by Andrew Grey
“Why would they just take off?” Jasper asked when Reggie joined him again.
“Because they’re scared. And maybe none of them are supposed to be here.” Reggie tagged the bloody fabric as evidence and slowly went through what had been the contents of the van. He found very little that was personal until he widened the search. A bag had been thrown from the van and had ended up forty or fifty feet from the scene. Inside were clothes and a small prayer book in Spanish. “Jesus,” Reggie said under his breath. “No wonder they took off, even injured. They were scared to be seen by anyone.”
“I don’t understand,” Jasper said.
“Tag this and get it into evidence, and then secure the van with everything inside. Have it hauled to the station. We need to go through everything in it.” That was going to take hours. It was time he started using his people. “Call Sam and get him in, then take charge of the car when it arrives.”
“On it.” Jasper hurried away, practically bouncing.
Reggie shook his head, walking back to the ambulance, where the truck driver sat with a blanket over his shoulders. “Are you okay? What’s your name?”
“Jack Parnell. They said it was shock, but I’m okay.”
“Tell me about the accident,” Reggie said.
“It was dark, and they were coming up from the south. There were no lights, and by the time I saw them… I jammed on the brakes and clipped the driver’s side. The van twisted around and then rolled on its side. I pulled off right away, and after a minute, the back doors opened and five people got out. I asked if they were okay. They spoke Spanish, and one was hurt, but they helped him and grabbed bags and ran for the trees. I don’t think they could have been hurt too badly, but they were just gone. I suppose it was a miracle and all.” He hung his head. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but I never saw them.”
Reggie took notes, making sure he got all the personal information.
“The driver’s dead, isn’t he?” he asked, and Reggie nodded. “I thought so. That part took the brunt. I suppose I should be relieved no one else was injured. Were those people just riding loose in back?”
“I don’t think so. There were seats. My guess is that they were buckled in. We’ll know more once we get it back for investigation. But are you sure you’re okay?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. The truck was damaged and I got a little banged up, but that was all.” He took a deep breath. “Why didn’t they have their lights on? I would have seen them and could have gotten out of the way. They were over the center line, and I didn’t have much time to react.”
Reggie detected no indication of subterfuge or anything other than absolute truthfulness and regret. “Thank you.”
“Can I call someone to pick me up?” the truck driver asked.
“Of course,” Reggie answered. “Can we do anything to help? We can have the truck towed.”
“I called my company, and they were going to do that. I just wasn’t sure how much longer you would need me.” He hung his head.
“I can contact you if I need anything more. Call your friends or family.” Reggie turned, watching as everyone worked. The back door of the van had been closed, and Jasper stood guard as the wrecker loaded it on the back. That was one job done, and soon enough the second tow truck arrived and took care of the truck. Bit by bit the scene was cleared away. Jasper followed the van back to the station, and Reggie made sure the last details were handled before leaving the now-empty scene.
REGGIE TIED things up at the station, making sure all evidence was secured, and then went home. The house was dark when he arrived, and Reggie wondered if Willy was going to be there. He went inside and found Willy curled up on the sofa under the throw he kept on the back, the television on low. Reggie quietly left the room to put his gun away before returning.
“Hey,” Reggie said, sitting carefully on the edge of the sofa. “What happened?” He gently rubbed Willy’s back, thrilled that he was there.
Willy slowly rolled over, blinking at him. “Well, I told my father. I’m not hiding anymore. We had one of the weirdest conversations I think I can ever remember, and then my mom started in on him. That part was pretty unexpected. Then I told him, because… I don’t want to spend my life lying. I know my dad doesn’t approve of me, but at least he knows who I am now.” Willy yawned.
“Are you really okay?” Reggie slid closer, impressed and proud. “That’s a lot to go through.”
“I think I am. My dad didn’t yell or anything—I think he was too off-balance to do that.”
“What did he say?”
Willy shook his head. “Nothing. I just left the house. He didn’t stop me, and neither did my mom. My dad was upset that I was friends with you.” He sighed. “Things have been pretty bad at home for a long time. I told him about how I wasn’t happy and that I wanted my dad back.” Willy sat up, and Reggie hugged him. “It was pretty surreal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my dad speechless.”
“I was really worried when you texted,” Reggie said.
“I wasn’t sure where to go. I know my dad didn’t order me to get out of the house, but I couldn’t stay.” Willy leaned against him, and Reggie put his arms around him. “I guess I was hoping you’d understand.”
“I do.” But Reggie also didn’t want Willy to give up on his family.
“Did you get something to eat? What time is it?” Willy yawned. “I’m sorry I fell asleep.” He reached for his phone from the coffee table. “Nothing. I guess I was hoping someone might call.”
Reggie couldn’t blame Willy. “Give them a little time. Your dad is going to have a lot to process, based on what you told me.” Reggie’s stomach rumbled, and Willy jumped to his feet, hurrying to the refrigerator.
“I made some pasta and sauce. I’ll heat some of it up for you. I wasn’t expecting you to be so late. It must have been really bad.” He pulled out a plate and placed it in the microwave.
