A Valentine's Quest (The Valentine's Trilogy)

by Sam E. Kraemer

  "I have a feeling Cary tried to get that boy to sell for him. Caroline had Drew signed up for that fucking private school, and everyone knows those kids love to rebel, so if Drew would sell weed there for Cary? Hell, that would be a huge windfall for Cary and whoever was his supplier," Preston speculated.

  I took a deep breath. "Where do you think Cary got the weed? I mean Clark was the delivery man, based on that footage, but someone else had to transport the cash, right? Andrew didn’t have cash on him when he was found, and as far as I’ve heard, which is strictly off the record, Clark Perkins wasn’t holding any money either. For good weed, there’d need to be money somewhere, right?"

  Preston rewound the footage and motioned me over to his side of the desk where he showed me a man I'd never seen. "I think that's Jeremy Corner, Drew's father. One time when we were over to visit, I went to Caroline’s office to use the phone to take a business call. On her desk was a file of pictures from her security camera feed, and I saw a picture of this guy in one of the photos, I think. This is pretty blurry, but I almost think it’s him, based on the build…I think?

  “Honestly, I don’t know if it was a coincidence the kid ended up here or not, but I have a feeling Cary had his hand in something dangerous. That’s why I suspect it was Cary in that footage beating the boy. I'm not a cop for sure, but I’d damn near bet the store there’s more of a connection there than any of us knew in the beginning," Preston speculated.

  I was without speech. It was far too much to comprehend, and I wondered if I was the most gullible person in the world? I hadn’t suspected Cary was involved at all, and I truly believed Drew had told us the truth. I must have had “SUCKER” tattooed on my forehead.

  Ten

  Derek

  After I hung up with Gray, I called Craig. We'd both been on the overnight shift working hooker patrol and we'd both been exhausted when we clocked out early that morning. After speaking with Gray, I was wide awake and I decided Baxter should be as well. "You better have Justin Bieber at your apartment begging for me to come over and fuck him or I'm going to shoot you," Craig complained when he answered the phone. I nearly laughed.

  "Sorry, Belieber. No Justin. Do you know how twisted that is, by the way?" I teased as I hopped up to take a piss.

  It was Craig's turn to laugh. "I'll remind you, your future husband is younger than the ‘Biebs’. Why are you bothering me? I don't have to deal with you for many more hours, I’m sure," he complained.

  "Gray called. He wants us to meet him at the deli. Apparently, Preston wants to talk to us. I'm sure it's about Drew Corner's murder. I'll pick you up in thirty," I told him and then hung up, without waiting for an answer.

  An hour later, I was sitting in the office at Wayne's Deli and Catering, and I was fucking speechless at what I’d just seen. Gray had left us alone with Preston, and Craig and I were reviewing footage…footage previously made available to our Precinct which it appears nobody has seen. It was incomprehensible we had that disc in our possession and nobody saw it?

  After reviewing it a few times, along with the footage from the Korean restaurant across the alley, I was dumbfounded. "Do you know who was given the CD when you dropped it off at the 16th?"

  He looked at the ceiling. "I just walked in and left it at the receptionist desk with 'Drew Corner' written on the jewel case. I figured it would make its way to the right people in Homicide, and after they reviewed it, I was sure we'd be contacted because I added a still of the front of the building. When I didn't hear anything and then Cary left the country, I called Gray in knowing you guys were together. So?"

  Yeah…so? We'd have to go to the evidence officer and trace out the chain of possession of the CD if it was ever given to the evidence officer. So many things weren't right with the setup, and I was worried about approaching anyone in my precinct because as I considered everything, I kept coming to the same conclusion…someone investigating the case for the 16th had to be involved somehow. Someone I possibly knew and worked with every day was dirty, and it worried the shit out of me.

  If that was the case, I couldn’t begin to imagine who it might be, and of course, everyone became a suspect in my mind. Hell, I even stared funny at Craig, sizing him up. In return, he pulled on my braid. "Don't you fuckin' doubt me, you bitch." That drew me out of my thoughts and settled my mind on the real matter at hand.

