Melting Ice 6

by D. J. Manly

  Quincy shook his head. “Where what is? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The money,” he said.

  “What money? I don’t have any money.”

  “Your brother admitted he still had it just before he took his last breath. The people I work for want it back. So, just tell me where it is…and I’ll go away.”

  “I’m telling you, Bengal. I don’t have any fucking money. Bruce and I weren’t on speaking terms after we were arrested. I don’t know anything about what he had or didn’t have.”

  “Good try, Quincy.” He pulled a gun out of his pocket.

  Quincy took a step back. “Jesus Christ,” he swallowed.

  “Guess you’ll need to tell that to my people.”

  Quincy lunged toward him, knocking the gun from his hand. He pushed him hard against the wall.

  Bengal slid down to the ground, groaning, then made a clumsy attempt to struggle to his feet.

  Quincy ran. He got to the corner and dashed down a busy street where people were late night shopping and pouring into clubs. He walked into a tavern and found a seat at the end of a crowded bar, out of breath and scared. There was a hockey game on the screen and people were watching, drinking beer and cheering.

  Quincy ordered a beer and pulled out his phone. He knew he should go to the police, but he didn’t trust cops. The only one he trusted was Tyler.

  He keyed in Alice Richmond’s phone number, not even knowing if the woman still lived there. It was a number he knew by heart. He used to call it often when he was in high school. Sometimes he and Tyler would talk half the night on the phone until they were caught by one of their parents and ordered to get off.

  The phone rang three times. Quincy almost hung up. She’d have to know where Tyler was.

  “Hello,” a woman said.

  “Mrs. Richmond?” It was Alice at one time, but he supposed he’d lost the right to call her that now.

  “Yes?”

  “Tyler isn’t there by chance, is he?” His voice was shaking. The noise in the background was suddenly a crescendo as the New York Rangers scored. He ran a hand through his hair, watching the door.

  “Tyler? Good gracious, no. Tyler has his own place. Who is this?”

  “Mrs. Richmond. It’s very important. I…I need help and I don’t want to go to the police because…do you know where I might find your son?”

  “He’s on vacation for a week somewhere in the mountains. Who is this again?”

  “Vacation?” Terror struck at Quincy’s heart. “You mean…Tyler is not even in the city?”

  “No. He’s gone off to that cabin in the woods…up in the Adirondacks to fish.”

  Adirondacks…damn, that was a four-hour drive. Quincy tried to calm down. “I never knew Tyler to fish.” He laughed a little.

  “Yes, well he’s taken it up since he’s become a detective…lots of stress. Now, who did you say you were again, dear?”

  “Just a…an old friend of Tyler’s. There’s no way I could reach him up there in the mountains?”

  “No signal out there. That’s why he goes.”

  “Do you know where exactly he is in the Adirondacks, Mrs. Richmond? It’s very important.”

  “I wouldn’t know. Nancy would know more than I do.”

  “Nancy. Tyler’s sister.”

  “Yes. She’s at the university now. Do you have her number?”

  “No. Could you give it to me, please?”

  “Well…ah, maybe if you tell me your name, I just don’t want to give it out to anyone.”

  “Look, I’ll give you my cell phone number. Could you call her and have her call me back right away? Tell her it’s urgent.”

  “I can try. Who do I say…?

  “Just tell her it’s a friend of Tyler’s. Thanks, Mrs. Richmond.” He hung up and ordered another beer. If he could leave the city, see Tyler, maybe they could sort this all out somehow. Allison would be safe with her mother at Disney, so he didn’t have to worry about her.

  He couldn’t go to the police, put Allison and her mother in danger. He wasn’t sure what was going on. He wasn’t sure of anything.

  His phone rang a half hour later. Quincy hurried out the side door of the bar and flipped it open. “Hello?” he said. “Tyler?”

  “No, this is Nancy. My mother said you wanted me to call you back. Who is this? Is this Billy?”

  Billy?Who was Billy? “No, it’s not Billy. Look, I need to find Tyler. It’s a matter of life and death. Can you tell me where he is, exactly?”

