You Belong to Me - 57

 

Corey was up and moving by nine Sunday morning. He made a big breakfast—scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast with jam—then tried to decide what to do to kill the rest of the day. The thought of seeing Scott in a few hours made him antsy with anticipation.

 

I’m beginning to like him way more than I should. Stupid, I know. I’m real sure—well, pretty sure—the way he acted last night was just to give my stalker the idea we were inching our way back to being a couple again. The couple we’re pretending we used to be, but Scott will go back to his real life when this is over.

 

Needing something to keep busy, Corey decided to do his food shopping even though it wasn’t Monday. He smiled, remembering breaking his normal routine just a couple of weeks ago. This is beginning to be a habit.

 

After checking to see what he needed and making a list, he headed out.

 

Are you watching, bastard? He looked around when he got to his car. The only people in view were a family with two small children and an older couple. He figured from the way all of them were dressed that they were probably going to church. A good time for grocery shopping. The store probably won’t be too busy.

 

He found he was right. There were so few people that moving his cart up and down the aisles was a breeze. Still, he felt tense as he picked up the items he needed. He realized why when he found himself staring at a man at the far end of one aisle, wondering if he was the stalker. He wouldn’t be that blatant, he tried to reassure himself. Besides which, I don’t feel as if I’m being watched. Not like last time.

 

By the time Corey got to the checkout counter, he was more relaxed, managing to joke with the girl at the register about the headline in one of the scandal sheets in the rack above the conveyer belt.

 

After putting the groceries in the car trunk, he decided to make a stop at the hardware store to pick up some nails. He’d used up his supply hanging the pictures his parents had given him for Christmas. Corey figured it was cold enough that his food would survive the short time it would take. On his way out of the hardware store twenty minutes later, he spotted a coffee shop across the street and went to get an espresso to go.

 

It was just after noon when Corey got back home. He got his carrier bags of groceries from the trunk, looping the handles over his arms so that he could make it up to his apartment in one trip. With the coffee cup in one hand, his keys in the other, he managed to make it upstairs and into his place, juggling the bags so that he could punch in the security code without dropping anything, and walked straight to the kitchen to put them down. Corey flexed his arms to relieve the strain, took off his jacket, and went back out into the living room.

 

“What the hell?”

You Belong to Me – 56

 

“Meaning it could take longer? Just great,” Corey muttered, trying to avoid the implication behind Scott’s reply and the way his pulse suddenly pounded.

 

“That depends on how quickly he steps things up another notch,” Scott said tersely.

 

“By coming after you.”

 

“Yep. That could happen after tomorrow night when he sees us together again. Before you ask, he did see us tonight. Somewhere. Otherwise he wouldn’t have said what he did.”

 

“Yeah, I figured that one out all by my lonesome.”

 

Scott laughed. “Smart kid.”

 

“Says the old man.”

 

“Twenty-seven to your twenty-three.”

 

“How did you—? Oh yeah, it’s in the information I gave Detective Foster that you probably read, or he told you.”

 

“Got it in one. Okay, we should cut this short before the stalker wonders why he’s not hearing anything in your place.”

 

“I turned the TV on.”

 

“And are sitting there, comatose, watching it? At this hour you should be getting ready for bed.”

 

Corey chuckled. “Yes, Daddy.”

 

“That did sound sort of parental. Sorry. You know what I meant.”

 

“Yeah. Okay, I’m off to my lonely bed.” Corey wasn’t sure why he put it that way. Fishing? Maybe.

 

“You and me both,” Scott replied with a small laugh. “I’ll pick you up around six tomorrow night, if that works.”

 

“It does. Night.”

 

“Night.”

 

You Belong to Me – 55

 

 

The stalker called fifteen minutes after Scott dropped Corey off at his apartment and Corey had armed the alarm and put the chair under the doorknob. This time, Corey didn’t hesitate to answer, although he flinched when the caller whispered, “You are trying my patience and have endangered the life of that man.”

 

“Yeah, well, screw you!” Corey spat out.

