A gay story: The Way You Say My Name Ch. 13 The narrow, white frame-house was nice enough, Dillon supposed, but there was something about this whole thing that just didn’t feel right. Ben had a sister? If that was true, then why hadn’t Ben ever mentioned her to Jamie before? And where did Mitchell Harding fit into all this?
Jamie seemed to be having his own reservations, if his hesitancy to open the gate of the chain-link fence surrounding the property was any indication.
Dillon put his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “We don’t have to do this, you know. We can always get back in the car and just go.”
Jamie shook his head. “I have to at least hear what this woman has to say.”
Dillon nodded, but didn’t say anything as he watched Jamie open the gate. He couldn’t say he understood, exactly, but this was Jamie’s call, and Dillon was either gonna support him in this or die trying.
Jamie pushed the gate open and walked up the cracked sidewalk, Dillon following directly behind. After a moment’s pause, Jamie stepped up onto the two-step stoop and rang the bell.
Dillon did a double take when he saw the woman who answered the door. Though she was obviously older than Ben, there was no doubt this lady was his sister. She was shorter than her brother, maybe five-four, five-five, but the similarities were undeniable. Same inky-black hair– though hers was worn in a pixie-like bob–same chocolate brown eyes. But unlike the warmth Dillon had seen in Ben’s eyes every time they rested on Jamie, this lady’s eyes held nothing but distrust, maybe even a hint of contempt. Nevertheless, she opened the door a little bit wider and allowed them entrance.
“I’m Lily Harding. You’re James Walker, Ben’s friend?”
Jamie stuck out his hand. “That’s right. And this is my partner, Dillon Carver.”
She shook his hand, but raised her brows. “Partner? Ain’t you a little young to be a cop?”
Jamie shook his head. “I’m not. Not a cop, I mean.” Dillon could tell that Jamie was getting flustered. He always stammered a little bit when he got upset. Dillon reached for Jamie’s left hand at the same time as Jamie said, “When I say that Dillon is my partner, I mean we’re together. He’s my boyfriend.”
Lily looked down at their joined hands and snorted. “Fags. I should’ a known, you being friends of Ben’s and all. It figures.”
Dillon started to say something, but Jamie stopped him with a shake of the head. Turning back to Lily, Jamie said, “I take it you didn’t like the fact that Ben was gay.”
Lily sighed and led them into the box-shaped living room. “You might as well sit.” She waited while Jamie and
Dillon got settled on a slip-covered sofa and then took a seat herself on a nearby recliner. Facing them with more than a little animosity, she said, “To answer your question, no I ain’t happy that Ben thought he was a homo, but I can see why he believed he was, after what Burke forced him to do.” She curled her heavily painted lips. “Fucking guys for money from age thirteen on. I mean, it’d been okay if he’d been fucking girls or something, but guys humping guys just ain’t natural. It’s no wonder Ben thought he was queer. Thank God Mitch knows the score. He knows he ain’t bent.”
Dillon couldn’t remember ever wanting to get out of a place any worse than he did this one. Jamie showed no signs of budging, though. He leaned forward and said, “Look, Ms. Harding, I really need to speak with Mitchell. If you could just tell me how to get in touch with him–”
“I ain’t heard from Mitch in three days. He gave the cops my name and address when Burke bit the big one, but he ain’t been around. Don’t have no use for me, I guess. Some brother he is, huh?”
Brother? That’s when Dillon spoke up. “Wait a minute. I thought Mitchell was you husband. You mean he’s your brother, too? Ben’s brother?”
Lilly gave Dillon a look that suggested she didn’t find him especially bright. “That’s what I just said, ain’t it? Half-brother, though. Me, Ben, and Mitch all had the same mama, but God knows who our daddies was. Mama got around, if you know what I mean. Mitch and me, we go by Harding, Mama’s maiden name. Ben’s last name was Lewis, after the guy the old lady was married too for five minutes before the kid was born. Not that her husband was Ben’s daddy. That honor could’ve gone to any one of Mama’s regular johns.” She narrowed her eyes and trained them on Jamie. “You said on the phone somethin’s happened to Ben?”
Dillon could tell that Jamie was searching for the right words, but he really didn’t think Lily Harding was gonna take the news of Ben’s death all that hard. Despite her name, fragile little flower, she wasn’t. Finally, Jamie said, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but Ben was killed.”
The only real show of emotion Lily displayed when informed of her brother’s death was a brief closing of her eyes, and Dillon was pretty sure that particular show of respect was done more for their benefit than in any real display of grief. After a second, she opened them back up and said, “So, what happened to him? One of his fuck buddies whack him or what?”
