could use a little more work inside. everything else…” He shrugged.
Tate’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the matter, Jack? Last time I was out here I thought something’ was botherin’ you. Do you need some help? You know all you have to do is say the word, and you’ll have more volunteers than you can shake a stick at.”
Jack shifted in his chair. “It’s not that,” he said. Tate set his half-empty soda on the wooden floor planks. “Something’s not gone haywire with your health, has it?”
Jack remained silent.
“Dammit, Jack!” Tate burst out. “If you can’t talk
to me, who can you talk to? You’ve known me all my life. You’ve known my family. You and my daddy were best friends. You crab! led him in your arms when he lay dyin’ on the highway. You’re the one who caught the two bastards who murdered him! You’re the one who cried when you testified about him at their trial. You’re the one who did the best you could to see my mom and me through the worst of everythin’ afterward. So, Jack, what is it? “
Normally when Tate got exercised about something, Jack smiled in tolerant amusement. Today his gaze remained steady. “I might say the same thing to you. Why didn’t you tell me about that task force you’ve been asked to join? Why’d I have to hear about it from someone else?”
Tate’s eyes widened. Jack had heard?
Jack set his soda on the floor next to Tare’s, then leaned forward, gripping the rocker’s armrests. “How do you think it felt hearin’ something like that from a stranger7 I didn’t believe it at first. No, I said, Tare woulda told me! I’ve known that boy since he wore diapers. Hell, I’ve changed his diapers! He’d tell me if he was thinkin’ of leaving again!”
“I only got asked a week or so ago,” Tate defended. “Anyway, I thought it was supposed to be a secret until everything was settled.”
“Some people don’t believe in secrets,” Jack said. “Some people?” Tate shot back. “That sure doesn’t include you, then, does it? A possum has less secrets than you!”
Jack leaned even further forward. “Are you callin’ me a possum?”
The two men glared at each other, then slowly the sparks in their eyes changed to amusement, and both started to laugh. Tate, young and strong. Jack, old and wise. “
Jack continued to chuckle as he settled back in his seat. “A possum!” he repeated.
Tate grinned. “It was the only thing I could think of. I knew you’d take exception if I compared you to a polecat.”
“Good thing for you that you didn’t!”
Tate moved restlessly to the edge of the porch. “Actually that’s one of the reasons I stopped by,” he admitted. “Hell, Jack, I don’t know what to do! Drew Winslow’s gonna call back for an answer soon, and I’m just as far away from making a decision as I was when he first talked to me. You remember me tellin’ you about Drew Winslow, don’t you? My old supervisor in Dallas?”
“Actually he was the one who called me,” Jack said. “He wanted me to persuade you to accept. When I got over my surprise, I told him it was your decision and yours alone. That I wasn’t about to influence you either way.”
“What’d he say to that?”
“Said you were gonna miss a great opportunity if you turned him down. And that state law enforcement was gonna miss a great cop.” Jack was silent a moment before asking quietly, “What do you want to do, son?”
Tate shook his head. “I don’t know. Part of me wants to go, the other part thinks I should stay.”
“Because of your mother?”
“That and other things.” Tate was sure Jack knew
?
he mo ant the sheriff’s jo, but neither man said the actual words. “What do you think my dad would say, Jack?” he asked. “What Jdo you think he’d tell me?”
“Your daddy was one of the finest men I ever met, Tare, and I’m not exaggerating. It broke my heart when I couldn’t do anything to help him that day. It was
Tate’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the matter, Jack? Last time I was out here I thought something’ was botherin’ you. Do you need some help? You know all you have to do is say the word, and you’ll have more volunteers than you can shake a stick at.”
Jack shifted in his chair. “It’s not that,” he said. Tate set his half-empty soda on the wooden floor planks. “Something’s not gone haywire with your health, has it?”
Jack remained silent.
“Dammit, Jack!” Tate burst out. “If you can’t talk
to me, who can you talk to? You’ve known me all my life. You’ve known my family. You and my daddy were best friends. You crab! led him in your arms when he lay dyin’ on the highway. You’re the one who caught the two bastards who murdered him! You’re the one who cried when you testified about him at their trial. You’re the one who did the best you could to see my mom and me through the worst of everythin’ afterward. So, Jack, what is it? “
Normally when Tate got exercised about something, Jack smiled in tolerant amusement. Today his gaze remained steady. “I might say the same thing to you. Why didn’t you tell me about that task force you’ve been asked to join? Why’d I have to hear about it from someone else?”
Tate’s eyes widened. Jack had heard?
Jack set his soda on the floor next to Tare’s, then leaned forward, gripping the rocker’s armrests. “How do you think it felt hearin’ something like that from a stranger7 I didn’t believe it at first. No, I said, Tare woulda told me! I’ve known that boy since he wore diapers. Hell, I’ve changed his diapers! He’d tell me if he was thinkin’ of leaving again!”
“I only got asked a week or so ago,” Tate defended. “Anyway, I thought it was supposed to be a secret until everything was settled.”
“Some people don’t believe in secrets,” Jack said. “Some people?” Tate shot back. “That sure doesn’t include you, then, does it? A possum has less secrets than you!”
Jack leaned even further forward. “Are you callin’ me a possum?”
The two men glared at each other, then slowly the sparks in their eyes changed to amusement, and both started to laugh. Tate, young and strong. Jack, old and wise. “
Jack continued to chuckle as he settled back in his seat. “A possum!” he repeated.
Tate grinned. “It was the only thing I could think of. I knew you’d take exception if I compared you to a polecat.”
“Good thing for you that you didn’t!”
Tate moved restlessly to the edge of the porch. “Actually that’s one of the reasons I stopped by,” he admitted. “Hell, Jack, I don’t know what to do! Drew Winslow’s gonna call back for an answer soon, and I’m just as far away from making a decision as I was when he first talked to me. You remember me tellin’ you about Drew Winslow, don’t you? My old supervisor in Dallas?”
“Actually he was the one who called me,” Jack said. “He wanted me to persuade you to accept. When I got over my surprise, I told him it was your decision and yours alone. That I wasn’t about to influence you either way.”
“What’d he say to that?”
“Said you were gonna miss a great opportunity if you turned him down. And that state law enforcement was gonna miss a great cop.” Jack was silent a moment before asking quietly, “What do you want to do, son?”
Tate shook his head. “I don’t know. Part of me wants to go, the other part thinks I should stay.”
“Because of your mother?”
“That and other things.” Tate was sure Jack knew
?
he mo ant the sheriff’s jo, but neither man said the actual words. “What do you think my dad would say, Jack?” he asked. “What Jdo you think he’d tell me?”
“Your daddy was one of the finest men I ever met, Tare, and I’m not exaggerating. It broke my heart when I couldn’t do anything to help him that day. It was
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