Never Coming Home Read online

Chapter Eleven

  Lincoln and Bentley met Hector at the office, and they debated the gifts they planned to give out to people who donated to the site. Hector suggested giving donors immediate access to site updates, while others would have to wait a week before being able to see them. They also started to work on setting up a whiteboard in the office with details about the crime, but the day got away from them, and soon Bentley said that he had to leave if he was going to make it to the concert on time.

  Hector asked who he was going to see.

  Bentley looked sheepish, and stammered as he said, “I’m, uh… I’m going out to see Darcy’s band.”

  Lincoln dropped his pen and stood from his desk. “Wait, what?”

  “Darcy invited me.”

  “And you’re just telling me this now? You sure are full of surprises today.”

  “I didn’t think it mattered.”

  Hector was amused by the awkward situation as he sat between the two men. “I told you he had the hots for your daughter.”

  “It’s not like that,” said Bentley.

  “Let me explain something to you,” said Lincoln, stern and adamant. “Darcy’s off limits. Period. No questions asked.”

  “She invited me to her concert,” said Bentley. “I said I’d go. That’s all there is to it.”

  “Keep it that way.”

  The conversation should’ve ended there, but Bentley couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t she old enough to make her own decisions?”

  Hector laughed uncomfortably, and then he saw how angry Lincoln had become. He stood up between the two of them. “Whoa, now. Let’s put a stop to this before it gets out of…”

  “Listen up, kid,” said Lincoln, glaring past Hector at Bentley. “I don’t have any choice but to put up with you here in the office, but I don’t want my daughter getting mixed up with your kind.”

  “My kind? And just what sort of ‘kind’ is that?”

  “You know exactly what I mean.”

  Hector yelled, “Quit it! Both of you.”

  “I’m a good person,” said Bentley.

  “Good people don’t have friends like yours. They don’t inspire people to run away at the sight of them, and they sure as hell don’t taze people at a lunch meeting.”

  Bentley looked like he was about to respond, but then clenched his jaw and nodded. “Fine. That’s fine. I don’t care what you think of me, because I know what sort of person I am. You don’t have to worry about me making moves on your daughter. That’s not why I’m going to the concert. I’m going because I need a reason to get out of the house. Darcy invited me to the concert, and I thought it’d be better than sitting at home trying to forget about…” Bentley hesitated, and then said, “I just needed a reason to get out of the house. Don’t worry, I’m not looking for a girlfriend. That’s the last thing I need.” He took his suit coat off the back of the chair, slipped it on, and then headed for the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  They watched the young man walk swiftly down the stairs, and then Hector punched Lincoln in the arm. “What’d you do that for?”

  “Do what?”

  “Give Benny a hard time. He didn’t deserve that. Don’t you know what the poor kid’s been through this past year?”

  Lincoln replied sheepishly, “He told me about his wife. But that doesn’t mean I have to be okay with him going after Darcy.”

  “Yeah? Did he tell you how he missed his wife so much that he tried to kill himself?”

  Lincoln looked at Hector, abashed and surprised.

  “That’s right, man. His uncle gave him this job to get him out of the house. He thought you might be able to, you know, inspire the kid – to get him back on his feet.” Hector said it as if the idea of Lincoln helping anyone was ludicrous.

  “Danny never said anything about that.”

  “Well, it’s the truth. I know you’ve got an axe to grind with Dan, but don’t take it out on Benny. He’s a good kid who’s had a year from hell. The last thing he needs is you treating him like scum.”

  “I guess I was being overprotective.”

  “Speaking of which, if Darcy knew you went after Benny like that she’d wring your neck.”

  “You’re right. I’ll apologize to him tomorrow.” Lincoln looked at his watch, and then started to gather his things. He felt bad for attacking Bentley, and wanted to get out of the office so that he could stop in for a drink at the bar before his dinner meeting. “I’ve got to get going. I’m supposed to pick up Angel Harcourt.”

  “All right, Mr. P.,” said Hector. “Good luck. I’ll lock up here.”