 

There was a low chortle, followed by “My possession is growing some balls. Too bad it won’t do you any good.” The second the words were out of the stalker’s mouth, he hung up.

 

As usual, short and not so sweet. The cops would have to be monitoring every payphone in the city to catch him.

 

He flipped on the TV and went out to the hallway, intending to get hold of Scott and tell him about the phone call. Then he realized he didn’t have Scott’s real number, since they’d always communicated using the one belonging to ‘Reed.’ But I do have that one. He checked his incoming calls list, found it, and dialed, wondering if Scott kept that phone on when he wasn’t using it.

 

“Corey?”

 

“Unless you’ve given this number out to other men,” Corey replied dryly.

 

“Okay, yeah, that was a dumb question. But why call me on this phone? And why are you calling? Okay, the stalker got in touch with you. Right?”

 

“Yes. And this is the only number I have for you, so….”

 

Scott quickly rattled off his real number. “What did he say this time?”

 

“Same old, same old. Stay away from you, or he’ll do something to you. I’m ‘trying his patience,’ according to him. I hate to tell him, but he’s trying mine, big time.”

 

Scott chuckled. “Good. The more pissed you are, the less afraid you’ll be.”

 

“I’m not sure B follows A.”

 

“Not always, but in your case, I have the feeling it does.”

 

Corey thought about it. “I knew it was him, and I answered right away. No uncertainty. So maybe you’re right.”

 

“I’m always right.”

 

Corey snorted. “Uh-huh. Conceited much?”

 

“Give it time. You’ll find out.”

 

“All two or three weeks before you finally catch the bastard?”

 

“You never know,” Scott said quietly.

 

You Belong to Me – 54

 

 

“I don’t know your family," Scott said, "but if he feels that way, maybe he’s right?”

 

“Or totally off base.” Corey sighed deeply. “I just don’t know.”

 

Scott put one arm around Corey’s shoulders. “When the time is right, you will.”

 

“If it ever is,” Corey replied, instinctively leaning into what might—or might not—have been an embrace of sorts.

 

“It will be.” Scott didn’t remove his arm as he said, “For now, though, we should get you back home. I suspect you’re going to get a call from your friendly stalker as soon as he finds a working payphone.”

 

“Probably,” Corey agreed.

 

He was a bit surprised that on one level he was hoping it would happen. Because it will mean he was watching us, so our plan is working. He frowned when something occurred to him. Taking a fast glance around to be certain no one was close to them as they walked back to Scott’s car, Corey asked quietly, “If he does call, can’t your people…? Okay, never mind. I always know the number, but even if you all were tapping my phone, you wouldn’t get to whatever payphone he used before he left it because he never talks long enough.”

 

“Exactly, unfortunately,” Scott replied just as quietly. “So we’ll keep on doing things the way we are. As a matter of fact, let’s step things up and go out to dinner again tomorrow night.”

 

Corey nodded. “Where?”

 

“You choose this time.”

 

“There’s a nice Italian restaurant a few blocks from where I live. We can walk to it, and I’ll even remember to wear my gloves.”

 

Scott laughed. “That might be a good idea unless the temperature rises forty degrees.”

 

You Belong to Me – 53

 

“I’ll be glad when winter is over,” Corey said.

 

“Three months and counting.”

 

“Can we time warp to April?”

 

“Don’t I wish?” Scott glanced down, then stopped, taking Corey’s hands in his own gloved ones, shocking the hell out of Corey. “Where are your gloves?”

 

“At home? I figured we’d be in the car or inside so why would I need them.”

 

Shaking his head, Scott released one hand, telling Corey to put it in his pocket before his fingers froze. He kept a firm grip on the other.

 

Logically that didn’t make sense to Corey until he realized Scott’s glove was warm. “Hand warmers?” he asked.

 

Scott nodded. “I discovered them during an attempt to learn to ski. I gave up on that, but not the gloves. Now I never leave home without them in this kind of weather.”

