As Rico disconnected the call, he headed back inside of the room he and his newest lover had rented. He went directly to the man holding a bag of frozen peas to his right cheek and put his arms around the younger man’s shoulders. The other man tried to pull away, but Rico was having none of it.
“I’m so sorry, babe, but you just made me so angry. You gotta stop defying me like that. Remember, I love you, but you gotta listen to me.”
He removed the frozen peas and kissed the rapidly bruising skin. “Remember, nobody loves you, like I love you, babe. No one. You’re mine, but you gotta do what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it.”
Again, he kissed the man in his arms, but this time his hand began to roam south. The other man moaned, but there was no pleasure in the sound. Sure, he knew his lover’s ass was sore. Hell, he’d fucked him six times in the last twenty-four hours, but his lover needed to get used to this. He’d tied him to the bed, face down and fucked him hard. He liked it when they begged him to stop, so would some of his select customers. Besides, business was business, and this was all part of the game.
“Now to show me how sorry you are, Michael, I want you to get on your knees and suck my cock. You do it good and I won’t fuck you tonight. If not….” Rico took off his belt, snapping it in warning. As an afterthought, he leaned down and removed a handgun from his ankle holster. He didn’t want his new boy to get any ideas. He’d made it very clear, leaving was not an option.
Rico laughed every time he thought about the fact that the gun was his legally. He even had a concealed weapons permit. How fucked up was that? “And, Michael, don’t even think about running off to your old man. I’ll kill him and then I’ll come back for you, bitch.” He stared hard at the man in the chair. “Didn’t you hear what I said, fuck head? On your knees.”
Michael slowly slid off his chair onto the floor. His ribs still hurt from where Rico had hit him a few nights ago. He reached up to unzip his lover’s jeans, grimacing in pain. He tried to focus, tried to concentrate on what he was doing, but the pills Rico gave him made everything hazy, almost dreamlike, but the pills weren’t as good as the injections Rico was giving him several times a day now.
Life seemed to move in slow motion. Michael leaned in and took Rico’s cock in his mouth. Rico kept saying that he loved him, but he hated the way Rico treated him. He had felt alone, and he had nowhere else to go. His father had made it very clear he wasn’t welcome in his own home anymore. His father didn’t care what happened to him. Rico kept telling him that his father didn’t love him, or he wouldn’t have kicked him out.
A tear fell from the corner of Michael’s eye. His pride kept him from crawling back home. He’d take the car and go pick up the rest of his things tomorrow night or maybe the night after, then he’d never have to see his father again. Michael closed his eyes and let the pills take him away from everything. For a little while, all the hurt and humiliation would disappear. Euphoria began its siren’s call into heaven. He’d figure out how to get away from Rico tomorrow.
Chapter Twelve
Coulter ripped the tape off the box balanced on his desk. He was about to put its contents back into the heavy metal filing cabinets lining the walls of his office when a soft knock made him look up.
“Hello, Adam.”
His eyes widened with surprise. “Claire?” He stepped forward with his arms open. Claire Danbury Coulter, Adam’s fourth ex-wife, literally fell into his arms. He wrapped himself around her shocked to feel nothing but skin and bone on her petite frame. Concerned, he reached up, stroking her dry, brittle hair. She cried softly, holding on weakly to his tee shirt, then she started to cough.
Concern gave way to worry. Picking her up, he carried her to the nearest chair and carefully set her down. She felt so light and frail, he was afraid of breaking her. Kneeling, he tried to calm her as she gasped for air. The coughing slowed then finally stopped.
“I’m so sorry…, so sorry, Adam.” The shortness of breath took away her words.
He stood, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’m calling the paramedics, Claire.”
“No!” She reached out to him, putting a hand on his wrist. “I don’t…, please. I just got out of the hospital. I don’t want to go back. They can’t help me. I want to go home, Adam. Take me home.”
“Okay, okay.” He spoke softly, trying to calm her. “What’s going on, Claire? What’s happened to you?”
