by K. C. Wells
Dellan smiled to himself. I have the best set of bodyguards.
You know it. Horvan’s pinkie brushed against his, and the slight contact warmed him.
You say that a lot, you know. Not that Dellan was complaining. He loved Horvan’s confidence. Then another thought came to him, sending warmth surging through him. He loved Horvan, period.
“Mr. Carson?” One of the security guards stepped out from behind the desk and strode over to him, hand outstretched. “Wow. It’s good to see you, sir.”
Dellan shook hands with him. “It’s Rick, isn’t it?”
Rick beamed. “You remembered.” Then his face fell. “You know what happened, right?”
Dellan nodded. “I’m here to meet with the police. They know I’m coming.”
Rick shook his head. “A terrible thing.”
“I suppose the top floor is out of bounds,” Dellan remarked, suppressing a shudder.
“Yeah. The police have it all taped up.” Rick pointed to the three leather couches on the far side of the lobby. “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll order some coffee for you and your guests while you wait for the police.”
“Coffee would be great.”
Rick held out his hand once more, and Dellan clasped it. “I’m glad you’re back, sir.”
Dellan’s throat tightened a little at the sincerity in Rick’s voice. “I’d like to say I’m glad to be here, but in the circumstances….”
Rick released his hand, and Dellan led the group over to the couches.
“Looks like you were a good boss,” Hashtag commented as they sat down. “I know respect when I hear it.”
“Tom always said it was good practice to know the names of your employees.” Dellan could still hear Tom’s voice, quiet, calm, and firm.
You really loved him, didn’t you? Rael took his hand and squeezed it.
Dellan smiled. He was an easy man to love. Yeah, I loved him.
“And he still is a good boss,” Horvan added. “Because it’s his company, right?”
“When he’s ready to run it again,” Rael said quietly. Dellan gave him a warm glance.
“Er, guys?” Crank nodded toward the main door. “Cops are here.”
“Just in time for coffee,” Roadkill commented dryly.
Two officers came over to where they sat. “Mr. Carson?”
Dellan got to his feet. “Good afternoon.”
“Can we see your ID, sir?”
Dellan handed it over, not daring to breathe. The older officer examined it before giving it back. Dellan heaved an internal sigh of relief. God bless Hashtag. He prayed Anson had taken his real ID and stored it at the house.
They shook hands, and then everyone sat down. Dellan indicated the silent group. “These are my friends who were with me at the cabin. They’re helping me out here because I didn’t want to be alone right now.”
The older-looking officer gave them a polite nod, then focused his attention on Dellan. “I’m Officer Franks, and this is Officer Dalton. I wouldn’t normally interview someone in surroundings like this, especially in a murder case, but you’re obviously not a suspect.”
Dellan frowned. “Obviously? Because I was in Idaho at the time?”
“No, Mr. Carson. Because your brother’s killer is already known to us.”
Officer Dalton peered closely at Dellan. “Did you know your brother kept a tiger in his office?”
“Yes, but only when I saw its rescue on the news. Anson must have got it after I’d left for my sabbatical. It was one of the things I wanted to discuss with him during our Skype call.” He swallowed. “Not that I got the chance.”
“You don’t sound like you approve,” Officer Franks remarked.
Dellan shrugged. “I’m not a fan of keeping wild animals in captivity, especially not in such an environment. That poor tiger must have been going out of its mind. I’m grateful to whichever activist group got it out of there.” So grateful, they would never believe it. He sighed. “I’m sure Anson wouldn’t have agreed with me.”
“He seems to have been keen on having an exotic animal as a pet. Apparently he replaced the tiger with a silverback gorilla almost immediately,” Officer Dalton told him. “Which then escaped from its cage….” He focused his gaze on Dellan, who stilled.
“Then that was what I heard? It was the gorilla that killed him?” This time there was no way he could hold back on the shudder that rippled through him.
Officer Franks nodded, his face solemn. “But not before he was able to shoot it. I’m afraid we haven’t finished with your office yet.” He gave Dellan a speculative glance. “You are intending on running the business again?” When Dellan nodded, Franks cleared his throat. “The officer in Salmon was able to confirm the Skype call. We were unable to do so from here because your brother’s laptop is missing.”
