by C J Baty
"Did I hear you right? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Michael Winehouse was just the front man working with the real estate firm. Everything ties back to one company. Carter Preston is the only stockholder in the company URMine . Weird, isn't it?" Tony chuckled.
"What kind of name is that for a company?"
Damien felt like he was losing his mind. Carter was behind everything.
"Damien?" Tony wasn't laughing anymore. "Damien, are you still there?"
"Yes. Give me a minute."
Tony was silent while Damien's mind whirled through the possibilities.
Carter was still out there, and he had somehow gotten involved in an embezzlement case with a real estate company in Houston. He had obtained a dozen pieces of property across the country in less than a year. It never occurred to Damien that it could be Carter. The person behind the coup was stealing monies set aside by wealthy clients earmarked for purchases. Phony mortgage papers, produced and signed at a false closing, made the buyers believe they had legally purchased the homes. They were always cash buy outs. Then, several months later, the property was sold to someone else and the original owner would lose both the property and their money. The funds that washed through several holding companies led nowhere. Damien had gotten wind of the scheme when the owner of the Herald had become a victim of the scam.
"Tony," Damien said as he searched the room for the rest of his clothes.
"Meet me at Starlings in thirty minutes. I want to see everything you have."
Starlings was a coffee shop two blocks from the newspaper office.
"Okay. I'll see you there," Tony said, and then asked, "Do you know this guy?"
Damien froze. How did he answer that without bringing up the past? He sure as hell didn't want Tony asking questions about that. "See you soon."
Tony was already sitting at a table in the back corner of the shop. Damien knew that his coffee was waiting for him. He had picked a great assistant.
Tony could almost read his mind, and he had quickly picked up on the nuances of Damien's personality. Tony had his laptop open, and he was working when Damien approached the table.
"That mine?" Damien asked as he sat down, eyeing the cup on the table.
Tony only drank chai tea.
"Yep. Mocha latte, no cream and a splash of hazelnut syrup." Tony smiled brightly.
"I ordered you a breakfast sandwich too. Should be here in a minute."
"Thanks." Damien sipped the coffee and felt its warmth spread through him.
"I've done a little more research, since I got here," Tony mentioned, then turned his laptop to face Damien. "I hate to say this, but this is the guy who has been to the office looking for you, Damien. Is this Carter Preston?"
Damien saw the headshot of Carter staring at him from the computer screen. It was an old picture. Damien knew because Carter now had a scar on his left cheek, close to his ear. He'd attacked Carter once, very early on, when he was being held captive. He shuddered remembering the punishment he had received from Carter for that mishap.
"Damien, what's wrong. You look like you've seen a ghost." Tony's worried voice faded into the rushing noise buzzing through Damien's head.
"Damien!"
That was the last thing Damien remembered before the icy blackness took him away from the anxiety quickening through him.
Chapter Thirteen
Stony Whitecastle was waiting for Robert when the bouncer at the front door of the Gentleman's Club let him in. Marcus had informed Robert as he was driving to Atlanta that Justin had received a call from Stony Whitecastle, letting him know that Damien was staying in Stony's apartment at the club.
He'd also told Justin, Damien wasn't looking good at all and had been drinking a lot. Damien was being stubborn as always, still not answering his phone, no matter who tried to reach him.
Stony offered Robert his hand and smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Robert. Justin and Marcus speak very highly of you. Can I get you some coffee?" he asked as he gestured Robert to a nearby chair.
"No, I'm good. Thank you for seeing me."
"Damien's not here at the moment. He rushed out a little while ago, like he was on his way to a fire. Didn't even stop to say good morning. But then, if you know Damien, you know, when he's got a lead on a story, he's centered on that and nothing else." Stony chuckled.
Robert liked him. He was a quiet, dignified-looking man. Several years older than Robert but still handsome with silver streaks running through his warm brown hair. His eyes, though, held sadness in them. It made Robert's heart ache for him.
"He's probably gone to his office at the newspaper. He was carrying his laptop bag when he left. Do you know what he's gotten himself into this time?" Stony's face showed his concern.
