He looked at his shoes, shock evident in his posture. Then he lifted his gaze and met her eyes, briefly, before he shook his head. “That’s fucked up,” he said, then turned and walked out, not looking back even once.Dar sat back and folded her arms over her suddenly aching chest, surprised at just how much that had hurt.

KERRY PULLED UP to the gate of the base, rolling her window down and preparing her argument for the stolid-looking guard who approached.

“Hey, No Neck, open the damn gate,” Andrew rasped from beside her, poking his head truculently out at the hapless man. “’Fore I get out of this here car and break it.”

The guard stopped, stared, then his eyes lit up with unmistakable joy. “Commander Andy!” He almost tripped over himself trying to get the barrier open. “Wow, I didn’t know you were comin’ down here!

Wait ’til I tell the guys!”

Hmm. Kerry watched amusedly as the man waved like a child at her passenger. Guess it does depend on who you know around this place. “He wasn’t nearly that nice to Dar,” she commented. “She had to get rough with him.”

Andrew leaned over her and pinned the guard with a pair of ice blue eyes. “That right, No Neck? You give mah kid a hard time?”

The guard looked terminally wounded. “Not after she said who she 186 Melissa Good was, sir! If she’d have just said right off, we’d have let her right in!”

“Uh-huh.” Andrew sat back. “G’wan, Kerry. Let’s get this land boat parked so I can see what a mess they made of this here joint.”

“You got it, Dad.” Kerry drove on, finding Dar’s Lexus in the lot and selecting a spot right next to it. She was glad she was here. Her stomach upset had been getting worse for the last while, and she was seriously looking forward to seeing her partner and satisfying her curiosity as to whether she was the cause. She got out, waited for her passengers to do the same, then locked the doors. “Dar has a little office upstairs in the big building. I’ll go find her if you guys want to check this place out.”

“She take you over to our old place?” Andrew asked.

“Sort of.” Kerry grinned. “I’ll explain later. Be right back.” She trotted off toward the headquarters building, leaving her in-laws behind to revisit old memories. The guard respected the ID she’d clipped to her collar and opened the door, and she made her way up the stairs and down the hall. The door to Dar’s temporary office was closed, and she paused, then knocked lightly on it.

For a moment, there was no answer, then Dar’s voice responded.

“Yeah?”

I knew it. Kerry pushed the door open and stuck her head inside.

One look at Dar’s face and she quickly stepped past the portal and closed it behind her, crossing the floor and circling the desk to kneel at her lover’s side. “Hey.”

Dar had her head propped up on one hand. “Hey,” she answered softly. “Hope your day was better than mine.”

Kerry put a gentle hand on Dar’s knee and rubbed it. “What’s wrong?” She could see the tension and unhappiness written all over her partner’s face, and she stood and perched on the desk edge to get closer.

“Sweetheart?”

Dar exhaled and put her head down on Kerry’s thigh, wordlessly seeking comfort. She closed her eyes as the blonde woman responded, threading fingers through her hair and rubbing the back of her neck.

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I told Chuck about us.”

“Oh.” Kerry’s own eyes closed in sympathy. “Not a good reaction, huh?”

“No.”

Kerry leaned over and kissed the top of Dar’s head, giving her as much of a hug as she could in their somewhat awkward position. “I’m sorry.”

Dar exhaled. “I don’t even know why I should care, Kerry. I haven’t talked to him in what...ten years? It’s not like he’s a close friend, even.”

She put a hand on Kerry’s knee and rubbed her thumb against the denim covering it. “Damn, it stung, though.”

“I know.” Kerry kept up her light massage on Dar’s neck, moving lower as she felt the tension knotting her shoulders. “I wish you’d have Red Sky At Morning 187

just let them...”

Dar shook her head. “No.” She lifted her head up off Kerry’s lap and met her eyes. “You are my partner, and God damn it, if they can’t deal with that, to hell with them all.” Her blue eyes glinted fiercely. “I am not ashamed of this.”