There was silence for a moment.
“But… how can that be, when I called him on it?” Not that Dellan was under any illusions as to the laptop’s location: Anson’s “associate” had obviously removed it.
“That’s where we’re at a loss too,” Franks admitted. “We were at the scene maybe twenty minutes after you called, and there was no one around, not even your brother’s secretary. It appears Mr. Prescott had given her the day off, which was not a rare occurrence. She says it happened a couple of days every month, regular as clockwork.”
“And Mr. Prescott was in no state to disconnect the call,” Dalton added. “So there had to be someone else present. Or someone who came into the office afterward and removed it. The problem with those scenarios is that in both cases, they would have seen Mr. Prescott’s body, yet no one called the police.”
Dellan’s stomach rolled over. Tying up loose ends, my ass. The unknown associate had left one very big loose end.
“While it is suspicious, there is no doubt concerning Mr. Prescott’s death. However, the case will remain open for the time being.” Franks clammed up as Rick came over with a tray of cups and a pot of coffee. He deposited it on the table, then withdrew.
“Will you gentlemen have some coffee?” Dellan asked them.
Franks shook his head. “Where can we contact you, Mr. Carson, should we need to speak with you again?”
Dellan rattled off the number for the house, and Dalton took note of it. “I’ll be staying there for the present. It’s only thirty or so miles from here.” A thought occurred to him. “Is the company helicopter on the roof pad? That was how we traveled to and from the house.”
“No, sir. We checked up there.” Officer Franks got to his feet, Dalton with him, his hand extended. “We’re sorry for your loss. We’ll be in touch with any developments.”
“Thank you, officers.” Dellan shook hands with them and watched as they left the building. He sagged into the couch, his breathing shaky.
“Police officers refusing free coffee? Now I’ve seen everything.” Hashtag’s eyes widened. “They were real cops, right? Did anyone take note of their badge numbers?”
Horvan sighed. “Give that steel trap mind of yours a day off. They were cops. And yes, I looked at their badges.” He poured Dellan a cup and handed it to him. “Well, that went better than I expected.” He regarded Dellan with obvious approval. “You were great. Again.”
“Are we thinking Anson’s ‘associate’ has the chopper?” Crank asked, hooking his fingers in the air. “Because if it’s not here…. And that’s how Anson would’ve gotten here, right?”
Dellan nodded. He glanced at Horvan, his chest tightening. “I want to go home.”
Horvan’s hand was gentle on his. “Then that’s what we’ll do. Let’s go back to my place, pack some bags, and then I’ll rent a car to take us to—where is your place anyway?”
“Homer Glen. It’s less than an hour’s drive, depending on traffic.”
Crank huffed. “Am I gonna be sharing a room with these two again?” Hashtag whacked him on the arm, and Crank glared at him. “Hey, quit hitting me.”
“I will
when you quit bitching,” Hashtag told him, his eyes flashing. “We’re the ones who have to put up with you moaning in your sleep.”
Crank became very still. “Do… do I say anything?”
Roadkill smiled. “Oh yeah. Very illuminating.”
Before Crank could respond, Dellan cut in. “Crank, I don’t think Hashtag needs any more blackmail material, so you’ll have your own room, I promise.”
Crank beamed. “Aw, thanks.” A second or two later, he scowled. “Hey!” Everyone chuckled.
Hashtag patted Crank’s cheek. “You know I love ya, right? And I promise not to post any video where your mom can see it.”
Rael cocked his head to one side. “How big is this place? I know you said large, but….”
Dellan patted his hand. “I don’t want to spoil the surprise.” He couldn’t wait to see their faces. Then he thought about the house. “Guys? I have to make a call so Mrs. Landon knows to expect us.”
“Who’s Mrs. Landon?” Rael asked.
“The housekeeper. She’ll want to get the rooms ready.”
Rael peered at him. “You need a housekeeper?” When Dellan didn’t respond, he glared. You are such a tease.
Dellan grinned. You’re only just working that out now?
