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Checking the time, Guy decided to abandon the rest of his drink and head to the hospital. It was still early so Barry would be there. He could find him and check on Carla’s mom instead of spending the night worrying about her.

* * * * *

Guy was so relieved that Barry’s mother-in-law was essentially fine that he didn’t censure his words when his partner asked about the meeting.

“I tell you, my friend, the lady is a flake, pure and simple.”

“You really think so?” Barry questioned. “She always seemed so steady to me. A little reserved, shy even but not at all flighty.”

“Loony tunes, Bar, a total nut job. Claims she might have information because she dreamed it. I know you told me but what a wacko.”

When Barry suddenly stood, Guy did the same, turning to see the cause. Diana was right behind him with a shocked expression. Without warning, her hand flew to his cheek with a resounding slap.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” she fumed. “Do you have any idea how hard it was for that little girl to find the courage to speak with you about this? She trusted me when I assured her that she could be as open with you as she would have been with Barry. She believed me when I repeated that Barry insisted you would listen without being judgmental.

“How could you betray her like that? My God, that poor child must be devastated. She’s been suffering for years, only confiding in me when I gave her no choice. Imagine what it was like to realize that her nightmares may be more than just bad dreams. She’s struggling with the possibility that all of them may have actually occurred and finally agreed to tell someone because the thought of them killing again was more horrifying than opening herself to ridicule was.”

Diana gave him a look of pure disgust. “Your mother would be appalled,” she paused. “You’ll forgive me if I’ve misjudged you but frankly, I don’t think you’re half the man Barry said you were.”

After Diana stormed from the waiting room, Guy realized that Carla had joined them at some point.

“Guy Breauchard, I don’t know what you did but I have never seen Aunt Diana that furious in my life.”

“Carla,” Barry tried to interrupt.

“Let her say it,” Guy urged. “No matter what it is, it’ll be something I deserve.”

“Something you deserve?” Carla was even more stunned. “Well, if that’s the case then you won’t have a problem fixing it, will you? And until you do, you are not welcome in my home.”

“Carla,” Barry gasped.

“I mean it, Barry. I know he’s your friend on top of being your partner and I’m sorry if you think I’m being too harsh but that doesn’t change things. I’ll bet anything that Aunt Diana has never struck anyone before. Whatever you did pushed her to do that so it must be awful. Out of respect for the woman who is in some ways closer than my own mother, I will not tolerate your presence until you gain her forgiveness and reestablish her trust in you as a decent human being. When that happens, you’ll be free to drop by anytime as you always have. But until then, you’ll just have to find somewhere else to watch your Sunday afternoon football games.”

Guy saw the turmoil in Barry’s face and knew he was torn between comforting his wife and defending him so he took the choice out of his hands. “You and your aunt are both correct, Carla. My behavior with Ms. Banks was reprehensible.”

“Tori? Aunt Diana was talking about Tori? You’re damn lucky she didn’t kill you. She’s even more protective of Tori than she is of me. My God, if you hurt Tori…”

Guy raised his hands in surrender. “I did and I have no excuse for it. I don’t know how but I promise you, I will find a way to make it up to her. Your aunt will probably never forgive me but, if Ms. Banks does, will you give me a chance to beg that you will?”

Carla stared for a long moment before glancing at her husband. Guy could see the pleading in Barry’s eyes and knew Carla could too.

“Fine.” She nodded curtly. “You bring Tori with you and show me that she’s not a bit uncomfortable with you and we’ll be square again, with or without Aunt Diana’s forgiveness.”

“Thank you, Carla,” Guy said sincerely. “That’s more than I have any right to ask for at the moment. Barry, I’m sorry I let you down like this. Please don’t let my idiocy affect you guys. I’m not worth it.” He turned back to Carla before Barry could respond. “Please don’t hold me against him. You don’t need any more emotional upheaval tonight. Oh, I’m very glad to hear that your mom’s okay.” Guy was afraid to say more because his throat was beginning to close. Instead, he gave each an apologetic look and left.

