by Jerry Cole
“Oh, no. We're really out of coffee. I could use a cup when we're done here.”
Roland stifled a laugh and covered his mouth, pretending to stroke his beard instead. As his eyes shifted over the shuffling crowd, he noticed a man wearing a leather jacket approaching the coffin. His jet-black hair sat over his forehead in an alternative style and he held a picture in his hand. When he extended his hand to place the picture in the coffin, Detective Moses perked up.
The man whispered something incoherent. Just as he went to turn, the detective sprang into action and darted up the aisle, parting the crowd as he ran. He held up his badge to the man and announced, “Jax Bolten, you're under arrest for the murder of Ben Crop and the attempted murder of Gabe Hyde.”
All hell broke loose. The crowd burst with gasps and oppositions, one of the men at the back barking for an explanation. As people watched on in horror and heated interest, Jax stood stiffly in the front of the room.
He grimaced and darted for the exit. Officer McDaniel caught him by the arm, twisting it behind his back while driving him to the ground. While the officer whipped out a pair of handcuffs, he stated loudly, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you don't have an attorney--”
Jax growled, “What do you mean attempted? He's dead! He's right there and he's dead!”
The crowd hushed suddenly. Detective Moses approached Jax with a smug grin as he pointed to one of the doorways near the coffin. When Roland looked in that direction, he couldn't help the laugh that erupted from him.
Gabe stepped out from the doorway and walked up to the coffin. He lifted the picture that Jax had placed next to his fake corpse.
“It's a shame,” he said. “If I had known that you were out for blood, I could have helped you get justice. But instead, you chose the route of a murderer.”
Jax huffed angrily as Officer McDaniel pulled him to his feet. “Your friend Ben was the reason my brother fell to his death. Ben pinned the lid down. That's why Dante drowned! He was stuck!”
“That sounds like a confession to me, Detective.”
The detective nodded. “We got what we needed from the wire.”
“Would you like to repeat for the class what you said to my corpse, Jax?”
Jax was red in the face. His eyes were shifting side to side as if looking for another way to escape. But all the exits were covered, and he was in handcuffs. He had nowhere to go. “Wouldn't you like that?”
“Oh, I really would.”
“Go to hell, Hyde.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “Been there, done that. Now, I'm back.”
“Let's get this guy booked,” Detective Moses said.
He grabbed Jax by the back of his jacket and roughly led him up the aisle, parading him through the room before taking him out the front door. As soon as they were gone, the crowd erupted with a mixture of relieved chatter and frantic questions. A few people rushed to Gabe, touching his arm tentatively to see if he was real.
Roland marched up the aisle and stood next to Gabe, taking his hand. “Another successful stunt, eh?”
“This one is definitely one for the books.”
“And you didn't actually have to get hurt.”
Gabe laughed. “Well, somebody got hurt.” He nodded toward the front door. “Technically, two if you count me.”
“Are you all right?”
“I'm upset, but I'll live. I heard him confess to killing Ben and then he gloated about killing me.”
“Did he say how he did it?”
Gabe shook his head. “I'm sure the detective can tell me that.”
“I hope so. I'm sure that would bring you a great deal of peace.”
Roland noticed the crowd around them had swelled. Some folks were poking the dummy in the coffin while some were staring at Gabe.
“Mark!” Gabe cried as he greeted a portly man wearing slacks. “I'm so glad you made it.”
“You sick jerk! We thought you were dead!”
“Well, we had to figure out who killed Ben.”
“And you didn't let me in on it?”
Gabe grinned. “For all we knew, it could have been you.”
Mark looked shocked. “I'd never in a million years hurt my people!”
“I know, Mark. But I had to be sure. I had to get the guy who hurt one of our own.”
Mark shook his head. “I can't believe it was Jax. You really think you know someone and then that happens. What a shame!”
“That's life, isn't it? I'm just glad we could get it sorted. I feel a lot better now.”
“Who's your friend here, Gabe?”
“Oh, this is Roland!”
Roland smiled politely and held out a hand for Mark to shake.
“Were you in on it the whole time?” Mark inquired.
“I was,” Roland replied.
“I would have never guessed. You could really be an actor; do you know that?”
Gabe guffawed and doubled over, holding his ribs while chuckling intermittently. Roland held him upright. “You're going to hurt yourself, Gabe. Don't laugh so hard.”
“It's just...funny...that you would ever be an actor!”
“I think I could pull it off.”
Mark nodded. “I was fooled. We were all fooled. You put on a good performance. What's this thing made of?” He pointed to the coffin. “Is it the old Hollywood formula?”
“It's my personal recipe—silicone on an old scarecrow.”
“Impressive. Maybe you could come make some props for us sometime. We always need experts working on our horror films.”
Roland blushed. “Oh, I don't know if I could spare the time...”
Gabe squeezed Roland's hand. “I'm sure we could work around your schedule. It would be a fun adventure.”
“This was enough of an adventure for me.”
