Steven James - Every Deadly Kiss

Saturday, May 5

Aspen Cove Lake, Minnesota

10:32 P.M.

He watched her stir the Manhattan hed just mixed for her. He didnt want to be too forward, so rather than sit beside her on the couch, he chose the chair facing her. The cabins living room window, black with the night, stared at him over her shoulder.

So, she said playfully. How about a little game?

What kind of game?

Its about secrets. She set her drink next to his wineglass on the rustic coffee table resting between them. Ill tell you one of mine and then you get to tell me one of yours.

I noticed how you phrased that: I get to tell you one.

Uh-huh. But it has to be something youve never told anyone else before.

Alright.

I mean, never. Not anyone.

Okay.

Promise?

He lifted his glass as if he were toasting the idea. Promise.

Alright. She took a sip of her drink. I once saw a guy die and I didnt do anything to help him.

He blinked in disbelief. What happened?

It was back when I was in college and I was at this frat party, right? And people were shooting up, getting high, drinkingall that. It was a little out of hand and Id had too many shots of tequila. I shouldve just gone back to my dorm, but I let this cute guy take me upstairs to one of the bedrooms. You know.

Sure.

She repositioned herself. He wanted to do these lines of heroin and we were gonna do them together, but he went first and overdid it. ODd. I could have probably helped him or called 911 or something, but I was too scared and I just watched him collapse and have this seizure and this gross vomit came foaming out of his mouth and then he was just super stillexcept his arms and legs kept shaking. But finally they stopped moving too. It was like you see in the movies: he wasnt breathing or anything. I was terrified that something bad would happen to me if I told anyone Id been with him in that roomthat I might be accused of killing him or go to jail, or whateverso I snuck into the hall again, pretended I was just looking for the bathroom, made my way past all those other people at the party, and ran back to my dorm as fast as I could. I couldnt sleep for the rest of the night. The next day I heard his body had been found. They just called it an OD. No one ever came and talked to me. But I saw him die. I was there.

And you could have helped.

Yes.

He was quiet.

Okay. She leaned forward. Your turn.

Im not really sure what to say.

Something no one else knows, she reminded him. Something youve never told anyone before.

I can trust you?

She held up her right hand in a noble salute. Scouts honor.

He grinned slightly. You were never a scout, were you?

I slept with a guy once who used to be one.

Ah. Gotcha.

Taught me all his knots.

Im sure I didnt need to hear that.

So, tell me your secret. She poured him more wine and slid his glass toward him.

Are you trying to get me drunk?

I cant tell you all my secrets. She waited until hed taken a drink. So. Tell me.

Well... He took a long breath. Then Id say the toughest thing of all for me is when they promise they wont tell.

What do you mean?

After I handcuff them to the bed, before I really get started. Most of the time they promise they wont say anything if only Ill let them go. They just keep going on and on like that. Its not nearly so bad when they just beg me to stop or they scream, or even pray. But those ardent, desperate vows of silencethose are the hardest to listen to.