The City PI and the Country Cop

by xxxxxxxxxxxx

  Hoyt broke into a smile. “They do. And it’s early enough they should be able to get it here soon if we don’t get fancy.”

  “Good.” Finding the restaurant’s site, Teague said, “Sandwiches should be easy enough. What do you want?”

  Hoyt came back to look over Teague’s shoulder at the menu. They each chose one and Teague called to place the order, paying with a credit card he used when he did agency undercover work. It didn’t match the name he was using at the moment, but since the delivery person would come right to the door it didn’t matter.

  As soon as he hung up, Teague said, “It’ll be here in half an hour or less.” When Hoyt took out his wallet, saying he’d pay Teague back for his meal, Teague waved him off. “I invited you on this…date? I pay.”

  “If you insist. Not sure it qualifies as a date though.”

  “As long as we don’t talk about the case, it’s a date in my book.”

  Hoyt chucked. “So what else is there to talk about? Sports? Movies? We already told each other our life stories the last time we ate together.”

  Teague sat on the end of the bed. It was that or the lone desk chair and the bed was more comfortable. “Do you ski?”

  Obviously taking his cue from Teague, Hoyt settled on the foot of the other bed. “I did when I was younger. Not that I was terribly good at it but it was something to do that didn’t involve sitting on my ass in a patrol car.”

  “Or spending time at home?”

  Hoyt shook his head. “When I got back from college the first thing I did was get a place of my own, for obvious reasons. Not the house I’ve got now. That came more recently.”

  “You were close with you mother though? I got that impression from what you said about her teaching you to cook.”

  “I was. She accepted that I would never—” Hoyt chuckled softly, “—give her a dozen grandkids, in her words. I’d stop by the house to see her when dad was at work. It wasn’t the best solution I suppose, but it made all our lives easier.”

  “No holidays together?” Teague asked, leaning back on his elbows while he studied Hoyt.

  Hoyt snorted. “What do you think? The most my dad would say to me, if we did happen to be in the same room together, was hello before he buried his nose in the newspaper or stared at whatever he was watching on TV. Somehow that wouldn’t have made for a very happy Christmas for Mom.”

  “I’m sure. Another nosy question. How many people in town know you’re gay?”

  “Most of the locals, I’m sure. I never made a secret of it once I came back. This may be in the middle of nowhere but with the ski resort so close, the majority of the townies are fairly accepting, whether they approve or not. That’s what makes these murders so—”

  “We’re not talking about that. Remember?” Teague said, wagging a finger at Hoyt.

  “Yeah. Sorry. Force of habit I guess. Okay, what do you do in your free time?”

  “Sleep?” Teague replied with a laugh. “I told you I’m a workaholic.”

  “I don’t believe you never take time for yourself.”

  Teague shrugged. “Rarely. When I do, I find a movie I think I can tolerate and head out for an exciting night at a theater. Me and a box of Junior Mints.”

  Hoyt swung around to face Teague directly, shaking his head. “I’d have figured you for peanut butter cups or chocolate raisins. Something at least marginally healthy.”

  “Since when is any candy healthy?”

  “I did say ‘marginally’. Personally I’m a Three Musketeers fan.”

  “That’s your serve and protect coming out.”

  “Nope. It’s the fact that I like the nougat filling. There’s something about it that’s…Okay, I shouldn’t say this but it’s sexy.”

  “Sexy candy?” Teague arched an eyebrow in amusement.

  “What can I tell you? In my book it is. Chocolate. You can roll it around in your mouth…” Hoyt coughed, looking away. “Stupid, huh?”

  “Not in the least. I’m sure we all have something that turns us on that other people would never think could do that.”

  “Yeah? What’s yours?”

  “Humm.” Teague stretched out, looking up at the ceiling. “A man who knows what he wants and goes after it.”

  “That’s got nothing to do with…food or…things.”

  Turning his head to look at Hoyt, Teague replied quietly, “I know. But you asked what turns me on. That’s it.”

