Moth

by Jennifer Foor

  I fall asleep quickly after exhausting my energy. When I wake the next morning I’m only reminded of my late night actions. I smile as I sit up in bed and stretch. The laptop is still beside me. I can’t help opening it to see if Windy is awake. I notice she’s on a phone call, pacing around the living room in a frantic manner. Her hands are waving around, so I turn up the volume to catch what’s being said.

  “I told you I’ll take care of it. It can’t happen overnight.” She sits down on the couch. I can tell she’s flustered. I grab my phone off the side table and check to see if she’s using the phone I’ve cloned.

  No such luck.

  “Please. I need more time.” Now she’s crying. I’m unable to rationalize how vulnerable this makes me feel. I don’t understand why I can’t see her as a vicious criminal. As I sit watching her talk to who I assume is an accomplice, or whoever she’s taking orders from, I wonder how I can comfort her. This is out of character for me. I’m too emotionally involved with this case, having been assigned because it’s dealing with my family. I know I should ask to be taken off, but I refuse to hand over the reigns. This is my opportunity to make things right.

  “Okay. I’ll do it. Just give me more time. I’m close. It’s difficult for me. I’ll prove I have the situation under control. I’ll have the package with me at the party. You can see for yourself. Please. Just a little more time.” She’s pleading with whoever has her on the phone. I need to figure out who it is, and apparently my time is limited.

  I don’t leave for the surveillance platform right away. Much to my surprise I’m stopped by one of the roommates, Matt Howard. He’s your typical computer geeky stereotype. His hair is greasy, his glasses fall down the bridge of his nose, and it’s obvious he lives off Ramen noodles and soda pop. He’s lanky and awkwardly uncomfortable as he approaches me. “Monty, do you mind if we talk out front for a second?”

  Remaining in character is impertinent for each case I work. I put on a fake, unworried smile and follow behind. “Yeah, sure.” I’m dressed the part of a student, my book bag on my back, my computer and cellular devices packed up in case anyone wants to go through my room.

  We reach the porch and I stand while he sits on an old, half-broken chair. His arms are crossed and I can sense he’s threatened by my size. “What’s up? Did I break a house rule or something? Is it my turn to buy toilet paper?”

  “No.” He’s very short as he answers. “I know who you are and why you’re here. Jamie and I were close, closer than anyone might have assumed.”

  This is not only a shock to me, but also a huge clue in the case if it’s true. I respond in a relaxed tone. If this guy knows who I am it could ruin everything, so I have to be sure to read him properly. “If you know who I am then you understand how important it is this information doesn’t leave this porch.”

  He nods. “Your brother didn’t deserve what happened to him. He wasn’t a drug addict, and he didn’t have a reason to kill himself.”

  “What about being gay? Did he come out?”

  He shrugs and looks away. “He wasn’t ready. He said he’d never be accepted. He said your father would disown him.”

  Being gay is a touchy subject around my dad. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how he would react to this news, but I’m nothing like him. To each his own. I’m here to solve a crime, not judge my brother for his preference in men.

  “I’m doing everything I can to find out what’s going on here. I’d appreciate it if you keep my identity to yourself. Let me do my job.”

  “I recognized you from pictures he showed me. He told me you were in the DEA. What the hell is going on? Jamie wasn’t involved in drugs. He never left the house unless he was tutoring people. He didn’t deserve this. He was a good man.” His lips are trembling as he speaks. I don’t know what to say to make the pain go away. Seeing him struggle only shows me how much my brother deserves justice. His life was cut short and there isn’t a logical reason why.

  “I’ll find who did this and make them pay.”

  I start to leave and he stops me. “What can I do to help?”

  I think about it for a second. “For starters, tell me what you know about the guys in the house. Then I need you to compile a list of the people Jamie tutored. It’s okay if you can’t remember them all.”

  “I have his computer.”

  “What? The police took it.”

  He smiles. “No. Jamie had two. He kept one for school and the other for everything else. I can get it for you. Hang on.” He leaves me on the porch while heading back in the house. When he surfaces a few minutes later he has a computer bag in his hand. “Here. Take it. He’d want you to find everything you can.”

  I look him directly in the eyes. “I’ll make sure you get it back.” It’s the least I can do. This guy knew my brother better than anyone. He deserves to have something that belonged to him. I don’t know what it’s like to be gay, but love is love. I extend my hand. “You have my word.”

  Chapter 9

  We’ve been working non-stop to put a name to fake Windy. House and Renner begged me to back out of my plans with her. I can tell their heads aren’t into it this time. They’re itching to get back to Guatemala. I don’t blame them. For two years we’ve spent more time there then at home. They’ve obviously met people and become accustomed to living in tropical beautiful conditions. No one wants to come back to the states where it rains all the time. The traffic here sucks, and people are much more rude.

  The images of her masturbating the night before are making me insane. I can’t stop picturing it. My dick reacts as my mind wanders. I’m losing my shit.

  I haven’t seen Matt Howard since our conversation on the porch. We’ve gone through Jamie’s computer with a fine tooth comb and found nothing connecting him to drugs of any kind. I’m frustrated and need a night to burn off some residual stress.