Chapter Four

There were only a handful of cars in the library lot when Guy arrived. After leaving the hospital the night before he’d had a great debate with himself over how and when to approach Victoria Banks. His conclusion that there was no ideal solution made him select the best situation to actually get to speak with her. His final decision was to seek her out in the library and include Diana in his apology. With her in the room, Tori might listen long enough for him to repair some of the damage his attitude had done.

“Morning, Diana,” Guy greeted her quietly when she acknowledged his presence.

“Detective,” Diana’s tone was icy.

“I know I’m not particularly welcome here but I’m hoping you’ll spare me a minute anyway.”

“It’s a public library,” Diana stated. “Everyone is welcome here until they give me good reason to ban them. Feel free to use any of the materials you need.”

“Thank you but, as you know, I’m not here for the library.” Diana merely nodded. “I don’t mean to barge in and interfere with your work but I’ve always thought it best not to put off an apology when one is owed. I thought Ms. Banks might be more willing to let me make amends if I came here and spoke to her in your presence. If you prefer that I come back at closing, I certainly will, or if you think it better to meet in some other public place that she chooses, I’ll do that instead.”

“First you said that you wanted to apologize, then you said that you wanted to make amends. Which is it?”

“At the very least, an apology but if at all possible, full amends. I went over our encounter many times last night and I understand how wrong I was about everything. For what it’s worth, I would have realized that on my own once I had a chance to think about it. There was a lot of fear in her eyes yesterday. If she’ll let me, I’ll do whatever I can to help erase that.”

Diana scrutinized him closely. “Now this is the man I expected Tori to meet. You can talk in my office and, unless she asks me to stay, I’ll give you privacy.”

“Thank you, Diana. I can’t tell you how much I regret last night.”

“I believe you. As do I. Guy, I owe you an apology for my behavior as well.”

“Please don’t,” he interrupted. “You were running on adrenaline and didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. My mother worked very hard to teach me manners so I would grow up to be as decent a man as my father is and I forgot all of them. Mom wouldn’t have stopped with one little slap. No, she’d have been so horrified that she’d have tried to make my head spin all the way around while she raked me over the coals.”

“Still.” Diana looked ready to argue. “I heard from Carla this morning.”

“Again, please don’t. She’s right too. I hurt someone you’re very close to. That hurt you which hurt her. Barry trusted me to fill in and act as he would and I screwed up royally. I damaged not only our partnership but our friendship. Believe me, the things you and Carla said are nothing compared to what I said to myself all night.”

“Your mother would be proud of you for knowing that.” Diana smiled kindly. “Let me send one of the volunteers for Tori and we’ll go wait in my office.”

“Diana, I told you, I’m fine. Not that I don’t appreciate it but I don’t need hourly pep talks.” Tori came far enough into the office to notice Guy. “Oh. Excuse me.”

“Come in, Tori. Guy asked for a few minutes of your time and it would please me if you’d listen to him.”

Tori wanted to run and it showed. Instead of giving in, she forced herself to sit without gripping the arms of the chair. “All right, Diana.”

Behind her back, Diana gave Guy’s arm a quick squeeze before she left them alone. Guy sighed. After a long moment, he took the chair next to Tori. He rubbed his hands over his face, put his elbows on his knees, rested his chin on his steepled fingers and sighed again.

“I had a nice little speech all prepared for you if I got the opportunity and now it seems all wrong.”

“Fine.” Tori stood to go.

“Wait.” Guy stopped her with a hand on her arm but released her just as quickly. “Please, sit back down.”

Tori cautiously did as he asked, clearly curious about his apparent lack of confidence. “Well?”

“I don’t know where exactly to begin.”

“Maybe you should just spit it out. I mean, does this really matter? I don’t even understand why you’re here.”

“I’m here because it matters a great deal, as much as it did to you yesterday.”

“Yeah, well, yesterday’s history, isn’t it?”

“Yes and no. The day itself is over but the effects of it aren’t.”

“I guess you expect me to believe that you woke up this morning and magically accepted that I was telling you the truth and not just lying to get attention and now care about what I planned to say last night.”