Dillon could see how shaken Jamie was by Lily’s reaction, but he was proud of the way Jamie managed to hide it. “The working theory is that Ben was killed by a drunk driver.”
“And you ain’t buying it?”
Jamie returned Lily’s stare, keeping his gaze level. “No, I’m not. That’s why I wanted to talk to Mitchell. I thought maybe he could help me out. I had no idea Ben and Mitchell were brothers. As far as I knew, Ben didn’t have any family.”
“Yeah, well, I ain’t surprised the ungrateful little bastard never told you about us. I swear, you bust your tail to raise a guy, and then he turns his back on you like you was dirt.”
Jamie leaned forward on the couch. “What do you mean, ‘you raised Ben?’ I thought he was placed into foster care early on.”
Lily shook her head. “Nah. Ben was ten when our old lady snagged herself the wrong john one night and ended up in the morgue instead of the local no-tell-motel. I was twenty, so the state turned Ben over to me. Since Mitch was just twelve, I got saddled with him, too. You don’t know how many times I wished he’d been older so he could have gotten his ass a job and supported us.”
Dillon narrowed his eyes. “So you could be what, a stay-at-home-mom?”
Lily curled her lip. “Hey, I worked. Been turning tricks for years. My old lady, she had enough regular customers to pay the rent. I guess you could say I inherited ‘em when she died. Like I say, though, it paid the rent and nothin’ else. That’s when I found a guy willing to give all three of us a little extra employment, if you know what I mean.”
Dillon had a sick feeling he knew exactly what she meant. “You’re a drug dealer.”
“You could say that, but my old boss, Slick, called us somethin’ else.” She scrunched her brows. “What was that he called us again? Oh yeah. Recreational pharmacists.” Lily giggled. “I always liked the sound of that. I was damn good at it, too. Made more sales than anyone else on Slick’s roll.” Her face darkened. “I would still be doin’ it if Ben hadn’t fucked up right after his eleventh birthday and gotten all our asses busted.”
Jamie looked like he was gonna lose it. Dillon reached over and gave his hand a tight squeeze just as Jamie croaked out, “You’re blaming an eleven year old for getting you busted as a drug dealer?”
Lily shrugged. “Why not? It was his fault. Dumb fuck sold a quarter ounce of blow to an undercover cop, right here in his own damn neighborhood. The cops raided our house and found enough to get me for felony possession. I went to jail, and Mitch and Ben went to a boy’s home. More than one, in fact. From what I heard, every time the state placed ‘em, they did something stupid and got sent to another home. It figures. Neither one of my brothers was overly blessed in the brain department.”
Dillon heard Jamie mutter something to the effect of, “Yeah, right, like you’ve got so many brains it hurts.” When Lily turned to him and said, “What did you say,” Jamie looked her dead in the eye and came out with, “I said, how did they end up with Burke?”
“Oh, that. When Ben was thirteen and Mitch was fifteen, Burke got a couple of openings at his place. Burke only took boys. Said with him being a single guy and all, it was easier to relate. That was so much bullshit. Everybody knew that he was pimpin’ his boys out, but nobody could do or prove a damn thing.” She threw up her hands. “But whatcha gonna do, right? I mean, I was still in the slammer with two years to go on my sentence. Ben and Mitch started to work for the guy, and I served my time. Just as I finished up my stint, Ben ran off from Burke’s place and was put with that bitch over in Reed. Mitch, he stayed with Burke, but he swore it was just for the money, and I believed him. At least, I did at the time. I mean, why else would he keep whoring for Burke, even after he turned eighteen? Hell, Mitch was still living in Burke’s house when the guy got wasted.”
One thing in Lily’s last statement made Dillon more than a little bit curious. “Why did you call Ben’s foster mother over in Reed a bitch?”
Lily stretched her legs out in front of herself and crossed her ankles. “Because she was, that’s why. When I got out a jail, I went straight to Reed to see my brother. It took some doing, but I was able to hunt him down. At first the bitch wouldn’t even let me in to see him. Like I need her to tell me when I can see my own flesh and blood. Ben finally came outside and told her it was okay, that he was gonna talk to me.” She pursed her lips. “A fat lot of good it did. Witch had him brainwashed, already. Little bastard told me he was queer, and that he wanted to stay where he was instead of comin’ back with me. Said he felt accepted.” She snorted again. “Like I didn’t accept him. Give me a break. Anyway, that’s when I slapped his face. I only wanted to knock some sense into him, but that old bitch–that Nora lady–came running out onto the porch. Threatened to call the cops if I ever came back. That’s when Ben told me he never wanted to see me again.” Lily slapped her fist against her chest. “That hurt, ya know? After everything I did for him. All I wanted was to have him back in my life.”