  I’m not sure what to wear. To keep up appearances I’ve been staying at the house my brother rented. Being in his room makes me feel a bit closer to the man I never spent the time to get to know. When I look in the mirror at my appearance I realize there are things about me I haven’t even begun to understand. I’ve withdrawn from society for so long its hard to adapt. I want to fit in, I have to, but it’s difficult when I’m over ten years older than everyone I’m surrounded by. After much consideration I choose to wear a pair of dark trousers with a T-shirt I found in one of the boxes my brother left at our dad’s house. It’s tight fitting, which is more how I like to wear my clothes so it shows off my muscles. I throw some gel in my dark hair and even manage to shave my face without any cuts. Even though I’m not used to looking this way, I find it comforting to know I’m about to impress the fake Windy. At this point I don’t really know what else to call her. She’s a fraud, and until I know more she’ll have to be just that.

  Since I’ve gotten ready early I decide to head downstairs to feel out the people my brother surrounded himself with. I discover one of the guys I share the place with is home. He’s sitting at the dining room table on his laptop with a text book sitting open next to it. The title tells me it’s some kind of science class he’s doing work for. “Do you ever take the night off?”

  He looks up from his notebook and gives me a once over. I’m apparently dressed in clothing he doesn’t approve of. None of them have offered a bit of welcoming, so I’m not surprised he seems distracted. “I have a project due on Monday. I’ve recently discovered some of my earlier gatherings were misleading. Now I’m having to go back and rewrite half of my essay.”

  “That blows.” I hear a horn beep from outside, so I tap on the table. “Don’t work too hard, man. I’ll catch you on the flipside.”

  I see him peek outside to be nosey. Hopefully when I return he’ll want to talk to me about Windy and her connection to the guy who used to sleep in my room. Lucky for me, I’ve bugged the whole house just to make sure there isn’t anything I’m missing.

  The windows are rolled up as I approach the car,
so it isn’t until I open the passenger side door when I get a whiff of her sweet perfume. It’s fresh and clean scented, and I have to remind myself this is work, because I’m already wanting to examine every inch of where the smell radiates. She turns and looks at me as if my attire isn’t up to her standards. I think it’s cute I make her question her invitation this early on. I take a quick glance at the tight white pants she’s managed to get over her curvy ass. The black and white toned tube top offers nothing for the imagination, and just as I assume those tits are fake they start moving with every bump the road hits, indicating they are one hundred percent all natural. I’m not partial to either types, but the fact that God gave her this set is definitely an added bonus for me. “You look great,” I offer to break the silence.

  “We should probably get to know each other a little better if I’m going to pull off you being my companion.” The way she says it is more like it’s a professional agreement.

  “Am I getting paid for this gig?”

  Her shocked face makes me chuckle. “What?”

  “Well, if I’m supposed to be playing a part I think there should be some kind of restitution.”

  “Restitution?”

  “Yeah. I mean, who am I supposed to be? Your boyfriend? A work associate? Your teacher?”

  “My teacher?”

  She’s still playing dumb, so I give her sass right back. “I’ll have you know, I won’t be bought.” I cross my arms and act offended.

  “I don’t want to show up alone, because the people that will be there can get a little feely after they’ve had too much to drink. I just didn’t want someone asking us questions and our stories not matching. It will make me look like a fool. Two of the men I work with keep pushing. If I can get them off my backs it would be a huge relief. That’s why I need you to come with me. It’s for show.”

  “Tell the truth.” It’s not a bad story. “We met in a parking lot when my truck wouldn’t start. Then I saw you a second time and we had coffee together. The rest is, well it’s happening right now.”

  “Do you care if I say it was a month ago?”

  I shrug, though I’m aware her eyes are on the road. “Sure. Do I get to treat it like we’ve been dating for a month?” It is extremely important that I use this evening to infiltrate her life in a way that I can get to know everything she’s hiding. If I want free access to her apartment I’m going to have to give this chick the best night of her life and hope it gets me an invitation back to her pad. This is about my brother. I have to keep reminding myself of that. What would Jamie want me to do to get justice? In all honesty, I have no idea what he would have done, but I know I won’t be able to rest until I get to the bottom of this.

  “If you’re thinking you’re going to get action tonight think again. I’ll have you know I wait a lot longer than a month to sleep with a man, no matter how charming he pretends to be.” She snickers. “Or lack there of.”

  “I can be charming as fuck. Don’t tempt me, little miss sexy.”

  She’s laughing more. “This is a mistake.”

  I turn my body to face hers. “It’s only a mistake if you have regrets. I can guarantee that’s the last thing you’ll be feeling after a night with me. I promise you won’t be faking, that’s for sure.”

  “I’ve never met anyone as cocky as you are. Does it get you far with women?”

  “All the time,” I conclude.

  “Yeah right.” I find it amusing that she doesn’t believe me.

  “It’s true. I’ve never had one who didn’t want me to return for seconds and thirds and, well you get the drift. Let’s just say I’m unforgettable.” I want to laugh at the things I’m saying. It’s not that I’m lying to her. I’ve had my fair share of women who want to spend extra time with me. Ali is one of them. It doesn’t matter how long I wait to visit. We end up in bed within minutes of my arrival. She doesn’t ask if there’s anyone else. I don’t even know if she cares.

