Copping an Attitude

by Morticia Knight

  “Yeah. I know. What’s going on?”

  “Lonnie’s gone.”

  “I need you to be more specific.”

  Parker inhaled a stuttering breath. “I came back from my shift and my computer and lights were left on. The bed hasn’t been slept in and his hoodie’s gone. There’s no note.”

  “Forced entry?”

  Fuck. Beau’s thinking the same thing.

  “No.”

  “Did you guys get into a fight?”

  “No. I mean… Not yesterday.”

  “But you have been fighting?”

  Parker hesitated. “It’s… There’re still things he’s working through. But everything was perfectly fine before I left.”

  “I’m only asking because I want you to know that it’s perfectly normal that you would’ve had fights already, given his history. But, taking that into consideration, it could also have been a motivator for him to bail on you. He might be too overwhelmed by things moving so fast between the two of you.”

  Fuck. I should’ve thought of that. I was being selfish, impulsive.

  “Dammit. I’m such an ass.”

  “Knock it off, Parker. Everything you’ve done has been with his well-being in mind. However, you don’t really know him well enough yet to completely understand what’s going on in his head. There may be insurmountable obstacles to you both finding long-term happiness together.”

  Parker swallowed around a lump in his throat, reminding himself that he had no right to get emotionally wrecked over the situation. Wasn’t that what he’d told himself all along, that things with Lonnie might not last? That he would let him go if that was what Lonnie wanted?

  “I have another question, Parker, and I don’t want you to get upset about it, but you have to be realistic. Is there any money or other valuable items missing from the apartment?”

  Rather than be angry, his heart sank at the implications. Had he been so wrapped up in the feelings that he’d assumed had been developing between them that he hadn’t seen that he was being hustled by a pro? Almost immediately, he wanted to punch himself because of his traitorous thoughts.

  Lonnie’s not like that. I know he isn’t. Something’s wrong.

  “I don’t know. But I do know that I won’t find anything gone. I believe in Lonnie. He needs help, I can feel it.”

  “Okay. I’m calling this in then I’ll be right over.”

  Parker exhaled, greatly relieved that Beau was taking him seriously, that he would help.

  “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  After hanging up, Parker laid his cell on the kitchen table next to his laptop. He drummed his fingers, antsy. He considered whether he should jump back in his car and search for Lonnie, but knew that it was a knee-jerk move and that he should wait for Beau to show up. His gaze traveled to his computer. On an impulse, he woke it up. Obviously, Lonnie had been using it before he left.

  He inhaled on a gasp. Brett had messaged him and it was open to the contents. Parker read the words and groaned. He could easily see how it would’ve come across to Lonnie. His lover must’ve been upset and stormed out. It soothed him in some ways, but it still didn’t explain where he was, or assure Parker that Lonnie wasn’t in danger. He would’ve come back, wouldn’t he? He had nowhere to go.

  Attempting to let go of the guilt at what he was about to do, he decided to check and see if anything was missing after all. In a weird way, he hoped Lonnie had taken something. At least he wouldn’t be on the streets. It was killing Parker inside to even contemplate Lonnie being out there again. Alone, cold, maybe even again doing what he had to do in order to survive.

  He wandered around the apartment, going through the motions of seeking out the few things that might’ve been taken. The only cash he had in his home were a few small bills and some change he kept in his top dresser drawer. His watch and digital camera were exactly where he’d left them. All the video games and DVDs were undisturbed, the gaming system untouched. That only left his laptop.

  He dropped onto the chair again. It was agonizing not to know where the man was whom he loved. Parker clenched his hands together, pressing his lips in a thin line.

  Yeah. Too late. I love him.

  He shook his head then swiped at a tear. No matter what it took, he would speak to Lonnie at least one more time. Even if Lonnie was done with him, he wanted to let him know how much he was loved, that there was someone out there who really did care about his well-being. And to let him know that Parker would always be there for him if he ever needed anything.