 

Corey looked at him, head cocked. “I’d have thought you’d be an excellent skier.”

 

“You’d think so, but it requires a type of coordination I seem to be lacking.” Scott shrugged. “No real loss, though, in my book. The skiing… or the guy who wanted me to learn.”

 

“It’s funny how we sometimes do things because another person wants us to.”

 

“Or don’t do something because we’re afraid of how other people might react,” Scott replied softly but pointedly.

 

“Maybe, someday,” Corey said tightly. “My brother knows.”

 

“The cop?”

 

“Yes. I sort of let it slip… well, not slip, really…. Okay, yeah, it came out when I called him for help right after Brad’s murder.”

 

Scott squeezed his hand. “I think perhaps that’s what’s called a Freudian slip?”

 

“Maybe. Probably, on some level. On the other hand, it did have to do with why it was Brad and not some girlfriend who ended up dead.”

 

“Which he was presuming was the case at first?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is he going to keep your secret?”

 

“Yes. He promised. Of course he wants me to tell the rest of the family. He says I might be surprised at how they take it.”

You Belong to Me – 52

 

 

“There you have it,” Scott said twenty minutes later. “The story of how I ended up in the middle of corn country.”

 

“Good grief, Reed,” Corey said when he stopped laughing. “Only you.”

 

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Scott smiled at him, but Corey noted that seconds later he was back to scanning the people in the restaurant.

 

Corey did the same, trying to be as subtle are Scott was. It has to be someone I’ve seen before… somewhere. But would I recognize him? I’ve seen dozens—hundreds—of men at the clubs. If it’s one of them and he fixated on me for whatever reason, would I actually remember him now?

 

“Earth to Corey,” Scott said. “You were off in the ether from the look on your face.”

 

“I was.” Corey tried to come up with a relevant response that would fit the roles they were playing. “I was just thinking about the last time we were here.”

 

Scott sobered. “It was a couple of weeks before we broke up. I should have chosen a different place for dinner tonight.”

 

“No. This was our place, and we had some good times here, even at the end.” Corey smiled. “That last time you had, umm….”

 

“The salmon fillet. And you decided on your usual grilled chicken breast.” Scott snickered. “Just like tonight.”

 

“So I’m predictable. Shoot me.”

 

They continued bantering throughout the meal but with more attention paid to the people around them than what they were actually talking about. By the time they finished and Scott had paid the bill despite Corey’s protests that they should split it, Corey was tenser than when they came in.

 

Scott obviously picked up on that, because he suggested as they left the restaurant that rather than taking Corey directly back home they should walk for a while. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this neighborhood. I want to see how it’s changed” was his excuse in his Reed persona.

 

Corey wasn’t certain that was a good idea and said so, moving close enough to Scott that no passersby could hear him. “What if he was in the restaurant and decided to follow us and do something?”

 

“I hardly think he’s going to attack either of us with all these people around.”

 

“I suppose.”

 

“So just relax and quit checking out every man in the vicinity.” The corners of Scott’s mouth tilted up. “I might start getting jealous.”

 

“I’m only….”

 

“Doing the same thing both of us were at dinner. I know. It’s time to stop, relax, and enjoy our nice, if cold, evening walk.”

You Belong to Me – 51

 

 

“You clean up well, Reed,” Corey said with a grin when he opened the apartment door and saw Scott standing there.

 

Scott quickly shook his head, touching one finger to his ear.

 

Corey instantly got what he meant and added, “Okay, amend that. Compared to the jeans and shirt you were wearing at the coffee shop, this is a vast improvement.”

 

“I’m dressed to impress.” Scott replied with a laugh. “Are you ready? And by the way, you look good too. I always did like you in turtlenecks.”

 

“Thank you. Okay, let me get my jacket and I will be ready.” Corey hurried to grab it from the closet. Once they were in the hallway, security armed and both locks locked, he said, “Sorry, I forgot about his bugs.”

 

“You covered it well.” Scott chuckled. “Like a pro.”

 

“Uh-huh.” Corey felt a small swell of pride at Scott’s praise.