  “So if I—”

  Hoyt didn’t get to finish because there was a knock on the door. Their dinner had arrived. Way too soon to Teague’s way of thinking as it effectively broke their mood, as much as he wished it hadn’t. Would he have made a move? Would I have reciprocated? He smiled sardonically to himself. A question I might never get to answer.

  Although the feeling of growing intimacy had been disrupted, they did banter some while they ate. Mostly about what movies or TV shows they liked—and hated. When they finished, Teague opened his bag and took out an ear phone like the one Keir was using. Giving it to Hoyt, after apologizing for bringing up business again, he started to explain how it worked.

  “I know,” Hoyt told him with a dry smile. “I am a cop, albeit in a small town.”

  “Should have figured as much. I’ll go to the park just after dark and contact you as soon as I’ve located Keir to let you know exactly where we are.”

  “I’ll be there. Well hidden since chances are the killer knows my face,” Hoyt said, pocketing the ear phone.

  Then it was time for Teague to get moving. For a second, as the two men got to the door, they paused and a look passed between them that had nothing to do with their jobs, and everything to do with the fact they both felt there could indeed be something going on between them—given the chance. Looking away, Hoyt told Teague to wait a couple of minutes before leaving and slipped outside. When Teague left Hoyt was gone.

  * * * *

  Chapter 8

  “I wasn’t certain you’d really show up, Don,” Will said when Teague slid onto the stool beside him at the bar of The Red Calf.

  “And pass up an invitation for drinks with a nice man?” Teague replied with a smile. “Not likely.”

  “Would you like one?” Will asked, holding up his martini glass.

  “I’m more of a beer guy,” Teague responded, ordering one when the bartender appeared. Returning his attention to Will, Teague said, “You never told me your last name. But then I never told you mine. It’s Teagan.”

  “Endicott.” After taking a sip of his drink, Will said, “Are you enjoying…I think you said the tail end of your vacation?”

  “I am. It’s a very nice town and the people seem friendly.” Teague chuckled. “I think I’ve visited every shop along Main Street when I wasn’t exploring the park along the river.” He took a drink of beer before adding, “The park seems to be a hangout for kids, although I’m not sure they’re locals.”

  Will’s expression tightened momentarily then he nodded. “Like any city or town, we get some runaways looking for handouts or what have you. Strange you saw any today though. I heard the police were kicking them out of town. Something to do with that kid who was found dead.”

  “Locking the barn door?” Teague commented dryly. “They may be trying to get them to move on, but I saw at least two homeless boys, if that’s what they are, as I drove by the park on my way here. So I guess the cops weren’t totally successful. Oh well. Hopefully they’ll be cautious if they’re doing what I suspect they are. And enough of this topic.” Teague smiled at Will. “How long have you lived here?”

  “Only, damn, it’s been almost a year now. Time flies as they say. I think I told you I came here the same way you did, as a tourist. Since I was between jobs at the time, I decided to see if I could find something here, got lucky and settled down.”

  “It would be tempting. It’s a beautiful area. I was thinking of doing one of the rafting trips tomorrow. That is if they have one for rank amateurs. I don’t think I’m into
doing the whitewater kind.”

  Will chuckled. “Whitewater rafting is exciting, but they’ve also got what they call family trips that are reasonably calm. Especially at this time of year. At least that’s what I’ve been told, since I’ve never actually taken one of the tours.”

  “What do you do for entertainment?”

  Waving his hand around, Will replied, “Hang out here. Okay, before you get the wrong idea, I also hike on the weekends. After all, why live here if you don’t take advantage of what the mountains have to offer?” Setting his glass on the bar, Will stood. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

  Teague watched Will stroll across the room, heading, he presumed, to the hallway leading to the washrooms. Teague smiled in relief when Will stopped at a couple of tables momentarily to talk to men who were probably his friends. He may just be saying hello, but with luck he’s also letting them know the park is…open for business, so to speak. If he heard about the police sending the homeless kids packing, his friends probably did, too. From the look of this place, despite what Hoyt sort of hinted, it’s not a pick-up club. Probably because more than half the people here are straight. Accepting, apparently, but still…

  Will returned a few minutes later, scooting onto his stool before picking up his glass to take a drink. “I wish it was the weekend,” he said with a sigh.