  “Ah, I can’t tell you that. He went there to be alone. He’ll be pissed if I…look, if this is police stuff, he’s on vacation. If it’s that important, just go to the cops. My brother isn’t the only cop in the city you know. They’re all the same.”

  He took a breath. “Nancy, I don’t know if you remember me or not. It’s Quincy, Quincy Ulverton.”

  There was a long silence.

  “Nancy, don’t hang up.” He clutched the phone. “I mean Tyler no harm. I truly need his help.”

  “I remember you,” she said, her voice terse. “I used to call you Uncle Quincy.”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know exactly why you did what you did, except you broke my brother’s heart. He loved you so much.”

  Quincy closed his eyes, surprised how easily the tears ran down his cheeks. “I don’t mean to bring him any more pain, but he’s the only one right now I can trust. Please, Nancy, please, tell me where Tyler is.”

  One hour later, Quincy was in a rental car headed for Piseco Lake in the southern Adirondacks. The directions she’d given him were pretty sketchy, but hopefully, he’d be able to find Tyler.

  As he drove, Quincy was trying to put together other details, details involving the crime his brother had committed. Bruce had told him he never made any money from the deal. He’d said that all the money he’d illegally transferred from the company’s account had been put back as promised. In the end, the amount hadn’t tripled as he was told it would.

  Now, Quincy suspected Bruce had lied. But whose money was it? In court, there were hints of mob involvement, but they’d never gotten enough proof.

  Damn it, if only he’d responded to his brother’s repeated attempts to communicate with him back in prison. Bruce had been trying to tell him something, perhaps warn him.

  When Bruce had asked for Quincy’s help, Bruce had sworn he was doing nothing wrong. “There’s nothing to worry about, little brother. I have approval to do this. It will triple the company’s investments and I’m promised a big, fat bonus out of it. It’s just that I’ve hit a glitch, and you’re so good with this computer stuff. It will take five minutes.”

  Five minutes, all right. Those five fatal minutes had cost him everything. That night, alone with his brother in the huge office of Kole and Elgin, Bruce had convinced him that he had carte blanche to transfer large sums of money to an offshore account.

  Quincy had always looked up to Bruce, already a big shot accountant for one of North America’s leading investment companies. He had no reason to suspect Bruce was committing a crime.

  Quincy transferred the money, believing Bruce when he told him it was legal, that all the money would come back the following morning and the profit would be tripled.

  “I’ll get a great bonus,” Bruce said. “I’ll buy you a new car.”

  “I’d rather have the money to put a down payment on a house Ty and I have been looking at,” Quincy had said.

  “You got it,” Bruce said.

  All that night, Quincy had paced the floor. In spite of Bruce’s reassurance, he sensed something wasn’t right. Tyler was working the night shift, and he didn’t want to interrupt him on the job.

  That morning, Quincy called his brother, intending to plead with him to put the money back, but Bruce was nowhere to be found.

  When the company discovered the money was gone along with their chief accountant, it didn’t take the police long to show up outside Quincy’s
door.

  A week later, they found Bruce and brought him back. When Quincy swore he didn’t know he’d done anything wrong, no one believed him, not even Tyler, who wouldn’t even give him a chance to explain. They gave him two years and sentenced Bruce to ten. All Bruce kept saying was that his boss had told him to transfer the money.

  Bruce had ruined his life, and he hated him for lying to him. After they were sentenced, he never spoke to his brother again.

  Now Quincy was wondering if Bruce had been paid for what he did and when he knew the police were on his tail, he’d hidden the money somewhere.

  Quincy tightened his hands on the wheel. He was tired, finding it hard to keep his eyes open. It was after three in the morning, and he felt isolated and alone in these mountains. He’d been driving for almost two hours now, stopping every once in a while to get his bearings. He found the lake in question, and then drove up and down a variety of different roads for at least another hour.

  Nancy gave him a description of Tyler’s car, a 2010 dark blue Chevrolet Caprice. That’s what he was looking for, but it was impossible to see in the dark. He finally decided to pull off the road and wait until morning.

  He figured he could grab a bit of sleep for an hour or so. When he laid his head back and closed his eyes, he was out. When he opened his eyes again, the sun was streaming through his windshield.