Her tears started to flow again. Adam looked around and finally found some old napkins from a fast food joint. Shoving them into her hand, she looked at him sadly before wiping her eyes and nose.
“I have to tell you something. I am so…, so…, sorry. It was all my fault. Got you back on the drugs…, the sex. You’d cleaned up your life, but I made you do it with me.” Again she began to cry.
Adam shook his head. Taking her hand, he kissed her knuckles. “No, Claire. I knew exactly what I was doing. I said yes because I wanted to start using again.” He snorted. “That’s always been my problem. I just can’t seem to say no to anything. I just keep saying yes.”
She pulled him close. Her forehead dropped to his chest. “I’m so sorry, Adam.” She coughed. “I have AIDS.”
Coulter froze. Time seemed to stop when he heard those words. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. He couldn’t seem to breath. His brain refused to comprehend her words.
“I was diagnosed with AIDS related pneumonia. My immune system is gone. They started me on medications, but it makes me so sick. I stopped the medicine, Adam. I can’t go on like this. There are nurses at the house, but no one else will come. I had to tell you. Please don’t be angry with me.”
Adam pulled away from her. He stood. A million thoughts streaked through his mind. Every lie, every one he’d come in contact with and had unprotected sex. Images of sharing needles and the blood. Oh god, he thought, the blood. How many had he infected? That was why she was here. She came to tell him he was HIV positive as well.
“How long have you had it, Claire?”
“They say years.” She paused. “We did everything together then, you and me. If I have it…, well, you need to get tested and so does Eagle.” She whispered.
Adam nodded.
“I heard the two of you got married.”
“We did.” He sighed.
“You’ll have to tell him.”
“I know.” He turned to her. “Do you need anything? Do you need money?”
Claire shook her head. “My parents left me a lot of money, but….” She hesitated, “I’m alone, Adam. Just nurses…, hospice since I decided to stop the medications. None of my friends come by. I haven’t told them what’s wrong but when they look at me, they think I have cancer.”
Adam looked away. The irony struck him. His attacker believed she was HIV positive and tests proved she wasn’t. He’d refused the test after finding out her results. He shook his head as he realized if he’d taken the test. If it had come back positive…. Perhaps a small part of him knew and that’s why he refused the test. His desire to have Eagle Woodard had overruled common sense and he had probably infected him as well. Any chance of reconciliation was now gone. He felt like the life was draining out of him. He stood there numb. Emotions imploding.
“Can you drive me home, Adam?” Claire smiled weakly.
“Yes.” He looked at her with a gentle smile.
“Could you stay a little while? Talk to me? Make me laugh like you used to? I always loved it when you made me laugh.”
He nodded, swallowing down the lump forming in his throat. Adam leaned down and picked her up. He talked to her softly as he carried her to his Jeep. It felt like déjà vu driving into the courtyard of the house they’d shared for a little over a year, ten months married. When he stopped the car, she wanted to walk into the house, but he wouldn’t let her. As he came closer to the door with her in his arms, a nurse appeared to open the door. She followed silently as he walked the familiar path to the bedroom they’d shared as husband and
wife.
He laid her on the king-sized bed where they used to make love. As the nurse hooked up her IV, he explained his relationship with Claire and that he would be staying. The nurse nodded, but said nothing. Claire looked up at him, holding out her arms.
“Don’t leave me, Adam. Stay here with me.”
Adam smiled. “I will never leave you. Scoot over, Cece. I’ll hold you and keep you warm the way I used to.” When she complied, he laid down, drawing her into his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder. Her thin body pressed against him, hands clutching at his tee shirt. He let her snuggle in and get comfortable before he started talking. He spoke softly about the past and happier memories. The hours passed. He thought at one point that Claire was asleep, but he heard her weak and breathy voice.
“Do you still love me, Adam?”
He looked down at her and smiled. “Of course, I still love you, CeCe. I’ll always love you.” The lie came easily to his lips.