“And for me,” Mark agreed. “Now, I'm starved. Is there a buffet waiting for us or was that fake, too?”
“No, I ordered some food for you guys. I figured you could use it after getting over the shock of me being alive,” Gabe explained.
The conversation thinned as the crowd faded out, funneling into the reception room where the catering company had set up a selection of hot food. Soon, Roland found himself alone with Gabe.
He wrapped an arm around Gabe's waist gently. “Was I a good liar this time?”
“Oh, you were excellent by what I saw.”
“I appreciate that.”
“I appreciate you.”
Roland smiled warmly while cupping Gabe's cheek. He planted a kiss on Gabe's lips, lingering for a moment on Gabe's bottom lip before pulling away. “I'm glad I could help.”
“It was the perfect trick for Halloween.”
“I meant to ask if you wanted to help me pass out candy.”
“As long as I get to sit down. Who should I be? I don't even have a costume ready.”
“I think we should be zombies.”
Gabe laughed. “That's how I feel, so it works out just fine.”
“I figured as much.”
“You really make me happy, Roland. I want you to know that.”
Roland grinned. “You make me happy, Gabe. As long as we take things slow, I'd like to keep seeing you.”
“That's the most beautiful thing I've heard all day.”
“What about that sermon that pastor gave?”
“Oh, that put me to sleep.”
Roland shared a laugh with Gabe as they walked slowly to the reception room, mingling with the crowd there. Although the room was at capacity, Roland felt like he had the whole place to himself. He felt like he had Gabe and only Gabe surrounded by a bubble of comfort and warmth that would lead him into a future of new beginnings.
And he felt truly happy.
Chapter Fifteen
Gabe
“Trick or treat!”
Gabe dug into the pumpkin bucket and procured a handful
of candy to drop into the bag in front of him. The little boy wearing a pirate costume smiled wide and hopped excitedly back to his parents. Gabe waved as they walked away.
“They're so adorable,” he remarked while setting down the bucket. “I miss wearing costumes and running around.”
“Technically, you do that all the time.”
“I guess that's true, but it's not the same.”
Roland laughed. “How is it not the same?”
“Because I'm an adult now. I miss being a kid.”
“I suppose there is an innocence I miss about childhood. I was so oblivious to the world at large.”
“Maybe that's what I miss.”
Gabe unwrapped a chocolate covered candy and popped it into his mouth, humming contentedly as he chewed it. He held one out to Roland who accepted it gratefully.
As Roland peeled away the wrapper, a few more kids strolled up the sidewalk. He grabbed the bucket and whispered, “My turn.”
The kids hopped up the steps and Roland groaned mournfully, doing his best zombie impression. As he held up the bucket for the kids to grab candy, they all laughed.
“Trick or treat!” they cried as they ran off.
“Do you ever think about having kids?” Gabe asked.
“I never gave it any serious thought.”
“I think I'd like to adopt.”
Roland smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, I'd love to have a family. You know, I want the house, the yard, the fence, and the dog—the whole thing.”
“That sounds lovely but also loud.”
Gabe laughed. “Of course, kids are loud! That's just how they are, but then they grow up and you get to see who they become.”
“Do you ever think your kids might grow up to be like you?”
“I don't know. Sometimes, I hope so. I'd love for my children to get into Hollywood, but I wouldn't want them to do it out of obligation. So many people around here get sucked into acting and the movie business because it's part of their family when they really just want to do something else.”
“Did you ever want to do anything else?”
Gabe cocked his head, looking up at the blanket of clouds shrouding the night sky. The moon peeked from behind a haze of clouds and shimmered down upon them, disappearing near the bright streetlights. “I don't think I ever wanted to be anything but what I am now.”
“Nothing at all? Not a teacher or an artist?”
“Technically, I am an artist.”
Roland held up his hands like he was about to surrender. “Oh, well, excuse me.”
Gabe chuckled. “You're excused, babe.”
“What a gentleman you are to allow me to be excused.”
“And what a handsome zombie you make.”
Roland grinned. “Thank you.”
Gabe locked eyes with Roland for a moment. He could see the reflection of the streetlights on the surface of Roland's eyes but could also see the genuine love beneath their glossy sheen. He felt pride and joy swell in his chest as well as a mixture of sorrow and grief. It hit him suddenly like a cannon from a ship.
He sank in his chair, scratching with his good hand at his cast. “You know, the detective gave me more information.”
“Are you allowed to share it?”
“I'd like to share it.”
Roland nodded. “Go ahead, my love. I'm listening.”
Gabe took a shaky breath, redirecting his gaze to the sidewalk. There weren't any kids around. The small packs of people passing by were mostly adults searching for another bar or party. When the coast seemed to be clear, he licked his lips and replied, “Apparently, Jax really was Dante's brother. Their family name was Bolten. Dante chose the name Cross because it sounded cool.”
“As most performers do.”
