Cleats in Clay

by Jackson Cordd

  “Okay, I promise. I’ll tell ya everything.”

  “You better.” Hawk released his hand and patted it before sitting back in the chair. “How ya think Broyles is gonna handle all this?”

  “I don’t know. He is a concern.”

  Hawk nodded. “It took a while for him to come around to ya bein’ gay. This is gonna really freak him.”

  Tuck nearly jumped out of the bed. “He knows? Broyles knows? Since when?”

  “Calm down.” Hawk stood and hovered over him. “About a year, but he had his suspicions way before then.”

  Tuck lay back down. Then the timing hit him and he glared at Hawk. “You told him?”

  “He already had suspicions,” Hawk said in defense. “And I had to tell him some reason why I was investigatin’ Vic. Seemed easier not ta lie.”

  Tuck glared at him as he breathed through his nose. He couldn’t believe his brother would go behind his back like that. It felt like a cruel betrayal.

  Hawk hovered over him, trying to look like an innocent baby brother. “Come on, Tuck,” he nearly pleaded. “Ain’t none of us stupid. I don’t know of anybody who hasn’t figured it out by now.”

  “Still.” Tuck turned his eyes away and focused on keeping his words steady. “That doesn’t give ya the right to go blabbing it everywhere.”

  “I didn’t,” Hawk said in a wounded tone. “Broyles was the only one I talked to, and he even kinda started it, anyway.”

  Tuck softened a little as he stared at his cast. “Yer still an ass.”

  Hawk sat on the edge of the bed and got in front of Tuck’s gaze. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryin’ ta be.”

  “Maybe not,” Tuck said with a sigh. “I should have been the one to talk to him. What if he’d kicked me out of the department?”

  “Shit.” Hawk scowled. “I didn’t think of that.”

  “Right. So if I’d talked to Broyles, and that happened, it would have been my doing. You’d have hated yerself if I’d been fired because of somethin’ you said.”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. I won’t say another word to anybody else.”

  “Ya don’t hafta go that far, just be more careful,” Tuck said, realizing he was making a silly request of his brother. The guy probably couldn’t even find the word “caution” in the dictionary, much less apply it.

  “Okay,” Hawk said with a nod. “Then I can kick somebody’s ass if they say shit about you and Bobby and Odis.”

  “Is that being careful?” Tuck asked sharply.

  “Maybe I could put on a mask first?” Hawk asked with a twinkly smile.

  Tuck chuckled at the mental image of his brother in a superhero costume running down the street and then slugging people. “No, don’t think that’d work. Yer one of the few six-foot-three guys around here, as far as I know.”

  “Right. So much for being anomalous.”

  Tuck laughed, wondering if his brother understood the joke he just made. “I think you mean anonymous.”

  “I really am sorry,” Hawk said as he leaned forward. “I just wagged my jaw without even thinkin’ how it could go bad.”

  “It’s okay. I know you were just tryin’ to look out for me.”

  Hawk leaned in and hugged Tuck. “I should go.” Hawk stood up. “Time ta get my six-foot-three anomaly ass home,” he said with a wink.

  Tuck laughed as Hawk left. Damn bastard did know the joke he made. Tuck laughed again when he realized how deftly Hawk had played him past his anger after he’d learned about getting outed to Broyles. That damn little shit. Hawk was sure slick when he wanted to be.

  With another chuckle, Tuck turned up the TV and flipped the channels, looking for something interesting.

  Chapter 25

  THE next day, it took until almost two in the afternoon to get Tuck out of the hospital and settled into the El Camino. After absently banging his cast against the door, Tuck crammed in next to Bobby, who sat in the middle for the drive back to Brungess. Odis started the car. Once he pulled out of the parking lot, Tuck let out a huge sigh.

  Bobby looked over at his scruffy face of gray-and-blond stubbly growth. “You okay, big guy?”

  “Oh sure.” Tuck nodded. “Just such a relief ta be outta there,” he said as he rubbed his left hand across his chin. “Can’t wait ta get home and shave. Gettin’ all itchy.”

  Odis chuckled. “Never did like a beard, did ya.”

  “Nope.” Tuck’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh. I haven’t told ya guys. I had some visitors yesterday.”

  “Who?” Odis and Bobby asked at nearly the same time.

