The Grey Gull, Haven, Maine, Tuesday

Audrey was still MIA, and no matter how many of his cop contacts Nathan made use of, they still had no leads. Jennifer was off her meds, but hadn't heard anything new since the night before. And Wade was refusing to leave, and Duke wasn't quite willing to totally alienate his only decent family member left in order to get him to do so.

So he was in a holding pattern.

He hated being in a holding pattern.

"Are you still watching Animal Planet?" Jennifer said, making a face as she came down from the apartment upstairs. "I swear, when I went to bed last night you were right there on that bar stool, watching lions tear into a wildebeast."

"They're rescuing puppies right now," Duke said, rubbing his face with a sigh. "It's sweet."

It was heartbreaking, actually. People cared way more for puppies in this world than they did for human children in similar circumstances. Maybe he would have had a better life if he were a puppy.

And now he was feeling sorry for himself. And he wasn't even drinking yet. He had two very nice, very attentive partners who were taking turns sticking to him like glue over here, and he was feeling sorry for himself.

Good job, Duke, Haven clearly brought out the best in you.

[for thems who're in town with him. NFB due to distance, natch. Taking a day break from preplays to just do some SPing through daily life!]