 

When they got outside, Scott led the way to an older-model Chevy with, Corey was surprised to note, out-of-state license plates. When he asked, Scott told him that since “Reed” had just moved back to the city, he wouldn’t have had a chance to get new ones yet. “All part of my cover.”

 

“You have things down to a science,” Corey said as they got into the car.

 

Scott shrugged. “Lessons learned that have stuck with me as part of the kind of jobs I do.” He put the car in gear and pulled out into traffic.

 

Corey studied him for a minute. “How often have you been hurt as part of the job?”

 

“A few, but not too badly. To be cliché, it comes with the territory. It would even if I was just a regular detective.”

 

“You like working undercover, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Short and sweet.”

 

Scott nodded. “There’s times when it can get hairy and I wonder why the hell I chose this line of work, but all in all, it’s been worth it.”

 

“Let’s hope this isn’t one of those times.”

 

“It won’t be.”

 

“You sound pretty confident, considering he’s a killer now,” Corey said.

 

“I know what I can do. If he does come after me, it’ll be one-on-one, not a gunshot from a distance—if Mr. Reynolds’s killing is any indication. So stop worrying. Let’s enjoy the evening,” Scott added when they pulled in to the restaurant parking lot.

 

“Worrying is what I do best,” Corey muttered under his breath.

 

“Not tonight. We’re going to have a nice dinner and get—” Scott paused, smiling at him. “—reacquainted the way old lovers would in a situation like this.”

 

You Belong to Me – 50

 

 

The rest of the week went by, and it was finally Saturday night. Scott had called every evening as promised, even though he and Corey saw each other during the day at the shelter. The stalker, much to Corey’s relief, hadn’t contacted him again. Not that it meant the man had suddenly decided to give up. Corey knew, and Scott agreed, that he was undoubtedly trying to ramp up the tension by keeping quiet before striking again.

 

“What to wear.” Corey stared at the clothes in his closet as if choosing the right pants and shirt was a life-altering decision. For God’s sake, this isn’t a date. It’s just going to supper with… an interesting man. Stop right now! It’s going to supper as part of trying to catch a killer. Scott will be more concerned with watching the other people at the restaurant than with paying attention to me, since he’s trying to spot the stalker if he shows up.

 

He finally decided on black slacks and a pale green shirt over a black turtleneck and began getting dressed.

 

Scott said it could take a few times for him to pick up on the fact he’s seen the same person everywhere we’ve been. That idea didn’t exactly bother him. It meant he could keep on going out with Scott. Like that means a damned thing in his book. That idea did bother him on some level. I’m… I like him, which is stupid. This is a job for him, and that’s it. Besides, I barely know him.

 

Still, that didn’t stop Corey from taking great pains to be certain his hair was combed perfectly and that he did look good in what he was wearing.

 

Finally he went into the living room where he paced, waiting for Scott to pick him up.

* * * *

Scott glanced in the mirror—on the way get his jacket and go pick up Corey—and shook his head in amusement. “You’d think I was going out on a date, not a job,” he told his image. He was wearing dark slacks and a blue shirt under a V-necked navy blue sweater. He grinned. Definitely not the look I’ve been sporting at the shelter but perfect for “Reed Scott.”

 

And to impress Corey that I can look normal? Not that he hasn’t seen me in decent clothes before. And why do I give a damn? This is just another job. Sure, he’s a nice guy, something I don’t run into too often in the grand scheme of things. But, yeah, it’s just a job.

 

Somehow thinking that didn’t stop the small wave of anticipation that welled up at the thought that he’d be with Corey, as himself more or less, in just a few more minutes.

 

Yeah, and all the time we’re together, I’ll be watching for the man who’s stalking him. Trying to decide if someone who’s at the restaurant is a person I’ve seen before when I’ve been guarding Corey, or looking for any tells that someone is too interested in him, and not in a good way. That won’t give me much of a chance to get to know him better.

 

Not that I want to.

