You Belong to Me – 72

 

 

“I feel sorry for Silas,” Corey said as they drove away from Jenn’s house. “Can you imagine having a brother like Travis?”

 

Scott shook his head. “If he’s your stalker—no.”

 

“You have your doubts?” Corey asked.

 

“Not really, but until he’s caught, nothing is written in stone.”

 

“True, I suppose.”

 

“So, my young charge, what do you want to do now? Head home?”

 

Corey scowled. “I want to whap you for the ‘young’ part of that. And do not tell me being four years your junior makes me young.”

 

“Hey, you’re the one who called me an old man, if I remember rightly.”

 

“Yeah, I guess I did. Anyway, in answer to your question, I really don’t want to go back to my place yet.”

 

“You think he might have left you another gift? He seems to get off on that, and he hasn’t called you recently.”

 

Corey nodded. “That and also because I’d go crazy waiting for the other shoe to drop if he didn’t.”

 

“I could stay with you.”

 

“Not a good idea.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“For one, it would only ramp up a different kind of tension.”

 

Scott smiled. “And that’s bad why?”

 

“Nothing could come of it because…. Well—” Corey chewed his bottom lip.  “—I’m not into voyeurism and you know he’d be listening and that would kill anything that could happen, which it wouldn’t because we’re not to that place yet and we might never be and….” Corey ran out of steam at that point.

 

Reaching across the console, Scott rested his hand on Corey’s thigh. “Believe it or not, I understood all of that, as disjointed as it was. I agree with you. So, how about we hit up The Scene?”

 

After a moment’s thought, Corey nodded.

 

 

 

You Belong to Me – 71

 

“Yes. His brother's a year older than Silas and, according to him, he’s egotistical, domineering, and sort of… well, as he put it, he can be a ‘whack job’ at times.”

 

“I take it he lives here in the city,” Darin said. “What’s his name?”

 

“Travis Harford, and, yeah, he lives here.”

 

Scott rapped his knuckles together. “Now the question is, where did he see you, Corey, and why has he fixated on you?”

 

“You’re asking me?”

 

“No, the wall,” Scott replied with a bit of a grin.

 

“Corey, guys, come look at this,” Jenn said, breaking into their conversation.

 

They all went over. Corey nodded. “Definitely could be Silas, except for the nose, but,” he told her, “we found out he’s been at work all day. He has a brother, though. No clue about his hair. It wasn’t something I could logically fit into the conversation.”

 

Darin told Jenn, “I need a couple of copies of this, please. Then I’ll do a search for information on Travis Harford and run wants and warrants on him. Hopefully something will show up. You”—he looked at Corey—“are to go nowhere without Scott around.”

 

Scott grinned and Corey cocked an eyebrow, replying, “Nowhere?”

 

“Okay.” Darin chuckled. “Nowhere outside of your apartment, and he’s to check it thoroughly when he drops you off. I want Travis Harford so angry that you and Scott seem to be inseparable now that he makes a mistake. One that allows us to catch him.”

 

“I think he’d go after Scott before me,” Corey pointed out.

 

“And that will be his biggest mistake,” Scott said adamantly.

You Belong to Me – 70

 

The three men moved to the side of the room so as not to disturb her.

 

“With shorter hair than in the sketch, I’d say it was definitely him if it weren’t for the nose,” Corey told the others.

 

Darin nodded. “Do you know if he has a brother?”

 

“No clue,” Corey replied. He frowned, staring off into space momentarily. Then he took out his phone and made a call. When he hung up, he looked at the others. “I thought of something, and I was right. Silas works part-time, covering for either me, Archie, or Rob on one of our two days off. He’s at the shelter today, and according to Archie, he didn’t leave, even for lunch. He usually brown bags it.”

 

“This Archie is certain Silas has been there all day?” Darin asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then whoever broke in here wasn’t him. Is there anyone you can ask about his family? Primarily an older or younger brother?”

 

“Other than Silas himself? No. It’s an ironclad rule that all personal information and files are kept private. We’re not even allowed to give out an employee’s phone number or address if we know it.”

 

“Most businesses have rules like that,” Scott said. “For the safety of the employees. It’s possible that Mr. Zimmer, who runs the place, might give you that information, Darin.”

 

“Perhaps, if I came up with a reasonable excuse for wanting it. Even then he might insist on a subpoena.”

 

“Hang on.” Corey took out his phone again. When he reached the shelter, he asked if Silas was available. “Hey,” he said a moment later, “it’s me, Corey. I have a weird question. I was out running errands today, and I could have sworn I saw you, but obviously it couldn’t have been.” He laughed lightly, asking, “Do you have a doppelganger?” He listened to the reply, then said, “You’ve never mentioned him.” After another pause, he nodded. “I feel that way about my brothers sometimes. … Yeah, two of them, both older. Thank God they live hundreds of miles from here.” He smiled a bit at Silas’s reply. “Sorry to have bothered you. I knew it couldn’t have been you I saw, and it was driving me crazy. See you at work on Wednesday.”

 

“So he does have a brother,” Scott said when Corey hung up.

 

You Belong to Me – 69

 

 

“He came in the back door and left the same way. It was jimmied, which probably means he was in a hurry. Ms. Stewart”—Darin shot her a dour look—“apparently didn’t set the alarm.”

 

“In my defense I was just going around the corner. I knew I’d be back in fifteen minutes or less, which I was.”

 

“Somehow he figured out Scott came here for more than just to buy one of your paintings,” Corey said. “Perhaps the stalker saw you looking at him at the restaurant, Scott. So he followed you here and could have been watching from outside. He saw the two of you talking and,” he glanced at Jenn, “you sketching. If he figured out why, which he must have, he would have wanted the drawings and”—he spread his hands—“I think you’re lucky you left, knowing him.”

 

Jenn nodded sharply. “I suspect you’re right. At least he didn’t get them all. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you the one he missed.”

 

When they got to the studio, they saw the remaining drawing on the worktable.

 

Corey hissed in a breath.

 

“You know him?” Scott asked, although it was obvious Corey did.

 

“That looks like Silas. He works part-time at the shelter.” Resting his hands on the table, he stared at the picture. “He’s never shown any interest in me. As a matter of fact, I thought from the few times we’ve talked that he had a girlfriend.”

 

Scott tried to remember if he’d ever seen Silas at the shelter. He hadn’t to the best of his recollection. “That would be a good cover—the girlfriend thing. You’re absolutely certain it’s him?”

 

“Well… as certain as I can be, considering the hair’s wrong and….” Corey tapped his lip. “There should be a bend here,” he said, touching the nose on the drawing. “Like he broke it sometime.”

 

“How does he wear his hair?” Jenn asked.

 

“Shorter. Almost as short as mine. What you have here…. The hair in the sketch is too long,”

 

“All right. This was just one of several with different hairstyles I came up with.” Jenn looked at Scott. “You didn’t notice a broken nose, I take it.”

 

“No, and as thin as his nose is, it would have been fairly distinctive, I think.”

 

         “Give me a few minutes to play around with the hair, and then you can take another look.”

 

You Belong to Me – 68

 

 

They continued to walk for the next half hour, then returned to Corey’s building. As planned, Scott opened the trunk of his car and they pretended to look at the painting he’d supposedly bought, in case the stalker was somewhere, watching them.

 

“Now what do we do to kill a couple of hours before we go to her place?” Corey asked after suitably praising the nonexistent picture.

 

Scott grinned wickedly. “Get to know each other better.” Before Corey could tell him he was out of his mind, which it looked as if he was going to, Scott said, “Just kidding. Let me call her and see if we can go over there right now.”

 

He frowned when his call wasn’t answered, hung up, and tried again in case he’d dialed wrong. Again, no answer.

 

“What’s wrong?” Corey asked worriedly.

 

“Jenn said she was going to be home all day.”

 

 “You don’t think…?”

 

“Get in the car,” Scott practically ordered, slamming the trunk closed.

 

A minute later they were on the road. Scott had to force himself not to break the speed limits on the way to Jenn’s house. They were almost there when his phone rang. Slowing down, he answered it, heaving a sigh of relief when Jenn asked why he’d called. He said they were on their way over and he’d explain when they got there.

 

When they arrived at Jenn’s home, the first thing Scott noticed was an unmarked police car sitting in her driveway. “This doesn’t bode well,” he muttered, parking and getting out. With Corey right on his heels, they went onto her porch. Before he could ring the bell, the door opened to reveal a pleasant-looking woman dressed in sweats. As soon as they were inside, he saw Detective Foster standing in the living room.

 

“Okay, Jenn, what’s going on?”

 

She smiled slightly. “Apparently someone likes my work. Especially the pictures I was doing for you. In fact, only those ones.”

 

“Stolen?” Scott asked angrily.

 

“Yes, all but one. I left them out on my drawing table. I think whoever took them was in a hurry because I found one under the table. It must have fallen when he was gathering them up, and he didn’t notice.”

 

“Why did you call Darin instead of me?”

 

“Because I know you’re working undercover, which is why you came here in the first place rather than our meeting at the station house.”

 

Scott glanced at Darin, asking, “Anything?”

You Belong to Me – 67

 

“Shall we continue our walk?” Scott asked.

 

“Only if you start behaving.”

 

“I was behaving. I was behaving like I’m with a man who interests me more than a little.”

 

Needing desperately to change the subject, because he wasn’t yet ready to deal with what Scott had said, Corey asked, “Did you meet with what’s her name? The artist?”

 

“That was out of the blue. I did. Her name is Jenn Stuart, and she’ll have a finished drawing by late this afternoon. Or drawings. She wanted to put together several different versions, with possible hairstyles and with or without facial hair.”

 

“In case he’s been hanging around the shelter?”

 

“Yeah, or at one of the clubs.”

 

“That makes sense. Is it okay if I come with you to see them? I don’t want to wait until you get copies to bring back for me to look at.”

 

“I’ll call and ask.” He phoned and told Corey after hanging up, “She’s fine with that and said we can come by in a couple of hours, when she’s finished. We did this at her place as I can’t be connected to the police station. Especially since your stalker is obviously following me now. At least he did last night.”

 

“What if he finds out she’s a police artist?”

 

“She’s a professional artist with a studio at her house.” Scott smiled mischievously. “The fact she does contract work with the department is something I’m totally unaware of. I visited her this morning to buy one of her pieces. It’s now residing, well wrapped, in the trunk of my car. When we go there, we’ll make it known you came along because you liked what I bought and might be considering purchasing something.”

 

Corey nodded. “Then you’d better remember to show it to me when we get back to my place.”

 

“Of course. And you’ll ooh and ah over it.”

 

Snorting, Corey told him, “I don’t do ‘ooh and ah.’”

 

“Okay, then, the masculine equivalent thereof.”

 

“That I can manage.”

 

 

 

You Belong to Me – 66

 

 

When lunch was finished and dishes done, Scott and Corey decided a walk was in order. “To work off a damned good meal,” as Scott put it for the stalker to hear. “And to show you a picture I bought. I have a feeling you’ll like it.”

 

“A picture?”

 

“Yeah, you’ll see. It’s in the trunk of my car.”

 

“I think I was getting writer’s cramps,” Corey grumbled once they were outside.

 

Scott laughed. “At least we had a way to communicate. I’d be willing to bet he thought we were making out when we paused to write.”

 

“Putting you in more danger than you already are. Speaking of which, how, or more like where, did you find that picture he left you?”

 

“Seems like he followed me back to the apartment I’m using. It was under my door this morning.”

 

Corey looked at him askance. “Seems like he followed you? Did you let him?”

 

“Let’s just say I drove straight there after dropping you off last night. I didn’t try to avoid being followed. Before you ask, I didn’t spot him, which means he knows what he’s doing.”

 

“Since he’s managed to break into my place more than once, even after I got the security system, I’d say that’s a given. I wish I knew if he’s watching us now.”

 

“It’s a good possibility.” Scott put one arm around Corey’s waist. “So, let’s entertain him, as it were.”

 

“By?” Corey got the answer seconds later when Scott kissed him. He didn’t know whether to be shocked because he did it so publicly, or elated that he was kissing him in the first place. Either way, he gave back as good as he was getting.

 

“Was that for show?” Scott asked when they broke apart.

 

“You tell me. You started it.”

 

Scott smiled. “I said I wanted to kiss you again. So yeah, maybe it was a bit to irritate your stalker, but mostly it was because I had to find out if you’d kiss me back for real or break it off fast.”

 

“I almost… for a second.” Corey waved one arm around to encompass the fact there were people around.

 

“But you didn’t. And as far as I can tell, no one seems to have given a damn.” He snorted softly. “Of course in this city we are, if not the norm, at least not… un-normal?”

 

“True, I guess.”

 

“Corey, you know it’s true. And…. Okay, I’m not going to lecture you again.”

 

“Thanks,” Corey replied with relief. He had to admit he wasn’t as upset by what had just happened as he would have been even a week earlier. Still, he wasn’t nearly ready to go public that he was gay. Or more public than Scott just forced on me. He shot him an irritated look, grimacing when Scott grinned in return.

 

You Belong to Me – 65

 

 

Scott set the table, then came back, handing Corey his reply to his question. I want to do it again.

 

Corey grabbed the pen from him and wrote Me too.

 

Hoped you would, Scott wrote. Then he added, grinning, Silent seduction? followed by a smiley face.

 

You’re crazy, Corey scribbled.

 

Scott’s reply was to give him a swift kiss before going back to the table.

 

Corey got the message. “I think we can eat now.” He put the rice he’d made in one bowl and the stir-fry in another, taking them both to the table.

 

Scott looked at the bowls, then up at Corey. “Do I dish this out with my fingers?”

 

“You’re the one who put out the silverware,” Corey grumbled, going to get serving spoons. After he stuck one in each bowl, he sat down.

 

“This is good,” Scott told him a few minutes later. “I wish….”

 

“Umm?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“What, Reed?” Corey had almost said “Scott,” but caught himself just in time.

 

“I miss your cooking. But then….” After a moment’s hesitation, Scott said softly. “I miss you.”

 

“It didn’t work,” Corey replied, playing his role.

 

“We could try again. Maybe this time it would?”

 

“Maybe….” Corey said slowly. “We can think about it.”

 

“Thinking is good.”

 

Grabbing the pad of paper, Corey wrote: Let’s not overdo it.

 

Scott nodded and went back to eating.

You Belong to Me – 64

 

 

Corey nodded, intending to play out their ruse by pretending Scott was doing just that. He was beyond shocked when Scott actually kissed him, however briefly.

 

“I’ve missed doing that,” Scott said softly. “Even though right now it’s… well, I can’t say for the wrong reasons, but…”

 

Swallowing hard, Corey said, “I… I’ve missed… well, you know.”

 

“Got it.” Scott chuckled. “So give me a few minutes to assimilate this… message. What are you feeding me, master chef?”

 

“Food?” Corey managed to say.

 

“No kidding. Not sure I’m hungry now, but…”

 

As soon as they were in the kitchen, Scott mouthed, “Paper, pen?” When Corey handed them to him, Scott wrote: Buttons pushed, grinning a bit.

 

I’d say in spades, Corey wrote back. Aloud he said, “Give me a few minutes and this should be ready.”

 

“Smells good, whatever it is.”

 

“Spicy beef stir-fry.” Before going back to the stove, Corey started to write something more, then shook his head.

 

“Need some help?” Scott asked, getting up to join him. Then, barely whispering, he said, “What didn’t you write?”

 

Corey shivered as Scott’s breath brushed his ear. “Why did you…?” he murmured.

 

“Kiss you?” When Corey nodded, Scott whispered, “Not just as part of the act. I wanted to see what it would be like.”

 

“And?”

 

“Pay attention to what you’re doing,” Scott said in a normal tone of voice, chuckling, “or lunch will be charcoal.”

 

“Ugh. Yeah. If you want to help, put out plates and silverware. They’re in there.” He pointed to one of the cupboards and a drawer.

You Belong to Me - 63

 

It was a little after noon when Corey heard the buzzer and stopped what he was doing. He went to press the button to let Scott in after he checked to be certain it was him. He chuckled wryly. Like the stalker’s going to announce his presence that way.

 

The moment he opened the apartment door, he handed Scott a slip of paper while saying, “I thought instead of going out, we’d eat here, Reed.” The note said:

 

Trying to push all his buttons.

 

As Scott read it, Corey continued talking. “I hope you remember what a good cook I am and don’t say no.”

 

Instead of replying, Scott took something from his pocket to give to Corey. “Go with it,” he said, barely above a whisper. “What the hell is this and why was it left at my place?”

 

Corey opened the folded paper, staring in shock at the picture of a mutilated body. Across it was written This is you if you see him again.

 

“Damn, Reed” Corey said.

 

“Yeah, damn. What’s going on, Corey. What haven’t you told me?”

 

Corey sucked in a breath. He wants me to play it like I’ve been keeping the whole stalker thing a secret from him—from ‘Reed.’ “I was afraid… I didn’t want you to worry,” he mumbled in reply.

 

“This picture”—Scott tapped it—“has me more than worried. Tell me.”

 

“I… Reed, there’s… someone is stalking me.”

 

“And you’re just now letting me know? Damn it, Corey. Did you think I’d run if you did?”

 

Corey nodded, then realized the stalker couldn’t see that. “Yes,” he replied.

 

“Don’t you have any faith in me?” Scott said, sounding hurt and pissed.

 

“I should, but after we broke up… And now you’re back… and…”

 

“My poor Corey.” A moment later, Scott said, sounding surprised, “You used to like it when I kissed you. I thought right now you needed one. Hell, after seeing that damned picture, we both did.”

 

Quickly picking up on the fact Scott had supposedly kissed him to console him, Corey replied with a catch in his words, “I do. I do. It’s just… I forgot how good you were at it.”

 

“Then let me remind you again.”

 

You Belong to Me – 62

 

 

“As soon as the sketch is done, let me know. I need to see it.”

 

“Of course I will.” Scott smiled wickedly. “Maybe your 'old flame'—" he tapped his chest, "—will decide to pay you a visit since you don’t work Mondays.”

 

“Is that really a good idea? It could kick the stalker into high gear.”

 

“I think he’s there already, considering his visit to your place earlier today.”

 

Corey nodded in agreement, as much as he disliked that thought. “Then let’s do it.”

 

“And get this damned thing over and done with.”

 

“So you get back to life as you knew it before he came into my life. I’m sure you’d much rather be tracking down drug dealers or whatever.”

 

“Maybe. That depends.”

 

“On what?”

 

Scott winked. “You’ll find out, sooner or later. For now let’s finish dinner. We can actually enjoy it now that he’s come and gone.”

 

“Says you. I’m still wound up.”

 

Reaching over, Scott took his hand. “Take a deep breath.”

 

Corey smiled slightly, looking down at their hands, and did.

 

“Again.”

 

“You want me to hyperventilate?”

 

“Not really. Breathe.”

 

“I’m breathing, I’m breathing.” He chuckled softly. Now I’m tense for a different reason.

 

“Good. Now eat, and then I’ll walk you home.”

* * * *

Scott watched the play of emotions cross Corey’s face when he released his hand. Momentary disappointment mixed with a bit of—if he had to put a name to it, he’d have said desire, then relief when he’d said he’d walk him home.  

 

I probably shouldn’t have done that, taking his hand. But he needs to know I’m here for him. Besides that, if I’m going to be honest with myself, I wanted to touch him. I want to hold him and take away his fear, if only for a little while. When this is over…. When it’s over, we probably will go our separate ways. He’s too afraid of relationships, and I doubt I have a chance in hell of changing that, no matter what I might wish to the contrary.

 

You Belong to Me – 61

 

“What did he look like?”

 

“Average height, fairly slender. I couldn’t see his hair because he was wearing a beanie. Thinnish nose, full lips. Hell, I should get with one of our police artists to work up a sketch.”

 

“Yes. What you described doesn’t ring any bells, but then—” Corey smiled slightly. “—I’d probably do just as badly if I tried.”

 

“You’re not a trained observer. I am,” Scott replied, sounding disgruntled.

 

“You saw him for all of a minute just now and how long at The Corner?”

 

“A couple of minutes maybe. Enough that I realized I’d seen him before when he came in here.”

 

“Why did he even bother to?”

 

“Probably to be certain it was me you were with—again. The windows are steamed up thanks to the cold weather.”

 

Corey checked and saw that he was right. “So he came in, looked, and left as fast as possible.”

 

“That would be my guess. I wonder, if you’d been facing him, if he’d have walked by the table? Probably not, actually, just in case he is someone you know, or saw somewhere.”

 

“At one of the clubs.”

 

“Or the shelter. Let’s not rule out the possibility he’s connected to it, either as an employee or a client.”

 

“If he works there, he’d be taking a chance being here, or at The Corner.”

 

“True, but a client…. Or a pseudo-client. You might recognize him but not remember where from, considering how many men come and go there.”

 

“Yeah, you have a point. When will you get with the artist?”

 

Instead of replying immediately, Scott took out his phone. When he finished talking to whomever, he told Corey, “Tomorrow morning.”