My Lieutenant approved the drive down to Parkersburg. If nothing else, I owed it to my former friend to show up personally and take him into custody f...r questioning.The drive was uneventful until I ran into some road construction. The damn Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has a nasty habit of a all or nothing approach to road repair. You’re either losing your suspension in a pot hole the size of a bus or you’re sitting still on the interstate waiting for them to figure out how to fill. ”“Put on a wire and give me the frequency, Deb. I’ll let you take point so we don’t spook her but I’ll be right behind you. It’s time to close this down once and for all.”That was comforting. I opened the vault and grabbed one of the little transmitters Dag had collected. I need to replenish the stock of electronics. I’m going through things kind of fast.I looked at Maizie and she barked. Yeah. This time I’m taking reinforcements in with me.“Let’s go partner,” I said.GunpointMaizie and I walked. Honey ... you can do that to me ... anytime you like!” Joanna reacted to the way that Alycen had rimmed the holy hell out of her sweet ass, “was that safe to do while pregnant?”“At this stage, probably. Besides, you cleaned it up pretty damn well. I didn’t hear any complaints while I did it, anyway. You gonna get a hall pass for this or keep it our dirty little secret?” Alycen asked her girlfriend.“Oh, baby, I won’t have any more secrets from Les. That’s where it all went downhill with us.. Any time. But you don't, do you?" No," I said. "I want to stay with you. Despite everything."She just looked at me. Were those tears starting to form in hereyes? "And because of everything too, Stevie, isn't that right?"I had to admit she was right. This life wasn't too bad. I'd givenup my masculinity as an act of penance, to please Laurie becauseshe wanted it, but also because my masculinity was no big deal asit turned out. It certainly hadn't scored with Stacy. But someof this.