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‘I don’t want you involved’

‘Well, fuck you’

Jean Guy Beauvoir had never spoken to the chief like that and they were both stunned by the words and the force behind them

Beauvoir pulled the car to the side of the road ‘How dare you I’ treated like a child I know you outrank me I know you’re older and wiser There, happy? But it’s ti me behind you Stop it’

He whacked his pal wheel with such force he al at the bone To his horror tears sprang to his eyes It’s the pale deep doas eh His love for Gah him and threatened to rip him apart

‘Get out,’ Gamache said Beauvoir fued to tumble onto the dirt road It was deserted The rain had stopped and the sun was struggling out,solid beside hiht All he wanted to do was howl To ball up his fists and hit so or someone and howl Instead he sobbed And flailed around, blind to the world He didn’t kno long it took, but eventually his senses caht, then heard some birds, then smelled the forest after the rain Slowly he caain And standing there was Gamache He hadn’t left Hadn’t tried to contain him, stop him Soothe him He’d just let Beauvoir howl and sob and lash out

‘I just want…’ Beauvoir’s voice trailed off

‘What do you want?’ Gamache asked quietly The sun was behind him and all Beauvoir could see was his outline

‘I want you to trust me’

‘I think there’sout, weak and exhausted The two ht the drops of water clinging to the branches of the trees and they shone

Gamache very sloalked to Beauvoir and put out his hand Jean Guy stared at it, large and powerful And as though watching someone else he saw his own hand rise up and softly land His hand was slender, almost delicate inside the chief’s