” Veronica enquired.

 

Curry had intended to go to the saloon first, but changed his mind at her question,“Yes, I am.”

 

He followed her across the street to the restaurant where they once again shared a table.

​

They chatted amiably, although Veronica didn’t enquire about his reasons for being in El Paso and so Curry didn’t volunteer any information.  They chatted about her late husband and her piano students and general chit chat about the town’s affairs. 

 

After they’d eaten, he escorted her back to her house, but declined her offer of coffee in order to head back into town to the saloon for a drink and a game of poker, where he managed to break even.  He then retired to the hotel.

 

He saw Veronica the next morning as he was working, when she walked past him on her way to tutor one of her students.  She waved, and he climbed down off the ladder he was balanced on to speak to her.

 

After finishing work he adjourned to the saloon and so it was quite late when he went to the restaurant for supper.  Veronica was in there, but had finished her meal and had been just about to leave.  But when she saw him she came across to say good evening and Curry invited her to sit with him for a while.

 

Later, he escorted her to her house where, tonight, he accepted her invitation to have coffee.  They chatted for a while before he bade her goodnight.

 

Veronica watched him go from the front door.  She was quite taken with him, simply because he had made no attempt to take advantage of her.  After giving herself so freely to Joshua, only for him to walk away, she didn’t want to fall into the same trap again. But Thaddeus was the perfect gentleman.

 

The following evening,she ran into him again in the restaurant, and again they shared a table.  Tonight he paid for her meal, now that he had some extra money from his carpentry job, and then escorted her back to her house, where he once again accepted her invitation to stay for coffee.  Again, he was the perfect gentleman and, as he got up to leave, Veronica invited him to dine with her at her house the following evening as a thank you for him paying for her dinner.  Curry accepted.

 

He walked back to the hotel with a smile on his face, wondering what Heyes would say if he could see him hob-nobbing with the likes of Veronica.  She was pretty, articulate and well mannered, sensual but at the same time homely, a real lady, and a music teacher to boot.  Heyes would no doubt say she was way out of his league, and he’d be right. He would also find it highly amusing to see him minding his P’s and Q’s and acting the perfect gentleman.  But Veronica wasn’t a saloon girl that you could just pounce on. She required a much more refined approach.

 

*    *    *

 

Curry arrived at her house the next evening bearing a bunch of flowers as a thank you for her cooking for him.

 

Veronica carried them into the kitchen to put them in water, smiling to herself.  He was so considerate. 

 

This evening, when he bid her goodnight, he bent to kiss her gently on the lips.

 

“Thank you for the meal.  It was lovely.”

 

“It was my pleasure.” smiled Veronica.

 

“Will you meet me tomorrow for dinner?  My treat.” he asked.

 

“Thank you.  I’d like that.”

 

“Seven thirty?”

 

Veronica nodded, and Curry left.

 

 

*    *    *

​

 

After dinner the next evening, Curry escorted Veronica to her house where she once again invited him in for a drink.

 

Tonight, he sat beside her on the sofa and after a time moved closer and leaned over to kiss her, gently at first, but then, when she didn’t pull away, more deeply, drawing her into his arms.

 

After a lengthy kissing session, Veronica pulled back from him,  “It’s late,” she told him, “and I have some students to see tomorrow.”

​

Curry eyed her curiously.  Was he reading her wrong?  He thought she liked him. Hell, she’d even cooked dinner for him.  He’d taken things slowly, not tried to seduce her on her on their first evening together, and he was confused by her sudden reluctance when everything seemed to be leading up to them sleeping together.

 

“Is something wrong?” he asked now.

 

“No.  I’m just... a bit tired.” she told him.

​

“I see.”  He got to his feet,  “I’ll say goodnight then.  Will you be dining at the restaurant tomorrow?”

 

“I expect so.”

 

“I might see you there then.” he said, heading towards the door.

 

“I hope so.” said Veronica, following him into the hallway.

 

“Goodnight.” said Curry, going outside.

 

“Goodnight Thaddeus.”

 

He headed back to the hotel, pondering on Veronica’s actions.  She’d given him the impression that she liked him, and seemed keen to spend time with him, but the way she’d pulled away from him during their kissing session was contradictory to all the signals she’d given him and, as he lay in bed, he wondered if he’d done, or said, something to offend her, although he couldn’t think of anything.

 

The next evening, when he went to the restaurant, Veronica was already in there.

 

“Join me?” she enquired.

 

Curry sat down at her table.

