You Belong to Me – 43

 

 

Wednesday at work was another normal day, with the exception of Scott’s presence. Scott was dressed differently than he had been the day before, and Corey was certain his hair was a wig, since it was now scraggly and black. But it was definitely Scott under the dirt and grime on his hands and face.

 

That evening after arriving home and changing clothes, Corey checked the refrigerator to see what he could fix for supper. He’d just taken out some hamburger when his phone rang. The instant it did, every nerve tightened in panic. Reluctantly he took it out, checking to see who it was, more than half expecting to see Payphone. He almost sighed with relief when the name Reed Scott appeared on the screen.

 

“Reed?” he said when he answered, putting the disbelief he was supposed to be feeling into the question. “Why are you…?”

 

He listened for a moment before replying, “You’re in town? … Why? … Okay, this is a surprise. I mean I’m glad, I guess.” He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I honestly never thought I’d hear from you again.”

 

I hope I’m answering the right way, if the stalker is listening… or recording… or something.

 

As if he’d read his mind, and since the stalker couldn’t hear his end of the conversation, Scott told Corey he was doing just fine.

 

“I… I don’t know. I mean our breakup wasn’t exactly…,” Corey said. “Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt to meet, since you’ve moved back here. But that’s it. We just meet somewhere and… and talk?” He laughed. “Boy, it has been a while since you lived here. They sold that place. It’s a woman’s clothing store now. Do you remember the coffee shop we used to hang out at? … Yeah, Java Jolt. We could meet there tomorrow after I get off work. Say six-thirty? … Okay. I’ll see you then.”

 

Corey hung up, saying aloud so the stalker could hear, “Now that was definitely a surprise. Maybe… just maybe…. No. He was just letting me know he’s back in town. But still, if that’s all, then he wouldn’t have wanted us to get together. Would he?” He sighed. “I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.”

 

And hope to hell this works and my stalker is there, and at any club Scott and I decide to go as part of this— He chuckled. —this sting operation, I think it’s called. I just pray it’s the stalker who gets stung and not me.

 

You Belong to Me – 42

 

 

The next morning Corey showed up bright and early for work. As soon as he put away his jacket and went into the rec room, planning on going straight up to the dorms, he was buttonholed by Archie, Silas, and two other employees.

 

“I saw on the news there was a murder in your building,” Archie said, sounding macabrely elated.

 

“Yeah. I guess there was a lot of excitement for a few hours there,” Corey replied. “I slept through it.”

 

“You’re so kidding,” Silas said. “How could you?”

 

“I don’t live on the same floor?”

 

“Okay. I suppose that makes sense. Still….” He looked at Corey skeptically as if he didn’t believe what he’d said.

 

Corey forced a chuckle. “I know. I’d have liked to have seen what was happening too.”

 

“Oh, by the way,” Archie said, “Mr. Zimmer wants to see you.”

 

“Now what?”

 

“You’re asking me?”

 

“No,” Corey muttered as he walked away, “it was a rhetorical question.” Moments later he was knocking on his boss’s half-open door.

 

Mr. Zimmer nodded for him to come in, then pointed to the chair across from his desk. “How are you holding up?” he asked after Corey sat.

 

“Um, fine? Why?”

 

“I saw on the news someone was killed in your building.”

 

“True, but it wasn’t in my apartment,” Corey lied. He seemed to be having no problem doing that, for which he was thankful. The last thing he needed was people at the shelter knowing he was involved.

 

“I didn’t think so. If it had been, I’m sure the police would have paid us a visit, since you work here. But that’s not why I wanted to see you. I talked with the board of directors as I promised, and they’re all for your idea about the fundraiser.”

 

“Great! When is it going to happen?”

 

“They were thinking on Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Friday this year. Make it a romantic dinner with entertainment afterward, wrapping up with the silent auction.”

 

“That works and would probably get lots of attendees.”

 

Mr. Zimmer nodded, smiling. “I just thought you’d like to know.”

 

“Thank you.” When his boss didn’t say anything else, Corey got up and left.