  Tuck chuckled, thinking it was like being in a car full of barn owls. “Hawk, of course. He came by, which is a tale in itself. But before him, Josh dropped in.”

  “Josh?” Odis asked as he reached over and turned the radio off so they wouldn’t have to talk over it.

  “Oh, this should be interesting,” Bobby said with a grin.

  Tuck nodded. “He started with sayin’ that Bobby was in town, hangin’ out with Gertie’s brother, he said, and I should track you down and have a beer with you,” he told them as he smiled over at Bobby.

  Odis guffawed. “Really?”

  Bobby nodded. “Josh told me Saturday, when I saw him in the ER, that I should meet with Tuck.”

  “And what did ya say ta that?” Odis asked Tuck.

  “Oh, I didn’t say anything right away. It was too much fun watchin’ him squirm around. He finally said nearly everybody in the department had my number, so to speak, and I have allies if I wanna come out for real.”

  “Wow,” Odis replied. “Are ya gonna do that?”

  “Let me tell ya about Hawk’s visit before I get into that one. There’s one more thing about Josh I wanna mention first.”

  “What’s that?” Bobby asked.

  “When I told him I’d picked ya up at the airport Friday, he put two and two together about me callin’ to cover my shift. Then he asked me if ya were any good.”

  Bobby chuckled. “I see.”

  Odis shook his head. “Josh? He actually asked that? I thought he was straight.”

  Tuck laughed. “And so are you, Odie. Or are ya changin’ your mind about that?”

  Odis shook his head. “I’m not sure about anything anymore,” he admitted. “All I know is I’ve got these two guys that keep punchin’ my buttons. I don’t even notice anybody else.”

  “Better not,” Tuck said in his authoritative voice. “This is a complicated enough mess without draggin’ anybody else into it.”

  Bobby reached down and rubbed the nearest thigh of each man. “I’ve already got my hands too full to think of anybody else.”

  “No worries.” Odis glanced over. “So what happened after that, with Hawk?”

  Tuck paused as they pulled onto Main Street. “Let’s get inside before I start that story,” he said as Odis neared his building.

  On Bobby’s last visit, they had come in through the back, so he hadn’t noticed Tuck lived above a closed-down storefront. It appeared the place was still fairly well maintained despite being vacant—for several years, from the looks of it.

  Odis pulled through the alley to the back and parked near the door. Bobby studied Tuck moving a bit carefully up the stairs to his apartment.

  Once inside, Tuck went right to the kitchenette and started making coffee. Bobby watched as Odis plopped onto the couch and turned on the TV.

  Bobby stepped into the kitchenette. “You doing okay?”

  “Oh, sure, I’ll have this brewin’ in no time. Then I’m hoppin’ in the shower.”

  “I mean, you don’t seem as spry as you normally do.”

  “Oh.” Tuck finished adding the water to the coffeemaker and turned it on. “I got a couple a sore spots, but I think it’s mostly just from layin’ around in bed fer two days.”

  “Sore spots?”

  Tuck nodded and then headed to the bedroom door. “Help me and I’ll show ya,” he said with a smirky crooked grin. Bobby followed him into the bedro
om.

  Tuck managed to open the shirt snaps mostly one-handed, then pulled open the left side to show the large Easter-egg-shaped bruise just below his ribs.

  “Geez,” Bobby said as he sucked in a breath. “No wonder you’re sore.”

  “A few inches higher and it woulda surely broken ribs.”

  “What did that? Looks like somebody punched you,” Bobby said as he stepped closer.

  “Doorknob, I think. Who knows?” Tuck said as he wrangled out of his shirt, then sat on the edge of the bed. “Help me with the boots?”

  “Sure,” Bobby agreed as he went and kneeled down in front of the bed and took Tuck’s right cowboy boot by the heel. Tuck winced and sucked in a breath as he pulled on it. “Sorry,” Bobby said when he stopped. Being more careful and watching Tuck’s facial expressions, he managed to wriggle the boot off Tuck’s foot. He took hold of the other boot and pulled it off without Tuck flinching.

  Tuck stood up again, unsnapping and unzipping the pants without assistance. He pushed the gray denim down to his thighs, then bent to grasp the leg cuff, but couldn’t seem to manage the maneuver with only one hand.