"Some of it," Robert answered. "But I'm not at liberty to say anything. You could answer something for me, though, if you can?"
"If it will help Damien, ask."
"Has Carter Preston shown up here in the club in the last few months?"
Robert watched as Stony's face hardened. It was clear Stony knew who Carter Preston was, and what he had done to Damien. It was also clear, he didn't like Carter any better than anyone else.
"I revoked his membership after what happened with Damien. That doesn't mean he hasn't been here as a guest of another member." Stony was angry.
"Someone else brought him here?"
"Crazy as that seems, it happened." Stony looked down at his hands, then back up to Robert. "The kid Carter was with had only been a member for a
few months. I don't think he had any idea who Carter was. Of course, my information is all secondhand. I was out of town at the time. The staff called the police when the kid put up a fight. He wouldn't go through with whatever that maniac wanted. Carter escaped before the police got here. I read the report the staff gave the police when I returned."
"When did this happen?" Robert asked. He'd heard a similar story from Marcus, but he hadn't realized that it had happened here in Atlanta.
"About six months ago. Carter hasn't shown his face here again. Come to think of it, I haven't seen the kid again either."
This must have been another occasion. Carter appeared to believe he could get away with anything.
The phone on Stony's desk rang before Robert could ask another question.
"Excuse me," Stony said, then answered the phone. "Stony here. Oh, hello Justin. Yes, he's right here as a matter of fact." Stony's brow creased and concern clouded his eyes while he listened to whatever Justin was saying.
"All right. Robert and I will head over there. How did the hospital know to call you?" Stony waited for Justin reply, and then added, "One of us will call you as soon as we know anything."
Stony replaced the phone receiver and looked across the desk at Robert.
"Damien's in the hospital."
"What!" Robert jumped to his feet.
"Calm down. That won't help Damien. We need to leave right now. They've admitted him to St. Joseph's over on Peachtree Road." Stony grabbed his coat from the rack by the door. "And...."
"And?" Robert was opening the office door for Stony when he heard the caution in Stony's voice.
"And they are evaluating him for the psych ward. He had a meltdown in a coffee shop this morning."
Stony said nothing else but led the way out of the club through a backdoor to an alley, where his car sat. Robert followed and slid into the passenger seat as Stony started the engine.
Downtown Atlanta traffic was a nightmare on a good day, and this was a good day. It was almost an hour before they walked into the waiting room at the hospital. Robert recognized the young man sitting in the corner seat by the window as soon as they entered. He'd only seen Damien's assistant the one time, but he was sure the man sitting with his feet up and his arms wrapped around his knees was Tony. Once you saw that color of black hair streaked with blue, it wasn't easily forgotten. Tony looked up as Robert and Stony approached. The look of shock on Tony's face made it evident he
had not expected to see Robert there.
"Stony, this is Damien's assistant, Tony." Robert made the introductions.
"Were you with Damien when...?" Not sure how to finish the sentence, Stony left it open.
"Yes." Unwrapping his legs and putting his feet on the floor, Tony continued.
"We were going over documents I had uncovered in a story he is working on.
I showed him a picture of the man I discovered was behind the whole operation." Tony's eyes widened and he glanced around the waiting room.
Looking frantic, and in a hushed voice, he whispered. "As soon as he saw the picture, Damien went nuts. Yelling, screaming at some imaginary person who wasn't even there."
Robert glared at Tony, biting his tongue to keep from yelling at the kid. He had to wonder if Tony had said those words to the emergency crew that came to the coffee shop.
"Damien has anxiety attacks. He's not nuts!" He growled.
"I didn't know," Tony muttered, and wrapped his arms around himself again.
"Where is he now?" Stony asked. "Has anyone come out to tell you how he's doing?"
Tony glowered at Robert, then looked at Stony. "There was a doctor here about half an hour ago. He said they had gotten him calmed down and called his emergency contact. The doctor told me I could go, but what if Damien needed me?" Tony looked at Robert. Snarling, he said, "I didn't know you would be his emergency contact."
