Double Indemnity by Maggie Kavanagh Page B

felt suspiciously like his teenaged self again.
    After they finished the last job, Sam tried to slip into his truck unnoticed, but Yuri caught him.
    â€œI need to talk to you, Sam.”
    â€œLook, I’m sorry about being late.” He shuffled on his feet.
    â€œI’m not going to ask you where you were or why you were late, because I don’t care.”
    Ouch.
    â€œOkay. Well, then I guess there’s nothing else to say.”
    â€œThere’s a lot more to say. You can’t keep living like there’s no future.”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    â€œYes, you do. Hey.” Yuri grabbed his arm before he could turn. “I know what it’s like to lose someone too. You’re afraid to move on with your life, and it’s killing you.”
    â€œI’m not afraid. And this isn’t about Emma.”
    â€œYou think I’m talking about Emma? I’m talking about your brother and your parents. It’s the worst thing in the world. It hurts. It’s horrible. I know. But that doesn’t give you an excuse, not anymore. It’s been years, Sam. You’re so goddamn smart. You could be doing anything you want. You wanna tell me this life is really what you want? No wonder you drink yourself stupid every night.”
    Sam’s face burned. “I’m not wasting my life. I do things.”
    Yuri scoffed. “Yeah. Getting laid and talking about your blog, which you write in, never.”
    â€œI’ve been busy.”
    â€œIt makes me mad, because it could be something great. You could have a job you actually liked, and you could make enough money to take care of Tim too.”
    â€œIt’s not that easy. I’ve tried—”
    Yuri cut him off. “You haven’t tried. You really haven’t tried.”
    â€œYou have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sam gritted through his teeth.
    Yuri didn’t seem to care about arguing in the middle of a suburban street with half the neighbors watching, including their customers. His eyes flashed with anger.
    â€œOh, cut the crap, Sam. You pretend you don’t care, but inside you’re scared as hell. You’re scared as hell.” He started backing away, and the dismissal stung as keenly as his words had. But Sam wasn’t going to let go so easily, not with Yuri so clearly spoiling for a fight.
    â€œDon’t stop now. Tell me how you really feel.” Sam could barely control the quaver in his voice.
    â€œSee? You always have to turn it around. Rachel told me about you and that Walker guy at the Star last night.”
    â€œSo now you two are talking behind my back. Wonderful.”
    â€œDo you think it’s a good idea to get involved with him?” Yuri asked, quieter now.
    â€œI think you’re jealous. I think that’s what this is about.”
    Yuri frowned. “Believe whatever you want. I don’t care. But if I were you, I’d seriously consider straightening out my own life first, before I started worrying about anyone else’s.”
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    W HEN N ATHAN called again, Sam almost didn’t pick up. Yuri’s words still echoed in his mind, circling around and around, little bits of truth breaking off and lodging like daggers in his brain. He hadn’t touched a drop of booze in days, and it was starting to make him irritable.
    â€œSam,” Nathan said when he answered. “I’m sorry about the other night. I shouldn’t have left like that.”
    â€œIt’s all right.”
    â€œNo, it’s not, and I think I owe you an explanation. Can you come over?”
    It was like Nathan’s voice had a direct link to Sam’s sympathetic nervous system. He started looking around the living room for his shoes. “What’s going on?”
    â€œI’ll talk to you when you get here.”
    Nathan looked better than he had the last time Sam saw him. He’d shaven,