Mort sat beside Katie on his couch. It took much convincing to get Katie to just sit down. But as soon as she did her sobs slowly died away.
Katie was staring at the empty fireplace, hugging her arms to her body. Her eyes seemed empty yet distressed. Mort sat next to her, closely, but not too close. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. Not now. His chocolate eyes watched her in a tender way. Katie took a deep breath, and shivered. "Are you cold?" Mort asked, though he knew he'd get no answer. She neither shook her head nor nodded yes. Katie only sat there, staring ahead of herself.
"Alright." He said with a nod. Mort slowly crossed his room and kneeled by the fireplace. Logs were already in it. He grabbed an old newspaper and threw it in with the logs. He grabbed a matchbook and ripped out a match, striking it against the book. All of a sudden, the head of the match went up into flames and he threw it into the fireplace. For a moment, Mort only kneeled there, gazing into the flames.
He looked over his shoulder to Katie. Her eyes flickered away from the fire to his eyes and briefly, they held eachother's eyes. Then she looked away and Mort could feel the disappointed in him growing. He just wanted to gaze into her eyes, yet she looked away. Mort let out a soft breath as he stood up and made his way towards the couch. He sat down by Katie again. Mort wouldn't urge her to talk. He figured that she'd talk when she was ready.
Now she was looking at him. He felt his heart beat faster, and maybe even skip a few beats as he looked into her deep green eyes. Katie slowly moved closer to him, "Mort..." She said softly.
He gulped in a nervous way. Mort opened his mouth, taking a deep breath. Why was he so nervous? It wasn't like this is the first time he'd been alone with a girl. "Y-yes, Kat?" Kat? This was the first time he'd call her something other Katie. He hadn't even called her Kate before... He'd just moved right along to 'Kat'. How would she react? Mort glanced around himself and drew his head back as she moved even closer.
Then suddenly, his attention was caught by something else. He was standing right behind Katie. His 'better-half'. He was cleaning off his glasses on his shirt. He put them back on and folded his hands together, shaking his head. "She's only doing this because she's upset about Derek. You know it... Oh, don't give me that look. You can't honestly believe he killed himself. Derek had a good job, quite the bit of money, great girlfriend, friends, and family. There would be no reason for him to kill himself..."
He shook his head once again, "I expect foul play is at hand."
His attention was drawn away from...himself to Katie. She leaned forward, kissing his lips softly. Mort couldn't help but to kiss her back, putting a hand behind her neck. Katie pulled back and Mort glanced behidn her. He was gone. Good. Katie put her hands on his cheeks gently, forcing him to look back to her. He was trapped in her gaze. Katie moved, sitting on his lap, facing him.
Katie began to kiss his lips once again, and Mort let his head lean back againsnt the back of the couch. He moved his hands to her hips as she started to kiss his neck. Mort closed his eyes, escaping his life for the first time in ages.
Mort leaned her back on the couch as he leaned over her with a grin on his face. Katie only smiled softly, putting a hand through Mort's hair. Mort kissed her lips, putting a hand on her cheek.
"She's wrong. You're wrong." The voice interuppted "She's wrong because she thinks she loves you. It's only to help her deal with Derek's death though. You're wrong because you know that. Yet you won't stop. You're taking advantage of her grieving. You're taking advantage of her. Your in your forties. She is still in her teens. Yes, she's 'legal' but she's only 18."
Mort ignored this.
"She had just found out two and a half hours ago the Derek was found dead in his own home with a noose around his neck, hanging in his own closet! The jar that was labeled 'charity' was shattered on the floor. His Marine's jacket was thrown across the room, the buttons seperated, the jacket was ripped all to hell. Very disrespectful. The murderer did this all while Derek was hanging in his closet... When you meet him, you wanted to kill him by chocking him, putting your hands around his neck. A week later, Derek is found dead... A rope around his neck."
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Mort shouted, jumping to his feet.
Katie stared at him, "What? What didn't do?"
He spun back around to Katie. "I-" Mort paused, excuses and reasons were flying through his mind to why he'd say this, "I meant to be a comfort to you... I wasn't... I didn't do what I meant to do... I'm sorry, Katie. I... I didn't mean to began to kiss you."
Katie sat up slowly. "No. No, I'm sorry... I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I'm just a bit dazed and tired."
Mort slowly felt the disappointed return. She didn't know what she was thinking? Did Katie think she made a mistake by kissing him?
His eyes wandered to the clock. 4:30 a.m. "You might as well sleep here for tonight, Katie-"
"I don't want to be a burden."
"Just sleep here for tonight. It's too late for you to go home... Might have something happen...Just sleep here. You can sleep in my room."
She shook her head, "No. No, I don't want to take you're room. You're already offering me to sleep here. I can't take you're bed."
"Katie. Just take it. I don't care. I've slept on the couch many, many times before. Now just go." Her green eyes stared at him and Mort sighed, "I mean it. Just go..."
Katie stood and slowly walked up the steps. She stopped halfway up and looked back at him, "Good-night, Mort."
"Good-night, Katie." He watched her walk into his room and close the door behind him.
Mort sat on his couch, holding his head in his hands. He was taking advantage of Katie just moments before, wasn't he? He also knew that Derek wasn't one to take his own life. As much as Mort hated to admit it, he looked like some sort of young god when Mort met him.
No. Derek hadn't taken his own life.
Shooter somehow would've been able to find out. And he did. And he killed Derek for a story for the writer who hadn't had a thing published in months.
Shooter had killed Derek to help Mort.
There. How do you like that?
Some Mort and Katie action. Some of Mort's 'better half'. Mort realizing that Derek wasn't the type to kill himself... and that only Shooter could have only done something that horrible- hang him in his own closet, shatter the 'charity' jar, and wreck his Marines' jacket. Then he realizes that Shooter had done it to help Mort with his next story.