The thought made him smile. We have so much to learn about one another. He couldn’t wait to find out more about his mates.
ROADKILL PEERED through the windshield. “Nice neighborhood, Dellan. How long have you lived here?”
Dellan stared at the familiar landscape of abundant trees and lush green grass. He loved how the only indication in some cases that there were properties along the narrow lane were the mailboxes at the roadside. “Tom had this place built about sixteen years ago.” He smiled. “He built it for my mom.” He caught his breath as the house came into view.
God, I’ve missed this place.
“Holy fuck.” Crank let out a long whistle. “He really loved your mom, huh?”
“That’s not a house, that’s a fucking mansion,” Roadkill exclaimed. “How many bedrooms does it have?”
“Five. Eight bathrooms. Plus there’s a set of rooms in the basement for Mrs. Landon.” Dellan enjoyed their shock. He still recalled Tom bringing him to the site when the house was being built, showing him the plans and discussing what they would do with the grounds.
“Is that a lake over there?” Rael asked, his eyes wide.
“Yup. The house backs onto it.” He loved to swim in it, only wishing he could do it in tiger form. The neighbors across the water would have had heart attacks. He’d had to find other places where he could shift.
“What are we talking, seven or eight thousand square feet?” Hashtag asked.
“Ten,” Dellan replied with a smile. “And it’s set on five acres.”
Horvan shook his head. “Makes my apartment look about the size of a postage stamp.”
Which brought Dellan to the thought he’d hidden from his mates all day.
Before he had time to reveal it, Roadkill pulled up in front of the garages and switched off the engine. “Looks like I get to choose where to park,” he joked. “You got spaces for how many cars?” There was one other car.
“Five.”
Everyone piled out of the rental car, and Dellan stood for a moment, gazing at the house that had been home since his early twenties.
“Crank was right about one thing,” Horvan murmured. “There’s no sign of the chopper.”
“Wow. Was that praise?” Crank rolled his eyes heavenward. “End of fucking days, I’m telling ya. Well, don’t just stand there. Give us the five-cent tour.” He lugged bags from the trunk, and Hashtag helped. Dellan led them around to the right, where the main door was located. It opened as they approached, and Mrs. Landon stood there, smiling.
“Mr. Carson. It is so good to see you.” She hadn’t changed much. Her hair was still as white as ever, and her face as lined.
He greeted her warmly before indicating the others. “These are my guests, who’ll be staying for a while.” Right then he had no idea how long that would be.
“I’ve prepared all the rooms, as you requested.” She swallowed. “When you said you’d need all the rooms, I took the liberty of clearing Mr. Anson’s things away. Everything is in boxes and stored for safekeeping, and his room has been cleaned.”
Tom always said she was a treasure. “Thank you, Mrs. Landon. I didn’t think about that.”
She glanced at the group and then frowned. “Will one of them be sleeping on the sofa bed in the den?”
Dellan cleared his throat. “Two of them will be sharing my room.” There was no point trying to hide the truth from her. He’d learned that long ago. He gestured to Horvan and Rael, introducing them.
Mrs. Landon’s cheeks flushed. “Very good, sir. I’ll make sure you have sufficient towels in your bathroom.” Her smile faltered, and the light in her eyes died. “I still can’t believe it. Mr. Prescott really is dead, then?”
Dellan nodded, taking her hand in his. “I still can’t believe it either.” It wasn’t a total lie.
She sighed. “When you’ve settled in, we can have a chat over some tea. And I’ve made a batch of your favorite cookies, maple and pecan.”
Dellan gave her a brief hug. “I’ve missed you too,” he whispered.
She peered at Horvan and Rael. “They look nice. You’ve done well there.” Before he could react, she gave them all a warm smile. “Dinner will be at seven. Then I’ll leave you all to it. Mr. Carson said you were more than capable of looking after yourselves and that I wasn’t to fuss.” Her gray eyes twinkled.
Dellan chuckled as she headed for the kitchen. “Mrs. Landon is a character.”
“She knows you’re gay?” Horvan asked.
“Ever since she discovered the place where I hid my gay magazines. Mom said she didn’t want Anson to find them. He was only little.” His chest tightened, and tears pricked his eyes.