  In the meantime, all he could do was wait.

  Chapter Eleven

  It was fucking cold. Even though the temperatures were relatively mild during the day, it was early December and it was chilly enough that Lonnie could see his breath. After they’d shared a quiet Thanksgiving meal together at home, Parker had talked about getting him a proper jacket soon.

  Don’t. Don’t think about him.

  But how could he not? He loved him. Loved him so much it hurt. Parker was everything he’d ever dreamed about in a man and everything he’d never thought he’d have. He shoved his hands even further into the pockets of the hoodie, stretching it, the top over his head pulling as he curled in on himself. The shivering wouldn’t stop, though. He was hungry, thirsty and all around miserable.

  The sun had eked its way up, and the early morning shadows played out on the almost empty parking areas of the backs of the casinos. He couldn’t stay on the bus bench that much longer, he’d have to figure out his next move. The night before had been awful. His plan to generate some quick cash had been a spectacular fail, which in hindsight, he was supremely grateful for.

  Within an hour or so of being on the streets, he’d found a target who’d been more than willing to drop a hundred dollars for an hour with Lonnie in the john’s room. Lonnie had mused that his newly cleaned and scrubbed look had appealed to the much older man. He’d purposely cruised the downtown area, knowing that it wasn’t Parker’s beat. By the time he’d reached the front door of the trick’s hotel on the Strip, reality had set in and Lonnie had taken off like a rocket, racing away as fast as his legs could carry him.

  He couldn’t do it. Couldn’t be with a man like that ever again. Not after being with Parker, not after he’d known love. His breath caught on a sob. It was obvious that he’d overreacted to what he’d seen on Parker’s computer. Deep inside, he knew that Parker really cared about him, had been genuine about them being together.

  He didn’t know what time it was, but he was certain that Parker would either be home already or on his way there. Parker would be so worried when he got to the apartment and Lonnie wasn’t in bed. He couldn’t even call him, but he could definitely do one thing—get up on his feet and drag his tired ass back to Parker and beg for his forgiveness.

  He pushed up to a standing position and stretched. His head was yanked back by his sweatshirt collar. Stumbling, his immediate reaction was that a cop had nabbed him.

  “Found you, bitch. Where you been hiding? I could kill you right now, but I got other plans. You made me waste so much time looking for you after you snuck outta that hospital that I’m gonna really enjoy this, wait’ll you see. And there’s no pussy boyfriend here to save your skinny ass this time either.”

  Julio’s fetid breath wafted across the side of his face and he fought against the bile rising in his throat. He struggled, but his feet were kicked out from under him as Julio released his hold. He tumbled to the ground in front of the bench and when he glanced up, he knew he was completely fucked. Two of Julio’s goons towered over him, surrounding his ex pimp.

  Julio sneered. “Put him in the car.”

  The beefy men reached for Lonnie and he screamed for help. A sharp kick to his stomach robbed him of air and he clutched at his middle. Julio’s large minions effortlessly lifted him by his arms and legs then unceremoniously hurled him into the back seat of a big sedan. Landing with a bounce, he scrambled to get out the other side. The do
or was locked. He was shoved down onto the floorboard by a meaty hand at his back and he put up his arms in case anyone tried to rain blows down on him.

  He glanced up and saw that one of the large men sat in the back with him. The front doors were opened then slammed shut. After they took off, Julio’s sickening chuckle filled the car.

  “Oh yeah, I’d like to rip you apart, you little fucker. But I’m a reasonable man. Why waste a perfectly good piece of ass when there’s money to be made? You got an appointment with the auction block today, baby. You’re goin’ to some buyer on the other side of the world and you ain’t never coming back. They can pimp you out or resell you for all I care. I’ll be rid of you and collect bank.”

  Lonnie’s insides liquefied, he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He was so stupid. His emotions had taken him over to the point where he hadn’t even considered the risk that Julio posed. He’d put himself in danger and Parker would be devastated. Tears streamed down his cheeks at the thought of how upset Parker would be. Lonnie was destroyed over doing such a thing to his lover.

