Jerald didn’t know if the missing portion of the man’s head had anything to do with how he died, or was simply the result of feasting marine life.
He didn’t have any ID on him, just the remains of his clothes, tan slacks and a white pullover knit shirt.
Jerald called Alan to warn him he didn’t know when he’d be back due to a homicide investigation and put off their dinner date. He didn’t finish with his paperwork until nearly seven that evening, followed by his normal duties: refueling the boat, filing his other reports and citations, and everything else he had to do in the normal course of a day. He went straight home and climbed into the shower, glad to rinse the sticky salt residue from his skin and the hint of decomposition he hadn’t been able to shake.
He wished it was Alan’s shower and that Alan was there with him.
Yeah, he had it bad. No doubt about it. Having admitted it to himself, owning it, now he couldn’t wait until they lived together full time.
But that couldn’t happen until she left. He still couldn’t bring himself to spend the night with her there, even though he really wanted to. He damn sure didn’t feel comfortable living with a practical stranger. Maybe Alan’s large family made it easier for him to adapt, but he hadn’t had that luxury growing up.
Nearly eight o’clock, Alan would still be awake.
Did he or didn’t he? Man, he needed him.
A few minutes later, he hopped in his truck and drove to Alan’s. He saw light from the TV flickering against the front blinds and knew Alan was still up.
Thank god.
He let himself in with his key. Unfortunately, Alan wasn’t the only one still up. Daphne sat cuddled next to him on the couch while they watched a horror movie.
At his arrival, she stood. “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” she said before slowly limping to her bedroom and closing the door.
Alan shot him a disgusted look before he shut off the TV. “Hey. Didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
Jerald put a hand on Alan’s chest before he could lean in to kiss him. “What was that look for?”
“What look?”
“The look you just gave me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I spent all evening trying to draw her out of her shell and—”
“Okay, fine. Sorry I bothered you.” He turned on his heel and stormed out the front door, slamming it behind him.
Alan raced after him. “No! Jesus, Jer, stop. That’s not what I meant!”
Jerald wrenched his truck door open and got in, slamming it, too. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m not very good company right now. I had to deal with what looks like a fucking mob hit that Bob Diego and his kids found this afternoon. They discovered a body while diving. I’m tired, I’ve had a suck day, I’m pissed I had to call off our date, and I should have just stayed home tonight. Go take care of her.” He started the truck and ignored Alan’s hurt look as he pulled out of the driveway and drove home.
When his personal cell phone went off, he sent the call straight to voice mail and shut it off. Dispatch could call him on his work cell if they needed him, or on his radio.
No, certainly not the mature way to handle things, but the last thing he needed was more stress on top of an already stressful day. All he’d wanted was to…
Christ. He’d just wanted to be with Alan, to relax and decompress. Now he felt more tense than ever.
He lay in bed and stared at his ceiling fan. It had never worked since he’d lived there and hung at a weird angle from the ceiling, casting odd shadows across the opposite wall from the high windows where light from the security lamp outside forced its way through the cheap-ass blinds.
Fuck.
Now he had to apologize to Alan the next morning for acting like an asshole.
Things were going well for them, everything smooth sailing, until that girl came along. Was it fucking selfish of him to want to have his boyfriend all to himself without worrying if someone in the next room could hear
He didn’t have any ID on him, just the remains of his clothes, tan slacks and a white pullover knit shirt.
Jerald called Alan to warn him he didn’t know when he’d be back due to a homicide investigation and put off their dinner date. He didn’t finish with his paperwork until nearly seven that evening, followed by his normal duties: refueling the boat, filing his other reports and citations, and everything else he had to do in the normal course of a day. He went straight home and climbed into the shower, glad to rinse the sticky salt residue from his skin and the hint of decomposition he hadn’t been able to shake.
He wished it was Alan’s shower and that Alan was there with him.
Yeah, he had it bad. No doubt about it. Having admitted it to himself, owning it, now he couldn’t wait until they lived together full time.
But that couldn’t happen until she left. He still couldn’t bring himself to spend the night with her there, even though he really wanted to. He damn sure didn’t feel comfortable living with a practical stranger. Maybe Alan’s large family made it easier for him to adapt, but he hadn’t had that luxury growing up.
Nearly eight o’clock, Alan would still be awake.
Did he or didn’t he? Man, he needed him.
A few minutes later, he hopped in his truck and drove to Alan’s. He saw light from the TV flickering against the front blinds and knew Alan was still up.
Thank god.
He let himself in with his key. Unfortunately, Alan wasn’t the only one still up. Daphne sat cuddled next to him on the couch while they watched a horror movie.
At his arrival, she stood. “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” she said before slowly limping to her bedroom and closing the door.
Alan shot him a disgusted look before he shut off the TV. “Hey. Didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
Jerald put a hand on Alan’s chest before he could lean in to kiss him. “What was that look for?”
“What look?”
“The look you just gave me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I spent all evening trying to draw her out of her shell and—”
“Okay, fine. Sorry I bothered you.” He turned on his heel and stormed out the front door, slamming it behind him.
Alan raced after him. “No! Jesus, Jer, stop. That’s not what I meant!”
Jerald wrenched his truck door open and got in, slamming it, too. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m not very good company right now. I had to deal with what looks like a fucking mob hit that Bob Diego and his kids found this afternoon. They discovered a body while diving. I’m tired, I’ve had a suck day, I’m pissed I had to call off our date, and I should have just stayed home tonight. Go take care of her.” He started the truck and ignored Alan’s hurt look as he pulled out of the driveway and drove home.
When his personal cell phone went off, he sent the call straight to voice mail and shut it off. Dispatch could call him on his work cell if they needed him, or on his radio.
No, certainly not the mature way to handle things, but the last thing he needed was more stress on top of an already stressful day. All he’d wanted was to…
Christ. He’d just wanted to be with Alan, to relax and decompress. Now he felt more tense than ever.
He lay in bed and stared at his ceiling fan. It had never worked since he’d lived there and hung at a weird angle from the ceiling, casting odd shadows across the opposite wall from the high windows where light from the security lamp outside forced its way through the cheap-ass blinds.
Fuck.
Now he had to apologize to Alan the next morning for acting like an asshole.
Things were going well for them, everything smooth sailing, until that girl came along. Was it fucking selfish of him to want to have his boyfriend all to himself without worrying if someone in the next room could hear
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