“Good.” She sighed. “I was so worried you’d leave me when you found out. I’m glad you still love me.”
“Yes, sweetheart. I still love you. Always have…, always will.”
By 3 am, Claire grew quiet. Her breathing seemed labored as the nurse nestled the nasal cannula under her nose then turned on the oxygen.
By 4 am, she stopped responding to anything. Adam just laid there, staring at the ceiling, holding her. He wasn’t aware he’d fallen asleep until the nurse quietly called his name, waking him.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Coulter. Your wife has passed away.”
He didn’t answer for a few minutes. His arms tightened on her body. He could feel it cooling against him. Adam fought back the tears as he gently disentwined himself from her. He looked at the nurse.
“Is there anything I need to do?” Adam was surprised at how calm the words came out when he felt far from calm. His chest tightened as he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to regain his composure.
The nurse nodded. “She was on hospice. We don’t have to wait for a doctor to pronounce her. Sanlock and Sons Mortuary is on the way, but she was worried no one would claim her ashes. She wanted you to scatter them, if you can. She said you had a special place.”
He nodded, remembering that spot in the mountains she loved. “I’ll take care of that.”
The nurse looked at him. “She told me that she made you the beneficiary of her will. I’m sure the lawyers will be in touch with you.”
Again, he nodded. He couldn’t tell the nurse how he could’ve cared less about Claire’s money or anything else she’d left him. It tore him apart to realize he’d cut her out of his life so completely after the divorce and yet, Claire had still loved him. Adam realized the nurse was waiting for him to ask the obvious question. “Do you know who her lawyer was?”
“Ronald Dills, Sr. it says here.”
Adam chuckled softly. “I know Mr. Dills. I’ll call him later this morning. Anything else?”
A knock on the door cut their conversation short as the mortuary personal arrived. He gave both the mortuary people and the hospice nurse his cell number just in case they had further questions. Adam asked the nurse to lock the doors before she left and that he would pick up the keys from her office later. He told them he would be staying in town and to feel free to contact him about any arrangement details Claire may have missed. When no one seemed to need him, Adam walked out to his Jeep. He sat there watching as the black hearse drove away carrying the empty shell of his former wife. The light in the hall and bedroom stayed on as the nurse cleaned up.
Picking up his cell phone, he punched up Rick Kessler’s name and sent him a text message. Agent Kessler. I looked over the information you left for me. David Nixon is most likely your killer. His cousin, Jacob Case, helped him dispose of the body. Nelson Greybill is definitely involved. He may have instructed Nixon to get rid of Martinez. I won’t be available for the next few days. My ex-wife, Claire, just died in my arms at 5 am. I hope you understand. Then he hit send.
The second text was brief. Eagle, Cece passed away at 5 this morning. I thought you would want to know. He hit send. His body and mind working on autopilot. As expected, he didn’t hear back.
Putting the phone down on the seat beside him, Adam began to cry. It started as a small whimper, but it quickly grew as loud, choking sobs overcame him. He clutched the steering wheel. His hands white as he gripped it so tightly. He mourned for Claire, he mourned for himself. Adam looked at the house then rested his forehead on his hands still sobbing. He’d been there for her in the end. He’d lied to give her comfort, but in that lie, he saw his own future. He wondered if anyone would be there to hold him when his time came? Who would care?
Adam wiped the tears from his eyes, noting that the sky had begun a new day. Reaching down, he turned the ignition and headed to his small apartment. He was bone weary, but he doubted he could sleep.
Chapter Thirteen
David Nixon loved his cousin’s condo. Done in a minimalist style with lots of floor space, his cousin threw some of the best parties in Albuquerque here. Since they were children, the two of them shared everything, boyfriends, drugs and a sense of abandon that had gotten them both in trouble quite a number of times. Unfortunately, their Uncle Nelson took an interest in them. David suspected the reason was because their parents had complained to him about having to pay for their lifestyle. He had hired them to deal with details concerning his newest venture, the Navajo Casino.