  Bobby nudged him to sit on the bed. “Let me help.” Once Tuck sat, Bobby grabbed the cuff of each denim leg and pulled the jeans off. “Ouch,” he muttered when he saw the wide gash of a bruise across Tuck’s right leg, a deep purple line just above the ankle.

  “Yeah,” Tuck said with a nod as he also looked down at the nasty purple wound. “Klyve said I’s damn lucky it didn’t break my leg.”

  “Looks like it,” Bobby agreed as he glanced over Tuck in nothing but the seafoam boxer briefs. He saw several other minor scuffs and bruises on Tuck’s legs and stomach, but none looked nearly as dramatic.

  Tuck smiled at Bobby’s admiring gaze. “I’m guessin’ it was you that picked out these clothes? Doubt Odis is that fashion conscious.”

  Bobby nodded. “He actually got the boots, though, when he saw what all else I had laid out. Don’t forget that he’s an artist. He might not know the difference between Armani and Valentino, but he can tell what looks good.”

  “Sure.” Tuck nodded. “I couldn’t tell ya the difference, either,” he admitted. “Thanks for findin’ the snap-and-zipper jeans. I fergot I even had ’em, and buttons are gonna be a bitch.” He held up the plastic finger-encasing cast as proof.

  Tuck stood up. “I’m gonna shave and shower, as best I can, anyway.”

  Bobby noticed the slight swelling in the groin of Tuck’s boxer briefs and gazed up with an innocent smile. “Need help with that?”

  Tuck grinned back. “I need ta get cleaned up first, with no distractions.” He led Bobby back out into the living room. “Go keep Odie company. I’ll be done in a jiffy.” Tuck continued around the kitchenette to the bathroom and closed the door.

  “Is he parading around nekkid?” Odis asked as he turned and looked over the back of the couch.

  “Nah, still had undies on.” Bobby stepped around to the front of the couch and sat near Odis, watching the laser shoot-’em-up sci-fi scene on the TV. “I didn’t know you liked sci-fi,” he commented.

  Odis chuckled. “Give ’em six-shooters and cowboy hats and most of ’em’s just like a western in disguise.”

  Bobby chuckled along. “Never thought of it that way.”

  They watched a few more minutes of the guys in shiny armor trying to rescue some long-haired blonde girl dressed in a racy robe and high heels.

  “See,” Odis said like a voice-over. “She’s the Indian squaw that’s done got kidnapped by the cavalry, and them’s her brothers come ta rescue her from the fort.”

  Bobby chuckled. “And where are the horses?”

  Odis smiled. “You watch. In a minute they’ll run back to their tired-lookin’ ponies and skedaddle.”

  They watched the TV as the shiny armor guys led the robed woman away, shooting lasers behind them as they fled down the spaceship corridors until reaching some sort of docking hanger. Bobby laughed when he saw the tiny scarred-up scout ship they all crammed into before scurrying away into space.

  With a nod, Odis said, “What’d I tell ya? Tired-lookin’ pony.”

  Bobby laughed and gazed over at Odis with a wide grin, admiring how clever and intuitive the little man could be. And the best part was that Odis didn’t do it in a haughty or bragging kind of way. He didn’t even seem to realize how smart and talented he was. Bobby leaned forward and kissed his mouth.

  Like a thirsty man finally finding water, Odis immediately leaned forward and kissed back. With heated force, he put his hands behind Bobby’s head and pulled him close, enjoying the fuzzy warmth they shared a few moments before pulling back.

  “Wow,” Bobby said when he could breathe again. “What brought that on?”

  Odis shrugged. “I guess ’cause we hadn’t kissed in two days, I just realized.”

  “Right,” Bobby agreed. “I guess we haven’t.”

  When they heard the bathroom door open, both guys looked over the back of the couch. Tuck emerged, draped with a smaller pale-blue towel wrapped around his waist like a terry cloth kilt. He went to the kitchenette and poured himself a mug of coffee before looking over at the other men watching him. “Do I hafta play hostess, or can ya guys get yer own coffee?”

  Odis huffed. “Who says I want coffee? Don’cha have any beer?”

  Tuck nodded. “I’m plannin’ on stayin’ up late, since I got guests to entertain,” he said with a lecherous grin. “But suit yerself. You know where the fridge is.”

  Bobby grinned back. “Coffee sounds good to me.”