  “I bet you’re going to tell me you have to leave since you work tomorrow,” Teague replied, trying to look disappointed.

  “I’m afraid so. Are you still going to be here Saturday?”

  Teague shook his head. “I wish, but I do have to get home. Even the best vacations have to end sometime.”

  Will grinned. “You could always do what I did. Pull up roots and move here.”

  “As tempting the idea might be, I like my job and my house.”

  “Oh well, can’t blame a guy for trying. Especially when it comes to man as…interesting as you.”

  “That was a very bad attempt at a pick-up line, Will.”

  Will laughed. “Yeah I know. Okay, I do have to get out of here. If you’re still in town tomorrow…”

  “I should be. If I haven’t fallen out of the raft and been swept downstream to God only knows where.”

  Grinning, Will replied, “I think they’d get you before that happened. So, tomorrow night? Here?”

  “Yep.”

  “Great.” Will hesitated momentarily, gazing at Teague, with a murmured, “I bet you’re twice as good-looking without the glasses.” Then he spun around and walked quickly out of the club.

  Oh boy. I don’t think I’ll come back here again. I do not need that sort of complication. I’m sure he’s a nice guy but he’s not…Teague blew out a long breath. We need to get this job over with! I have to get back where I belong before something happens with Hoyt that I won’t be able to rationally deal with. Ego talking? Maybe. But I don’t think so. We’re drawn to each other and it won’t work. It won’t. So, yeah. Catch the killer and beat a fast retreat before we both get hurt.

  * * * *

  Teague returned to the motel room just long enough to put on a sweatshirt and jacket. From there, he stopped at a small diner to have them fill his thermos with coffee. By then it was dark so he moved on to the park. Before he entered, he called Keir.

  “I’m here,” he said when Keir answered.

  “Good. I’m just leaving the parking lot.” There was a low chuckle. “I could have made twenty if I’d been willing.”

  “How did you fend the guy off?”

  “Easy. Told him no condom, no blowjob. Thank God he didn’t have one.”

  Teague frowned. “And if he had?”

  “I’d have done what was necessary not to break my cover,” Keir replied tightly. “All right, I’m going through the park.”

  “I see you. It’s busier than I expected.”

  “I know. I’m surprised.” Keir snorted softly. “There’s a couple of homeless guys who did as we thought and laid low during the police sweep. I let them know it should be safe enough now. Then we have the end of summer lovebirds taking advantage of the fact it’s still sort of warm.”

  “Warm? Feels pretty chilly to me.” As they talked, Teague walked to the trees bordering the park. “I’m off to your right.”

  “Wimp,” Keir said, humor in his voice. “Okay, I’ll take the path. There’s a bench I can use where I’ll be visible to any guy looking for some…relief.”

  “I remember it. I’ll find a spot where I can watch.”

  “Voyeur,” Keir replied with a laugh.

  “Hoyt’s right. You’re a smartass. Okay. Be careful and you know how to let me know if our man approaches you and tries something.”

  “Yeah. Work nightmare into what I’m saying to him. I’m not stupid.”

  “Keir,” Teague muttered. “I know you’re not.”

  “Thanks. Okay. Over and out as they say.”

  Keir went silent and Teague closed his phone. From now on they’d be in contact via their ear phones. Next he called Hoyt to fill him in, getting a terse acknowledgement in reply that he was where he could see both Teague and Keir. Teague glanced around but couldn’t spot Hoyt.

  Undoubtedly because he knows this area a lot better than I do. So now we wait, and pray.

  * * * *

  It was after two when Keir let Teague know he was going to find somewhere safe to crash. Teague acknowledged then let Hoyt know what was happening while tailing Keir from his vantage point a few yards away. He saw Keir step off the main path onto a narrower one that wended its way down to the river. Seconds later, Teague thought he saw something move in the deep shadows about a hundred yards ahead of him and froze where he was standing. Straining his eyes, he tried to determine what was there—if anything. When nothing moved and there was no sound other than that of the river well off to his left, he inched forward and, deciding it was safe, quickly crossed the path to the one Keir had gone down.

