Paying The Piper - 13. Chapter 13

Quent needed to sleep, but his unanswered questions were fueling a nervous agitated energy that he couldn’t shake. He was halfway home before curiosity got the better of him and he turned around and headed to the address he'd found for Sarah Cross. Needing to sleep and being able to were different matters all together. He pulled up in front of a small, bright blue ranch and killed the engine. A Volkswagen bug, electric orange, was parked in the driveway. He hoped the interior of the house was easier on the eyes.

He knocked on the door and Sarah answered promptly. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. “I was wondering when you’d show up,” she sniffed.

“And here I am.”

Sarah gave a bitter smile. “And friendly as always.”

Quent was in no mood for verbal sparring. “Do you have a few minutes?”

Sarah shrugged and walked away, deeper into the house. She left the door open, which Quent took as an invitation. He closed the door and followed her into the main room. He needn’t have worried about the bright colors – the room looked to have been hosed down with mud. He took a seat in a brown chair. Sarah sat on a brown couch.

“Do you have any idea who may have wanted to hurt Cynthia?”

Sarah snorted. “Everybody loved Cynthia.”

“Yes, that’s been my general impression."

Sarah’s eyes flashed. “There’s no need to be crude.” She gave another hiccupping sigh. “What I mean is, she was really sweet. Everyone genuinely liked her. Some people - too much.”

Quent flipped open his notebook. He chose a blank page about halfway in. “What do you mean?”

Sarah covered her eyes dramatically. She flapped her hand in the air. “You know the story. Two men. Both wanted her. Blah, blah, blah.”

Quent consulted his blank page. “You’re talking about White and….”

“Stuart,” Sarah said.

“Dr. Stuart Cobb?”

“Do you know another Stuart?”

Quent clenched his teeth. “She was seeing them both?”

Sarah crossed her legs and sniffed again. “Neither. Anymore.”

“As of when?”

“Well, recently. She finally decided, after I spent years trying to convince her of the same thing, that a man was not the answer to her problems.”

Quent tapped his pencil on his notebook. “And just what did she decide was the answer?”

Sarah wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I have no idea. She wouldn’t tell me.”

Quent frowned. If Cynthia hadn’t confided in Sarah, things would get difficult. “How did the boys take the break-up?” he asked after a moment.

“Stuart was fine, I guess. Not much gets to him, you know.” Quent shook his head that he didn’t. Sarah looked annoyed that she had to explain. “I just mean he’s so…calm and down to earth. He was disappointed, but he moved on. Braden, though….”

“Didn’t take it as well?”

“That’s a nice way to put it. If I were you, I’d be looking in his direction.”

“I’ll take it under advisement. Anything else?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Are you going to catch this guy?” She stared at him with large eyes and played with the brown fringe on the chair.

Quent began to wish he'd just gone home. “Thank you for your time.” He got up and left the house as quickly as possible. He managed, just barely, to resist kicking the orange Volkswagen as he passed.

**********

At ten a.m., the door to Cale’s room slid slowly open. Drew peeked around it into the gloomy interior. Cale was a lump under the covers. With a small sigh, Drew slipped into the room. He stood over Cale’s bed and ran his fingers over the tuft of blond hair that stuck out from under the blanket.

“Are you awake?” he asked in the softest whisper.

Cale rolled over immediately. “I thought you were Elizabeth.” He sighed when Drew continued to play with his hair.

Drew swallowed heavily. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“I know.”

“I shouldn’t be doing this.”

Cale nuzzled closer to the wandering fingers. “Just another minute.”

Drew pulled away. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Are you ready to be released? Go home?”

Cale pulled himself into a sitting position. He winced. “Are those questions mutually exclusive?”

Drew laughed quietly and Cale joined in. When they stopped, Drew grew serious. “Cale, I don’t think we should…do this…anymore.”

Cale’s heart seized up. He bit his tongue, focusing on the pain there rather than the stabbing agony in his chest. “Even as friends?” he tried.

Drew looked bemused. “I’m not sure I could handle that…could you?”

Cale worked to keep the desperation from his voice. “I could try.”

“I couldn’t.”

A bitter taste flooded Cale’s mouth, mixing with the blood from his abused tongue. “I understand.” He snuck a hand out from beneath the blankets and held it out. Drew took it without a word. If anyone walked in, it would pass for a handshake. No one would see how, for that moment, they clung to each other as hard as they could.

**********

Drew passed Elizabeth in the hall. She was preoccupied with untying her scarf and didn’t see him. He ducked his head and walked to the elevator, breathing a sigh of relief when it arrived. He dashed in and punched the button for the lobby. The door closed and he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

“What are you running from?”

Drew’s eyes flew open. He stared hard at Quent. “Cale,” he answered. “What are you doing here?”

“Seeing Cale.”

Drew’s face screwed up in confusion. “You forgot to get off on the third floor,” he said.

“Noooo. I was planning to get off, but you ran in and commandeered the elevator. Now I’m on my way back to the lobby.”

Drew had the grace to look sheepish. “Sorry.”

The elevator beeped and opened. Drew tried to slip past, but Quent grabbed his arm. “You’re making a big mistake.”

Drew jerked his arm free. His eyes flashed. “Mind your own business,” he retorted. Quent watched him stride down the corridor and out of the hospital. He was still watching, his hand on the elevator hold button, when Drew collapsed onto a bench outside the glass entrance doors and lowered his head into his hands.

**********

“Excuse us, would you Elizabeth?” Quent asked. “I’ll take over from here.”

Cale looked up in surprise. Elizabeth was guiding his injured arm into his shirt sleeve.

“Quent, really. Can’t it wait? He’s getting dressed.”

Quent threw her his most condescending look. “I assure you, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” He thoroughly enjoyed her scandalized expression. Cale turned his head to hide a smile.

“Well, I suppose. I’ll be down the hall if you need me.” She patted Cale’s hand and left. Cale watched Quent warily.

“You’ve got that look,” he said cautiously.

“What look?”

“That look you get when you’re pissed at me.”

“I am pissed at you.”

Cale sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Can you help me finish getting dressed before you lay into me about whatever it is?” He held out the shirt helpfully.

Quent ripped the shirt from Cale’s hands. He did, however, take great care in helping his friend into it. “You’re an idiot,” he snarled.

“No more about Elizabeth, Quent.”

“I’m not talking about Elizabeth, you ignorant brat!” At Cale’s blank look, he yanked the shirt together and started buttoning it. “I’m talking about Marcus,” he growled.

Cale’s face closed off. “No more about him, either.”

“You’re just going to let it go?” Quent asked, his tone bitter.

Cale jerked away. When Quent moved forward to finish the buttons, Cale pushed him. Hard. Quent stumbled back into the wall. Anger gave way to shock. He stared incredulously at Cale.

Cale was breathing hard and standing over Quent. His fists were clenched at his sides. “I can’t believe you!” he yelled. “Are you crazy? I’m married! Married, Quent. In sickness and health, richer, poorer, good AND bad. I made a promise. To my bastard of a father. To Elizabeth. And to myself. And now YOU want me to…what? Throw it away? For a…man…I met yesterday? Where’s the honor in that?”

Quent straightened himself to his full height. A good four inches taller than Cale. “Spare me your little speech about honor!” he spat. “I heard it enough from your father. And do you know what Angus had in the end? Do you? Nothing. Nothing but hate, bitterness and his precious honor. I thought you were better than that. I thought you were more than that!” He ignored the hurt on Cale’s eyes. “It has a price, Cale,” he said. “Honor. It has a tremendous price.”

He turned on his heel and left.