Jamie gave her a look of pure disgust. “Oh yeah. And the money the state would have paid you for taking care of him again meant nothing to you.”
Lily chose to ignore that. Or maybe she just didn’t have sense enough to know when she was being insulted. Dillon wasn’t sure which. He only knew he had to get Jamie out of there. He also knew there were a few more questions that had to be answered before Jamie would be satisfied enough to leave. Dillon said, “So what about Mitchell? You say he refused to leave Burke’s and come to stay with you?”
The look of self-pity on Lily’s face was nauseating. “Yes. That cock sucker chose to stay with Burke. Swore he couldn’t leave, but never would tell me why, outside of saying the money was too good to pass up. And he did send a good chunk of that cash to me every month. Enough so’s I was able to quit working and buy this house.” She actually smiled over that one. “And since I knew Mitch wasn’t really a fag, just gay-for-pay, me and him was cool. He helped me out with my, uh . . . expenses, and I didn’t ask no questions. All that changed a few days ago, though. The minute Burke died, it was like Mitch just disappeared. He gave the cops my number, but I ain’t heard from him ‘cept once or twice, and then only by phone. Like I told you, the last time he called was three days ago. He said that he was gonna take some time away from here now that Burke was dead. I ain’t heard from him, and I ain’t got no way to get in touch with him.” Lily lowered her voice and leaned forward. “I bought his excuse about staying with Burke for the money at the time, but the way Mitch’s acted since Burke died has me wondering if maybe that was all a batch of lies. I’m startin’ to think Burke was holding something over Mitch’s head. Something to force Mitch to keep turning tricks for him. From what I hear, Mitch was pretty damn popular. Neither Burke nor that partner of his would want to lose the money Mitch was pulling in.”
Jamie increased the pressure on Dillon’s hand. “Burke had a partner? You mean a boyfriend? A lover?”
“Nah. Burke might’ve made a living off teenage boys, but he didn’t screw ‘em. Burke was straight. In fact, I heard he had a thing for girls. Young ones, like fifteen or sixteen.”
Dillon shivered. And people like his folks had the nerve to call him and Jamie perverts for being gay. Doug and Angela Carver had never even seen a real pervert. Dillon felt dirty just hearing all that stuff about Burke. He wanted to get out, and get out fast. But first, one more question. “What did you mean by Burke’s partner, then?”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Just what I said. Burke had a partner, as in a business partner. You know, a guy who got him customers and helped him run his boys. I don’t think the two of them were in cahoots anymore, though. Last I heard, Burke was trying to cut the other guy out, but I never heard why.” Lily pointed one long finger in Dillon and Jamie’s general direction. “If you ask me, he’s the guy who popped Burke. Yep, Burke’s partner is the one the cops should be lookin’ for.”
#
Dillon didn’t say much on the way back to the hotel, nor did he speak more than a few words during checkout, something Jamie was grateful for. His head was still spinning from Lily’s revelations, not to mention the fact that there even was a Lily. How could Ben have had an entire family without Jamie ever even knowing? Obviously Nora had known about Lily, and Jamie was guessing she’d known about Mitchell as well. Why hadn’t Nora said anything to him? And what about Brandon? He’d read Ben’s file. Did Bran know about Ben’s family as well? Jamie felt like the whole world was keeping secrets. The question then became, how to get to the bottom of those secrets without exposing his own.
The silence between Dillon and Jamie continued until they were about five miles from the Reed city limits. Finally, and without taking his eyes off the road, Dillon said, “If you don’t get whatever it is you’re thinking about off your chest, it’s gonna eat you alive.”
Jamie sagged within the confines of his seatbelt and placed his head in his hands. “I know, but I’m not sure what to say. My head is still spinning. I mean, I can understand why Ben never told me about Lily. If I had a sister like her, I’d want to forget she existed, too. But what about Mitchell? Why didn’t Ben ever mention his brother?”
Dillon shrugged. “Maybe Mitch is as bad as Lily. Maybe Ben just wanted to make a fresh start when he came to Reed. No family, nothing.”
Jamie had thought about that, too, but something Lily said told him otherwise. “Lily said she felt like Burke was holding something over Mitchell’s head, something that made him keep turning tricks.”
Dillon caught on. “You think Mitch was the one who cut off ties with Ben? Because of whatever it was Burke had on him?”
“Yeah. I can’t say for sure why I feel that way, I just know that I do.”