“When Dante was doing his stunt, Jax was barely getting into the stunt game. He was learning from his brother, so naturally he was watching from the bridge.” He paused for a moment, releasing a huff of air from his nostrils. “Ben was working that stunt. He was the one who set up the whole thing, the whole plan for the barrel. He set it up and did the safety checks. I guess he just made a mistake.”
“That's awful.”
“I mean, someone else should have double-checked, but that's what Ben always taught me. He always told me to go over the safety stuff a million times until I was sick of it. Ben was a good teacher. He always meant well.”
“Mistakes happen, Gabe.”
Gabe's lower lip quivered. “But Ben...he was just a pure soul. He never made a mistake that I ever saw.”
“That's probably because he learned from his previous mistakes.”
“It wasn't even his fault. Dante was supposed to push on the lid to make sure it would come off before they knocked him over toward the water. But I guess he just forgot in the heat of the moment.”
“So, it was just an accident. Nothing more.”
“I can't shake the feeling that...that...” Gabe hid his face in his hand. He could feel the knot in his throat break and the tears streaming down his face as a result. He felt Roland's comforting hand on his arm, and he smiled weakly, wiping the tears away. He took another breath, releasing it slowly. “I can't shake the feeling that maybe Ben had done it on purpose.”
“You don't know that for sure. You said yourself that Ben was a good person. Why would he ever set out to do such a thing?”
“I guess I'll never know. He never really mentioned that gig or the details about it. He had said something about Dante Cross, but I wasn't even paying attention. I can't believe it. Jax was out for blood because of one mistake.”
“Did the detective tell you how he did it?”
Gabe shuddered. “I guess Jax rigged a needle in the pulley so when the wires ran through it, the needle would weaken the line. Pull on it enough and the whole line snaps. And then the pin just falls out and disappears.”
“That's rather smart, but also disturbing.”
“I can't believe...I just can't believe his brother's death made him do all that.”
“Death has a strong impact on people. Everyone reacts in a way that they deem appropriate to their recovery.”
“I forget that you're an expert.”
Roland shook his head while grinning. “Oh, don't consider me such an expert. I'm just experienced. I've seen my share of grief.”
“Do you ever think you'll leave the mortician business?”
“I have considered it.”
Gabe sniffled, chasing away the rest of his crying fit with a sip from his soda. He sighed as he set the can down. “What do you think you'll do?”
“Horror movies.”
Gabe snorted into a giggle fit. “Did Mark convince you that was a good idea?”
“He merely made a suggestion that I am taking seriously.”
“Well, Hollywood would be lucky to have you. Your attention to detail is amazing and your skills are valuable.”
“You flatter me.”
“I do no such thing!” Gabe held Roland's gaze daringly, unable to move. When he couldn't contain his laughter any longer, he broke, shuddering when his ribs shot with pain that radiated through his chest. “Damn.”
“Hey, you need to be careful with yourself. Let's not get you too excited.”
“I can't help it. I'm a glutton for pain.”
“I don't like seeing you in pain. Do you need more medicine?”
Gabe waved away the question. “I'm fine. I'm used to this.”
“I can't imagine the kind of injuries you've sustained in your life.”
“I've had a concussion about five times. I've broken both legs, my tailbone, my upper and lower arm, and I even broke my back one time.”
“Gabe...”
“There was one time I cracked my skull open. Did I ever show you that scar? It's really wicked. It's right--”
“Gabe, we have guests.”
Gabe raised his eyebrows, tightening his lips into a thin line as he noticed the kids approaching on the side
walk. He held up the bucket. “Whoops—sorry, baby.”
“I don't want you to actually scare the children.”
“Hey, everybody likes to be scared on Halloween. That's the whole point, isn't it?”
Roland grabbed a handful of candy to pass out, greeting the children with his practiced zombie groan. “Trick or treat, children!”
The group of them giggled, collected their candy, and retreated back to the main sidewalk. When they were gone, Gabe took Roland's hand. “You would make a cool dad.”
“I'd make a strange dad.”
“No, I think you would be great. Hell, if you can deal with my attitude and stubbornness, you could deal with almost any child.”
“Don't make me imagine that. I think it would give me nightmares.”
Gabe snickered. “I think you don't give yourself enough credit.”
“I guess I would be all right. I don't know because I've never tried. But I did have a dog once.”
“Oh, children are much different. But same idea. You have a caring nature and I think you would do very well.”
“I appreciate your vote of confidence.”
“It's what I do.”
Gabe grinned while tugging Roland's hand to his lips. He planted a few kisses on Roland's knuckles and then rested Roland's hand in his lap, relaxing into the chair as he watched the sidewalk for more kids. He sat in silence for a moment, inhaling the cool night air that felt less spooky and more hopeful.
He turned to Roland. “I forgot to tell you something today.”
“What's that?”
“Happy Halloween.”
Roland grinned. “Happy Halloween, my love.”
“And there's something else.”
“What else could there possibly be?”
Gabe sat up slowly and leaned over the armrest of the chair, tugging Roland closer. “I love you.”