  Craig then stood and looked at me. "Okay, this is taking a direction I don't want to consider, but I know we need Cary back in the country in order to be able to get to the bottom of this shit, Derek. He beat the living hell out of Drew right there on camera, from what we can tell, and then the kid ends up dead? If Cary’s involved, he needs to pay for that shit, much like Jeremy Corner. Do we know where Cary is, the fucking cunt?" Craig asked with acid in his tone. I understood it. We all loved Drew, and to think one of our friends was responsible? It was a jagged pill to swallow, just like Alanis Morissette had told us.

  Preston stood up and handed me a piece of paper. "He's hiding in Spain at Caroline's villa. Here's the address. This will likely cause my wife to leave me, but it's the right thing to do. For Drew’s sake, it’s the thing to do."

  It seemed he’d accepted the possible consequences for passing along the information, and I felt bad for him. It was fucked up that any of that shit had happened, but at the end of the day, a boy of sixteen was dead. I was grateful Preston Wayne was helping us because that kid…he needed to be avenged.

  I looked at the paper, seeing the address was in Barcelona. "This is Caroline's place?"

  "Yes. It's been in the family for generations, but I've never been there," Preston clarified.

  "Where are Cary's parents?" Craig asked. It was something I'd not thought to ask in all the time I'd known the guy as an acquaintance, but it seemed prudent to inquire now that he was a murder suspect.

  "His mother, LaDonna, is Maddie's older sister, and she left his father, Malcolm, years ago. I have no idea where Malcolm ended up because the family doesn't hear from him as far as I know, but last time I heard anything about LaDonna, she was in Zurich at another family home. She's not exactly stable from what I remember, and she's been undergoing psychiatric care at an outpatient clinic for years. That's how Caroline ended up with Cary."

  I sighed in frustration. "Great. We're going to need to involve the District Attorney in order to get a request for extradition, and we need to get these pictures a little clearer to use with the APB for Jeremy Corner. We also need a Court Order to search the mansion, and we have to do it quickly because I'm afraid Miss Caroline will do anything she can to protect her grandson, even if she did love Andrew. Blood is thicker than water," I stated the old cliché.

  Craig looked at me and smirked. "Last time I checked, we were assigned to sins of the flesh, not mortal sins against the Commandments. How you gonna get this passed those homicide boys without having them beat the living shit out of us behind the precinct?"

  That, of course, was a very good question for which I had no answer at the time.

  ##

  "Babe, what do you want for Christmas?" Gray asked while we were catching our breath, having just had the most amazing love-making session in the history of anyone making love to anyone else…ever.

  After stopping off to pick up the dry cleaning, I came home from work to find Gray in a pair of very skimpy, green bikini briefs. He was standing in front of the television which was showing a picture of a Christmas tree next to a burning fireplace. He had a sprig of mistletoe in his hand which he held over his head when he saw me, and there was a very tempting red bow over his crotch.

  I laughed. "Early Christmas gift?" I asked as I took off my jacket and pulled out my gun from behind my back, placing it in the safe in the hall closet before I hung the dry cleaning and turned to give him my undivided attention. He definitely deserved it, my sexy man.

  "Well, I took my last final today and I think I did well, so I thought we'd celebrate early since we're going to Waco for Christmas. I can get
dressed," he offered with a sexy smile as he stared at me.

  I walked over to him and took the mistletoe from him, placing his hand on my chest. "Get me outta these clothes, you gorgeous stud."

  I devoured his mouth as he undressed me down to my white briefs. We liked skimpy underwear, and I'd made a Christmas purchase I was worried about…thongs…but they were matching and I hoped he'd be receptive and model his for me. I was dying to see his cute little ass hanging out of one.

  I took his hands and guided him down the hallway without separating, enjoying the taste of his tongue in my mouth the whole time. I pushed him onto the bed and removed the ribbon on his underwear with my teeth, bringing a wonderful laugh from him.

  "Eager?" he teased.

  "Hey, you give me such a great gift? I'm not gonna waste time opening it." I then took the waistband of his briefs in my teeth and pulled them down as well, freeing his hard member from its cotton-covered prison.

