Fire and Fog

by Andrew Grey

  Charlie woke up about half an hour from home and said he was hungry and needed to go to the bathroom. Dwayne pulled into a McDonald’s off the freeway, and Robin took him to use the facilities while Dwayne ordered food and had it waiting when they came back.

  “Nuggets… apples!” he cried as he looked through the Happy Meal box, took out each thing, and set it on the tray. Like he usually did, Charlie ate and chattered away. He held his nuggets and waved them around as he talked and talked.

  “Are you ready to see your friends tomorrow at school?” That was what Dwayne and Robin had decided to call day care. Since it was part of the school district, the caregivers worked with the kids to help them learn, using playtime as part of their education.

  “Yes.” Charlie climbed on the seat and stood next to Robin as he continued eating. He seemed to be either going a mile a minute from one thing to the next or crashing to sleep. “I get to play blocks and hear stories and….” He went on describing his day at school.

  Robin smiled. “And when we get home, we can all play. We’ll get out the big blocks and make a house big enough for you to hide in. But first you have to finish eating.”

  Charlie ate all his food as well as some of Dwayne’s french fries, though he didn’t mind. Dwayne’s mother used to tell stories about how she would have to coax him to eat and how stubborn he had been as a child. He was grateful Charlie was so easygoing.

  Once they were done eating, Dwayne gathered up the papers and threw everything away. Then they got back in the car and all sang songs the rest of the way home. It felt so normal to sing “Wheels on the Bus” over and over again, with Charlie laughing and singing along in the back seat. Who would have suspected after the service and all the drama, that the day could end on a happy note?

  They pulled up to the apartment, and as Dwayne parked, his phone rang. He checked the display, saw Red’s number, and answered. “What’s up?”

  “We got a live call. Another owner saying there are squatters in the building. Are you back? I figured I’d call in case you’d returned.” Red sounded excited.

  “Yeah, I’m back. We just pulled in.”

  “Then I’ll swing by and pick you up. Grab your ID, and I’ll be there in two minutes.” He disconnected, and Dwayne told Robin what was going on.

  “He’s on his way. I have to go.”

  “Okay. I can get things here,” Robin said with a touch of sadness.

  Dwayne gave Robin a quick kiss, got out of the car, and raced up the stairs. He changed into his uniform shirt and was on his way back down when Red pulled up in front. He waved to Robin and Charlie, jumped into the car, and Red sped off around the block, heading to the south end of town.

  “They’re expanding…,” Dwayne commented.

  “It looks like it.” Red continued south, then turned left onto one of the quiet streets in town, which confused Dwayne completely. This neighborhood was upscale and high-end, with neighbors who looked out for one another. Dwayne wouldn’t have expected the scam to be feasible in this area, and said as much.

  “I wouldn’t either, but the owners said that they let the house out for people from the War College, so there have been a number of people staying in the house over the last year. None of the neighbors thought much about it until they saw the number of people in the house. They called the owners, who said the house was supposed to be empty, and they called us.” Red pulled to a stop and got out. Another car pulled up a few seconds later from the other direction.

  “Hey, Aaron,” Dwayne said when he approached with another officer, Kip Rogers. “What’s the plan?”

  “Kip and I will knock on the door. You and Red go around to the alley and keep watch. Someone might try to run out that way, and we need to talk to everyone.”

  “If this is part of this rent scam, then the people inside are victims,” Red explained.

  “True, but you never know, so we need to be cautious.”

  Dwayne agreed, even if he thought Aaron was overreacting, but the detective was the one in charge, so he and Red got into their car and drove around to the back and blocked the alley intersection with the car in case anyone tried to go out that way. They had a good view of the alley and any escape routes. Dwayne rolled down his window and heard Aaron announce himself and then multiple voices talking all at once. It was a little of a free-for-all. The voices grew angry, and Dwayne opened the car door, ready to spring into action.

  “Get back here,” a deep male voice yelled. “I’ll beat the shit out of you!”

  Dwayne was on his feet, moving toward the house, when a figure crept through the back gate and across the alley, heading toward the open field. He broke into a run as soon as he saw Dwayne, who was already giving chase.

  The man was big, and Dwayne hoped it was Harvey himself, but he couldn’t be sure. It was too dark. All he could do was catch this guy so they could talk to him. He was heavy and lumbering after a short distance, and Dwayne grabbed him and tackled him to the grass. They rolled, and the man kicked and fought, but Red was right there. Red held him down and cuffed him before searching him, confirming his identification, and retrieving the cash he’d just been paid. Then, with ease, Red pulled the heavy man to his feet and marched him, grumbling and complaining, back to the car, stuffed him into the back seat, and closed the door.

  “I’ll stay here with him.” Red glared at the man, and he went quiet.

  Dwayne walked around front, his senses heightened. Aaron and Kip stood around a group of six adults who seemed calm but dejected.

  “Did you get him?” Aaron asked with a slight self-satisfied smile.

  “He was collecting the rent for the next week,” a man explained as he pointed. It was the same voice who had yelled. “The fucker ran out the back.”

  “We got him,” Dwayne said with pleasure. He had wanted to get this guy for a while, and now he was in the back of their cruiser.