At first, they had whined to each other that they were nothing more than errand boys, then someone told his uncle how they felt so he gave them a job. He told them it was a simple job, but it turned out to be anything, but simple. He’d asked the boys to make friends with Alejandro Martinez and to get him to invest with Greybill’s construction business and the casino. When they approached Martinez, his first requirement was for them to find him a new cocaine dealer. He claimed his drug dealer was in jail and he didn’t know anyone else. Of course, David who had the same love of the drug as Martinez was more than happy to turn him onto his own dealer, Rico.
They told their uncle about Martinez’s habit and that they’d found a dealer who would take care of the other man’s needs. Their uncle seemed impressed, but instead of rewarding them with more money, he gave them another task. Get pictures of Martinez snorting the drug, then blackmail him into giving them the $20 million their uncle demanded. If he balked, then they were to threaten to take the photographs to his rich wife or to the press.
It sounded simple enough. Getting the pictures had been easy, but when they threatened Martinez the night of one of their parties, he’d laughed. He told them he didn’t have any money. Everything belonged to his wife and he had no access to it. Her lawyers and accountants had made certain of that even before he married her. He told them if they went to her, she’d just use the information to get sole custody of the kid and he’d get nothing, not even the alimony he was suing her for.
The next few minutes were a blur for both David and Jacob. David had been on a three day coke binge and hadn’t eaten or slept in that time. Alejandro Martinez had howled with laughter at their worried faces. Over and over again, he loudly told them what fuck ups they were and that he had reaped the benefits by getting them to buy cocaine for him. This alone had bankrupted the two of them. Suddenly, David had snapped. He had grabbed Martinez by the hair and forced his head down into the bank of powdery snow on his table. The man had struggled and Jacob joined in to hold him. The white powder scattered as their victim fought to get away. In his panic, his breathing was forced and rapid so he had no choice, but to inhale a massive quantity of the drug.
David, angry that the cocaine was being cast to the wind, decided to let his victim go. Alejandro Martinez fell back on the couch, gasping and clutching his chest before he cried out and went limp. It took the young men a few minutes to realize Martinez was dead. The reality of what had happened sobered them up quickly. In a panic, Jacob called his uncle. It didn’t take more than a moment for
him to realize what a mistake this had been. The conversation ended with him telling his nephews they needed to clean up their own mess and suggested they dump the body out in the middle of the desert.
The sun had just risen and they were too afraid of someone seeing them in the daytime. It also gave the very artistic Jacob the chance to come up with the dumbest idea in history. Throw the police off by making them think the death was the work of a serial killer. Hadn’t there been one in the city a couple years ago? He had access to the costumes and makeup they needed. During college, they were once involved in a prank on one of their professors who tried to flunk them. He was notorious for doing that with all the jocks as well. It hadn’t been hard to get the bodies and leave them in the man’s car. Now Jacob and David would pull a similar stunt and keep the cops off their backs.
Unfortunately, their brilliant plan was doomed from the start and they had faced their uncle’s wrath. The huge bruises on their stomachs still hurt badly and they were on Nelson Greybill’s shit list. Their uncle had called them into his office. He told them he needed something on a cop named Eagle Woodard. He needed some leverage to keep the man from testifying in court in about three weeks. He told them that Richard Coulter’s attempt at making the man withdraw his testimony had failed. Greybill made it very clear to the two young men that if they were unable to stop Woodard, then their lives would be the price of their failure.
Of course, David’s solution to their problems was to get high. They called Rico and within minutes, they were sitting on their dealer’s couch.
“So, how can I help you, boys, today? Coke? Meth? Pills? I even have a new pretty boy you could fuck. He should be home any minute, in fact, since he’s kind of new at this I could give you a discount on that.”
David was about to refuse the offer, but he looked at his cousin, Jacob. He watched as Jacob bit then licked his lower lip. He glanced down at this cousin’s lap and noticed the fact that he was trying to adjust his swollen cock in his tight trousers. “I don’t want your prostitute, but Jacob….”
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