  "There he is. How've you been, my friend? Long time, no see," I greeted, addressing his dick. I licked the pre-cum from the slit and laughed when Gray twitched and giggled.

  It had been a couple of days since we'd last made love, so I was quite keen. Gray was preparing for and taking his finals, and after a great session of fucking on Sunday morning, I left the man alone so he could study and finish his projects.

  I even took care of dinners that week…some of it was carried out, and a frozen pizza had made an appearance, but one night I made him scrambled eggs and bacon. He kissed me and thanked me before he went back to the books, and I felt like I was a king.

  Gray angled my chin to look at him. "Thank you for taking care of me while I was studying and taking my finals. You have no idea how much I appreciate it, Derek. You truly are a one of a kind." He kissed me and then he proceeded to finish stripping off his briefs and mine.

  He flipped over on the bed and sucked my hard cock into his mouth as he hovered over me. I took his cue and matched him, stroke and suck. He could deep throat me, but I wasn't so good at it, so I concentrated on teasing the bulbous, mushroom head with my mouth while my hand worked the rest of his shaft, all the while I was drowning in the exquisite pleasure he brought me with his own mouth and hands.

  Gray worked my foreskin, driving me to madness, before his tongue swirled inside it to move it down my shaft, exposing my swollen, sensitive head which he lavished with attention. He continued nipping around the tip before gently sliding his tongue through the slit on top, providing me with dizzying pleasure.

  In turn, I was so fucking worked up, I barely had the time to say, "Oh, God, I'm coming," before I shot off in his mouth. He took all of me down and then stayed still for me. I was basking in nirvana for a minute before I got back to sucking him. I loved hearing the drawn out, "fuuuuuuuck yesssss" when he filled my mouth with his creamy reflection of love and satisfaction.

  "Hey, are you asleep?" Gray whispered. He was resting against my chest, and I was enjoying the feeling of his body pulled into mine and that wonderful, boneless feeling from a really good orgasm.

  "No, baby boy, I'm not asleep. I was just enjoying that fantastic feeling I get when you suck me dry. What were you asking?"

  "I asked what you wanted for Christmas. I mean, can we put up a tree and other decorations? Can we have a real Christmas?" he requested.

  I smiled and turned on my side, pushing my hair out of the way. I placed my right hand on his cheek and kissed his soft lips before I pulled away to look into his beautiful eyes. "I've never put up my own tree. I always went to Waco for Christmas, so I didn't bother with decorations. If you want to get decorations and put up a tree and stuff, we can go shopping tomorrow. I wouldn't mind having some holiday cheer around here," I responded.

  His smile lit up my world. "Really? I'd love to have a really great Christmas. Gerry always loved this time of year, even though our parents didn't make a big deal out of it, and I’d love to celebrate it with you."

  I took a deep breath because we had an elephant to address. "Baby, do you want to go see your folks? It's been some time since everything blew up. Maybe they've changed their minds and have been looking for you?" I was grasping straws, but it was worth a try.

  He turned over onto this back and stared up at the ceiling, quiet for a few moments. "No, I don't want to see them, but if we're not doing anything on Saturday, maybe we can make the drive to Friendswood to visit the cemetery and lay some flowers? It's only half an hour or so."

  I glanced at him, seeing the tears streaking down his temples. I scooped him up in my arms and held him. "I didn't know you lived that close, Gray."

  He sniffed. "I know. I just didn't want to think about my parents being nearby. Maybe we can go see Gerry? I'd like to introduce…never mind."

  I gently rolled him on top of me, which was my favorite place for him to be. I pulled his head to rest on my chest as I stroked his back, feeling his tears on my skin. I knew he missed his brother, and the shit his parents did to him? That shit was criminal in my opinion. I didn't know what to say, so I held him and let him cry. My family was fucked up, but we still loved each other. His family was just fucking cruel.