“It was. But I think I have a better idea about what’s been going on in town. You said that when you saw that white van, you thought you heard voices, right?” Reggie asked.
“Yeah.” Willy got a beer and brought it over to him, and when the microwave beeped, he hurried back and brought over a plate of pasta that smelled rich and savory, with mouthwatering garlic and oregano. He handed it to Reggie and sat next to him on the sofa. “Like multiple people talking very quietly. I couldn’t understand what they were saying.”
Reggie took a bite, humming softly. “Do you think that was because they weren’t speaking English?”
Willy paused and snuggled a little closer. “Possibly. It was hard for me to tell. Like I said, I couldn’t really understand them, and then this group of men came from behind the building. Why?”
Reggie took another bite and swallowed. “There was an accident tonight. A van was hit and rolled onto its side. The other driver said five people got out of the back of the van. They seemed shaken up but hurried into the woods. There was a trail, but it was too late to follow it. I’ll try in the morning when there’s some light, but I doubt I’m going to find anything.”
“Why? What are you thinking?”
“Human trafficking of some kind. People being transported illegally. I’m not sure what the purpose of the people here was. There may have been people who paid to get them across the border from Canada and then down to San Francisco or Los Angeles. It’s out of the way here, and it isn’t likely this route is going to be watched as much as the more major routes.”
“Is that what you think was going on out at the rest area?” Willy asked.
Reggie nodded, taking another bite and groaning. The pasta tasted damn good, and he was suddenly famished. “Think about it.” He continued eating, the need for food overwhelming almost everything else. “They would need a place to conduct business…. Maybe someone paving the way so they don’t get stopped or questioned.” The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this could be what Shawn was up to. Reggie set the plate on the table,
his hands curling into fists. If that were true, Reggie was going to hang the bastard by his balls. “I saw a documentary on National Geographic about it. They use out-of-the-way places. They have to have safe areas to refuel and let people out, things like that. The rest area would be good for them. It’s relatively isolated, and with someone running interference for them, they can feel safe and pass right through without anyone questioning it.”
“Yeah, but now won’t they change their routes? There’s been an accident, and they have to know that one of their vans is in custody. They can’t continue to use this route, so they’ll go somewhere else.”
Reggie couldn’t argue with that logic. “Maybe. They have to have put a lot of resources into building whatever organization they have, though. They aren’t going to abandon it just like that. They may back off, but they’ll return as soon as they think the heat is off.” He was already thinking of ways to help ensure that’s what they thought. He tugged Willy closer. “Right now, I’m more concerned about you and your father. Are you really going to be okay?”
“I don’t know,” Willy said. “I had to get out of the house and away from him for a while. And you were the first person I thought about contacting, but I don’t know where I’m going to go from here.” Willy shrugged. “I have what I could take with me in my car, and that’s pretty much all of it.” He turned and leaned against him, burying his face in Reggie’s shirt.
“Sweetheart, don’t worry. You can stay here as long as you need to.” Reggie wanted to move Willy into his bedroom and not let him go. Reggie leaned closer, burying his nose in Willy’s hair, inhaling deeply. He might have been crying. Reggie wasn’t sure and wasn’t going to ask. Sometimes a guy might need to cry, but he didn’t need to be called out for it. Reggie simply held him, soaking in the heat as he clung to him.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I know that once my father gets his emotional feet under him again, he’s going to be mad as a wet hen, and he’ll come after you.”
Reggie tightened his hug. “I’m a big boy. I can take whatever your father or the rest of this damn town wants to throw at me. I’m tired of hiding just to please other people. I am who I am….” He tilted Willy’s chin upward. “And you are who you are.” He smiled. “And I can’t tell you how proud I am. Willy, you have to be the gutsiest man I’ve ever met.”
Willy shook his head. “Have you ever been shot at?” Willy asked. It seemed like a strange question at the moment, but Reggie answered with a nod. “Did you wet yourself or run the other way?”
“No. I took cover and wounded the shooter so he could be arrested.”
“See, that’s courage. All I did was open my big mouth.” Willy closed his eyes and leaned against him once more. “I got tired of my father running my life, and I just told him.”
Reggie humphed. “What you did was tell your father and your family who you really are. It was like being naked in front of them. You exposed the person inside and said to hell with them if they didn’t like what they saw. That’s the real courage in life. It isn’t about being shot at. Bravery is easy. It only takes a few seconds to be brave and handle a situation. Bravery is momentary and comes in spurts—courage comes from inside and allows us to be who we are.” Reggie tipped Willy’s face upward, leaned closer, and kissed him. “Courage is also the sexiest thing in the world.” He deepened the kiss, heat rising like a geyser from the base of his spine.
Willy wound his arms around Reggie’s neck, holding them together, returning the kiss, echoing back every ounce of energy Reggie sent to him. “I want you, Reggie,” Willy whispered, and when Reggie pulled back, a tear ran down Willy’s cheek. “I thought… I thought I could just walk away and go back to the way things were. That I could be with you one last time and then have the life I had before. But I can’t. See, you were there—you just didn’t know it.”
“I don’t understand.” The words were rough as Reggie spoke around the grapefruit in his throat.