 

“I’m sorry about last night.” she told him as they ate,  “I was feeling a little… fragile.”

 

“That’s alright.” he replied, although his tone still sounded piqued.

 

“I had a relationship with someone that… didn’t work out as I expected… and it’s left me feeling a little… vulnerable.” Veronica said sadly.

 

“Oh?  What happened?”

 

“I’d rather not discuss it.” said Veronica, “I’m trying to put it behind me.”

 

Curry didn’t like to press her for details and so let the subject go.

 

After dinner they went back to Veronica’s house.  This time, when Curry moved to kiss her, she didn’t resist and before long they were making love on the rug in front of the fire.

 

Although their lovemaking was different to that which she’d shared with Joshua, she liked Thaddeus.  With Joshua their lovemaking had been intense, wild almost, and he aroused in her a feeling of reckless abandon that Thaddeus didn’t.  But Thaddeus was gentle, tender and caring, and he made her feel safe and contented, a feeling she relished after five years of living alone.

 

Over the next few days she grew to like him more and more. He was kind and thoughtful, and their lovemaking was gentle and loving and had almost extinguished the memories of her wild nights of passion with Joshua.  He reminded her a lot of her late husband and she began to think that perhaps he was a man she could settle down with, one who would look after and cherish her as her husband had.

 

Curry too was becoming very fond of Veronica, but he was wary.  Until they got their amnesty, he couldn’t afford to get involved with anyone.  Also, he knew Heyes would be back soon, and then they would be moving on.  But he had to admit that leaving her wasn’t going to be easy.

​

*    *    *

 

Heyes arrived back in El Paso at dusk the following Tuesday.  He went first to the railway depot to offload the two crates, containing the artefacts McCreedy had purchased, from the mule he’d bought to carry them on, arranging for them to be shipped by train the next day.  Then, after stabling the animals, he went to the telegraph office to wire McCreedy that the job was complete.  His hand was much recovered now, although he still couldn’t lift anything heavy.  He wrote out a brief message and paid the telegraph officer before going over to the hotel.

 

Curry had booked a twin room for both of them, so, after establishing which room they had been allocated, Heyes went upstairs.  There was no sign of Curry so, after freshening up and changing his clothes, Heyes went downstairs and across the street to the restaurant, to see if Veronica was in there.

 

When she wasn’t, he decided to go up to her house and surprise her.  He guessed Curry was in the saloon, so he wouldn’t miss him.  He would catch up with him later.

 

He headed off towards Veronica’s house, a slight smile on his face.  He had thought of nothing but her the whole time he’d been away and couldn’t wait to see her again, which was a feeling he wasn’t used to experiencing. Because they had to keep on the move, he rarely allowed himself to get emotionally involved with women, and even on the few occasions when he had it was always in the knowledge that it was only temporary and that it had to end. But this time, he didn’t want it to be temporary and, while he’d been away, he had made up his mind to tell Curry of his feelings and see if there was some way they could stay around town for a while so he could continue his relationship with her.  Where it would lead to he wasn’t sure, but he wanted the chance to find out.

​

In the deep recesses of his mind he was beginning to envision the two of them together, with a couple of kids maybe, a girl who looked like her Mother and a boy who looked like him.  It was a dream that had drifted into his consciousness from time to time since the day their families had been murdered, a dream of being settled, of not always being on the run, of a home, a wife, kids, but he’d never allowed himself to dwell on it, not believing, given the path their lives had taken, that it would ever be possible.  Since meeting Veronica however, somewhere at the back of his mind was the thought that maybe, just maybe, one day soon, it might be.

 

He arrived at the house, and made to knock the door.  Then, on impulse, he reached out to try the door to see if it was unlocked, planning to creep in and surprise her if it was.  He turned the doorknob and the door opened. 

 

Quietly, he entered and headed towards the parlour.  Just as he reached out to touch the door handle, Veronica’s laughter greeted his ears along with the sound of a man’s voice speaking.  He almost turned and went back outside to knock the door, thinking she must be entertaining friends and not wanting to embarrass her by bursting in unexpectedly, but before he realised it, he had reached out and opened the parlour door, something about the man’s voice having triggered the subconscious action even before it turned into a conscious suspicion, stopping in his tracks when he saw Veronica, wrapped in Curry’s arms, kissing passionately.

 

As the door opened, they broke apart and turned to see who was entering, a look of shock coming to Veronica’s face, and one of bewilderment to Curry’s, when they recognised the visitor.