  "We'll go on Saturday, and on the way home, we'll stop and get a tree. We could get one of those small ones in a bucket and after Christmas, we could plant it in the yard at Mom and Dad's. When our first kid has a place of their own, they can cut it down and it can be their first Christmas tree. What do you think about that, Gray Carson?" I asked, trying to sound upbeat.

  He looked up and propped an elbow on my shoulder, resting his head in his right hand as my hands played with his gorgeous bubble butt. The man had a fine ass.

  "So, you want kids with me?"

  I chuckled as I pulled a pillow under my head, propping me up a bit so I could look into his gorgeous eyes. "I think I've tried to impregnate you as often as I can get you to lay still, baby boy," I teased.

  He giggled and slapped my chest gently. "Yes, if I was able to get pregnant, we'd be like Mari and Quinn. I'm being serious. You'd like to have kids with me? I mean, not right now. I'd like to finish my degree and get something going with a job, but you'd be willing?"

  I took a deep breath because what I was about to tell him would likely scare the shit out of him. "Yes, but I don't wanna be much older than thirty-four before we have kids because if we had a baby and you add eighteen to that, I'll be fifty-two before our kid goes to college. I don't want to be using a wheelchair to go to our son or daughter's college graduation," I explained.

  Gray laughed and kissed my chest. "Do you really see us going the distance, Derek?"

  I pulled him up my body so we were face to face. "I don't know if you know this about me, but I don't fall in love easily. In fact, I've never done it before in my life, but when I met you at 'Pop's', I was dumbstruck. You were handsome. You were sweet. You were smart. You were my total package, and I think I made sure I was around enough for you to see I wasn't going anywhere.

  "Well, I'm here, and I know we haven't been together for a long time, but I don't think we have to be together for a long time to know we love each other. I think all we have to do is promise to be honest with each other and do our best to carve out a life together, which is what we're doing. I think we're just fine, Gray."

  I looked into his beautiful eyes and saw the love I needed to see. “When you’re ready to settle down, I’ll be right beside you. We can get married when you’re ready, and just so you know, I’ll wait forever. I want the wedding, the house, the kids…I want it all.

  “I want to stay up all night on Christmas Eve putting together toys and I want to dye Easter eggs and forget to make a list where we hid them and then wonder what the hell is that smell? I want to sit with you some day and watch our grandchildren playing kickball or whatever it is kids will be doing in the future, and I want to hold your hand and wonder how the fuck the years got away from us.

  “Do you think you might be interested in doing somethin' like that with me? Not today or tomorrow,
but someday? We have to wait to see what comes of marriage equality and our rights as gay citizens in this country because a lot of people still believe our love is spawned from evil, but they’re wrong. The love I feel for you is heaven sent, Gray. It can’t be wrong. I just want better health insurance than they offer at HPD," I whispered to him.

  Gray sat up on my hips, propping his hands on my chest and looking at me with surprise. He looked off into space and then held up four fingers, turning to gaze at me with that smile…that fucking smile that owned me. "So, after four months, you're ready to plan our future, including better healthcare?" he asked with an adorable smile on his face.

  I couldn’t resist. "Of course, I am. Now, snuggle back into me. This is my favorite part of 'after the lovin', and you're denyin' me my happy place." He hadn't mentioned my half-assed proposal, and I wasn't going to mention it, either. It was too fucking soon of course, and I knew better than to do it after sex, but my mouth had gotten away from me, once again.

  After we settled down again, he kissed my chest and I felt the wetness again. "Why are you cryin', baby boy?" I whispered.

  He sniffled a little, so I reached up and grabbed a tissue, handing it to him. He giggled a little before he wiped my chest and his eyes. "I'm just being sentimental. I had no idea health insurance was so romantic. I love you," he whispered.

  I moved him to the mattress and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you as well. Sleep now. We'll talk more about all this another time." I think he was asleep before I finished speaking.

  Eleven

  Derek

  "There's a diner between here and Friendswood with an excellent breakfast. We could stop there or I can make us something to take on the road," Gray offered as we were in the shower Saturday morning. We were headed to visit his brother's grave so he could lay some flowers. It was important to him, and I'd be damned if anything was going to keep us from going.