Ben expressed his sympathy to Apela for the loss of his wife and unborn daughter. He was just getting to the real reason that he asked to speak with Apela. "Apela, I know this is going to be a touchy subject, but I would like to ask you about your wife," Ben started. "What do you want to know?" "I was wondering about the time before Max was born. Did you and your wife happen to go to a fertility clinic or seek assistance along those lines?" Ben's question took Vin completely by surprise, and he noted a similar reaction on Apela's face. Only, Apela's reaction was because Ben had guessed correctly. "Yes, as a matter of fact, we did. How could you know that?" "Something Max said, but that's not important. Did your wife ever happen to tell Max stories that might have made him believe he was part of this fairy tale he's been sharing with Caeli?" "What do you mean exactly?" Apela asked uncomfortably, becoming nervous under Ben's unrelenting gaze. Vin watched and listened carefully, as Ben had requested. Vin learned a great deal from his friendship with Ben, whose years of police experience combined with exceptional natural instincts were beyond comparison.