  He got out of his car to stretch his legs, breathing in the mountain air. It was crisp and fresh. He walked down to the lake and scooped up some water to wet his lips. His stomach was growling.

  A few minutes later he was on the road again, seeking out a cabin with a dark blue Caprice parked out front. After twenty minutes or so, he turned onto a dirt road and drove for a while around the lake. From a distance, he could see smoke rising out of a chimney so he continued in that direction. When he saw the dark blue car parked out front of a rather rustic-looking log cabin, he knew he’d found it.

  Quincy brought the car to a stop a little ways away and heaved a sigh of relief. Tyler. He had no idea what kind of reception he was going to get, but there was no turning back. He got out of the car and walked up the road, pausing in front of the cabin. Swallowing hard, he stepped up onto the porch and knocked at the door. “Tyler?”

  No answer.

  He knocked again, then pushed the door open. “Ty, you here?”

  The place was empty. Quincy glanced around at the kitchen area, then the open living room. There was a small table and chairs with a fridge and stove. On the other side of the big space were an old sofa and an easy chair that looked like they’d seen better days.

  Quincy ran his hand over an ancient television sitting on an old rickety stand in the corner, then poked his head into what he thought was a closet. It was a bathroom, with a narrow shower and a toilet.

  On the other side in the back was the bedroom with a bed and an old, beat-up bureau. On the bed lay an open duffle bag. Quincy picked up a bottle of aftershave and opened it. He inhaled the fragrance. The same kind Tyler had always worn, a musky vanilla scent, very male and aromatic.

  Quincy closed his eyes, remembering what it had felt like holding Tyler in his arms, making love to him and inhaling that scent, inhaling Tyler.

  He came out of his trance and put the top on the aftershave, placing it carefully back in his bag. He sighed. Either he could wait around or go looking for him. Maybe he’d gone fishing. He smiled at that thought, hard to picture Tyler fishing. He’d been into contact sports. Fishing was just a little too passive. But hey, people change.

  Quincy stepped outside and glanced around. He could see a lake in the distance, and a path leading down to it. Quincy headed down the path, his anxiety building again.

  The lake loomed out in front of him and there was someone in the water. Quincy’s gaze swung to the clothes spread over the rock nearby, a T-shirt and pair of shorts, running shoes. Shit. He’d had a hard enough time preparing to see Tyler with his clothes on, let alone, with them off.

  Quincy moved a little closer. Tyler floated on his back, looking up at the sky. He smiled, recalling how they used to lay on the grass together, describing what they thought the clouds looked like.

  Suddenly Tyler shot up in the water, pushed his wet hair out of his eyes, and stared at Quincy.

  “Hello, Tyler,” Quincy managed as he moved closer. They were within a few feet of each other now.

  Tyler began to walk out of the lake.

  His state of undress was knocking the breath right out of Quincy. Eight years had added muscle and tone to his torso and legs. Tyler had always had a beautiful body, but it was exceptional now. Everything had filled out to drooling perfection.

  Tyler’s golden skin was bathed in sunlight. Sparkling drops of water rolled down his muscled chest and dripped off the head of his sex.

  Quincy’s mouth went dry. Fuck.

  Quincy had been secretly hoping Tyler had gone bald and put on sixty pounds. Just his luck, the few years had enhanced every asset rather than diminished it.

  Tyler reached the shore, grabbed a towel and hitched it hastily around his waist. He didn’t speak, just walked right by him.

  “Guess you’re surprised to see me.” Quincy called after him. His heart was hammering against his ribs. Quincy quickened his pace. “Tyler, wait!”

  Tyler didn’t slow down.

  “Tyler. Please, goddamn it! Say something. Can you turn around and look at me? I didn’t know where else to go and...I’m in trouble. I need your help.”

  Abruptly Tyler came to a full stop.

  Quincy almost bumped into him. He reached out to touch his shoulder.

  Suddenly Tyler whirled around and punched Quincy straight in the jaw.

  The impact forced Quincy back a few steps. Quincy watched Tyler march straight to the cabin, mount the steps, and go inside, letting the door slam behind him.