They’d reached the town proper, but instead of turning right to go towards Aunt Sadie’s, Dillon hung a left. Jamie looked at him with mild surprise. “Where are you going?”
“If you’re right, and Nora did know about Mitch, she might be able to tell us something about his relationship with Ben.”
“That’s a pretty big ‘if,’ Dillon. Especially since Nora didn’t bother to mention Mitch or Lily when she told us about Ben’s will.”
Dillon didn’t waver from his course. “It’s up to you, but I say we have nothing left to lose. We gave Lily our numbers and told her to ask Mitch to call us. That doesn’t mean she will, though, and you know it. Short of tracking Mitch down, I’d say Nora is our best bet.”
Jamie didn’t argue. Though he doubted Nora would be able–or willing–to tell them anything, Dillon was right in saying they had nothing to lose.
The drive to Nora’s was brief, and before Jamie knew it, Dillon was angling the Lumina into the gravel drive in front of Nora’s house, an old, rambling farmhouse more suited to a large family than a single woman. A lump rose in Jamie’s throat as he made his way out of the car and towards the house. Nora’s was the only real home Ben had ever known. Jamie owed her for making the last years of Ben’s life bearable. For that reason alone, Jamie was loath to cause her any more pain. But for some unknown reason, Jamie was certain Ben’s brother held the key to finding out about the remaining money. And if Nora knew something that might help them, Jamie had to know.
Jamie was surprised to see the front porch littered with empty packing boxes, and, from the look on Dillon’s face, it came as a surprise to him, too. Jamie raised his hand to knock, only to have the door swing open under his hand. Giving it a nudge, he called out, “Hello?” and stepped inside.
Nora was standing in the middle of the living room wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a stained, short-sleeved t-shirt. Her long, dark hair was covered with a cheerful blue bandana, and she was surrounded by more packing boxes, each one filled to the brim with books, knick-knacks, and the like. She turned and smiled at them as they came in.
“Well, hey there, you two. Come on in.” Nora wiped at a smudge of dust on her nose and indicated a pair of straight-back chairs sitting off to the side. “Good thing the movers aren’t here yet. I was gonna have them load those chairs first thing.” Jamie started towards one of the chairs but then hesitated. Nora saw his reluctance and gave him an encouraging nod. “It’s okay. Just ignore the mess and have a seat.” Nora waited until Jamie and Dillon were both seated before plopping down on a nearby stool. “Now, tell me all about your visit with Lily.”
Jamie could feel the blood leaching out of his face. He looked to Dillon and saw an exact mirror of his own surprise. Clearing his throat, Jamie said, “You know about that?”
If Nora was upset, she hid it well. “You bet your buns I do. Lily Harding called here not an hour ago, ranting and raving about her poor, dead brother and how she never even had a chance to say good-bye.” Nora crossed her work-boot clad ankles and curled her lips. “Like she’d really have come to Ben’s memorial. The only thing Ben and Mitch ever were to that woman was a meal ticket.”
So she did know about Mitch. Jamie was searching for a way to broach that very subject when Nora beat him to it. “Now, what’s this I hear about the two of you looking for Mitch?”
Dillon glanced at Jamie before saying, “Lily told you about that, too?”
Nora crossed her arms over her chest. “Uh huh. She said something about you wanting to squeeze Mitch for information, but she never gave any indication what it was you were looking for. What I want to know is, what kind of information are you after, and why?”
Jamie thought back to the lie Megan had spun for Detective Kilgore in Chicago. It seemed like as good an excuse as any. “I guess I just wanted to put together a more complete picture of Ben’s life, Nora. You know, his life before he came to Reed. I thought the more I knew about him, the better able I would be to let him go. I’d hoped maybe his friends and family could tell me a little bit more about him.”
For a full minute, Nora studied him as if she was gauging the truth in his statement. Jamie was just starting to sweat when Nora’s expression shifted from one of suspicion to one of pity. “Jamie, Ben’s life before he came here was a living hell. Nothing you find out about Ben’s early years is going to help you get over his death. That kind of thing takes time, and time alone.” Nora narrowed her eyes. “And as for that no account family of his, I don’t imagine either Mitch or Lily could come up with a kind word between them. Not for Ben, in any case.”
Jamie nodded. “I gathered as much with Lily. I mean, she told us about going to jail and all, and about coming here to Reed to see Ben when she got out.” Jamie stared down at an imaginary speck of lint on his pants leg and did his best to keep his tone casual. “The one thing Lily didn’t say anything about, though, was Ben’s relationship with his brother.”