  “Well.” Odis also broke into a grin. “Coffee it is, then,” he said as he stood up from the couch.

  When Tuck stepped away from the kitchenette counter to give him room to go in, Odis saw the Easter-egg bruise. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Ya been hidin’ that the whole time?”

  Tuck stuck out his right foot and turned it slightly to show off the ankle bruise. “Here too.”

  “Shit,” Odis hissed. “I thought you’s okay,” he said as he poured two mugs.

  Sticking out his right arm, Tuck waved the cast. “And ya didn’t notice this?”

  “Bonehead,” Odis scolded as he stepped back out and carried the two mugs to the coffee table. “I mean, other than that, I thought you’s okay.”

  “I am,” Tuck said as he followed Odis to the couch. “Just kinda sore is all.”

  “Thanks, Odie,” Bobby said with a nod toward the mug. He turned to Tuck as he started to sit on the couch beside him. “Maybe you should sit in that chair.” Bobby motioned to the recliner against the flanking wall.

  “Oh?” Tuck asked as he froze in place.

  Bobby waggled his eyebrows as he flicked the hem of the short towel. “Better view.”

  Tuck chuckled warmly and sat down. “Is that all ya want? Just a peep show?” he teased as he unclasped the towel and slid it partway off his lap, just enough to show pubic hair.

  Odis turned off the TV and set the remote on the table before looking over. “Sure ya should be doin’ somethin’ strenuous?”

  “There may be certain things I can’t do, but I’m sure we can work around it.”

  “What things?” Bobby asked.

  “Standing up too long or havin’ somebody sit on my chest. I think those are out.”

  Bobby reached out and rubbed Tuck’s bare thigh. “I hadn’t planned on sitting on your chest,” he said with a grin. “I can think of more interesting places to sit.”

  Odis leaned over as he watched the towel in Tuck’s lap tenting upward. “Oh, I was kinda thinkin’ somethin’ else.”

  Tuck gazed over. “What were ya thinkin’?”

  Odis swallowed and then seemed to lose some resolve. “Oh!” he suddenly blurted out. “Ya never did tell us about Hawk’s visit.”

  Bobby and Tuck glanced over questioningly at Odis’s sudden change in tone. Tuck nodded. “Right, I never did. Learned a few interesting things,” he said before sipping at his mug. “
Found out Hawk’d known about Vic since last year, had him tailed and investigated, and also managed to out me to Broyles in the process.”

  “Holy fuck!” Odis exclaimed. “That stupid-assed shithead. I’m gonna kick his ass!”

  “Calm down,” Tuck said with his authoritative voice. “He wasn’t doin’ anything to intentionally hurt me, and he apologized for bein’ a stupid ass. And now it turns out I don’t hafta worry about Broyles if I ‘come out’ officially. So he kinda did me a favor with that.”

  Bobby nodded. “Sounds like good news.”

  “It is,” Tuck agreed. “So now there’s only one guy I have any concerns over. Fenton.”

  “Right,” Odis said as he got himself under control. “I’ve always wondered if he weren’t a closet-case.”

  “He was kind of weird in the ER when he saw me and Odie holding hands,” Bobby agreed. “But that’s just one guy, and he’s not your boss or anything, right?”

  “True.” Tuck took another sip. “Josh was pretty much tellin’ me Fenton would be a loner if he did kick up some shit.”

  “So,” Bobby said as he patted Tuck’s leg. “How ‘official’ were you planning to be? Like, do an interview in the town paper, or something?”

  Tuck scowled at the thought. “Just gonna let it unfold naturally, I guess.”

  “Trust me,” Bobby said, “if you’re gonna do this, you need to get in front of it and own it. Or the shit’ll get all twisted up on you.”

  Scowling again, Tuck looked over at Odis.

  “Don’t ask me,” Odis told him. “I ain’t got no advice.”

  Tuck decided to change the subject. “You guys gonna stay over for a few days? It’s just a queen-sized bed, but I think we can manage.”

  “Not after tonight,” Bobby said. “Gertie only managed to get my flight bumped up one day without any charge, so I’m flying out tomorrow.”

  “Oh,” Tuck answered weakly. He stared down at the cast. He hated feeling so helpless, but he was a little concerned about being stuck alone if he did end up needing help.