"I didn't want to stick around in case that guy decided to check anyway," Benedict countered readily. "I couldn't be certain that he wouldn-"

He was less ready for the second part of what Ben said, and when it caught up with him the detective clamped his mouth shut very suddenly. He blinked. He was quiet for a moment.

Well. He had been his own fault, really, for using them. It had just been convenient. He took a slow breath and used it to speak deliberately.

"Yes, I have...access to special abilities that...may include control over tentacles." There, he admitted it. That wasn't so hard.