“That’s because there was no relationship. Not since Ben came to Reed, anyway.” Nora sighed. “Poor Ben tried for weeks after he came here to get in touch with his brother, but Mitch refused all of Ben’s calls and letters. It was almost like Mitch was determined to cut Ben out of his life.” Nora clicked her tongue. “A real shame, that, especially since I got the feeling the two of them were pretty close at one time.”
Jamie slanted his eyes towards Dillon, giving him a wordless I-told-you-so. Everything Nora just said seemed to confirm Jamie’s suspicions. But what was Jamie supposed to do with the little bit of information he’d managed to gather? He still didn’t know where the rest of the money had come from, and he could hardly go to Brandon with a handful of half-formed theories and twenty-thousand dollars that came from God only knew where. Oh, shit. Brandon.
Jamie took a deep breath. “Uh, Nora, could you do me a favor?”
The genuine affection in Nora’s eyes made Jamie feel even guiltier than he already did. “Sure, honey. I’ll do anything I can for you. You know that.”
Jamie swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Could you, um, not mention my visit with Lily to the sheriff?”
Nora’s gaze sharpened. “Jamie, you’re not in any kind of trouble are you?”
“No, no. Nothing like that. It’s just that Brandon thinks I’m not dealing with Ben’s death all that well. He might, uh, worry, that’s all.” Jamie darted another quick glance in Dillon’s direction, daring him to argue.
Nora must not have seen it. Her voice held a slight quiver when she said. “I won’t tell him, sweetheart, but Brandon’s right when he says you have to move forward. Why do you think I’m selling the house?”
Until that moment, Jamie had been too wrapped up in the mystery surrounding Ben and his family to really comprehend the meaning behind the packing boxes and the misplaced furniture. Nora’s words brought it all home to him with startling clarity. “You’re selling your place? Why?”
Nora gave him a sad half-smile. “Because it’s time. I inherited this house from my first husband, Jack. He was killed in a boating accident not long after we married.” Jamie saw the tears forming in her eyes, but felt powerless to stop them as Nora continued. “I lived here with my second husband, Lyle, for five amazing years.” She took in a ragged breath and blinked away the wetness. “When colon cancer took Lyle from me, I thought seriously about selling, but by that time, the application Lyle and I had filled out together to become foster parents had been approved. I figured I’d just forget about it, but, according to the city of Reed, I was still considered a good choice to be a foster mom, even with Lyle gone. I’d just gotten my real estate license, so I was stable and employed.” Nora shook her head. “I’m sorry to say that with all the kids in the system these days, stable and employed are the two chief requirements. Love seems to have been pushed further down on the list.” The sad smile returned. “But love is the one thing I did have. I was bound and determined to take all the love I had stored in my heart from first Jack and then Lyle and spill it out onto as many foster children as the state would give me.” Nora chuckled. “Then the powers that be sent me Ben, and all those plans for more kids went right out the window.”
Dillon turned in his chair. “Why did taking Ben mean you couldn’t bring in more kids, too?”
“Because, Dillon, Ben was so damaged and hurt he needed all the love and attention I could give him. How could I possibly give him what he needed while trying to do the same thing for other kids?” Nora shook her head. “No. The minute I laid eyes on Ben, trying to look so tough even while he was dying on the inside from the abuse he’d suffered–” Her voice broke. “Anyway, the minute I saw him, I knew he’d be my only one. My only son.” Nora’s tears flowed freely. “I never minded, you know. Ben was all the family I needed. I know he had his faults, but I wouldn’t have traded him for ten kids, even if the other ten were my own blood kin.” Nora yanked at the hem of her shirt, using it to dry her eyes and furthering the smudges of dirt on her face. “But Ben is gone now, guys, and I can’t stay here mourning him forever.” She stood up and brushed herself off. “That’s why I’ve decided to sell. And that’s also why I’ve got to get a move on. The movers I hired will be here for some of the furniture any minute now.”
Jamie and Dillon stood as well, following Nora’s lead. Jamie could understand her reasoning, but Nora was special to him and always would be, mostly because of Ben. Jamie needed to know he wasn’t losing her, too. “You aren’t moving too far away, are you?”
Nora crossed the room in two long-legged strides and wrapped Jamie in a fierce hug. “And leave my second favorite guy in the whole world? Are you kidding?” Nora pulled back and chucked Jamie under the chin. “No way. I bought a condo on the far side of town. I’ll be no more than a ten minute drive away from your Aunt’s house.”
“A condo? You?” Somehow Jamie couldn’t picture free-spirited Nora sitting on a co-op board.