  We pull up at a light in a bad part of town. While we’re sitting there an elderly woman waits for the crossing sign to light up before wheeling a cart across the highway. Out of nowhere a young male runs up and shoves her to the ground, then yanks her purse from her arm and takes off. Before I can begin to react, Windy throws the car in park and hauls ass toward the woman. I take the keys from the ignition before going after the thief on foot. We make it about a block before I catch up with him, and I know it only happened because he didn’t think anyone was behind him. I take him down easily on the hard pavement of the sidewalk. He screams in irrefutable agony while I shove his face against the concrete. “Don’t fucking move.” I hold him in this position with my knee while looking down the road to see if Windy is okay. She’s standing with the elderly woman with her hands blocking the setting sun so she can see what I’m doing. I pull my phone from my pocket and start to call police, but then I stop. This kid can’t be older than sixteen. He’s crying, pleading with me to let him go. I’ve never been on the other side of the law, but I know kids do things for the stupidest reasons. I hold the back of his head as I speak close so only he can hear me. “You just messed with the wrong DEA agent, buddy.”

  “Please,” he whines. “I can’t go to jail. My mom needs me to help her. She’s hooked on crack. She spent our rent money. We’re getting evicted. She told me to do it.”

  I’m furious, but compassionate. I’ve seen firsthand what drugs do to a person. The fact that he’s living in those types of conditions says a lot about his willingness to need to provide.

  I back off and let him sit up on his ass. “This isn’t the way to make money. If your mom is having problems she needs help. You could have killed someone because of your stupidity.”

  I pull out my wallet and give him forty bucks. “It ain’t much, kid. Go get yourself something to eat, and then plan on staying with a friend for a while.”

  “Why?” He asks.

  “Because you’re about to give me your address so I can make sure your mother gets the assistance she needs.”

  “You can’t take her to jail.” He’s beginning to get frantic.

  “I know some people who can help her get clean. She’ll be picked up and taken to a hospital that can handle the withdrawal process. It’s obvious you love your mom. I’m offering a chance for you to prove it to her.”

  He seems defeated. “If I refuse?”

  “Then you’ll be spending the night in jail.”

  He calls off his home address for me while gripping the two twenties I’ve given him.

  Before he can get up and walk away I give him one more warning. “If I see you on the streets again, I’m taking your ass in myself. Consider this your lucky day.”

  “What about my mom? What will happen to her? She’s all I’ve got left. My dad’s in jail.”

  “Do you have grandparents?”

  “They live in Atlanta.”

  “Call them. Your mom is in no shape to take care of you. Now get out of here before I change my mind.” He takes off down the road. As I head back I wonder how much I’m helping by letting him go. Statistics say he’ll be right back doing what I’ve warned him not to. When I arrive at the car the elderly lady awaits me to hand her the purse. “Thank you, young man.”

  “You’re welcome, sweet lady,” I flirt back. She offers a huge smile as I take her hand and kiss it while making sure Windy is watching.

  She waves as she walks away, leaving me alone with my fake date. “You let him go? Why would you do that?”

  “He’s a troubled kid. I’ve been in his position before. It sucks.” I take my phone and text House the address the kid gave me with instructions for him to contact local police and set things in motion to have her put into a program. I don’t know if it will pan out, but I make the effort regardless.

  I don’t care if we’d hear shit from local police, or if we’d be able to slip under the rug without being detected. I had pull with the DEA. Seeing that kid made me think about Maria’s two children that had to grow
up without parents. It was the least I could do to make up for my failures. Maybe it wouldn’t work. Maybe the kid would end up in jail, or worse, like his mother. Only time would tell, but at least I made an attempt.

  I turn my attention back to Windy. We’re at the next stop light and she’s resting her head on the steering wheel. “I knew this was going to be a bad day.”

  “You helped a little old lady. You’re a hero.”

  “You’re the one who recovered her purse. What kind of ninja skills do you have? You tackled that kid like you were a psychopath.”

  I cackle. If she only knew. “I used to fight a lot. I played football. I guess it still comes in handy.”

  “Ya think? At least I know you’re capable of protecting me from the perverts we’re about to be in the company of.”

  “So this has nothing to do with your attraction to me?”

  She gives me a quick annoyed glance. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  This woman pushes my buttons. I like being challenged, but add the danger factor into this scenario and I’m all in with a full house, ready to collect my prize at the end of the game. She’s forbidden fruit, and as much as I’d like to deny wanting a taste, I can’t help imagining what it would be like to run my hands over her smooth olive skin and feel those puffy lips coursing over mine. I’m a man. She could still be a killer. She may be the reason my brother is dead. I’m pressured to want this case solved, no matter who I have to get into bed with to make it happen, and I mean that in a literal sense. Why not take advantage of this investigation? I’m only hurting myself if she turns out to be the devil in a red dress. It’s only a matter of time before I come to my senses and realize being around her is a terrible idea. I’m too attracted to what’s on the outside to consider the consequences of acting on my urges.