“When I told my dad, you were there with me, standing next to me. I could feel you. I carried you along with me to help me be brave.” Willy gasped and spoke faster and faster. “My dad and I were talking. Well, I did the talking this time, and I was so tired of the way things were. I told him everything I felt, and then afterward, I just continued. And when he started in on you, I told him I was gay and that maybe he didn’t know as much as he thought he did. But you were there with me, right beside me. I could almost feel you.”
“Did you do that for me?” Reggie asked in near horror. He had no illusions that such an admission was going to come without repercussions, and the thought that Willy could be hurt because of something he’d done for him…. The lump in Reggie’s throat expanded further.
“No. I did it because I figured out the kind of man I wanted to be. See, I wanted to be the man who was good enough and strong enough to be your boyfriend. I wanted to be someone I could be proud of, to hold my head high, and I wanted to be good enough for you.” Another tear ran down Willy’s cheek.
“Sweetheart, you were good enough for me the very day you were born.” Reggie crashed his lips onto Willy’s, tasting him, needing more and not able to get it no matter what he did. “What I keep wondering is what I ever did to deserve you.”
“Me?”
Reggie nodded, his thumb ghosting over Willy’s lower lip, the heat tingling the pad of his finger. “I’m older than you, and I’ve seen the best and worst of humanity in my job, but you take my breath away. Your strength and….” He couldn’t talk any longer. Instead, Reggie stood and held out his hand to help Willy to his feet. Reggie turned out the lights and left everything where it was as he led Willy down the hall. He paused briefly at the guest room, continued on to his, and pushed the door open with his foot. As he entered the room, he lifted Willy into his arms.
Their lips came together in a blinding flash of joy and passion that threatened to overwhelm Reggie completely, carrying off his soul. He lowered Willy to the bed and slowly stepped back. “I love the way you look, right there.”
Willy smiled, squirming slightly. “And I love how this feels.”
Reggie tugged off Willy’s shoes and socks, then ran his fingers over his feet and up under his pants to his calves. Willy’s legs shook in his hands, and he rubbed harder.
“Does it make me kinky because that feels so good?” Willy asked. “I heard that some people have fetishes about their feet, and….”
Reggie had to chuckle. “No. Having your feet rubbed doesn’t make you kinky.” He leaned over him, sliding his hands up Willy’s legs and over his shirt to his collar. “I knew guys who liked to have guys fuck them with their toes. Now, that’s kinky. I even met a guy once who loved it when he lay naked and multiple men pleasured him using just their feet. That’s kinky.”
“So I’m ordinary,” Willy teased, and Reggie rolled his eyes.
“You, sweetheart, are anything but ordinary.” Reggie grinned and pulled Willy’s shirt up and over his head, baring his chest. He tickled around a nipple as Willy quivered on the bed. “Every guy has things he likes and places that turn him on. I found some of them last time, but….” Reggie flicked the hard bud with his tongue.
“Reggie…,” Willy whined, and Reggie could tell he was still deciding if that really turned him on, or hurt because of the overwhelming sensation.
“Just go with it. Listen to your body and let it tell you what it wants.” Reggie licked downward, across Willy’s fluttering belly, swirling his tongue around his belly button. He couldn’t get enough of him, salty sweetness reminiscent of the taffy from the seashore, only tastier, more addicting. “What does it tell you?”
Willy swallowed, and his mouth fell open, his eyes glassing over. “I want… I need…,” he gasped, and Reggie tugged open Willy’s belt and then his pants, parting the denim before pulling it downward. He pulled them off, dropping the fabric to the floor. Willy now lay on the bed nearly naked, his cock straining at the confines of his white briefs.
“What do you want?” Reggie inhaled, the room filling with the delicious scent of arousal and man. Willy was young, and Reggie had wondered if he was too young, but he definitely knew his own mind. The fire behind Willy’s eyes proved that.
“I want you to make love to me. I need to know how you feel.” Willy met Reggie’s gaze with one as strong as steel. “You once told me that things were so good between us because we were making love. Well, I want to be sure. I want to know that you love me, because I know I love you.” He sat up, tugged Reggie downward, and captured his lips.
Reggie was supposed to be the experienced partner in this relationship, but Willy was a fast learner, and he pulled Reggie into his orbit with ease. “How can you be so sure?” Reggie had to ask.
Willy slid back. “You’re saying you don’t feel anything for me?” He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Reggie. “Because if that’s what you’re trying to get me to believe for some weird reason, you’re a liar.”
“I am?” Reggie raised his eyebrows. “You see right through me.”
“Of course I do. You, Sheriff, are an open book to me. You try to come off as a big badass, the powerful sheriff, but you’re really just a great big bowl of mush. At least when you look at me.” Dammit. Reggie tried to harden his gaze, and Willy laughed at him. “See? You can try, but I know you for who you are. You’re a sensitive, caring man who’s willing to put your own happiness aside for others.” He rolled his eyes dramatically, and for a few seconds, Willy looked so much younger. “Not many people are willing to do that for someone else.” He unwound his arms and slid a hand behind Reggie’s neck, leaving a trail of warmth in his wake. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