 

He was halfway through the rec room, again on his way to the dorms, when he saw someone who looked vaguely familiar. At first he thought it was one of the homeless men who was an on-again, off-again regular. Then, with a lurch of his stomach, he realized it was Scott, but not as he’d seen him the day before in Darin’s office. Now he fit right in with the other men who were there to get in out of the cold. His hair looked as if it hadn’t been washed, or combed, in over a week. He wore dirty, ragged jeans and a tattered jacket over a hoodie that had probably once been black, although it was now a faded gray and well worn. He was slumped on one of the sofas, one arm protectively wrapped around an old backpack. In his other hand, he held a dog-eared paperback novel. He seemed to be reading it, but when Corey looked closer, he could see Scott’s glance flicking from person to person, studying them for a moment before moving on. Somehow, his being there made Corey feel better. Safer.

 

Not that my stalker would be here… I don’t think. Unless he’s doing the same as Scott, but still….

 

He continued on his way up to the dorms to monitor the men handling cleanup. He wasn’t surprised when, a few minutes later, Scott appeared and pitched in, his backpack now slung over his back.

 

For the rest of the day, wherever Corey went, Scott seemed to be as well, although not overtly. He just hung around, appearing for all the world as if he were just another homeless person trying to stay inside where it was warm.

 

You Belong to Me – 41

 

 

Corey returned to his apartment late that afternoon after a police officer brought his keys back to him at the motel.

 

He couldn’t repress a shiver of panic when he opened the door and disarmed the security system. What if he’s here… waiting? Naw, the cops and the cleanup people were here all day. He’d be stupid to venture back so soon. Wouldn’t he?

 

Knowing that had to be the truth, he stepped inside, locked the door and armed the box again. Then he turned to look at the spot where Brad’s body had been.

 

“If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be alive,” he murmured, feeling the press of tears in his eyes. He wiped them away before they could fall, half expecting his stalker to call and tell him he was right. Glancing around, he wondered where the bugs were hidden and decided it was just as well he didn’t know. I’d probably be tempted to tear them out if I did. The bastard!

 

As he walked toward the bedroom, he realized he’d circled around the spot where Brad had died. How long before I stop doing that?

 

Cautiously he entered the bedroom and flipped on the light. It was empty despite Corey’s lingering fear it might not be. He took his bag off his shoulder, set it on the bed, and unpacked. He’d just finished and was headed to the kitchen when his phone rang. When he took it out and checked the caller ID, he saw what he now thought of as the ubiquitous Payphone with a number.

 

Tamping down on his anger, he answered.

 

“Welcome home,” the stalker whispered. “Did you learn your lesson?” Then he hung up.

 

“You son of a bitch!” Corey swore. He snapped his mouth shut, realizing the stalker might be listening to him even now, and turned on the TV to the local news. “Damn,” he muttered in dismay when he saw one of the lead stories was about Brad’s murder. Pacing, he listened, then smiled tightly. According to the reporter, the police were theorizing that Brad had walked past Corey’s door on his way to visit someone else on the floor and saw it was open. He must have decided, foolishly, to make certain the tenant was all right and walked in on a burglary in progress. The burglar had killed him and left, taking a laptop and a video game system with him, according to the “unnamed” tenant of the apartment.

 

That works, and thank God they left my name out of it.

You Belong to Me – 40

 

 

“Are you going to use your name when you call?” Corey asked Scott.

 

“In a way. I’ll switch it around to Reed Scott and pick up a new phone, registering it to that name, so it will show up on your caller ID. When I’m at the shelter, I’ll be nameless. Just another man who needs a bed and a hot meal.”

 

“Do you really think he could show up there again?”

 

“Maybe not, but I’ll know better once we see if he stalks you when we meet for dinner or coffee.”

 

“If you do spot him, will you arrest him?”

 

“On what charge?” Darin replied before Scott could. “At this point there’s no reason to connect him to the murder. We arrest him, he’ll lawyer up and be out in no time.”

 

“I thought… I mean, weren’t the people searching my place for evidence?”

 

“Yes, and they found enough to tie him there, once we have a real reason to arrest him.”

 

“Like his coming after me, which is what this is all about,” Scott put in.

 

Corey winced. “I guess I’ve been slow on the uptake. I didn’t put two and two together that way.”

 

“You’re not used to being in a situation like this,” Scott replied.

 

“Thank God for that. I wish….”