Nora swatted his arm. “Don’t sound so surprised. After years of selling the things, I finally bought one, is all. I can’t say I’m going to live there for the rest of my life, but for now, anyway, I think a condo is just what I’m looking for.”
Dillon stepped up to Jamie’s side. “When will this place go on the market?”
“It isn’t going to.”
Jamie stared at her in confusion. “So you aren’t selling it, then?”
Nora patted his cheek. “It’s already sold, Jamie. A few days ago, a guy came into my office looking for, and I quote, ‘A fixer-upper with plenty of room and a fair price.’” Nora glanced around the living room with its faded floral wallpaper and moth-eaten carpet. “Let’s face it, boys, I love this place, but it’s a fixer-upper if ever I saw one. I think Jack once told me it was wired back in the nineteen-forties. The poor guy who bought this house is going to have to bring it up to code before he and his people can even move in.”
Jamie drew his brows together. “His people? What is he, a rock star?”
Nora laughed. “No, honey. The man who bought it, a guy named Blake Mathis, is going to turn this house into a shelter for victims of domestic violence. His focus is going to be on gay men who’ve been abused by their partners, though he assures me women will be just as welcome.” Nora shook her head as she scanned the room one more time. “I admire what he’s trying to do, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him with this house. And he can’t even get started until I clear all my junk out, which is going to take a few more days. Ben and I used the two downstairs bedrooms, and I do have most of that stuff already boxed up, but I have an entire upstairs to clean out still. Oh, and that reminds me, Jamie, what about Ben’s things?”
It took Jamie a minute to catch on. “You mean the stuff from his room?”
“Yes. He left it all to you. I figured maybe you could pick Ben’s car up one day next week. I know you can’t drive, so I was hoping Dillon could come and get it for you. Maybe your Aunt Sadie or Dillon’s brother could drop him off and then he could drive it to your house. I’d drive it over myself, but I don’t know how to drive a stick shift.” Nora laughed. “My first husband tried to teach me. Total disaster. Since then, I’ve stuck with automatics. Anyway, I’ll load the boxes into the car and you can pick them up all at the same time.”
Jesus, Ben’s stuff. Jamie hadn’t even thought about going through that. He doubted Ben had left any outright evidence of blackmail in his room. If that had been the case, Jamie was almost certain Nora would have found it and turned it over to Bran. That didn’t mean that Ben hadn’t left some clue, though. The trick now was to get to Ben’s things as soon as possible without making Nora suspicious.
“Nora, Dillon and I could load that stuff up in Dillon’s car and take it now. That’ll save you from having to lug it around.”
Dillon must have been following Jamie’s train of thought because he chimed in with, “Yeah, Nora. If you’ll just tell me where it is, I can do that now.”
Nora waved them away, and Jamie’s hopes of going through Ben’s things anytime soon started to fade. “Don’t be silly, boys. It’s no trouble. Besides, none of the boxes are all that heavy. You can drop by sometime around the middle of next week. Oh, you can drive a stick, can’t you Dillon?”
Dillon nodded, and that was it. There was nothing Jamie could say from that point on without letting Nora know something was up. Jamie was simply going to have to wait it out. He only hoped there was something in Ben’s stuff that could help him. Jamie had the strangest feeling he was running out of time, but against what, he couldn’t say.
* * *
The remainder of the weekend passed far more quickly than Jamie would have liked. The change in his relationship with Dillon was amazing, and even with the mystery surrounding Ben’s death and the money, Jamie’s heart was full to bursting with all the love and affection Dillon was sending his way. The two of them spent the rest of Saturday evening together, and would have spent the night together as well if Aunt Sadie had allowed it. Sleeping over in a hotel room some thirty minutes away was one thing, but, according to Sadie, having sex under her roof was another thing entirely. Jamie couldn’t fault her for it. She’d been far more accepting of his relationship with Dillon than most women of her generation would have been. He and Dillon would just have to use their time together as best they could. Dillon had wanted Jamie to go back to Heath’s apartment with him, but since Heath had the night off and Dillon slept on the couch, that was out of the question.
Not being able to spend the night together didn’t affect their waking moments, however. Sunday morning, Dillon surprised Jamie by picking him up and taking him to church. Though the church Jamie normally attended with Sadie didn’t openly condemn homosexual relationships, it still wasn’t the most gay affirming congregation in the world. For that reason, Jamie and Dillon chose to go the First Christian Church with the Nash family, even if it meant running into a less than thrilled Brandon. Thankfully, the butt chewing Jamie expected Brandon to give him turned out to be nothing more than a stern lecture on the merits of minding his own damn business. When the services were over, Jamie mentioned Brandon’s uncharacteristic restraint to Megan only to have her laugh and say, “Yeah, well, that’s because Nate threatened to cut him off for two weeks if he yelled at us.”