  “Good.” The man widened his stance and put his hands on his hips. As Dwayne looked closely, he realized these were most likely college students from Dickinson, already getting settled in early for the fall term. “We’ll be out of the house in a few days. We need to find another place to live, and we’ll contact campus housing to help us.”

  Aaron handed him a slip of paper. “This is the number of the actual property owners. Contact them. They’re very nice people and will probably work with you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Aaron turned to Dwayne. “Go ahead and take him in. We’ll get statements and meet you at the station.”

  Dwayne went back to the car, and he and Red got inside. He was as excited as hell. They had finally gotten the guy behind all this, and he sat in stony silence in the back seat. Dwayne didn’t talk either. They simply drove to the station. Red parked in the back and got the heavy guy out of the car. He scanned his card, and the door clicked open. Red marched him right to receiving and then into one of the holding cells and locked him inside. Once he was secure, they went out to the station and to their desks.

  “He’s going to start yelling for his lawyer very soon,” Red commented.

  “Sure he is. But we have twenty-four hours, and it looks like Aaron is going to take that time.” Dwayne sat at his desk and picked up the phone to call Robin. “We got him,” Dwayne said as soon as Robin answered. “Harvey is in a holding cell at the station.”

  “That’s good.” Robin sounded exhausted. “Do you need me to officially press charges?”

  “You already did, and it’s not going to be an issue to get the DA to throw everything they can against him.” Dwayne looked up from his desk to where the captain motioned to him. “I have to go, but I’ll see you at home soon.” He hung up and went to see the captain.

  “I understand you have our mysterious landlord,” Captain Norris said.

  “Yes. We got him. And we found a number of blank keys in his pockets. So I think he was either lifting keys for duplication, or was breaking in and using the lock itself to make the keys he needed.”<
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  “Slimy bugger.” Captain Norris shook his head. “Aaron is going to work up the charges, and nothing more is going to happen tonight. He’s going to sit where he is for now. Go on home, and we’ll see you first thing in the morning. I appreciate you jumping in to help.”

  “I wanted to see this through.” Dwayne turned and paused. “Be sure to charge him with assault and battery. Robin will testify.”

  “Good. Crimes against property are one thing, but that brings it to a whole different level.” Captain Norris smiled, and Dwayne went back to his desk. He finished up the report and sent a copy to Red, as well as the captain. Then he said goodbye to Red and was about to leave, but Aaron stopped by.

  “He’s going to stay where he is for tonight. When you come in tomorrow, we’ll be ready to talk to him and see what we can get out of him. We’re executing a warrant for his home and bank accounts now. I’m sure we’ll find things that we can add to the charges.”

  “Thanks, Aaron.”

  “You and Red did the legwork on this one, and with a little luck, we were able to apprehend him. Now we need to see where he can take us.”

  “But we have him,” Dwayne said.

  “Yes, we do. But I don’t think he’s alone in this enterprise. He has to be working with other people, and we’ll see if we can find out who they are.”

  Dwayne tilted his head. “We don’t know that for sure.”

  “True. But I want to assume that, so if there is any sort of trail, we don’t miss it.” Aaron’s tone was cordial and it was clear he was trying to help him. “So many times we find what we expect only because we tend to look for what we want. Well, I try to set the picture as big as I can to see if the pieces start to fit. If we went under the assumption that he was working alone, then we aren’t likely to find anyone else. If he is, the evidence will bear it out.”

  “Okay. Please call if you need me.” Dwayne knew he was personally involved in this case. Maybe he shouldn’t have been, but this guy had hurt Robin more than once, and that made Dwayne want to nail this guy to the wall with everything possible.

  “I will. Get some rest. I’m going to wrap things up here and go home myself. He can cool his heels in a cell until morning.” Aaron nodded and sauntered back toward his small office, while Dwayne hurried out of the building, ready to go home to Robin and some quiet time.

  “UNCA DWAYNE.” Charlie ran out of his room in his pajamas. “Read to me.”

  Robin groaned. “I thought he was in bed.”

  Dwayne picked Charlie up. “Come on. I’ll read you one story, and then you need to go to sleep so you can go to school tomorrow.” It surprised Dwayne just how quickly Charlie seemed to have bounced back from the trauma of the funeral.

  Dwayne took Charlie into his bedroom and got him under the covers. He turned down the lights so they were just bright enough that he could see and read to Charlie about King Babar and Queen Celeste. By the time he’d finished the story and turned out the light, Charlie had rolled onto his side with his stuffed horse pulled tight to him and was fast asleep. Dwayne quietly left the room, kept the door open a crack, and joined Robin in the living room.

  “Did you really catch him?” Robin asked, full of energy for some reason.

  “Yes. We have him, and tomorrow I need to go in early so I can be there when we question him. He’ll have lawyered up, but they are executing a warrant tonight, so we’ll be able to see what other pies he has his fingers in.” Dwayne yawned and turned away. “I’m sorry. I’m so tired.” He slid closer to Robin and leaned against him, closing his eyes. “How are you? It’s been a very trying day for you.”