 

“That you were not in one now.” Scott patted his shoulder. “Quite understandable, but with luck you’ll be out of it soon.”

 

“Other than having lost a friend to the bastard. That can’t be undone.”

 

“No, but together we can avenge his death by catching the man who killed him.”

 

You Belong to Me – 39

 

 

Corey turned his attention back to Darin. “How will my stalker know?”

 

“That’s why we’ve left the bugs. Scott will call you, and you’ll take it from there.”

 

“But remember,” Scott said, “don’t jump right into ‘yes, let’s try again.’ That wouldn’t be realistic, especially after what you’ve just gone through.”

 

Corey nodded. “Be hesitant, but open to the idea.”

 

“Exactly. We’ll make a date. Probably…. Darin says you’re not out, but would you be willing to meet someplace like a coffee shop or an off-the-track restaurant?”

 

“I suppose so,” Corey replied after a moment’s thought. “Why there and not at The Scene, or another club?”

 

“Because it’ll be easier for me to spot someone who might be following you. Especially if we do it two or three times, which is probably what it will take.”

 

“That makes sense.”

 

“Good. I’m also going to hang around the shelter, since that’s the first place your stalker made contact with you.”

 

“Hardly made contact. He dropped off the watch, wrapped in Christmas paper, at the front counter when no one was around.”

 

“Still, it does mean they’ve been there, and for all you know it wasn’t the first, or the last, time.”

 

That gave Corey pause and made him shudder briefly before he asked, “How will you be there?”

 

“I do ‘homeless’ very well.”

 

“Ah-ha. I guess I should have figured.”

 

“Yep.” Scott turned his attention to Darin. “Have I missed anything I should be taking into consideration?”

 

“Not that I can think of at the moment.”

 

“One thing,” Corey put in. “You need my phone number if you’re going to call me. Luckily I’ve had the same one forever, so there’s no reason you wouldn’t know it, or try it.” When Darin slid a pad of paper to him, Corey wrote it down and handed it to Scott.

 

Scott took out his phone to program it in.

You Belong to Me – 38

 

 

Corey was glad it was a Monday and he didn’t have to work. Partly because he was still trying to come to terms with Brad’s murder, but also because it might have been difficult to get away in the middle of the day to go back to the police station.

 

Darin met him in the waiting room after the desk sergeant called up to say he was there. When they got to Darin’s office, Corey stopped at the door and looked at the man sitting beside the desk.

 

“I know you,” Corey said. “Okay, I don’t know you, but I’ve seen you before.”

 

Scott nodded, smiling slightly. “I’ve seen you before, too, at The Scene. Maybe a year ago or a bit more. I’m Scott Reed, and you, I gather, are Mr. Byrne.”

 

“Please, call me Corey. I mean, if you’re…if we’re…working together?”

 

Scott nodded. “We are, although Darin hasn’t filled me in on his plan yet.”

 

“I will,” Darin replied, sitting and waiting for Corey to do the same. “First off, I was right, Corey. Your place is bugged.”

 

Corey blew out a long breath. “Did your people get rid of it, or them?”

 

“No. They’ll come in handy for what I have in mind. Oh, and you’ll be able to move back into your place this evening.”

 

“I’m not sure….”

 

“I know. You said that yesterday, but it’s also necessary, like it or not. The cleaning team is good at what they do. You won’t know anything happened there once they’re finished.”

 

Corey snorted. “Maybe not to look at it, but up here….” He tapped his temple.

 

“I think you’re strong enough that you can handle it if you want to catch Mr. Reynolds’s killer.”

 

“How are we going to do that?”

 

“You and Scott are going to be ex-lovers. He’s come back to town and wants to reconnect and see if the two of you can make it work this time.”

 

Corey looked at Scott, frowning. “Will you be able to pull that off?”

 

With a grin, Scott replied, “I wasn’t hanging out at The Scene because I like the ambience.”

 

“But you could have been there undercover.”

 

“I could have, but I wasn’t.”

 

“O-o-kay. That answers that.”

You Belong to Me – 37

 

 

“You wanted to see me?”