Jamie laughed. Like Nate could hold out that long himself. Jamie shook his head. He’d seen the way Nate and Bran looked at each other. Judging from the smoldering glances they exchanged when they thought no one was looking, Jamie was surprised Bran didn’t just bend Nate over the amen pew and have at it right there in church. Jamie understood, though. God knows he was dying to make love with Dillon again. Far from satisfying his hunger, that night in Chicago had only served to fuel Jamie’s need.
Jamie and Dillon did their best to convince Megan to go out to lunch with them after church, but she surprised them both by saying she had a date.
Dillon’s whistle echoed through the church foyer where the three of them stood. “Heath’s gonna freak when he finds out.”
Megan grinned, her blush matching the pretty pink color of her lace-trimmed Sunday dress. “He already knows.”
It was Jamie’s turn to whistle. “How did he take it?”
Megan laughed. “He was relieved. When Heath first asked me to go out with him, he was afraid I’d say no.”
Jamie and Dillon were both speechless. Speechless because Heath finally grew a brain and accepted the fact that he and Megan were made for each other. After kissing Megan goodbye and wishing her luck, Dillon and Jamie set out to make good use of the rest of their Sunday.
And make use of it, they did. From lunch at Hailey’s to an afternoon lounging on Sadie’s couch watching T.V., there wasn’t a minute that Jamie could recall when the two of them weren’t holding hands or cuddling in some fashion. But their time together slowly slipped away, and just as the night before, Jamie felt something akin to physical pain when Dillon kissed him goodnight and turned to go. The guy who wrote that song, “Love Hurts,” sure as hell knew what he was talking about.
Jamie might have felt pain over the temporary separation, but Dillon’s reaction was closer to panic. Every time he left Jamie’s side, Dillon was plagued by the unreasonable fear that he’d never see Jamie again. He knew it was irrational, but there wasn’t a thing he could do to stop it. It was that fear that caused Dillon to throw his books into his locker Monday afternoon after school with a force that startled Megan and made her jump back three feet.
“Dillon, it’s not like Jamie’s riding home with an ax murderer. His Aunt Sadie picked him up, for crying out loud. What did you expect him to do, wait out here in the hall while we chair the student council meeting?”
“Yes. No. Damn, I don’t know.” Dillon closed his locker with an exaggerated slam. “I was hoping Jamie would be here for the meeting, too. Isn’t the G.S.A. helping out with all this prom stuff?”
Megan shook her head. “Not this one. The prom falls under the sole jurisdiction of the student council. I think it’s tradition. Though I did hear Morgan say he wants us to make it clear that the prom is open to all students and their dates, same sex couples included.”
“Uh huh. Speaking of dates, you taking my brother to said prom?”
Making Megan blush was getting too darn easy. She went pink all the way to the roots of her bright red hair. “I don’t know. It’s too soon to tell whether he even wants to see me again. We’ve only had one real date, you know.”
Dillon looped his arm around Megan’s shoulders as the two of them walked towards the conference room. “Meggie, I saw the look on Heath’s face when he came home last night. The guy was actually humming. Trust me, he’s gonna want to see you again.”
Megan only nodded, but the hopeful look in her eyes was impossible to miss. Instead of saying anything more about Heath, though, she turned the tables on Dillon. “Since you brought it up, what are your prom plans? You and Jamie gonna go together?”
“I hope so. I haven’t asked him yet, what with everything else going on.”
Megan stopped just outside the conference room door and turned to face him, still within the clasp of Dillon’s arm. “Does ‘everything’ include a night of hot steamy sex in that hotel room you shared?”
“It might.” Dillon couldn’t help what happened next. God save him, he actually giggled. Maybe that girlie lube Megan had given them had turned him into a woman, after all.
Megan was practically jumping up and down. “I knew it. The minute I saw you in church yesterday, I said to myself, ‘Self, there goes a man who just got laid.’” She leaned in closer. “So, how was it? Was it an all night monkey-sex fest?”
Dillon was trying his best to come up with an answer for that one when a shadow fell across the hall. He turned to see Dan Morgan standing not three feet away, wearing a three hundred dollar sweater paired with hand tailored slacks and taking in every word. When Morgan noticed Dillon looking at him, he grinned. “Please don’t delay your answer on my account, Dillon. Sounds like a good story if ever I heard one.”
Megan balked. “Mr. Morgan, I didn’t know you were standing there. I, um . . .”