  I’ll give anything to make it up to him. Please.

  “Shut up, you piece of shit! I need you lookin’ good. I don’t need no snot running down your face.”

  Julio said something in Spanish and he was smacked in the back of his head by the guy in the seat next to him. It was comparatively mild based on what he’d been used to from before, but he surmised that Julio didn’t want to have damaged merchandise. He pondered whether or not to get them riled up enough so that he’d be too beaten up to sell. Although, there was a good chance that if that happened, they’d probably go ahead and just kill him.

  Parker would probably never forgive himself for not protecting Lonnie, even though Lonnie accepted the blame for everything that had happened. No. He couldn’t risk giving up, he needed to try to hang on for Parker’s sake.

  Julio’s cell phone went off.

  “Hey, esè. How’s it hanging?” There was a pause as Julio laughed at whatever was being said. “Don’t worry. I got the goods for you. I’m on my way to the warehouse now with the kid I told you about.” He paused, obviously listening to the response of whoever was on the other line. “Hey, I told you. I don’t know what happened to that other bitch, Valeena. For all I know, she’s dead. But I’ll find another one for you, a better one. I promise.”

  Lonnie whimpered, barely able to control a strangled cry from escaping his throat.

  “I want at least a hundred grand for this pretty boy. He’s experienced, but looks like he could be under eighteen.” Julio let out another throaty laugh. “I promised, right, esè? I think we got a good future working together, my homey.”

  Julio rambled on for another couple of minutes, but all Lonnie heard in his mind was Valeena’s name. Had she gotten away? What the fucking hell had happened? The whole situation threatened to make him vomit. It had to be tied in with Samson. He’d promised Lonnie freedom the way he’d done with Valeena, and it had resulted in Lonnie almost being killed. Once again, he wondered where she was, if she’d fared any better than him.

  The tears came again and he didn’t care what they did to him anymore. His heart was so broken he thought he would die from that alone. There was nothing more they could do to him that could be any worse.

  * * * *

  Parker’s apartment resembled a crime scene. He’d certainly seen enough during his years in law enforcement to know. It had been two hours since he’d spoken to Beau. The first thing the detective had done was to issue a BOLO for Lonnie. All personnel had been advised that Lonnie was missing and might possibly be in danger. Beau was taking a call in the living room and Parker tried to distract himself by making a fourth pot of coffee. He’d offered some to every single person who’d set foot in his apartment that morning in an effort to keep his mind off what might’ve happened to Lonnie.

  What’s happening to him right now.

  He set his mug down a little too hard on the counter and some of the hot liquid splashed on his hand. He hissed. Beau walked up to him right as he was running his scalded skin under some cool water.

  “You holding up okay?”

  Parker met Beau’s eyes, surprised by the amount of compassion he saw in them. He’d never gotten to know Beau that well during their limited interactions, but he thought he might really like him as a friend. There was something soft about him that he wouldn’t have expected from a tough and hardened homicide detective.

  “Doing the best I can. Thanks.”

  Beau nodded, his brow furrowing. Parker didn’t like the look on his face.

  Beau placed a hand softly on Parker’s back. “Parker, come sit down with me for a sec.”

  Oh no. Please no.

  Parker didn’t dare take the mug with the coffee. He doubted he’d have the strength to hang onto it. Once they were both seated, Parker gripped the edge of the table with one hand, the other clutched tightly in his lap.

  “There’s some information that I haven’t mentioned to you before because I wasn’t at liberty to share it.” Beau glanced over his shoulder before facing him again. He brought his voice lower. “I’m opening up to you now because I think I can rightfully argue that I needed your help in locating Lonnie. As you know, I’ve been part of an ongoing investigation into the murders of sex workers on the Strip. What you don’t know is that my team has also been working in conjunction with the FBI. They stepped in a few months back following a lead that brought them to Vegas. Their case involving a human trafficking ring directed them to us.”