 

Darin looked up from what he was doing early Monday morning to see Scott Reed standing in the doorway. When he beckoned to him, the undercover detective came in and took a seat in the visitor’s chair by Darin’s desk. A handsome man in a disheveled way, Scott’s straight blond-streaked brown hair touched his collar, and he obviously hadn’t shaved in a couple of days.

 

“I did,” Darin replied. “We need to catch a murderer.”

 

Scott nodded, then smiled. “That is what we do. Who this time?”

 

“We don’t have a name or even a description. All we do have is a victim and a man who’s being stalked by the killer.”

 

“Just great,” Scott muttered. “Fill me in. The lieutenant was less than forthcoming with the details. He said he’d rather I got them straight from you.”

 

Darin told him everything he knew so far.

 

Scott shook his head dourly. “Now I know why you wanted me.”

 

“Yes and no. You do know the territory, which is a plus. You’re also one of the best at going in undercover.”

 

“Those would be the yeses. What’s the no?”

 

“You’re going to be dealing with a man who, to all intents and purposes, is still in the closet to everyone he knows outside of the club scene. That could make it hard for you to stay close to him.”

 

Scott tapped his fingers together thoughtfully. “You say he works at a homeless shelter.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“This could be fun. Homeless during the week, a player any time Corey goes out to a club.”

 

“That will be as often as possible if we want this to work. I think that’s where the stalker first latched on to him.”

 

“You only think?”

 

“As I told you, the times he’s contacted Mr. Byrne, he’s called him a slut, implying he’s seen him with various men. Clubs are the only places where that could happen.”

 

“A logical conclusion. Although he’s also been at Byrne’s workplace at least once, possibly at the supermarket when he was there, and definitely at his apartment. So he’s not confining himself to the clubs.”

 

“True.”

 

“When can I meet Byrne?”

 

“I’ll call and get him down here now.”

 

 

You Belong to Me – 36

 

When Darin returned to his office, Corey handed him the list of names he’d come up with.

 

“It’s pretty short, which tells you how many people I really know… or don’t know,” Corey commented dispiritedly. “I listed them by work and men I’ve met at clubs.”

 

“You don’t know anyone outside of that?”

 

Corey winced. “No. I don’t make friends easily. Or, I suppose, I don’t make them because friends tend to want to know more about me than I’m willing to reveal.”

 

Darin smiled in commiseration. “All things considered, that makes sense from your point of view.” He put the list in the folder, then said, “I’ve come up with a plan. I ran it by the lieutenant and he’s approved it. There’s one other man I need to talk to before it’s finalized. Then I can tell you. That should happen sometime today. You’ll be glad to know I also got approval to send in a team to clean your apartment. You’ll be able to move back in tomorrow.”

 

“I’m… not sure I want to.”

 

“You’ll have to if my plan’s going to work.”

 

“Which is?”

 

“As I said, the one I’ll tell you about after I talk to the man I want to use. In order for it to work, though, you need to be back in your apartment.”

 

“I…” Corey sighed. “All right, I guess.”

 

“For now you should probably go back to your motel so I can set things up. I’ll be in touch as soon as everything’s finalized.”

 

“And if it isn’t?”

 

Darin smiled crookedly. “Then I come up with another idea.”

 

“Figured.” Corey stood, saying, “Thank you for trusting that I didn’t kill Brad. I mean, you do believe me, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, Corey, I do. And with your help, we’re going to catch his killer.”

 

“I’ll do whatever it takes. I want that bastard out of my life.”

 

“I don’t blame you for that. Now out of here. I have work to do.”

 

“Going,” Corey said with a small smile.

 

You Belong to Me – 35

 

 

“Do you believe him?” Lieutenant North asked when Darin finished telling him everything Corey had said.

 

“Yes. He acted stupidly at first until the burglary. Then not mentioning the stalker to me when I first interviewed him. I suspect that primarily had to do with the fact that he didn’t think the police could, or would, do anything about it. And,” Darin said tightly, “that I might not believe him about the stalker as a result.”

 

“Even though his own brother’s a cop.” The lieutenant shook his head in disgust. “When will people learn to trust us to protect them?”

 

“When hell freezes over,” Darin replied dryly.

 

“Unfortunately. All right, what sort of plan have you come up with, since I suspect that’s why you’re here?”