  It sloped steeply as it wound through the trees and low brush. At one point Teague heard a muttered “Shit” through the ear phone and wondered what Keir had tripped over. As dark as it was, the only light coming from the three-quarter moon, Teague almost tripped himself a couple of times. Then, as he came around what he hoped was the last curve before the river, he spotted Keir. The young man was barely visible, crouching by a thicket. Then he disappeared completely, so quickly it was as if someone had pulled him into the underbrush.

  “Keir,” Teague murmured, hoping he could be heard in Keir’s ear phone. There was no reply. Nothing but silence. “Damn it, acknowledge!”

  More silence. Then Teague heard something rustling not too far from where Keir had vanished. Seconds later came three words. “What a night…” The last word cut off suddenly.

  A second voice, Holt’s, came over the ear phone, asking “Trouble?”

  “Yes!” Teague spat out as he made a dash to the thicket. When he rounded it into the trees, he spotted Keir’s backpack. It would have been invisible it hadn’t landed in a tiny clear area next to a pine tree. Ahead of him, there were sounds of a struggle. He raced in that direction, ignoring branches that whipped his arms and face. The sounds continued, moving away but more slowly than Teague was approaching them. He burst out of a stand of trees into a small clearing.

  Ahead of him the figure of a man came into view, holding a short length of rope. The other end of the rope seemed to be wrapped around his captive’s throat. With a sharp shove, the man forced his victim to his knees and for a second the moonlight lit Keir’s face before he tumbled prone into the weeds. Teague realized in an instant that Keir’s hands were bound behind him.

  “Stay where you are,” the man growled. He pulled the rope hard and Keir’s head was yanked a foot off the ground. “I will kill him. Slowly. While you watch.” The man reached behind his back and when he brought his hand forward again Teague saw the glint of metal that told him the man had a gun. “And then you’re next, Don. If that’s your real name.”

&
nbsp; “Will?” Teague said in disbelief.

  Will chuckled. “In the flesh. Now hands in the air, then move closer.” Teague did as he was ordered until Will told him to stop.

  “He’s going to choke to death,” Teague said angrily.

  “You bet he is, but not immediately.” Will lowered the hand holding the rope and Keir was again face-first in the weedy dirt. “Turn and back up to me,” Will said. “Slowly. Keep your hands up.”

  “If I don’t?”

  Teague got his reply when Will fired. The bullet grazed Teague’s thigh, leaving a trail of pain behind.

  “Next time, it will be higher. Maybe in your arm. Your shoulder. I’m an expert shot.” Will jerked the rope around Keir’s throat again and the young man gurgled as his head and shoulders left the ground.

  “Drop the gun!” Hoyt ordered, his voice filled with fury as he stepped into view behind Will. “Now!”

  Will whirled around, firing as he did.

  Teague heard Hoyt swear, but not before he also shot. Will went down and as the moon rose above the tops of the trees Teague saw blood pouring from a wound in his side. Teague took two limping steps, bent and picked up Will’s fallen gun. Then he moved to Keir, unfastening the rope around the young man’s neck. “Knife?” Teague asked after removing the gag from Keir’s mouth.

  “Waistband,” Keir rasped out. Teague found it and cut the rope binding Keir’s wrists.

  Then he went over to Hoyt, who was leaning against a tree trunk, his phone pressed to his ear. Teague saw the shoulder of Hoyt’s dark blue jacket turn even darker and knew that it was blood and he’d been hit.

  Teague grabbed Hoyt when he began to fall, easing him down to lean against the tree, the phone still clasped tightly against his ear while he managed to tell whoever was on the other end of the line that they needed an ambulance…”or three. Plus some officers. Track me with that damned GPS. We’re in the park. Close to the river.” That was all he managed to say before he passed out.

  Teague grabbed the phone and gave the man on the other end a few more details and a somewhat better set of directions for how to find them. At the same time he pulled the right side of Hoyt’s jacket and shirt back as far as possible to see how badly he’d been shot.