"Robert isn't. Justin Warfield, a mutual friend, is and he's on his way here.
We came to see if there was anything we could do until Justin arrives." Stony placed his hand on Tony's shoulder and added, "Why don't you go home? I promise I'll call you as soon as we know what's going on. They won't give us any information until Justin gets here."
Tony shook his head and whimpered. "I can't just leave him. He might need me."
"If he asks for you, we'll let him know where you are. I'm sure he has your number," Stony offered.
"Well, if you're sure," Tony said as he stood. "You promise you'll call me as soon as you know how he's doing?"
"We will."
Tony looked from Stony to Robert, back to Stony, and then said, "I'd rather you called me." He shook Stony's hand and thanked him for being so kind, never once looking Robert's way. It didn't bother Robert in the least.
After Tony left the room, Stony looked at Robert with a quirky grin at one corner of his mouth. "So, you two have a fight over Damien or what?" He chuckled.
Robert snapped back, "In his dreams!"
Stony's need for a cigarette finally had him making a hasty exit to find a designated smoking area, leaving Robert alone for the first time. There was no news from a doctor or a nurse. It worried Robert. He wanted to see Damien. Justin was still an hour away, but afternoon traffic on the major highway would drag out his arrival time. A tall, thin man in his fifties wearing a white lab coat entered the waiting area and looked around. He spotted Robert and walked toward him. He offered his hand as he approached.
"Hello, I'm Dr. White. Are you Tony Majors?"
"No. I'm Robert Wyler," Robert said as he shook the doctor's hand. "Tony is Mr. Fitzgerald's personal assistant."
"And you are?"
Robert thought about how he could answer that question. He could say he was Damien's bodyguard, or a family friend. But what he said was, "I'm his partner."
The doctor's eyebrows raised a fraction but then relaxed.
"Is he awake?"
"Yes," Dr. White answered. "But he was asking for someone named Justin."
"Justin Warfield is Damien's best friend, and he's still carrying around that piece of paper in his wallet that says Justin is his emergency contact. I've told him over and over again, he should change that." Robert gave the doctor what he hoped was a shy, embarrassed smile.
"Is Mr. Warfield here?"
"Justin lives in South Carolina and he's on his way. With afternoon traffic in Atlanta, I expect he won't be here for another hour or two." Robert waited as the doctor mulled over what he'd said. Stony reappeared just as the doctor was getting ready to say something.
"My God, is that you, Whitey?" Stony laughed as he clapped the surprised doctor on the back.
"Stony? Stony Whitecastle?"
"How have you been?" Stony winked at Robert as he pulled Dr. White into a huge bear hug. "I haven't seen you at the club in years. Married life suiting you well, I suppose."
Robert listened as Stony and Whitey caught up on old times. From what he could tell, Dr. White was gay and had met his husband at the club three years back. Fascinated by the way Stony manipulated his old friend, Robert could only stand on the sidelines and wait. Patience wasn't one of his strong
suits, however, so he coughed to clear his throat, causing both men to pause and look in his direction.
"Damien?"
"Oh, yes. Mr. Fitzgerald is in room three-fifty-two. Turn left at the end of the hall, first room on your right." Dr. White continued to praise his new husband, and Stony listened.
Robert found the room and slipped the door open as quietly as he could. The first bed was empty, and then Robert saw him.
Damien lay in the bed closest to the window, his head turned to look out at the Atlanta skyline. When the door closed behind Robert, the hushed click sounded loud in the quietness of the room. Damien turned his head and his eyes widened when he recognized Robert. Some emotion flashed through them, but Robert saw Damien quickly cover it up.
"What are you doing here?" Damien's roughened voice tore at Robert's heart. He knew he'd been screaming again.
"Why wouldn't I be here?" Robert spoke as he approached Damien's bed.
"Because I was a jackass to you the last time we saw each other."
"Yes, well, I'm getting used to that." Robert smiled and reached for Damien's hand. It trembled at his touch. "You scared the living daylights out of me, you know?"