Dillon took over. “Mr. Morgan, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll save the story for another time. I have to work this afternoon after the meeting, so I’d like to get started as soon as possible.”
The disappointed look on Morgan’s face made Dillon feel ill. “I suppose if we must, we must. Pity, that.” He waved one cashmere-covered arm towards the door and looked at Megan. “After you, Miss Nash. In fact, why don’t you call the other council members to order while I have a word with Dillon here?”
Dillon’s face must have shown his reluctance, because Morgan was quick with his reassurances. “I know you’re in a hurry, Dillon, and I promise this won’t take long.”
Dillon didn’t want to hear anything Morgan had to say, especially not after their meeting in the principal’s office and that little speech at Ben’s memorial. But Dillon also knew he didn’t really have a choice. Nodding to Megan, Dillon waited until she’d gone into the conference room and closed the door behind her before turning back to Morgan. “Yes, sir?”
Morgan moved towards him, standing so close Dillon could practically feel Morgan’s breath on his cheeks. “I understand that James and Megan enjoyed an impromptu visit to a Chicago jail this past weekend.”
The hairs on the back of Dillon’s neck stood on end. “How did you know about that?”
Morgan smiled and leaned in so that they were nose to nose. “Oh, let’s just say I have a friend or two down at the police department nice enough to keep me informed about what goes on with my students.” Morgan’s voice dropped an octave but lost none of its greasy charm. “I like James, Dillon, and I think you should know that he’s fooling around with things that could get him . . . hurt. I’m not including Megan in this because I suspect that she was only at that dead man’s house because James dragged her into it.” Morgan stepped back just a bit and looked directly into Dillon’s eyes. “If I were you, I’d make sure James backed of this little investigation of his.”
Dillon’s mouth went dry. “Mr. Morgan, is that a threat?”
Morgan did his best to seem surprised by the question. “A threat? Of course not. It makes no difference to me what happens to James, but you seem to care, so I thought I’d give you a heads up. Consider it friendly advice.” And before Dillon could say anything else, Morgan opened the door and entered the conference room, leaving Dillon no choice but to follow.
Morgan’s so-called “friendly advice” rang in Dillon’s ears as he took a seat next to Megan and listened to the seemingly endless string of updates and reports on everything from the prom’s location to the merits of decorating with Mylar instead of crepe paper. All Dillon wanted to do was get this meeting over with, work his shift at the drugstore, and get to Jamie. Dillon wasn’t sure how–or if–Morgan was connected to Ben and Burke, but if Morgan was trying to scare him with his cryptic warnings about Jamie, it sure as hell worked. Dillon was terrified, first that something would happen to Jamie, and next that Dillon would be powerless to stop it when it did.
When the last committee member was done presenting the final issue–something about the music that Dillon only half-way heard–Morgan took the podium and said, “Once again, ladies and gentleman, thank you for putting your time and effort into this project. I have no doubt this year’s prom will be the best one Plunkett has ever had. As you kids are fond of saying, the prom is gonna be a real killer.”
Dillon prayed to God that the prom would be the only killer he and Jamie came in contact with, but somewhere deep inside, he doubted it would be.
#
Dillon thanked the gods of scheduling that he was down for a short shift, getting off work at seven instead of his usual nine o’clock. Dillon’s plan–one he’d shared with Jamie during a hasty on-break phone call–was to run home, take a quick shower, and then spend the rest of the evening (the time until Sadie kicked him out for the night, that is) with Jamie over at his place. The minute Dillon stepped into Heath’s apartment and took a look at his brother’s face, though, that plan was shot to Hell.
Heath, still wearing his uniform, was sitting in his ratty old recliner. His face was ashen, and as soon as Dillon walked in the door, he looked up and said, “We got trouble, kid.”
It was on the tip of Dillon’s tongue to say, “So what else is new,” but he stopped himself and instead said, “What kind of trouble?”
Heath leaned forward and grabbed a yellow piece of paper from the coffee table. “According to the manager of these apartments, I violated my lease by failing to inform her when you moved in here. Apparently, someone called her this morning and told her all about our new living arrangements.” Heath snorted and tossed the paper back down on the table. “Ten bucks says we have our illustrious parents to thank for that one.”
Dillon sank down on the couch. “What does violating the lease mean, exactly?”
Heath pointed towards the paper again. “According to that notice, I can either rectify the violation–namely kicking you out, which ain’t gonna happen–or I can consider myself on a fifteen-day notice.” Heath leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “In short, Dillon, it means we’re being evicted.”
{TO BE CONTINUED}