Goodbye Lover Page #3

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Just tell me you

felt a little bit guilty.

Come on, Ben, now's your chance!

Just a little guilty?

F***!

Exactly.

I'm sorry.

It just...

happened.

It just happened? What? You just

tripped over the coffee table...

and landed on top of her?

Is that right?

Where are you, Jake?

I'm leaning on the balcony

right now, Ben.

F*** this, you know?

I got to fly, man.

I'm checking out.

But first I'll make

a few phone calls.

I want the world to know what a

beautiful person you are. You know...

"Image is everything."

Image is everything.

- Listen to me...

- No, f*** you!

Shut up! Shut up!

It's too la te, buddy boy.

Elvis has left the f***ing building.

I'll see you in hell!

F***!

I'm going home, if you

want to apologize.

Don't ever talk to me

like that again!

Come on.

3:
35 p.m. Bill was holding a training

session for the Explorer Scouts.

I'd returned to the station after a

police community council meeting.

I spotted officers Jeffries

and Braven having coffee.

Hello, this is Ben.

Leave it at the beep.

- Nice to see you.

- Hi, Ben!

You' re so predictable.

I knew you couldn't do it.

Get him, get him!

Okay. All right.

- Do something.

- You little sh*t bastard!

- Don't!

- It's part of the plan!

You'll leave a mark.

Give it up, Ben.

When I get my hands on you,

I'm going to kill you, you bastard!

You bastard!

- Let go!

- That's good.

- That's good.

- That's enough!

That's good, baby!

Help me back up.

Give my best to Mom and Dad.

Push! Help me push him!

Help me, Jake, I'm slipping!

You' re right...

detective.

I killed my brother.

Where exactly were you when

his brother took a header?

I was in the kitchen making ceviche.

Are you out of your f***ing mind?

It relaxes me.

So then what, Mr. Dunmore?

I just told him to leave me alone.

So let me get this straight.

You wanted to kill yourself?

Something like that.

Jake's been...

going through a very

rough time lately.

I'm an alcoholic.

Welcome to the club.

So your brother came over

to try to stop you.

I tried to get Jake to come down,

but he wouldn't listen.

I'm sorry.

So I called Ben.

So then what? He came in

and sat down next to you?

No. He was behind me.

- I just wanted to die.

- Don't we all?

Mr. Dunmore...

did you threaten to jump?

I said a lot of things.

I was confused. I don't...

What'd your brother do then?

That's when...

He fell.

I tried to grab him. I did, I tried.

I wasn't strong enough.

I'm sorry.

- It isn't your fault.

- I wasn't strong enough.

It's okay.

It's okay, honey.

I never thought...

something like this

could've happened.

Come on, I want a tuna melt.

Why?

What do you think?

I think it's sad how many

lives are destroyed...

by the abuse of alcohol

in our society.

Are you f***ing for real?

Yes, ma'am.

In that apartment,

there is a lost soul.

He's compounded that tragedy

by turning to the bottle.

Now his brother is dead...

and his poor wife has to

pick up the pieces.

Where are you from? Mars?

Salt Lake.

Great, I got partnered

with Brigham Young.

I don't see what relevance

that has to my job.

That's my point, pencil dick.

If you're insinuating I can't be

spiritual and still be effective...

Relax, John Paul.

If we' re partners...

we'll have to let a little

more sh*t roll off our backs.

I don't like it.

I don't trust anybody over 10

who listens to The Sound of Music.

Buckle up.

What do we do now?

I don't know.

I can make an omelet.

An omelet?

It's late, we haven't eaten all day.

I could whip up...

You trying to kill me too? You know

my cholesterol's out of control.

Those f***ing cops didn't believe

a word we said. You saw it.

They' re stringing us along,

waiting for one of us to trip up.

We don't even know Ben's dead.

He's a resilient prick.

He'll probably come traipsing

in here with a hard-on.

Honey.

It's over.

He is dead.

And I love you.

I love you more than...

anything in the whole wide world.

I love you too.

Detective? Guess what?

Guess what?

You' re quitting.

No.

Ben Dunmore was heavily

insured through his company.

Oh. Louganis.

Let me guess the beneficiary.

The woman I talked to didn't know.

Said she'd have to check.

But the parents are dead...

and the only living

relative is the brother.

Doesn't that about shatter

your faith in mankind?

No.

Now, what we've got is a death

consistent with a long fall.

Forty-seven fractures of the legs,

arms, hands, ribs and skull.

Massive laceration of

the liver, spleen and lung.

Not pretty, but nothing

to indicate foul play.

Still could've been an accident.

Yeah, and this is my real hair color.

Very regrettable. Real tragedy.

Real tragedy.

Ben was...

a six-headed Vishnu

of public relations.

We'll miss him.

Very focused.

Great closer. Just like his old man.

What's the brother like?

Jake?

Very creative, but unfocused.

A genuine artistic temperament.

Why'd he work here?

Mr. Bradley...

what set him to drinking?

He lost his center.

I don't know why.

What starts anybody on the sauce?

Financial difficulties,

marital problems...

stress, poor self-esteem,

emotional trauma, genetic imprinting.

He watches too much daytime TV.

Like I said, Ben had our

standard life policy...

which we provide for

all our executives.

Two million dollar coverage...

with a double indemnity clause

for accidental death.

That's $4 million.

Who's the lucky beneficiary?

Since his parents are dead,

Jake receives the entire estate.

- What's her deal?

- Her name's Peggy Blane.

Easy! Easy!

Is it true about Ben?

I'm afraid so, ma'am.

Okay, honey. I know, it's a shock.

I'm Detective Pompano.

Just curious, did you work with Ben?

Ben was my husband.

He was my husband.

We got married

three days ago in Las Vegas.

We were going to announce it this week

and have a big party.

How long were you together?

Not very long.

It was love at first sight.

At least for me.

Ben and I didn't advertise it.

So you're f***ing this guy...

and no one at work knows it.

You know how office gossip is.

Yes.

Well, I do.

Wipe your mouth.

We talked to Jake. He didn't know

Ben got married.

We'd just gotten back from Las Vegas

when Jake called.

Jake called? Are you sure?

Yeah, I think so. I mean...

I don't know. Maybe.

Ben answered the phone.

Maybe it was Sandra.

It was an accident. Why are you

asking me all these weird questions?

Are my questions weird,

Detective Rollins?

Rude, maybe, but not weird.

They' re not weird. See?

Weren't you worried

when Ben didn't...

return to the honeymoon suite

after he went to see Jake?

We'd just had our first fight.

Stupid stuff.

Then I went back to my place

because I thought...

that he would come over...

and apologize.

I'm such an idiot.

The last words I said to him

were in anger.

Ma'am...

it's all right.

His soul is with God,

and he knows that you love him.

F***ing Ben! Everything he touches

turns into a nightmare.

Honey, calm down.

Calm down?

What do you mean?

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