A Time for Secrets by marshall thornton Page A

a popular Hollywood misconception while drawing attention back to himself.
    “This one doesn’t,” Harker said glumly.
    I ate almost all of the Chinese food I’d bought while I listened to Harker and Christian flirt their way through some other possible theories. Christian had a theory the killer was some closeted right-wing preacher or politician. As appealing as that might be, it was pretty unlikely. Those people practice their evil in the light of day.
    No, the Slasher was some poor schlub who lived with his wife in a tract house and led a Boy Scout troop on weekends. Someone so boringly normal that when they were finally caught their neighbors would barely believe it and say things like, “He seemed like such a nice guy” on TV. Someone like Gacy who played a clown for kids, someone who appeared normal on the surface. I didn’t point that out though; I was too busy watching Christian’s fetching body language. He lingered until it was nearly two o’clock. I hadn’t planned to stay away from my office that long. I needed to get back and read the rest of Meek’s diary, but there was no way I was leaving Harker alone with the intrepid reporter.
    After he finally left, I hung around, mainly so it didn’t seem like I’d been waiting for Christian’s departure.
    “Don’t you have a case you’re working?” Harker asked while I was thinking about an excuse to go back to my office.
    “What case?” I asked, too blandly.
    “Your double murder.”
    “We talked about that. I’m staying out of it.”
    “Sure you are,” he said. “How’s it going?”
    Of course, I could have told him about the journal, but I knew he’d tell me to turn it over to Haggerty. I shook my head and said, “I’ve got nothing on my plate. In fact, I was thinking of taking a nap.”
    Harker didn’t believe me and called my bluff . “Go ahead then. Take a nap.”
    “Where’s your mother?” I asked. She was always a good excuse for me to be at my office. I didn’t appreciate her failing me now.
    “She doesn’t seem to like Christian much, so I told her not to come today.”
    There were a couple of things wrong with that statement.
    “So, you knew Christian was coming by, but you didn’t mention it to me.”
    “Did I need to?” he asked.
    I wondered for a moment if he was up to something—something more serious than being on the receiving end of some heavy flirting. Of course, I had no right to be upset about that. Our relationship was a two-way street. If I asked him to shut down his lane, then I’d have to shut down mine. Was that it? Was that what Christian was about? Harker trying to trap me into monogamy? But that seemed silly. Harker was barely having sex with me. That was a big part of why things were the way they were. So what was happening?
    I decided not to answer his question at all. Instead I said, “Your mother doesn’t like me much, but you never tell her to stay away for me.”
    “If I did I’d have to tell her never to come,” he pointed out. “And I keep hoping she’ll start to like you.”
    That gave me a chuckle. Then I asked, “Do you want to fuck this kid?”
    “If things were different, sure I’d love to. But I have no plans to fuck him. What about you? Do you want to fuck him?”
    “What? I don’t even like him.” The air was thick for a moment before I said, “Now I’m not sleepy. I’m going back to my office.”
    Harker smiled like he’d known that was coming.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    I found a few more steamy entries featuring Ronald and SR and skimmed through them. Their relationship continued through March and the beginning of April. On April 7, I found this brief entry:
    Truly, I didn’t think it possible, I didn’t think we homophiles could manage it, but it’s true, I’ve fallen in love. I can admit it here, though I wouldn’t dare mention it anywhere else. The gang at The Lair would devour me if they knew. SR is my life. He’s everything. I would do anything for him, and I