Part 20 (1/2)
”I can say you were hurt in the attack?”
”Go ahead. I'm a TAD...” He remembered pain in time to cut off the shrug. ”... no one will give a s.h.i.+t.”
”You saw this deranged fan?”
”Duh. You know it's funny. You believe in all sorts of paranormal c.r.a.p, yet you don't believe that one of Mason's fans could go bugf.u.c.k.”
”It's not that I don't believe...” He paused and leaned closer still. Tony got a whiff of mint and wondered, since there seemed to be no gum chewing going on, if it was a default odor. ”I've met some of Mason Reed's fans,” he said, ”and it's a short trip to bugf.u.c.k.
But there's more going on.”
”More?”
”Why are we here?”
”I wanted some poutine,” Tony told him as the food arrived.
Groves waited until they were alone again, until he'd emptied three creamers into his coffee, and said, ”Why are we here together?”
”You said we needed to talk.” ”You agreed with me.”
”You've been stalking us since August.”
”Because I know when I'm being lied to.”
”About what?”
”Anything.”
”Like creatures of the night?” Tony asked. His tone implied he couldn't believe they were talking about stuff no one in their right mind believed in.
”Yes.”
Tony nearly choked on his mouthful of fries and gravy and cheese curd. ”You're serious?”
”It's a...” Groves stared into his coffee as though he could find the missing word. Finally, he raised his head and met Tony's eyes.
”... curse.”
”You know when you're being lied to?”
”I do.”
He did. And more, he expected Tony to believe him.
”What are you doing?” he asked as Tony frowned at the scuffed wood beside his bowl.
”I'm trying to decide if beating my head against the table will be worth it.”
”Why?”
Because like drew to like. The Demonic Convergence was in Vancouver because Leah was there and the gate was there and he was there and-oh, yeah-Henry was there. Since he'd first met Henry, there'd been ghosts and werewolves and walking mummies...
It was like murders always happening around Jessica Fletcher. Who the h.e.l.l would want to live in the same town as a little old lady who solved crimes?
Or never noticing a white van until you owned one and then they were all over the G.o.dd.a.m.ned place.
There was a gate to another world in the studio where he worked.
The house they used for a location shoot just happened to be haunted.
When Darkest Night needed a stuntwoman, they hired an immortal Demongate.
It was like eight o'clock on the WB.
And Kevin Groves, who knew when he was being lied to, was still waiting for an answer. Tony sighed. ”I'm having one of those days.” Absolutely not a lie. ”So let me guess...” He took a swallow of the milk. ”... you went to work for the tabs because they're the only ones who dare to print the truth?”
”That's right.” After a long moment, Groves rolled his eyes. ”Now what?” ”Sorry.” Tony blinked and started eating again. ”Just having an MiB moment. You'd like the regular papers to print the truth?”
”Who wouldn't?”
Good point. ”Under your byline.”
”I don't do what I do for the good of my health, Mr. Foster. I'm a journalist.”
Or he wanted to be seen as one, which, for all intents and purposes, amounted to the same thing. ”So, are you saying Mason lied to you?”
”Mason Reed believes everything he says.”
”That's not an answer.”
Groves only shrugged and took a long drink of his coffee. Waiting.
He knows I have something to say or we wouldn't be here together.
He believes that I have metaphysical powers, that weird metaphysical s.h.i.+t is happening around the studio, and he's looking for proof.
Let's not be too impressed by him sharing his lie detecting ability since I'm guessing he tells everyone. Of course he probably doesn't expect everyone to believe him.
Probably.
”Yesterday, you said the words Demonic Convergence like you expected me to know what they meant. Why?”
Groves smiled. ”Because I expected you to know what they meant.”
”Why?”