 

“Joshua!” Veronica gasped, her hand going to her throat.

 

Heyes stood staring at her, feeling like he’d been kicked in the guts.

 

For several moments, no-one moved, frozen into poses of shock and surprise.

​

Finally, Heyes found the breath to speak.

 

“Couldn’t you even wait one week?” he hissed at her, furious, yet deeply wounded.

 

“I…” Veronica began, but Heyes spoke over her.

 

“I thought we had… something special...” he said hoarsely.  His gaze moved to Curry who was totally confused as he looked at Heyes, whose expression was one of anger and disgust although his eyes showed disappointment, hurt and betrayal.

 

“Joshua, I…” Veronica began again, but Heyes turned on his heel and strode away, while Curry looked from Heyes to Veronica and back again, trying to work out what was going on.

 

“Joshua, wait… Joshua…”  Veronica made to go after him, but Curry caught her arm, suddenly putting two and two together.

 

“Is he your relationship that ‘didn’t work out’?” he demanded.

 

“Is he?” he repeated angrily, when Veronica made no reply.

 

Veronica nodded, “He told me he had to go away on a trip. He said he’d come back, but I didn’t believe him. I thought he was just letting me down gently.” she whispered, her face anguished.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he challenged her.

 

Veronica shrugged, bowing her head.

 

Curry turned to go.

 

“Don’t leave…” pleaded Veronica.

 

“I have to go after him.”

 

“Please… don’t go…” Veronica caught his arm.

 

“I have to.” Curry pulled free from her grasp.

 

“But why...?” implored Veronica, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

 

“Because, he’s my friend.” he growled at her.

 

Veronica’s hands went to her face, realising now why Joshua had looked at them so disgustedly.

 

Curry turned and hurried out of the house after Heyes, spotting him a hundred yards down the road.  He sprinted after him.

 

“Heyes…” he called, as he got within hailing distance, but Heyes kept on walking, ignoring him.

 

“Heyes, wait...” he pleaded, as he caught up with him.

 

“Get away from me.” Heyes growled at him, continuing his determined stride, his gaze fixed straight ahead, his hands clenched at his sides. Curry could tell he was livid.

 

“Heyes, I’m sorry.” He grasped his sleeve, “I didn’t know  that you--” but Heyes spoke over him.

 

“I said, get away from me.” Heyes yanked his arm free and, rounding angrily on him, pushed him forcibly away before turning and striding off once more.

 

“Let me explain…” Curry followed him, grabbing his arm once more, at which point Heyes turned and swung a left handed punch at him.

 

He staggered backwards, holding his jaw, as Heyes turned and strode away without a backward glance.

 

Curry stood there, nursing his jaw, wondering what to do.  When Veronica had told him about her relationship that hadn’t worked out, he had got the impression that she had cared deeply for whoever it was she’d been seeing, but  never in a million years would he have guessed it was Heyes. He felt angry, and used, that Veronica had taken up with him so quickly and easily when it was obvious, from her expression when she’d looked at him, that she had strong feelings for Heyes, even if she had believed he wasn’t coming back, and he was full of embarrassment, and remorse, at being caught in the middle of what was obviously, to Heyes at least, judging by his reaction, a heartfelt, and unfinished, relationship. But he also felt sick, because he cared for her too. Had he known that Heyes had been seeing her, he would never have gotten involved with her.  But he hadn’t known, and he had gotten involved with her, more involved, he realised now, than he had known, or intended, and he was angry with Veronica for not telling him because now it had caused a wedge between himself and Heyes, between all three of them.

 

Usually Heyes was wary of getting involved with anyone, because of their situation, and cultivated a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ attitude with women.  For him to be so upset, he must feel very strongly about her, in which case,  walking in on her with any man would be demoralizing, but walking in on your best friend was a hundred times worse.

 

He began to walk slowly back towards the town, wondering how they were going to resolve the situation. He presumed Heyes had gone to the saloon, but he didn’t go to see.  There was no point trying to talk to him until he’d calmed down.

 

He reached the hotel and went upstairs to their room.  Heyes was nowhere to be seen.

​

Curry lit the lamp and lay down on top of the bed, clasping his hands behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling, a pensive frown on his brow as he contemplated the situation. 