“I don’t know that one way or the other because you didn’t have the chance to say much of anything. I was wrong on so many levels last night, Ms. Banks, and for that, I am truly sorry. I’m sure you don’t believe this but I’m really not the stereotypical Frenchman you met yesterday.”

“Mm, right. So the reason for this visit is to convince me that you’re not an asshole?”

“No, although it would be an added benefit if I could improve your opinion of me.”

“Wait a second.” Tori’s eyes narrowed as she figured it out. “You’re here because they made you come, right? I know Diana saw you at the hospital last night and that you said something to her because she knew you blew me off without bothering to listen. She was upset that she couldn’t come with me and about Debbie’s accident so I can imagine her coercing you into showing up today. Or was it Carla because it pissed her off that Diana was upset with you? Or did Barry figure out what a jerk you were and send you back so I don’t think he’s one too?”

“Honestly, it was all three of them but I would have come on my own eventually.”

“Why?”

“Because of your eyes. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the fear I saw in them was more than nervousness at meeting a stranger in a public place with the intent of revealing something personal. You were shaking even before I got rude,” he paused and shook his head. “No, it was your eyes. When you were putting me in my place, they still held more fear than anger but there was also sadness, exhaustion and resignation. There had been some hope when you first got there but that was gone.”

“You’re serious.” Tori was awed.

“Very. Growing up, I was always the guy who tried to help everyone. I became a cop because I believed I could make a difference. I still do. Ms. Banks, I have no excuse for my attitude last night. If you had asked Barry to describe me yesterday morning, he would have said I’m open-minded with unlimited patience and that I have a knack for making people feel comfortable enough to talk freely with me.”

“So I bring out the worst in you.”

“No. If you did, I wouldn’t be feeling so protective of you now.”

“Protective? You don’t really know what’s going on.”

“Not yet but I want to. More than anything, I’d like you to talk to me. Make me understand so we can figure out how I can help.”

Tori rolled her eyes in disbelief.

“Can’t we please just forget yesterday and start over? I’m fully prepared to grovel in any way necessary. Name what it’ll take and I’ll do it.”

“You’re serious,” she stated again.

“Completely,” Guy confirmed. After a prolonged silence, he added, “I really am sorry. Everything about last night was a mistake. Please give me a chance to show you how I should have handled things.”

Tori studied his face. As much as she didn’t want to, she believed he was sincere. As she saw it, she had three choices. She could refuse to tell anyone and live with the guilt forever when her next nightmare turned out to be real too, send Guy away and take a chance that Barry would sneer at her the same way he had or give Guy the benefit of the doubt as Diana obviously had.

“On one condition.” Tori made her decision.

“Name it.” Guy leaned forward anxiously.

“Tell me what they said to you last night. All three of them.”

“Fair enough.” Guy groaned inwardly. He had to tell her everything even though it could make her decide that he was there more to get himself off the hook than for her.

Taking a deep breath, Guy began with his comments to Barry. When he reached the part where Diana had slapped him, Tori gasped. “She didn’t!”

“Oh, I assure you, she did. I think Barry was even more surprised than I was.” He continued with the rest, uninterrupted until he repeated Carla’s declaration.

“I’ll call her.”

“No.”

“Then we can go see her and tell her you’re going to check into things for me.”

“No.”

“But—”

“Please don’t think I don’t appreciate your offer. I do but wouldn’t you rather wait until they have one of their gatherings and go together? I know you’ve been to some in the past and I’m really surprised we never bumped into each other.

“Last night, I remembered a conversation I overheard between Carla and Diana. Diana was worried about you not sleeping and Carla suggested you take a vacation and go visit your family. I’m assuming Carla knew why you weren’t sleeping and thought a change of scenery would help. Diana seemed certain that your family was last on your list of destinations and it wouldn’t much matter since you don’t know the meaning of vacation. She started to say something about how giving you more time alone not being the answer but then they noticed I was there and changed the subject.”

“I hate that she wastes time worrying about me like that.” Tori jumped up and stood in the doorway, looking at Diana while she unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself.