"Hahahaha. You might be right, honey."
However, first... "Rob?"
"Yeh Dylan?"
"They on their way. I promised them pizza. Ok?"
"I better go check we got some, way you two varmits go through them," I said as I got up to go check.
"HEY."
"HAHAHA."
I got up and went to the kitchen, checked the freezer and as luck would have it we had several large loaded platters of sin...IN THE HOUSE."
I got back to the Great Room, signalled it was a go, and the D's cheered...while Rob gave a thumbs up...and we waited.
About twenty minutes came and went, and then the bell rang and Drew jumped up and went for it. We heard voices and after a minute they came into the Great Room and the twins weren't kidding. These were two...um, uh, hard to describe, LOL. Dressed in snark to the toes, hair about as savagely beaten into submission as it gets without being totally dead, and everything was screaming "LOOK AT ME" while "YOU'RE SO VAIN," by Carly Simon played in my head...as they pranced rather than walked into the room. Heretofore, I thought Drew and Dylan walked funny, but these two...WHEW. What their hips were doing ought to be illegal and should make them prime candidates for an orthopedist AND a chiropractor.
I looked over at Rob and could tell he was having the same reaction as I was. The twins were rolling their eyes at me and I damn near fell off of my chair.
"Hey guys," one of them said...obviously the older one and when I say said, I should have said...whisper/lisped. HAHAHA.
"Hey," we said in return...and I got the fuck out of the room to deal with the pizzas etc...but more to keep from disgracing myself in front of two of the most outrageous dudes I have ever seen, and considering I am on a personal relationship with Dylan and Drew that is indeed saying something.
Dylan came in the kitchen to help, but more like me to keep from laughing hysterically out there I think, and whispered as much to him. He nodded and we did some silent giggling. Good thing Drew is more controlled than any of the rest of us.
Pizzas got made, drinks got gathered, chips and trail mix and fries prepped and we were good to go.
There was nothing backward or dainty about their eating I must say, and that consumed about 40 minutes. Then it was SHOWWWW TIME.
I started. Their names by the way were Courtlandt and Anthony Jay. Yes, Anthony-Jay as in one word and...Oh Kay.
"Hey guys, you know about the murders at your dad's places, right?"
"Yeh, EWWW," Courtlandt wrinkled his nose and it sorta snapped back into place afterward.
"Neither of us were there though," this from Anthony- Jay," and I immediately decided it would be A.J. and if he didn't like that TOUGH.
"Did you know any of the victims?"
"Yeh," both said in unison.
"All of them. They all came to the club a lot and to the restaurants too."
"You work there?"
I thought they were going to collectively have a hissy stroke and pass on immediately, and gee what a loss.
"WORK? HAHAHAHA. Uh no. Dad would never let US work."
"Oh, PEE YEW," I thought but kept it to myself. I wonder if that means NEVER EVER, or just until they mature...which is probably the same thing. LOL.
"Anything strike you as odd about who they were and maybe any suspicions about why them?"
They looked at each other as if wondering if they should or wondering if the other had any ideas.
"Well, I personally think this is some gaybasher. Someone who hates us," A.J. said and it began to be obvious that he was the 'spokesman' for the group.
Well, that confirmed something. I just realized the obvious.
"Us?" Just to confirm for sure.
"Yeh, we are both gay, just like our uncle was...and all the victims SO FAR at least have been too."
"Any and I mean ANY idea about who might be doing this."
Again, they looked at each other. As we learned later, these two were so close in age they might as well have been twins, and extremely close. They didn't look like twins although definitely brothers.
"Doesn't matter if what you think might seem far-fetched or if it is just conjecture. We need leads to go on."
They sat looking at us and each other again for a minute, and then...
"Well, maybe."
"Go ahead."
"There is a guy who comes into the club and I've seen him at the restaurant too, and he just seems snarly."
"Real creep if you ask me."
"Yeh Yeh. Bogus dude to be sure."
"He just creeps me out. Sad though 'cause he is a STONE HOTTIE," Courtlandt said while A.J. nodded in agreement.
"But why do you suspect..."
"He has gotten into a couple of fights with guys at the club. Silly shit, but he has a chip to be sure."
"Do you know who he is?"
"Not by name no, but he comes in a lot and we could point him out. He is young, like us, and GAWJUS, but a total snark creepo."
I looked at Rob, and he nodded.
"Ok, let's spend some time at the club and see if he shows up.'
"Agreed."
Fast forward. About the abuse thing, we did some checking and discovered a dearth of therapists locally. Being near big cities we realized that that had to remain a viable option but would take a lot more time. Drew and Dylan offered to help make calls and after coaching them we agreed to them helping out. Never know, but it was their idea.
In the meantime, we checked out what few leads there were and to be honest, that took all of five minutes. There were none...and then nothing. No more murders or attempts or anything. Zilch. Pffft. For three weeks. It was deadly silence without the dead. Not that we minded but it felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Always uncomfortable and a bit eerie to boot. Stressful. The 'not knowing' is always the worst. Rob and I, the twins, and the Michaelsen brothers went several times to "NIGHT MOVES" but the guy didn't show...and we decided to just keep trying but to also pursue anything else that might come along.
Rob & I kept going into the precinct every day, but after a week or so I really had to get back to MY job at the TV station and did. Felt funny after all that time Rob and I working together at the precinct and I appreciated my bosses letting me run loose so to speak. Course my footloose days had come to an end and I was now a 'kept' perthun. Day and night. No money in it but boy do I get to have company.
Then, after three weeks, Rob, I, and the twins were having a pizza and cokes in our Great Room, and out of the blue Drew says...
"You suppose that the murderer might be being quiet cause he is on vacation, or maybe in jail?"