  “It was, and honestly I’m not sure. The funeral part of things is over and I’m glad of that, but I miss her. The last few years, we were friends, but not super close. I mean, we talked a few times a year, but she had a very busy life. I should have made more of an effort.” Robin turned, and Dwayne sat up straight so he could lean against him. “I should have been closer to her. I should have….” He buried his face in Dwayne’s shirt, and Dwayne held him and let him release his anguish.

  He knew Robin was going through hell. So much had been thrust upon him in such a short time. Dwayne worried that this could be the straw that broke him. Just how much sorrow and sadness could one person take?

  Chapter Eight

  ROBIN DIDN’T sleep well at all, though there was no reason for why other than the funeral. Well, maybe that wasn’t totally true. He got up with Dwayne and was relieved Charlie was still in bed, though he wouldn’t be for long. Robin sat at the table with a cup of coffee, keeping Dwayne company, getting lost in his own head.

  “Once Charlie goes to school, do you have time to lie down for a while? You tossed and turned all night and even talked in your sleep.”

  “I did?” Robin could feel himself turn red. “Fucking Stan.” He wished he’d just kept his mouth shut.

  “What did he do to you?” Dwayne asked quietly. “Is he the reason you sometimes wake up screaming?”

  “I think so. It’s hard to remember the dreams afterward, but he was always so creepy, and a few times I woke up to find him in my room, just sitting there, to let me know that he could get to me any time he wanted. Seeing him again brought back all the things I hate about him. He always acts like he’s got my mother’s best interests at heart, but it’s really just his own.”

  “You know he can’t get to you now. I won’t let him.” Dwayne took his hand, squeezed it, and then threaded his fingers in between his. “You can’t do anything about your mother staying with him, but I will keep him away from you and Charlie. I promise you that.”

  Damned if that declaration didn’t ease his mind. “How do you do that?” Robin asked. “Make me feel better with just a few words.”

  “Because I mean them, and you know it.” Dwayne stood and walked to Robin’s side of the table to put his arms around him from behind. “You have to know that you worked your way into my heart, and you know that I will protect what’s mine. I’ve had enough taken away from me that I will not let go easily.”

  “Thank God,” Robin breathed and closed his eyes, leaning back against Dwayne. “Sometimes I think I’ve lost everything, and then I realize that I might have gotten everything, and then I’m afraid I’ll lose it all again.” Fuck it all, he was not going to cry.

  Dwayne held him tighter. “That’s not going to happen. You have me and you have Charlie. He needs you and so do I.”

  Robin buried his face against Dwayne’s arm. “What could you need me for?”

  “A family,” Dwayne whispered, and Robin gasped as the reality of it washed over him. He’d lost his family, but somehow, without looking, he’d been given another one. “You and Charlie are my family—that is, if you want to be.”

  “Oh God, yes.” He still couldn’t get over how unbelievably lucky he’d been. He knew he’d made some stupid decisions out of desperation and fear, and somehow they’d worked out and he had Dwayne and Charlie in his life. He turned to face Dwayne. “I can’t believe you want me.”

  “I have since that night at the club. You had all that attitude, but I knew that you were just covering up.”

  “And you were so nice when you could have been a dick right back to me.” Robin held Dwayne’s arm and closed his eyes once again to keep the damned tears from running down his face. Robin had been a pain in the ass, and Dwayne had helped him from the start. “But you never were.” He placed his hand over his heart. “You’re a strong man with a good, kind heart, and that’s why you’re an amazing police officer.”

  “I don’t know about that. I do my job as best I can and help those who need it. Sometimes it’s hard, because you always want to be safe, and trusting people will sometimes get you in trouble.”

  “I want you to be safe, always. I don’t know if my heart could take something happening to you. But you helped those families that Harvey took advantage of, just like you helped me. I’d never ask you to stop doing things like that. It’s part o
f who you are.”

  Charlie came out of his bedroom in his blue Babar pajamas, holding his horsie under his arm. “Unca Robin, I’m hungry.” He wiped his eyes and padded over.

  Robin lifted him onto his lap, and Dwayne stood where he was, still holding him.

  After a few moments, Dwayne let go. “I have to get into work.” He kissed Robin, then Charlie on the head. “I’ll see both of you later.” He hugged Robin, who leaned into the heat, and then Charlie began to fidget and Robin had to take care of him.

  “Have a good day.”

  “You too.” Dwayne left the apartment, and Robin took Charlie in to use the bathroom. Then he made breakfast and got Charlie dressed before taking him down the stairs to wait for Donald, who dropped by to take both Alex and Charlie to school and day care. He got Charlie buckled into the booster seat in Donald’s van, thanked him for his help, and said goodbye. It was hard to watch him go, but Charlie and Alex were already talking about God knows what by the time Robin closed the van door. He watched it pull away and felt a small pang of loss. He knew it was stupid, but he understood why his mother had cried when she’d first sent him off to school. Robin had just become Charlie’s parent, and he could already see that in slow steps, he’d grow away from him.

  Robin turned and went back inside to get ready for work. For the first time in a while, he found himself smiling for no particular reason other than the fact that he was happy—truly deep-down happy. He’d take that feeling for as long as it lasted. Hell, for the rest of his life would be awesome.