Kerry stroked her cheek gently. “I know you aren’t. I’m not either.

It’s just hard, Dar. We both know that. We’ve both been so lucky there have been people in our lives who do accept us, who accept this without question, to balance the idiots who don’t.”

Dar sighed and put her head back down for more soothing. “Yeah, I realize that.” She closed her eyes. “My folks here?”

“Mm-hmm.” Kerry paid particular attention to a knot she could feel in Dar’s neck and saw the wince as she pressed on it. “You need a chiropractor, love.”

“Hot tub,” Dar countered. “With you in it.”

Kerry rolled her eyes at the ceiling. “You are so stubborn.”

“Family trait.”

“You’re lucky I love your family.” Kerry leaned over and kissed the spot on Dar’s neck, then nibbled her earlobe, getting a soft grunt of surprise in return. “Come on, let’s get this dinner over with. I missed my snuggle this morning, and I’ve been cranky all day.”

Finally, Dar smiled, turning her head and peering up at Kerry’s face. “Me, too.” She sat up and gave Kerry’s knee a squeeze, then stood.

“You’re right. Let’s get this over with.” Her voice paused as she shut her computer down. “Because tomorrow, we’re going to find out just exactly why this place stinks to high heaven.”

IT WAS OBVIOUS that Chuckie had told his father. Even at a distance, Dar could see the discomfort in the three people waiting for them. She took a breath and tugged on her father’s sleeve. “Dad?”

“Yep?” Andrew finished closing the door and peered at her.

“What’s up, Dardar?”

“I think we’re going to have a problem.” She lowered her voice, glancing across the car where Kerry and Ceci were getting out on the other side. “I...don’t think Jeff and his family appreciate my lifestyle.”

Andrew looked over at the waiting group, then at her. “’Cause you drive a fancy car?”

Dar rubbed her nose. “Not that lifestyle,” she amended. “I meant Kerry and me.”

Her father considered that. “Huh. That might be true,” he admitted. “Jeff never did take to anyone who didn’t fit his idea of what was right and natural.” They walked slowly around the front of the car, joining Kerry and Ceci. “C’mere, kumquat.” Andrew put a genial arm across Kerry’s shoulders and the other over Dar’s. “Let’s go.”

Ceci gave him a curious look, then caught on and slipped to the 188 Melissa Good other side of Kerry, tucking an arm around her waist. “All righty, then,”

she agreed. “Ah. A steakhouse. How Republican.”

“Hey,” Kerry objected jokingly. “I’m the one who eats vegetables.”

She poked a finger at Dar. “Unlike her.”

They chuckled and walked toward the restaurant. Dar felt a little silly, but she could see the exchange of glances as Jeff took in their posture, the look on her father’s face, and the very obvious acceptance of both her and Kerry inherent in their body language. Sometimes, she mused, I underestimate my parents. The thought made her smile, and she slid an arm around her father’s waist and gave him a squeeze.

“’Lo there, Jeff,” Andrew drawled as they arrived in front of the door. “Been a while.”

“Andy,” the officer acknowledged quietly, shifting his eyes slightly. “Cecilia, good to see you.”

Ceci looked him right in the eye and smiled. “Same here. Nice to have these little family get-togethers, isn’t it?” She nodded at Jeff’s wife.

“Hello, Sue. Have you met Kerrison? No? Why don’t we go inside and catch up.”

It would, Kerry sighed inwardly, be almost comical if it were happening to someone else. They all walked stiffly inside and were taken to a waiting table, where Kerry found herself seated between Ceci and Andrew and across from the dour-looking Chuck. For a moment she felt very sad, because she knew this should have been a happy occasion.

Then her common sense kicked in and she straightened, cupping her hands around her water glass. Her eyes met the commander’s calmly.

“As a matter of fact...” she answered Ceci’s question, “the commander and I have met. In fact, we had lunch together.”

Unable to avoid conversation, Jeff Ainsbright cleared his throat.

