Chapter 4

Arthur frowned. “He doesn’t keep any animals.”

“It’s a type of beard. Tres chic.”

“He has a beard, yes, of course. Had. Will have. He was the creative one, not me. It was his idea, to use the research, to take it in a new direction. Backwards. We worked together, you see. In the Al-Biruni laboratory. We were at university together, but of course we never dared, not then—but later, we were working alone one evening, and he put his hand on mine, and then I just knew he felt the same way I did. And it was wonderful—working together, we didn’t have to make excuses to meet.” He took a long swallow of vodka; wiped his mouth with his hand. “There were others, for both of us, before—but they were nothing. Just—just a coming together in the dark. In fear. But now—now we could really be together—could loveone another, not just take what quick relief we could find.”

I nodded sagely. “It was like that with me and Bill. One touch of his big, manly hand upon Marty junior, and I was smitten.”