I looked at Rob and Rob looked at me. "Uh, no." I thought to myself. But how would we tell who he is in the jail population if we don't already know who he is. Maybe in on something that would make it obvious? Like molesting children or something? But, again, more to mull over and explore the possibility of.
Once again, we thanked our hapless helpers and they blushed of course.
Then again, nothing. We went through the inmate roster at the county jail (city doesn't have a jail) but nothing stood out. Questioned a couple of the inmates but nothing turned up to point any fingers.
SO, back to square one but it was a valid point and as we would ultimately discover...
THEN:
on a Saturday night almost a month after the last murder the phone rang. I have come to virtually HATE that relentless monster...between telemarketers and the local precinct, or both....
Rob took the call, and after a minute or two of conversation got up and figuring this was not good news, did the same.
"Another body, Honey."
"OH GOOD. I was getting SO tired of the lack of bodies lately."
"Very funny."
"Not to the body I'm sure."
"No, probably not."
We got our gears shifted and went for the door and we DAMN NEAR MADE IT when a voice from the rear...."NOT SO FAST, HOTSHOTS. WE ARE GOING TOO."
"Uhhhhh."
"Shit," I heard Rob mumble
"Really won't be nec.."
"WE ARE GOING. Now let's get on with it," and so it was the Range Rover Evoque since the Porsche only seats 2 (not counting the trunk and yes I was tempted.)
Here we are at the precinct rearranging the deck chairs on the Poseidon (Titanic already done).
Ry was giving Rob the gist of what he knew so far from the scene where we would be headed next....and the twins? Were we actually going to take Frick and Fucked-up to a crime scene? What if the murderer is still there? Hmmm...
Before I could get too far into that little brainturd, Rob grabbed my arm and away we went so to speak...he in his squad car and me driving Miss Daisy and her two miscreant stepchildren, aka Drew and Drawn or Drawn and Quartered.
It was on the other side of town, at a local pub not exactly notorious for it's high caliber of clientele nor incredible ambiance and I was a bit surprised...until we got there and saw the assemblage.
I had NO idea that this place had an underwear contest on Saturdays once a month FOR MEN, and men's drinks half price. THAT is enough to bring the riff-raff male genitalia in hordes and whores. But for now the contest was over and the winner was dead. LITERALLY.
We found the owner and began to ask questions. Sgt. Barton had checked the I.D. on the victim first thing and it said he was a Douglas Rydell, 6'1", 152#, Blonde and hazel eyed (guy sure likes blondes or blondish) and the pic on the drivers license showed a 25yo good looking guy. Again, MOST of the victims have been in their 20's, gay, and at least on the verge of HAWT. We didn't know if that played a part in their selection, but...seemed more than coincidence. All of it.
"Did you know him?"
"Yes."
"Local?"
"Yes."
"Regular here?"
"Yes."
"Always alone or with others."
"Sometimes alone but often with other of his gay friends."
DING DING DING.
I saw the twins BRIGHTEN, and was afraid to wonder why.
"Was he gay? Is that your feeling?"
"OMG yes. Very much so."
"Do you know if he ever frequented 'NIGHT MOVES?'"
"Some I'm sure. All the gays in town do pretty much."
"Did he have a lover?" This from Drew.
"I don't think so at the moment. He and his partner broke up a while back."
"Amiably or not?" Drew again.
"Amiably. They often still come in together or are here at the same time and always seem to get on ok. Besides his ex is a real pussycat. No way he would or could have done this."
"Who found the body?"
"Another customer, guy name of Brian...over there," and he pointed to a guy standing a few feet away.
"Thanks," and I headed over that way while the rest of my posse finished with Buddy, the owner.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"I'm Dylan."
"Yes I know. I recognize you from TV."
I blushed.
"Thanks. Can I ask you a few questions?"
"Sure."
"Where did you find the body and how long ago?"
"In a stall in the men's room...and about 25 minutes ago."
"Was he fully dressed?"
I hadn't seen the body yet so didn't know what the condition of it was.
"No, he had a shirt on but nothing else. He had been decapitated and castrated."
Good Lord, the pattern continues
"Sorry about that."
"Yeh, pretty gruesome but I am a butcher so am used to blood and gore."
"Animal at least, unless your butcher shop specializes in humans."
"Hah. No."
Rob and the posse arrived, I clued him in, and he continued where I had left off and I set off to talk up some of the other patrons still here, and see what I might dig up. I may not be a cop, but as a reporter I can do a pretty good imitation, thank you.
"Excuse me," as I felt a tug at my arm. I looked down (and yes he was that short).
"Sure."
"What happened? I mean I know someone was murdered but HERE? This never happens here,"and I noticed he was shaking a bit. Poor kid. Looked BARELY 21, if that, but I suppose he had to be...drinking age and all, and obviously a bit of a novice when it comes to dead bodies.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB.
"Yes it was a murder and we are just starting to investigate so there isn't much I can tell you yet."
"You're not a cop are you."
"No, I am a reporter for the local TV station but the head investigator on the case is my 'friend.'"
"OH, KEWL," he brightened...and yes it is, sometimes...espcially when he doesn't bring his work home with him (dead bodies you know).
"I enjoy your reporting."
"Thanks."
Suddenly I thought, he is flirting with me, at a crime scene, and didn't he hear my mention my FRIEND is the lead investigator?"
Wait. Ummm...and that makes us sound like a couple and, well...
Right about then Rob walked up and don't tell me why I think this but I think he caught on immediately as he took one look at the kid standing perhaps a bit too close to me, grabbed my arm saying excuse us please in the process, and away we went.
I almost popped a girdle snap. He IS jealous. Oh mercy. Ok, maybe that is a stretch...
sigh, wish I knew.
TEAMWORK.
CONTINUE TO CHAPTER XI
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