 

“From all Mr. Byrne told me, I’m sure the stalker is getting off on terrorizing him. If he, Byrne, appeared to have found a new man, that might draw the stalker out and get him to make another move against Byrne or his new boyfriend.”

 

“Probably, but wouldn’t the stalker wonder why it happened so fast?”

 

“Good point.” Darin drummed his fingers on the desk, then took out his phone. After placing the call, he told one of the team he’d sent back to search Corey’s apartment that if they found any listening devices, they were to leave them in place. Hanging up, he said, “I want Byrne to move back there as soon as possible. Can I pull in a team to clean the place up ASAP rather than having him hire a company to do it?”

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“Byrne returns home, then he gets a call from… an ex-lover who’s just moved back here. They talk and decide they want to try again.”

 

The lieutenant nodded. “That might work. Who do you plan on using?”

 

“Scott Reed would be the best one, if he’s available.”

 

“He is. He ended his last undercover assignment a week ago and is taking some R & R time. I’ll tell him to get in touch with you so the two of you can set things up. Is there anything else you need?”

 

“Not at the moment, as long as I have your permission to send a cleanup team to Byrne’s apartment.”

 

“You do.”

 

You Belong to Me – 34

 

 

“As I pointed out when you told me before that you aren't out, you go to clubs frequented by gays, so a lot of people would know," Darin replied. "Maybe not your family, or friends and coworkers, but anyone who’s seen you at one of them has probably figured it out.”

 

“I guess. But still, how would the stalker know Brad and I were going to meet at the club? We set that up before the watch was stolen, by phone actually.”

 

Darin frowned, drumming his fingers on the desk. Then he made a call, asking whoever he was talking to if they had found any surveillance equipment during their search of Corey’s apartment. Apparently, the reply was a no, because he said, “Well, go back and look again.” Covering the receiver, he asked Corey for his keys. When Corey gave them to him, Darin told the person he was talking with to come by and pick them up.

 

“You really think the stalker got into my place and set something up?” Corey asked fearfully when Darin had hung up.

 

“It’s the only way, from what you told me, that he could have known about your date with Mr. Reynolds.”

 

“That scares the shit out of me because it means he’s been in my place more than a couple of times.” He slammed his fist down on the desk. “Who the hell is he and why is he after me?”

 

“He’s obviously fixated on you. That means I need a list of every man you know, either through work, from the clubs, or anywhere else. Anyone you’ve interacted with on a regular basis, no matter how innocently.”

 

Corey managed a small smile. “Hardly innocent when it comes to guys at the clubs, I’m afraid.”

 

Darin chuckled. “Probably not. All right, is there anything else you haven’t told me?”

 

“Other than the fact I had the creepy feeling someone was watching me one time when I was grocery shopping, nothing I can think of.”

 

“I presume you didn’t see anyone at the store that you recognized.”

 

“Only the people who work there.”

 

“How well do you know the people in your apartment building?”

 

A knock on the door interrupted them before Corey could reply. A man came in, and Darin handed him Corey’s keys, instructing him to return them as soon as the team had finished their search.

 

When the man was gone, Corey answered Darin’s question. “I know them enough to say hello to someone I recognize in passing. That’s it.”

 

“That’s true with most apartment dwellers,” Darin said wryly. “Okay, I’d like you to remain here while I go talk to my lieutenant.”

 

“How long will that take?”

 

“Shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes, hopefully. In the meantime you can make the list of your male friends and associates for me.” Darin handed him a pad and a pen before leaving the office.

 

And when you come back, it’ll be with a warrant for my arrest. Corey didn’t really believe that now, but still he figured it was a possibility if the detective hadn’t believed him. Sighing, he started the list.

 

You Belong to Me – 33

 

“Yeah, that occurred to me at one point,” Corey replied. “Not an idea that made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Anyway, I decided not to wear it, since I didn’t know who it came from. Besides, it was too fancy to wear at the shelter, so when I got home that night, I stuck it in my dresser drawer. I suppose I was naïve, but I hoped that would be the end of it, unless the person decided to let me know who they were.”

 

“Which, I’m presuming they did in some way.”

 

“Yes and no. I told the officers, after the break-in, about the notes I’d gotten.”

 

“Do you still have them?”

 

“No. Sorry. I realized later I should have kept them, but….” Corey spread his hands.