 

“Like hell I don’t,” he muttered, grabbing his jacket and heading out.

You Belong to Me – 49

 

 

Scott broke in, saying, “No, you couldn’t, and I think you know it. I’d be willing to bet you’re flirting with the idea of coming-out—and have been since you broke up with… whoever he was.”

 

“You’re crazy.”

 

“Nope. You wouldn’t go to those clubs and chance being seen there if you weren’t, no matter what you tell yourself.”

 

“Not true.”

 

“Yeah, it is, and if you really think about it, you’ll know I’m right.”

 

Corey shook his head, then chuckled softly when Scott told him to stop doing it, asking, “How did you know?”

 

“Common sense. Okay, we should probably end this now. I’ll call again tomorrow night, around this time. Make damned sure you set the security as soon as you get back inside, and don’t open the door to anyone.”

 

“I’m not stupid.”

 

“I know, but I needed to say it anyway.”

 

“Should I wedge a chair under the doorknob too?” Corey joked.

 

“It couldn’t hurt.”

 

“I was kidding.”

 

“I wasn’t. Now off with you. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

 

“Night,” Corey said quietly.

 

“Night,” Scott replied and hung up.

 

Pocketing his phone, Corey went back into the apartment. He made certain to lock both locks and set the alarm, and then—just because—he did wedge a kitchen chair under the doorknob. He felt silly doing it, but also safer.

 

Then, as promised, he texted Kerry to let him know everything seemed to be going according to plan. The conversation only took a couple of minutes and ended with Kerry telling him to be “damned careful.” Corey promised he would and broke the connection.

 

 

You Belong to Me – 48

 

Corey stopped pacing and leaned against the hallway wall. “Killers, gangsters, drug dealers.”

 

“All of the above.”

 

“That takes more guts than I’d ever have.”

 

“I disagree. You’re the brave one. Dealing with this bastard and still being able to cope with your everyday life.”

 

“Who says I’m coping?”

 

“Me. Don’t forget I’ve been watching you at the shelter. If I didn’t know what was going on, I’d think you were a damned good employee with not a care in the world other than seeing that those men get the help they need.”

 

“It’s just… I’m running on autopilot, nothing more.”

 

“No, Corey, you’re running, as you put it, on the goodness of your heart.”

 

“Will you stop!”

 

Scott laughed. “Am I embarrassing you?”

 

“Yeah. Some.”

 

“That doesn’t mean I’m not right about you. I’m good at reading people. I have to be, to do what I do.”

 

Corey nodded, although of course Scott couldn’t see him. “Since we’re going in for pop psychology, I’d say you…like danger, but probably not to the point of doing anything foolhardy. Just like me, you want to help people. You wouldn’t be a cop if you didn’t. You’re single.” He paused, waiting for Scott to refute that. When he didn’t, Corey continued, “You’re single probably because you have to disappear for long stretches when you’re undercover and you don’t think that would be fair to a lover or partner.”

 

“You’re not half-bad at this, considering you’ve only just met me. You’ve got one thing wrong though. I’m not in a relationship because I’ve never found someone I cared about enough to chance it.”

 

“Unlike me. I’ve chanced it, and it didn’t work out.”

 

“So you’re not willing to try again?”

 

“Hell, Scott, I don’t know.” Corey sighed. “Since I’m not out, it doesn’t seem worthwhile to go looking. Men…prefer someone they can be with and do things with publicly, if you get what I’m saying.”

 

“You go to clubs.”

 

“Only occasionally and to ones where straights go too. Enough of them that if someone I knew saw me there, I could claim….”

You Belong to Me – 47

 

Almost as soon as he stepped into his apartment, Corey’s phone rang. He knew who it had to be without looking at the screen. Trying to keep his fear out of his voice, he answered. “Hello?”

 

“Whoever that man was,” the stalker whispered. “Stay away from him, or he’ll end up like the last man you went out with. You belong to me.”

 

“How the hell can I belong to you when you won’t show yourself?” Corey replied, anger overriding his fear.