Horvan put his arm around Dellan’s shoulder. “Whatever he did later in life, that doesn’t alter the fact that he was your little brother. There was a time when you loved him, right?”
Dellan nodded. “He was a sweet kid.” Where the hell did he go wrong?
We’ll probably never know. Even in his head, Rael sounded sad.
“Can we go look around now?” Crank was almost buzzing.
Dellan laughed. “Go explore. But no skinny-dipping in the lake. You’ll scare the fish.”
Crank’s eyes bulged. “Are you fucking kidding? I’d freeze my nuts off. To say nothing of my dick.” He patted Roadkill on the arm. “Come on. I wanna explore.”
Roadkill followed him, laughing. “You big kid.” Hashtag was behind them.
“We can take a look around later,” Horvan said. “Right now I need to make a call, and then I need to hold my mates.”
Dellan was only too happy to oblige.
CRANK SAGGED against the couch seat cushions. “That Mrs. Landon sure can cook,” he remarked, rubbing his belly. “I haven’t eaten that well in ages.” He yawned, stretching his arms high above his head. “I’m bushed.”
“We have crammed a lot into today,” Hashtag commented. “I meant to get to work on the computers, to see what I can find, but I can’t keep my eyes open. And it’s only nine o’clock.”
“Then let’s call it a day,” Horvan declared. “We’ll start work tomorrow. We could all do with an early night.”
Dellan wasn’t fooled for a second. Don’t think I’m unaware of what you’d like your early night to entail. Not that he hadn’t been thinking the same thing. Besides, he wanted to put a proposition to them.
“I’ve given Mrs. Landon a few days off,” Dellan told them. “She and Anson were close at one time, and I want her to be able to grieve properly. Besides, I thought that was best while we search for more information.”
Roadkill grinned. “Great. That means Crank can fart in comfort.” That earned him a glare.
“Doesn’t she have a set of rooms in the
basement?” Horvan inquired.
“Yes, she does, but her daughter and granddaughter live about a mile away. She wanted to go spend some time with them.”
“Don’t tell me she looks after this place on her own.” Roadkill seemed horrified by the prospect. “That’s way too much work for one person.”
“Mrs. Landon sees to the laundry and cooking, and there’s a service that cleans the place,” Dellan told him. “Plus there’s a gardener who comes once a week.”
“I can’t get over this room,” Hashtag murmured, staring up at the vaulted ceiling with its dark oak beams. “It’s as big as a barn. Seriously, you could hold a dance in here.”
Dellan smiled. “This was where Tom and Mom entertained. It was such a different life for her. She went from scraping to make ends meet to living in luxury. I think that’s why Tom built the house. He wanted to make up for the hard years after Dad disappeared.”
“Did they really meet in a coffee shop?” Horvan inquired.
He nodded. “Tom said he didn’t usually frequent such places, but he was in the vicinity, it was pouring rain, and he needed shelter. Only he kept going back. He said he was captivated by her. And she had no idea who he was or what he was worth.”
“That probably made for a refreshing change,” Rael commented.
“It sounds like a fairy tale,” Roadkill said softly. “I’m glad she found happiness again. And it sounds like Tom was a great stepdad.”
“He was.” God, I miss him. I wish he were here.
Rael got up off the couch and extended a hand to Dellan. “I’m off to bed. You coming?”
“Nah, he always looks like that,” Crank quipped, before both Roadkill and Hashtag piled on top of him, cushions flying.
Horvan laughed. “You know where your rooms are. Leave the place tidy. And we’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bye, boys. Have fun storming the castle,” Crank called out. Then he laughed. “And by castle, I mean—” Hashtag slapped a hand over his mouth, cutting off whatever he’d been about to say.
Roadkill rolled his eyes. “Yup. Gayest straight man ever.”
They trooped up the stairs to the third floor, which contained only one room. It had been Tom and his mom’s bedroom until Tom’s death. After that, she’d chosen a smaller room, and Dellan had taken the master bedroom. He loved the space, not to mention the huge bathroom with its walk-in shower, and the three dormer windows set into the roof.