 

“I presume that wasn’t the end of it.”

 

Corey shook his head. “A week later, I went to a club and… ended up going home with someone. Not Brad, in case you’re wondering. Then I came home and fell into bed. The phone woke me a couple of hours later. The caller whispered, ‘You slut. You belong to me.’ That scared the shit out of me, but it also made me think. I decided to see if I could find out who bought the watch, since the store’s name was on the box. No luck with that because I didn’t have the receipt. I… I didn’t want to go back home right then, so I ate lunch out, then went to a movie. When I did get home, I was exhausted and fell asleep on the sofa.” Corey shook his head. “Not for long, though, because the person called again.”

 

“You keep saying caller and person. Was it a man or a woman?”

 

“I don’t know, because they whispered both times.”

 

“What did they say the second time?”

 

“Something about they thought I had more class than to go see the movie I did. Then they—okay, I’ll call him ‘he’ because it almost has to be a man—he told me to stay away from ‘those men,’ called me a slut, and said I belong to him. I should tell you, whoever he is, he tried calling me several times right after I got home from the movie, but the caller ID said the calls were from payphones. I told that to Officers Turner and Moore when they came about the first break-in when the watch was stolen. I wouldn’t have answered the last call if I hadn’t been asleep. I just answered automatically.”

 

“How soon afterwards was the watch stolen?”

 

“The calls were on Sunday. I discovered it was missing Wednesday night when I came home from work and immediately called 911.”

 

“Okay.” Darin thumbed through the folder and nodded. “Their report is in here. I haven’t had time to read it yet.” He scanned it quickly, then looked back at Corey. “Why didn’t you file a report about being stalked?”

 

“What good would it do? Yeah, I know it would have been on file, but that won’t stop… him?”

 

“I agree, it’s almost certainly a man," Darin said. "According to the autopsy, whoever stabbed Mr. Reynolds was taller than him, from the angle of the cuts.”

 

“It has to be the stalker, right?”

 

“Unless you know of someone else who might be upset that you and Mr. Reynolds were going out together.”

 

Corey frowned deeply. “No one knew. No one. I told you, I’m not out.”

You Belong to Me – 32

 

 

Corey didn’t have to call the detective the next morning. Detective Foster called him first, asking him to come to the station.

 

Now, Foster said, “If you’ll have a seat, Mr. Byrne,” after he'd led Corey upstairs to his small office at the police station late Sunday morning.

 

Corey nodded, taking in the somewhat battered desk, the small window on one wall, and the row of filing cabinets on another. “Nice digs,” he commented sardonically, sitting. “Oh, by the way, could you call me Corey, please. It’d make me feel a bit less like I was facing an inquisition. And I’ll call you Darin.”

 

Darin arched one eyebrow as he sat and opened a folder. “A bit presumptuous of you.”

 

Corey shrugged. If he was going to get through this, he had to let the detective think straight off he wasn’t afraid, though that was far from the truth. “I figure, since you know my brother, that should put us on a first-name basis.”

 

“Who’s your brother?”

 

“Detective Kerry Byrne.”

 

Darin seemed puzzled momentarily, and then he smiled. “Good man. Good detective, from what I’ve heard. I didn’t know you were related.”

 

Corey smiled wryly. “Right now he might be wishing we weren’t. However, since we are, I’m going to follow his advice and tell you, well… everything.”

 

Darin leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers. “Meaning?”

 

“I think I know who killed Brad. Okay, not who, like I have a name, but….”

 

“Go on.”

 

“I told you last night I had a break-in a few days ago and a valuable watch was stolen. What I didn’t tell you was why I had the watch.” When Darin didn’t say anything, Corey continued, “I went home to my parents’ place for Christmas vacation. A couple of days after I got back to work, my boss told me someone had left me a present. He’d found it on the front counter. It was the watch.”

 

“I presume whoever gave it to you did so anonymously.”

 

“Yes. I didn’t like that idea, especially since it was very expensive. And before you ask, I knew that because I’d looked at one like it at one of the better jewelers in town, sort of—” He smiled ruefully. “—lusting after it.”

 

          “All right. That could mean whoever gave it to you saw you at the jeweler’s. Then what?”