 

*    *    *

 

In the saloon, Heyes was propping up the bar, hunched over his seventh, or maybe it was his eighth, glass of whisky - he’d given up counting - as he brooded on the night’s events.  He poured another glass and downed it, trying to numb the feelings of shock, anger, humiliation and betrayal that engulfed him and made him sick to his stomach.  To find Veronica with any other man was bad enough, but to find her with his partner  -  that feeling of being kicked in the guts by a mule hit him again at the thought of it -  and both of them had looked as though they were enjoying it. He wasn’t sure which one of them to be angriest at.

 

“Well, hello again  Mr. Smith.  Come to give me a chance to win back some of the money you took from me?”

 

Heyes turned his head to see one of the men he’d played poker with before he’d left for Alamogordo, and from whom he had won a fair sum of money.

 

“Some other time maybe.” Heyes replied, returning his gaze to his glass.

 

“Oh, come on, you have to give me a chance to win some of it back.” the man coaxed.

 

“Not right now.” said Heyes, without looking at him, his tone dismissive.

 

The man’s expression grew hard at being rebuffed.

 

“What’s wrong with right now?” he enquired, “It don’t seem to me like you’re busy with anything else.”

 

“I’m not in the mood.” Heyes stated flatly.

 

“Oh?” The man raised an eyebrow, “You were in the mood right enough when you cleaned me out.  You owe me the chance to try and win some of it back, and I’m only in town until tomorrow.”

 

Heyes banged his glass down on the counter and swung round to face the man, grabbing the lapels of his coat, “I said, not now.” he hissed at him, almost nose to nose with the man, “Is that clear enough for you?” he added, pushing the man away from him.  As he made to turn back to his drink, the man, wanting to save face, threw a punch at Heyes and suddenly they were swinging blows at each other while a couple of other men tried to part them.

 

Before Heyes knew what was happening, the Sheriff had appeared and he and the card player were dragged off to the jail.  Because the card player was sober, and maintained that Heyes had made the first move in the fight, which was corroborated by the men who had tried to part them who had seen Heyes shove him, the Sheriff let him go after a caution.  Because Heyes was obviously drunk, and offered no defence, the Sheriff locked him in the cells for the night.

 

For once, Heyes didn’t care.  He fell, as much as lay, down on the bunk and sank into an alcohol induced sleep.

 

*    *    *

 

When Curry woke the next morning to find that Heyes hadn’t returned to the hotel, he was anxious.  He wondered if perhaps he’d gone back to Veronica’s to have it out with her, and if so, what the outcome had been.  It had been obvious by her reactions that she had feelings for Heyes and was mortified that he had caught her red handed in his arms.  But then she had implored him not to leave, and he wondered why.  Was it because she’d just wanted someone to comfort her, or did she have feelings for him that had superseded her earlier feelings for Heyes?  She had told him that their relationship hadn’t worked out and was over, yet, from Heyes’ expression when he’d walked into the room, it was obvious he thought it far from finished.  He sighed.  He needed to talk to Heyes, to find out just what had happened during the two and a half weeks he’d been away in Silver City, so he could decide what to do next.

 

With a sigh, he got up and washed and dressed before heading out to get some breakfast, brooding on the situation as he ate.

 

When he’d finished, he paid for the meal and headed back towards the hotel.

​

As he walked up the street, lost in his thoughts, he suddenly spotted Heyes and the Sheriff coming out of the Sheriff’s office thirty yards further on down the street.  He stopped walking, wondering what Heyes was doing there. The Sheriff’s office was one place they tried to keep well away from for fear of being recognised. He stood watching them through narrowed eyes, noting that the Sheriff was doing most of the talking.  Heyes’ body language suggested subservience as he stood, shoulders hunched, his gaze lowered, giving occasional nods and shakes of the head to whatever the Sheriff was saying.

 

After a few moments, the Sheriff turned and went back inside his office, and Heyes turned away and stepped off the boardwalk in the same direction Curry was walking. 

​

He followed him, slowly, wondering what he’d been doing at the Sheriff’s and where he was going now.

 

Heyes reached the hotel and went inside.  Curry's brow creased into a frown, wondering, suddenly, if, in a fit of pique, Heyes had shopped him to the Sheriff in some bizarre plan to get him out of the way so that he could have Veronica to himself.  Then he shook his head, chastising himself for his paranoia. However upset Heyes was, he would never do anything like that. Would he? Heyes’ sometimes impetuous behaviour often made him wonder just how well he really knew his partner.

 

Dubiously, Curry entered the hotel and went up to their room.  He paused momentarily outside the door, before taking a deep breath and going inside.

