I choked, and he flushed.
“Sorry. Diplomacy isn’t my good thing.”
“I noticed that,” I told him, trying to lighten the mood. “Top in penalty minutes for all the goalies in the PHL.”
“You know my stats?”
“I looked you up after the funeral.”
“Wondering who that weird guy who can’t change a tire was?”
I waved at his old red car sitting in his grandfather’s drive. “Looks like you figured it out.”
“Maybe I called BCAA,” he snapped, then grimaced. “Nah, actually, I did figure it out.”
“I was bored,” I told him. “Couldn’t sleep. And I used to follow hockey, before I got busy. Went down a couple of rabbit holes. Your grandfather brags on how talented you are.”
Callum flushed. “I’m no Jan Stetina, but I do okay. For the PHL.”
“You don’t live at home these days, do you?” I wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to next door. I mean, I could talk to his grandfather, but someone my own age would be welcome.
But he shook his head. “I’m just here now and then, helping Grandpa. This would be a long-ass drive to the arena. Although if I can’t find a new roommate, I may find out just how long.”
“Losing a roomie?”
“He’s moving in with his girlfriend. Yay for twu wuv.” He grimaced. “I mean, I’m happy for him, but it leaves me in a bind. I don’t suppose you’re looking for a place to stay?”
“Ha. No. I inherited half the house and Josiah gets the other half in trust with me. I’m not going to uproot him from his friends and school and everything, so I guess I’m living here. I actually have an apartment in the city centre, but I’ll have to get out of the lease.” I ran a hand over my bristly haircut. “My life got a bit upended.”
“I bet. Hope he appreciates it. I didn’t.” Callum dumped another handful of weeds in the bucket.
I reached to pick up a couple of stragglers for him and my sleeve rode up, exposing the big gauze square taped to my forearm.
“Ouch.” He gestured. “Painful?”
I shrugged and picked at a corner of the tape. It was none of his business, really no one’s but mine, except I did feel like my life was crashing down on my head lately, and I was so alone. I wanted to find myself, the Zeke I used to be, and the memories crawling under my skin made it harder. Sharing with someone, even a near-stranger, would be a lifeline. I sat on the grass, my back to the bushy cedar hedge, and peered up at the sky. “Can you keep a secret?”
Callum laughed like that was funny, then said, “Sure.”
“So… I worked deep undercover for three months. We wrapped up the case a month ago.”
“So if Krystal had to die, this was convenient timing.” He spread his hands wide when I stared at him. “Just saying.”
“Well. I suppose so.”
“Didn’t mean to derail you.”
“I can’t tell you about the case except it was human trafficking. Not kids, thank God, but immigrant workers, basically slave labour.” I shifted my attention back to the arch of pale blue sky overhead. “The people involved were a mix of amoral greed at the top and white supremacist slime at the bottom.” Flashes of the people we’d arrested, the bad and the ugly, crowded me, leaving a bitter taste.
“Sounds rough. And dangerous,” Callum suggested.
“Potentially. Yes. I was supposed to be a bodyguard for a senior detective playing the money man, so I was the white supremacist type. I shaved my head and grew out a bushy beard.”
Callum eyed me, his head tilted. “Hard to picture. I don’t think that would be your best look.”
“Hid the scar.” I touched my chin.
“So what? Anyone who cares about that scar is stupid. It doesn’t change how good you look.”
