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suspect. If he didn’t cooperate, he would be dead. Once the manager fixed the screen—which was held up by two flimsy screws—back up, he removed the ladder and got back behind the counter.

    Banter and Maxwell tried to make themselves comfortable for what could be an all-night stakeout. Their bodies were close and touching each other, and when one turned on his side, his body lay flat up against the other.

    As the minutes turned into hours, both men turned on their sides to ease the tight quarters in which they found themselves. Essentially, both men were now looking into each other’s eyes if they looked away from the cashier’s position and turned their heads slightly.

    “Damn, these things can get so boring. Minutes seem like hours, don’t they?” Banter asked.

    “Yeah, and this space we’re in isn’t exactly making it any easier.”

    “Hey, Devon, you started to tell me yesterday about you being without a girlfriend for a year now, is that right?”

    “Yeah, ’fraid so.”

    “Why did you and her break up? You said you were with her for seven months, right?” Banter asked.

    “Yeah, just a little over seven months actually. We broke up for reasons I’d rather not go into and you’re not ready to hear,” Maxwell replied.

    “Huh? Reasons I’m not ready to hear? What’s that mean? Did you beat her or something?”

    “No, nothing like that.”

    “Tell me, Devon. We’re partners, and partners don’t keep shit from each other, right?”

    Maxwell looked at Banter and then up at the tin ceiling that hung about three inches over their heads. With a worried look on his face, Maxwell said, “I’m not sure we’re in the right conditions for us to have that talk, Eric.”

    “Okay, now you’ve done fucked with my head. What the hell does the fact that we’re inside of what amounts to a giant tuna-fish can have to do with why you are uncomfortable with telling me? If you didn’t beat her, was it illegal?”

    “No, it wasn’t illegal, and I didn’t beat her. She came home early from work one day and found me in bed with someone else. She walked out that night, and I haven’t seen her since.”

    “And that’s why you have been single all this time? Why doesn’t that make any sense?” Banter pushed.

    “You just have to know, don’tcha? Okay, fine. She caught me in bed with another guy, okay? Satisfied now?”

    “Whoa! Another guy? You mean you’re gay?”

    “Actually, I’m bi, but that’s immaterial. I think I lean towards the gay side of that particular scale. Aren’t you sorry you wouldn’t let it go?”

    Banter didn’t say anything. When they heard the door open below, both men tensed as they watched a male that could be their man walk through the door with a woman. With their hands on their weapons, they watched the pair pick out a couple of things, go to the register, and pay. They then left the store, and the two marshals relaxed.

    “So, you want a transfer now?” Maxwell asked Banter.

    “A transfer? We’re fucking partners, Devon; why would I ask for a transfer?”

    “Just wondering. Lotta guys are uncomfortable with their sexuality and get tense if they work with a guy who likes guys. If you did, I could understand.”

    “Why would I be uncomfortable working with a bi guy when I’m gay?”

    “What? You’re gay?”

    “Last time I sucked a dick I was,” Banter said with a broad smile on his face.

    “In that case, I gotta think about whether I wanna new partner!”

    “What? You gotta be shitting me,” Banter said with a raised eyebrow.

    Maxwell started snickering and covered his mouth so he wouldn’t give away their position. “No, that’s very cool, Eric; thanks for telling me,” Maxwell said.

    “So, you haven’t been with anyone all this time because why?”

    “’Cause it’s hard to hook up with a guy when you’re on the road all the time with a partner who doesn’t know you’re gay. I didn’t want any grief on the job, that’s all.”

    “So it’s been, what, a year since you got off with another dude?” Banter asked.

    “Yeah, and it’s been a very long year. How about you? You got a guy in your life?”

    “Nah, same reason as you actually. On this job, you never know where you’ll end up the next day, and with a partner usually around, it’s been hard to get laid.”

    Maxwell began to snicker once more. Banter looked at him and tried to think what was so funny. Then he realized that he had said,