Malicious Intent (Soulscape #5)

CH 20

Dennis was up by five-thirty and in the shower ten minutes later. He didn't typically wear cologne to work, but this morning he splashed on a little aftershave in anticipation of seeing Frank—and possibly Zeke. Frank hadn't said if he was coming in alone.

When he emerged from the bathroom in a towel, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee met him in the hall. Marlene was up. They hadn't spoken much the previous night and she'd gone to bed early. Since first meeting Marlene, he had never once felt anxious or tense in her company. Now, he was finding it difficult to relax with her, knowing she had issues with his sexuality as well as his relationship with Frank and Zeke. Dennis would gladly discuss it with her, but she didn't want to talk about it.

With Randall gone, their bond should have strengthened, drawing them even closer. Instead, they seemed to be growing apart and it broke Dennis' heart because he didn't know how to prevent it.

"Mm. Coffee." Dennis put on a smile as he entered the kitchen, dressed in his uniform, hat in hand. Marlene poured a cup and handed it to him. "Thank you, sis." He sipped the coffee. "Mm. That's good."

"Are you hungry?" she asked quietly as she poured herself some coffee. "I can fix you something."

"Oh. No. Thank you." He took a seat at the table. "Coffee is fine. I'll grab breakfast later. But thank you."

Marlene faced him and leaned against the counter; the coffee mug cradled in her palms. She stared into the cup rather than at him. "You're up early again," she murmured. "And you smell... good."

Dennis flashed a nervous smile. "I'm meeting Frank Harlan at my office here pretty soon. He needed to talk to me about something."

"Weren't you just out there yesterday?"

"Yeah. But he called me after I left."

"Something serious?"

"Um... hopefully, not too serious."

She took a drink. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "It's none of my business, anyway."

Dennis shook his head and rose from the table. "Hey. Sis... don't say that. I have nothing to hide from you, and you're free to ask me anything you want. We're family. You're not intruding in my life, in any sense of the word." Dennis joined her at the counter and gently bumped her with his arm. "We're not just family—we're friends. At least, I always thought so." He cocked his head and smiled. "Was I being presumptuous?"

Marlene sighed, a smile forming. "No," she whispered. "Of course, we're friends." Her smile wavered, a look creeping over her face that Dennis wasn't sure how to interpret.

"What?"

"Nothing." She looked up at him, pulling the smile back onto her lips. "We're friends. We're family."

Dennis took a chance and gave her a one-arm hug. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her head. "That we are. And it will never change." He withdrew and returned to the table and picked up his coffee. "Oh, by the way, Ken asked after you and Benny, asked me to give you his best."

"Ken...?"

"Wilson," Dennis said. "Deputy Wilson."

"Oh. Okay." She nodded. "That was nice of him. He always seemed so reserved."

"He is." Dennis chuckled low. "But he's a good man. And a good deputy."

Marlene quietly cleared her throat. "Has... has Deputy Dean had anything to say?"

"About...?"

"Any of what's happened," she whispered. "He was Randall's best friend." She swallowed. "Did he... did he know that Randall..."