Ace In The Hole

6:00 P.M.

"Where I was raised, a person does not seat themselves uninvited at another person's table."

Tachyon shuffled through the seven pink message slipsall from Hiram-and thrust them into a pocket. "Where you were raised, a person also does not fail to acknowledge and thank another person for a gift. I know, I was there when you first learned to lisp out tank-oo when I would bring you candy."

The fury flaming in Fleur's brown eyes was so intense that Tachyon flinched, and half raised a hand in defense.

"Leave me alone!" "I cannot."

"Why?" She wrung her hands, the fingers twisting desperately through one another. "Why are you torturing me? Wasn't killing my mother enough?"

"In all fairness, I think your father and I must share the blame. I broke her mind, but he allowed her to be tortured in that sanatorium. If he had left her with me, I might have found a way to repair the broken shards."

"If that was the choice, then I'm glad she died. Better that than being your whore."

"Your mother was never a whore. You dishonor her and yourself by that remark. You can't really feel that way."

"Well, I do, and why should I feel any differently? I never knew her. You saw to that."

"I didn't throw her out of the house."

"She could have gone to her parents."

"She loved me."

"I can't imagine why."

"Give me a chance, I could show you."

And as soon as the glib, flirtatious comment passed his lips Tachyon knew he had done a very stupid thing. As if to hold back the words, he pressed his fingers to his lips, but it was too late. Far, far too late.

Forty years too late?

Fleur rose from her chair like a wrathful goddess, and dealt him a ringing slap. Her nail caught on his lower lip, splitting it, and he tasted the sharp, coppery taste of blood. All conversation ceased in Pompano's. The silence made his skin crawl, and Tachyon chewed down the humiliation that filled his mouth like a foul taste. The tick of her high heels, as she stormed from the restaurant, beat into his ringing head.

Carefully, he held up two fingers before his face. Counted them. Dabbed at the cup with her discarded napkin. It smelled faintly of her perfume. His jaw tightened into a stubborn line.