Damien shut his eyes, and when he opened them, tears shone bright but didn't fall. He pulled his hand away from Robert's and placed it back on the bed. "I guess I made quite a spectacle of myself at Starlings. The EMTs tried to strap me down and I fought them tooth and nail. I couldn't help it. I was fighting Carter all over again." His voice gave out and he reached for a cup of water on the tray by the bed. After taking a long drink, he continued. "The EMTs didn't know that trick you have of talking me down." His eyes were sorrowful when he looked back at Robert.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there." It was all Robert could think to say. He was sorry
—more than sorry.
A nurse came in with a shot and asked Robert to leave the room. He waited outside the door until the nurse came out and said he could go back in.
"But he will get sleepy real fast," she stated.
Robert could see Damien was already fading when he returned to his bedside.
"Whatever the hell this shit is, it works fast." Damien chuckled.
"Good. Sleep is the best thing for you," Robert said, smiling.
Damien closed his eyes and then snorted, waking himself. Robert was turning to leave.
"Don't go. Please."
It was funny to listen to Damien as he tried to carry on a conversation. His words stuttered and slurred, but Robert wouldn't leave. Damien had been quiet for a few minutes and Robert assumed he had fallen asleep. Suddenly, Damien grabbed Robert's hand and his eyes flew open.
"It's him, Robert. He will never leave me alone."
Sound sleep came when Damien closed his eyes this time. He didn't wake again, and when Robert had sat there for thirty minutes, listening to Damien’s steady breathing, he knew it was time to go.
Robert didn't see Dr. White anywhere, but Stony wasn't alone in the waiting area when he returned.
"How is Damien?" Justin's worried words met Robert.
Marcus was sitting beside Stony and they were talking.
"The nurse gave him something to put him out. He's sleeping." Robert sat in one of the hard hospital chairs and rested his head against the wall.
"I s
poke with Dr. White. I explained Damien's issues and he will not put him in the psych ward. Though, he wants to keep Damien overnight for observation," Justin said as he lowered himself into the seat next to Robert.
"You okay?"
"Just tired. It's been a long day."
Stony stood and said, "I suggest we all get something to eat and talk about this somewhere away from the hospital."
They went back to the club and ordered food and drinks. Sitting in Stony's private booth, Robert watched the interaction between Justin and Marcus.
He wasn't the only one: Stony watched them too.
Marcus leaned back against the booth's wall, leaving his arm circling Justin's shoulders. Every so often he would reach up and run his fingers across Justin's neck. A slight lift would happen at the corners of Justin's mouth. Not a smile, just a physical acknowledgment of a pleasurable feeling.
Robert didn't think either man realized that they were so in tune with one another. It was the nature of their relationship. Their spiritual bond couldn't help but flow outward into their physical presence. He wondered what it would be like to have a relationship like that.
"So, we wait until Damien is out of the hospital," Marcus started, and Justin finished.
"We move him somewhere safe. Somewhere Carter would have no way of knowing."
"Exactly."
Robert knew of a place, but he wanted to wait until he had a moment alone with Marcus before he brought it up. That moment came when Justin excused himself to the men's room and Stony went to check on the bar..
Chapter Fourteen
Damien opened his eyes and blinked at the sunshine coming through the window on the far side of the room. It wasn't his room or his bed, but it wasn't the hospital either. Damien remembered, everything coming back in bits and pieces. Leaving the hospital. Marcus and Justin driving him to Marcus's business. Robert carrying him up the stairs to the second floor apartment's extra bedroom. Most of the time was still a blur. The meds the doctors had prescribed kept Damien unable to process his thoughts.
Sitting up, he reached for the bottle of water sitting by the bed, thankful to whoever had placed it there. A chair sat next to the table, and Damien had a flash of memory: Robert sitting in that chair in the middle of the night. He was dozing. Where was Robert now, Damien wondered, and why was he still hanging around? It made no sense for Robert to be treating him with so much kindness after the way Damien had acted.