“Yes, we did.” He managed to get out, ignoring the quick, almost startled look from his wife. “Yes, we did.”

“That must have been fun,” Ceci remarked. “Let me guess, on base?” She gave Kerry an amused look. “Was it meatloaf or open-faced turkey sandwiches?”

Andrew snorted softly.

“Meatloaf,” Dar acknowledged quietly. “Still tastes the same.”

“Oh. Yum.” Her mother made a face. The table fell silent. Ceci drummed fingers on the table and tried again. “Okay, folks, listen up.”

She put her hands flat on the wood surface. “Either we agree to have a nice time here, or I’m going to have to start talking about Greenpeace.

Which is it going to be?”

The Ainsbrights stared at her. Finally, Sue Ainsbright sighed and pushed a curl of gray hair out of one eye. “Ceci, you always did have the tact of a dead swordfish, didn’t you?”

“I’m sorry, get over it,” the smaller woman shot back. “Broaden your horizons, adjust your thinking, swallow an Ex-Lax, whatever it takes, but drag yourselves into the twenty-first century and get over the Red Sky At Morning 189

fact that my kid’s gay, okay?”

Kerry bit the inside of her lip so hard it almost bled. The looks on the Ainsbrights’ faces were so priceless, she wished she had a camera, though one look at Dar’s wide eyes told her that her beloved partner wasn’t sharing the mirth.

“Well,” Andrew drawled, “guess I can show ’em my rainbow keychain now, huh?”

Jeff Ainsbright took a breath, released it, then just lifted a hand and let it fall. “Haven’t changed a lick, have you, Ceci?” He managed a faint smile. “You always took the gut punch if you could.”

Ceci shrugged.

Andrew took her hand in his. “Straight talk never killed no one, Jeff,” he advised his old friend. “I’ve been in places that coulda used more of that.” Their eyes met, and something passed between them.

The commander nodded. “You’re right, Andrew. Dar, I apologize.

I...it was just a shock, that’s all.” He cleared his throat. “Ms. Stuart, my apologies as well.”

“For what?” Kerry asked mildly. “Dar and I are used to getting mixed reactions to our being partners. Some people just can’t handle it.”

“It’s not that,” Sue Ainsbright interjected. “We’re very progressive people. It’s just that we’ve known—or, well, we thought we knew Dar, and it’s just...strange, that’s all.” She reddened. “That you’re so...um...”

“Out?” Dar remarked conversationally.

The commander shot her a look, then glanced away.

“It’s not contagious,” Dar said.

“It’s disgusting,” Chuckie interrupted.

His mother looked horrified. “Charles!”

“You can sit here and pretend, but I won’t,” Chuck said. “It’s disgusting, and you’re perverts.” He got up and slammed his chair back, then stalked out of the restaurant as startled patrons watched him go. The commander and his wife had the grace to look intensely embarrassed. “He doesn’t mean that,” Jeff finally said quietly. “He’s just...” His eyes lifted and finally met Dar’s. “He never really did let go of you, and he was hoping...”

Dar let out a long breath. “I know,” she said. “He’s a good man, Uncle Jeff.” She felt the awkwardness in the name. “I’m sorry.” She felt a little guilty that she’d never thought of Chuckie, not for the longest time since she’d left the base. Not until he’d popped back up into her life as part of this damned investigation.

Now he was lost to her again. She didn’t know whether to feel sorry or relieved. At least he won’t be bugging me to go out anymore. Dar looked up to find Kerry gazing across the table at her with a look of quiet compassion, and she managed a smile in return. Suddenly, she wished they were done with this. Wished they were away from this unneeded stress, homeward bound and headed for a quiet night and a 190 Melissa Good warm hot tub together.

Getting cowardly in your old age, Paladar? she mocked herself. “Let me go talk to him.” Dar stood and pushed her chair in before they could protest, then turned and walked away from the table, toward the outside door through which Chuckie had left.