 

“I will, when the time is right,” the stalker replied and hung up.

 

“When hell freezes over?” Corey muttered.

 

You’re liking this game way too much to end it. You like trying to make me afraid of my own shadow. Well, tell you what, bastard, for a while there I was, but no more. Now I have help, and by all that’s holy, we are going to stop you.

 

Corey went into the kitchen, made a sandwich, and then returned to the living room to eat it while watching some talent show. He’d set his phone on vibrate, figuring that way the stalker wouldn’t know when Scott called. At eight fifteen on the dot he felt it vibrate and hurried out to the hall before answering.

 

“He called,” Corey said the moment he knew it was Scott on the other end.

 

“And?”

 

“He threatened to kill you if we met again.”

 

“Good.”

 

“I sort of yelled at him,” Corey admitted, telling Scott what he’d said.

 

Scott chuckled. “Did he reply?”

 

“Yeah. He said I’d know who he was when the time was right.”

 

“Makes you wonder when he thinks that will be. And more to the point, why he thinks you’d actually want him in your life now. Although there’s always the possibility….” Scott paused.

 

“That I’m going to be his last victim. At least in his mind.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Not a happy thought.”

 

“That’s not going to happen, so don’t worry about it.”

 

“You sound pretty certain about that.”

 

“Corey, it’s what I do. Stopping insane killers. Well, among other things.”

 

You Belong to Me - 46

 

 

When Corey walked into Java Jolt, his glance immediately landed on Scott, who was sitting at a table a few yards away. Damn he’s good-looking. Too bad this isn’t for real.

 

He immediately pushed that to the back of his mind. It was real, but not the way he suddenly wished it was. Real dangerous, if the stalker decides to go after him—or me.

 

Going to the table, Corey stopped long enough to say, “I’m going to get coffee. I’ll be right back.”

 

Scott nodded, saying a bit snidely, “It’s good to see you again too.”

 

“Sorry. I’m just nervous,” Cory told him, playing the role he knew was expected of him at this point.

 

“No need to be. Go get your coffee, or java, considering where we are.” Scott grinned a bit. “I won’t run away.”

 

Corey did, came back, and sat down opposite him. “It’s been a long time. You look… good.”

 

For the next few minutes they continued the charade, seemingly easing into a bit of the camaraderie they supposedly had before they separated. As they talked, Corey realized Scott had picked the table because it gave him a good view of the shop and the people there.

 

Leaning forward, resting his arms on the table, Corey said quietly, “Do you see anyone who could be him?”

 

“I missed you too,” Scott replied just loud enough to be heard if anyone nearby was listening. “No,” he said sotto voce. “Well, no one who stands out anyway.”

 

Leaning back a bit, Corey nodded. “Just because we did, we do… umm….”

 

Scott chuckled. “I know. It doesn’t mean we’re going to try to start over again. Still, I was thinking, if you’re free Saturday night, maybe we could go out to dinner at The Corner, for old time’s sake.”

 

“Maybe,” Corey replied hesitantly.

 

“Please? I promise to behave.”

 

With a grin, Corey said, “A whole new you?”

 

“Well….” Scott’s lips quirked up. “Still, if you are free… I mean, if you’re not seeing someone now.”

 

“I’m not, so what the hell. Sure. What time?”

 

“Around eight? Or better yet, I’ll pick you up. Say at seven thirty?”

 

Corey nodded. “Okay.”

 

“It might help if I had your address.”

 

“No kidding.” Corey wrote it down on a napkin, giving it to him. “Now, I suppose we should call it a night? I do have to work in the morning.” Corey realized how inane that probably sounded as soon as he said it. After all, it was only seven-fifteen. Thankfully Scott agreed, replying that he did as well.

 

They walked to the door together, putting on their jackets as they went. When they were out on the sidewalk, Scott said softly, “I’ll call you in an hour, just to touch base as me, not Reed.”

 

Corey remained quiet, other than to say with barely moving lips, “I’ll go out into the hall to take it.” Then they went their separate ways.