 

As he entered the room Heyes, who was pouring water into the basin to wash, turned round sharply, the jug still in his hand, eyeing Curry petulantly.  A dark bruise stood out on his left cheek, and his lower lip was split and swollen.  A dark shadow of stubble covered his jaw and his eyes were heavy.

 

Curry closed the door, “What happened to you?” he asked flatly, tossing his hat onto the dresser.

 

Heyes turned away to finish pouring the water.

 

“I got into a fight.” he replied quietly, his tone brusque.

 

“I can see that.” Curry's tone was condescending,  “What happened?”

 

Heyes shrugged, still with his back to him,  “I won some money from this guy, playing poker, before I got McCreedy’s wire.  He came up to me in the saloon, demanding a rematch.  I wasn’t in the mood.  I shoved him.  He hit me.”  He sighed,  “Next thing I know, the Sheriff’s hauling us off to jail.” He shook his head disgustedly,  “Because he was sober and claimed I started it, the Sheriff let him go, but he locked me up for the night.”

 

“Are you crazy?” Curry’s face was like thunder,  “Tangling with the Sheriff, with any Sheriff, is something we can’t afford right now, so you go out of your way to get involved in a brawl and get arrested?”  He shook his head,  “What if the Sheriff had recognised you?  What if that guy had pulled a gun on you? What then, eh?”

 

Heyes shrugged, refusing to look at him, “I was angry, drunk…  I wasn’t thinking.  I had other things on my mind.” he snapped sarcastically, flashing him an angry look.

 

Curry looked even more annoyed,  “As if picking a fight wasn’t risky enough, given our situation, you had to do it while you were drunk?” He turned away, pacing the room, shaking his head disgustedly. Heyes tended to shoot his mouth off when he got drunk, and could quite easily have said something to arouse the Sheriff’s suspicions about them.

 

“I didn’t pick a fight.” Heyes spoke over him, his tone surly, “I just wanted him to go away and leave me alone.”

 

Curry stopped pacing and half turned to glare contemptuously at him before turning away and moving to sit down on the bed.  Heyes glared back at him equally as contemptuously before tuning back to the basin and beginning to wash.

 

The tension between them grew as both waited for the other to say something about the previous night’s events. Curry could tell that Heyes was still furious about finding them together, and he felt he ought to be the one to offer some sort of explanation, but, in truth, he didn’t know quite what to say.

 

After several minutes, during which time Heyes continued in silence with his ablutions, Curry gave a deep sigh and said, “Heyes, about last night…”

 

As though he had just been waiting for him to begin to speak, Heyes spun round and bore down on him, “Yes? What about last night?” he snapped, his angry gaze boring into his eyes.

​

Curry sighed, getting to his feet and moving across the room to distance himself from his penetrating glare.

 

“I didn’t know you’d been seeing her. She didn’t tell me until after you left.  If I’d known, I wouldn’t have got involved with her.” He glanced at Heyes, trying to read his thoughts, but all he could see in his face was anger and resentment. He sighed again,  “I’m sorry you had to walk in and see us together like that.”

 

Heyes’ gaze slid off him to some point behind his shoulder as he pondered on the significance of his words.

 

“Heyes?” Curry's voice cut into his thoughts, prompting him for some sort of response.

 

Heyes blinked and looked at him.

​

“What did she tell you?” he asked gruffly.

 

Curry shrugged,  “A few days ago, she told me she’d been seeing someone but that it hadn’t worked out and was over.  She didn’t mention any names, and I didn’t like to press her for details. She said she was trying to put it behind her.  It was only after she called out your name last night that it dawned on me it was you she was talking about.”

 

Heyes’ gaze slid off him once more.  Curry studied his expression.  He looked angry still, but there was a sorrowful, anguished look in the depths of his eyes that gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, because he didn’t like the implications of what that look signified.

 

“Heyes?” he said quietly.

 

Heyes shifted his gaze back to his.

 

“Was she lying to me?”

 

Heyes turned away, “I don’t want to talk about it.” he said gruffly, shrugging into his jacket, and pocketing the envelope containing the documents he had to take to the bank for McCreedy.  Then, picking up his hat he moved towards the door.

 

“I need to know, Heyes.” Curry said to his back as he reached for the door handle.

 

Heyes turned to look at him.

 

“Why?” he asked, bleakly.

 

Curry stared at him for a long moment before replying.

 

“Because I care for her too.”

 

Heyes eyed him for a moment, before, with an almost imperceptible nod, he opened the door and left the room.

​

*    *    *

​

​

​