  Quincy’s hand went to his mouth. Okay, that hurt like hell. He got to the porch and sat down on the stairs, rubbing his jaw. It didn’t seem to be broken and he still had all his teeth, a definite bonus. Well, he’d wanted a reaction, and he’d gotten one.

  * * * * * * Tyler gripped the sides of the kitchen table for a few minutes, trying to calm down. He couldn’t believe that after eight years, Quincy would have the balls to track him down way out here, and ask for his help.

  He let go of the table with a sigh. He went into the bedroom and pulled on an old pair of blue jeans, then sat down to put on socks and runners. For a few minutes, he didn’t move. He hoped Quincy had gotten the message and taken off. He didn’t want to look at him. He didn’t want to talk to him.

  When he came back into the living room and saw the vehicle through the window, he swore. “He’s still here.”

  He had no choice. He would have to go outside and face the moment he’d dreaded more than anything.

  Tyler grabbed a clean T-shirt and pulled it over his head. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and headed to the door. He hesitated a moment, then yanked it open, prepared for battle.

  Quincy was sitting on the front porch. When Tyler stepped outside, Quincy glanced up at him with those killer blue eyes. Those eyes used to have the power to reduce him to…but, damn it, not any more. He wouldn’t let them.

  “Hey,” Quincy said. “You hit me pretty hard, might have broken my jaw.”

  “If I’d wanted to break your jaw, it would be broken now.” Tyler met his gaze. Shit. Quincy was still hot, his fair hair a little shaggier, longer, his body slim and toned. He had a beautiful face, and right now, looking at it, Tyler almost wanted to cry. “What do you want?”

  Quincy got to his feet. “Can we go inside?”

  “No, we can’t. We talk out here. Say what you came to say, then go.”

  Quincy shook his head. “I didn’t expect so much bitterness after all this time.”

  “Didn’t you?”

  Tyler thought he knew exactly what he’d say if they ever met by accident. He’d act nonchalant, show Quincy it was truly over for
him, the past was the past. But that wasn’t how it felt at all. It felt like yesterday the last time he’d seen Quincy. Tyler folded his arms across his chest, and waited for Quincy to speak again.

  “I didn’t know who else…to…”

  “Whatever it is, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to help you. In fact, I won’t help you. So don’t waste your breath.”

  “Tyler, if not for me, than do it for Allison. You remember my niece, Allison, don’t you?”

  He and Quincy used to babysit her, take her to the park. Tyler remembered hot summer days, eating ice cream, sneaking kisses when the kid was busy on the swings.

  “Remember the time we took her to the zoo and Allison…she was only about--”

  “If you came here to take a walk down memory lane, I’m not interested.”

  “I…no.” He put up a hand. “It’s not that. Okay. Do you remember Bruce saying that he didn’t profit from the money he transferred from the company?”

  “The money you and Bruce swindled from the company, you mean.”

  “Yes, okay, have it your way. Well, Bruce was on the run for a few days before he got arrested, and I think he stole the money and hid it---”

  “I don’t want to hear this, Quincy.”

  “Tyler, I think Bruce hid the money somewhere, and I need to…”

  “You want me to find this money for you?” Tyler’s mouth tightened.

  “No. It’s not me. I don’t want the damn money. It’s not that. There’s a new guy at the halfway house I was at. He threatened me, threatened Allison and my sister-in-law if I told the cops. He told me he was the one who murdered Bruce in prison, and that I was next unless I told him where the money was. Tyler, I don’t know anything about any money.”

  “You came all the way out here to tell me that? Why didn’t you just go to the police?”

  “This guy threatened Allison, told me not to bring in the authorities. I got away from him yesterday but he pulled a gun on me. I figured you could find something on this guy quietly, and--”

  “Well, you figured wrong,” Tyler snapped. “I can’t help you. Go home, Quincy.” Tyler went back inside and slammed the door.

  Seconds later, the door flew open and Quincy stood there, hands on his hips. “Don’t think I’m going to let you just shut the door in my face. You’re going to hear me out this time, Ty.”