The past is always tense, the future perfect. - Zadie Smith
He really wished he hadn't said anything to Amy. It was none of her business, and he didn't need her pity. He hadn't meant to sound angry, but he was and at least it put an end to further probing. Damage done, though. He knew damn well the guys would have all the gory details the minute Amy had them alone. Like the guys would want to know.
Right.
He struggled to concentrate on driving the rough roads, but couldn't put his own thoughts aside. Everything he thought he'd put away years away, locked in a box and hidden from view, suddenly shoved in his face.
He still didn't get it. Who was that guy she'd taken off with? How could he not have seen that coming? He could spot a phony a mile away - so why hadn't he seen through her?
Because there was nothing to see through. Sure, there was that 'something', but it wasn't a dark something. It was just... something that she kept close, not because she wanted to hide it, but because it was something personal. It had to have something with that other guy. Had to.
Was he someone she'd met at college? Face didn't think so. They'd spent so much time together, he knew everyone she did. So it had to be someone from before. High school sweetheart, maybe. Or a family friend. He knew she'd worked part-time in high school. Maybe someone from work...
"Watch it, Face!"
"Sorry, Hannibal." Damn. Nearly put them in the ditch. Concentrate on the job at hand.
Easier said than done, of course. He wasn't even sure what the job was. How had Leslie ended up down here, anyway? And what kind of trouble had she found herself in? Why contact him? Was she even with that guy now?
He hadn't really considered that aspect. After all, it had been fifteen years. Anything could have happened. What if she was just trying to reconnect, wasn't in trouble after all?
No, she wouldn't have sent the pin in that case. She would've written, but the pin? No. That didn't make sense. If she'd just written, he would've come. And he would've come on his own. No, she was in some kind of trouble. And she hadn't had time or opportunity for a real letter. Just that quick note and the pin.
Okay. So she was in trouble, and that other guy wasn't able to fix it. So either he was useless or gone. The team would take care of whatever had happened.
And after?
He sighed as they pulled into a small village, Hannibal's jibes irritating him less than they really should have. He barely listened to him or Murdock as he ran the pump.
He was thinking about that 'after'...