  Parker gasped, the implications of why Beau was telling him such a thing more than obvious.

  “Lonnie…”

  Beau placed a hand on the one Parker had clutched on the table’s edge.

  “Julio recently overstepped his bounds by making contact with the Europeans running the sex slave auctions.”

  “Overstepped?”

  “The European contacts were Alexei’s exclusive territory. At least that’s how he viewed it. The attacks on each other’s ‘goods’ began shortly after that.”

  “How the hell do you know all of this?”

  “The FBI has a man in deep undercover as well as a few other informants. Their agent has worked on this sex trade ring for almost three years and he’s at the point where the FBI thinks they can move in and take out as many of these assholes as possible. We just received word from him that there’s to be an auction today at a warehouse on the edge of town. Their agent has identified Lonnie as one of the sex workers scheduled to be auctioned off.”

  Parker gritted his teeth as the fury swept through him. “He’s not a sex worker!” He punctuated his words by slamming the table with his fist.

  “Okay, Parker. Try and hold it together. We’re going to do our best to get him out of there. The FBI has been working on this for a long time.”

  “Do your best? What the hell does that mean?”

  Beau had a pained look on his face, his features almost set in a grimace. Parker wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to his question after all.

  “Part of the reason we’re moving in today, why the FBI believes it’s our best opportunity, is that our agent has informed us of a development that Julio won’t be expecting.”

  “Oh, Jesus, what is it, Beau?”

  “The Russians are planning on going in and taking out Julio and any of his men. The Europeans have set Julio up because they think he’s a loose cannon. Apparently his meth use reputation precedes him.”

  “And Julio’s…people?” Parker swallowed hard, not sure actually sure he could keep it together after all.

  “According to our source, there’s an agreement between the Europeans and the Russians to split whatever they get for Julio’s goods. Sorry, I mean people.”

  Parker shook his head as if he could make it all go away. “But… When you say ‘take out’… Will Lonnie be somewhere away from Julio when it happens, someplace safe?”

  Beau grabbed Parker’s hands in both of his and Parker stared
at them as if no one had ever touched him before.

  “Parker, listen. We’re going to do everything we can to ensure Lonnie’s and every other innocent person’s safety.” Beau squeezed as if in reassurance. “But we just don’t know what to expect at this point. We won’t until we get in there.”

  He shot his head up. “I’ll go with you.”

  Beau released his hold on Parker and sighed. “You know that’s not possible. You’re not a part of this investigation.”

  Even as Parker had said it, he’d known better. He was a patrol officer. Not a detective or an FBI agent. No doubt other local agencies would be called on, including SWAT, but there wasn’t a scenario he could envision where he’d be involved.

  “I can’t sit and wait here, Beau. I have to do something to help him.”

  “I know it’s hard, Parker. The best thing you can do is to be here for him when he returns. You won’t always be able to charge in and save him from everything. But you can be available to love and care for him.”

  “Of course, I— Hold on.” Parker frowned. “You assumed I love him?”

  Beau chuckled. “It’s more than obvious.” Beau patted his shoulder. “I’m really glad.” His eyes darkened and he regarded Parker intently. “And I want everything to work out for you both. Please believe me.”

  Parker nodded. “I do. But I have one favor to ask.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “I won’t interfere, I swear. But can I at least wait in your car? I’ll lose my entire mind festering here in the apartment.”

  Beau considered him, his eyebrows drawn together, his lips set in a hard line. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  “Thank you, Beau. You won’t.”

  Parker sat back in the chair, his muscles still tense, his mind jumbled. The reality was that things could go very wrong and he’d witness Lonnie being carried away on a stretcher, would see his dead body.

  At least I’ll be there for him in some way. I don’t want him to die alone.

  It was like the alley all over again. That had ended up okay and all Parker could do was hope it would once again. Lonnie had become his whole world.