Since this all happened with Francis, terror and despair became permanent emotional residents. Sitting at Rudy’s with Ray was the first time I felt safe. I knew Elise tried her best to make me comfortable and not afraid, but if the killer stormed her apartment there wasn’t anything she could do to save me. I didn’t get that feeling from Ray. I knew if I was in danger he’d jump in front to save me. The thought of that exhausted me. Because with Ray fear didn’t own me and keep me alert. I started to let my guard down, and in those moments, all the sleep I wasn’t getting began to poke at me.

Ray being as dreamy as he was likely was the only reason I didn’t go face first into my lunch.

I wasn’t sure if that was my wet fantasy talking or the fact I knew he was a cop. Protect and serve and all that. Hearing he ran numbers and had a darker past should have made me warier of his help. But it just solidified he’d know what dark corners to look in. It made a weird kind of sense to me.

Ray’s offer to go to my place to get things I needed both relaxed me and made me nervous. I didn’t own fancy things, and I wore my boxers until the elastic and fabric was threadbare. I could afford to grab some new boxers, so I’d just ask for some clothes, my ancient laptop, and some minor essentials. I didn’t really care what clothes he chose, but I didn’t want to make him stressed wondering what to pick.

When the bus stopped by Elise’s I hopped off, vigilantly searched my surroundings and began walking toward her place. There was a department store a few blocks past her complex, so I decided to grab some boxers before returning to her apartment.

As much as I loved cool superhero boxers I often just went with the cheapest pair. I chose to consider myself frugal. Not like anyone was going to see what I had under my jeans, boring standard colors it was. I grabbed a few bags, and as I was waiting in line, I saw Gabin enter the store. It was odd seeing him in public. He always wore expensive clothes, his shoes always shined, and he literally walked with his nose up.

He didn’t see me and I observed him like an animal in the zoo. There were dark rings under his eyes, and I knew it was likely because of the situation with him and Augustine wearing him down.

With my back to the store, I heard him ask behind me for assistance. I placed my boxers on the belt, trying to be discreet, I didn’t want him to see me. I was just paying when from the corner of my eye I saw him at the register in front of me. He was putting condoms on the belt, and while that wouldn’t make anyone else react, I did. He and Augustine were married; I assumed they were all protection free. Maybe he didn’t trust him after the affair, or maybe he was having one of his own? I was going to have to talk to Elise about this.

When I stepped out of the store and turned to walk to Elise’s, I heard my name and saw Gabin waving.

“Andrew, my dear.” He stood on his toes to kiss both my cheeks. His normal greeting. “I am dreadfully sorry to hear about the passing of your friend.”

I love how brutal murder never left anyone’s lips. It was like Francis had a sudden heart attack and that was it.

“Thanks, Gabin.”

He eyed me for a moment. “You’re staying at Elise’s I heard?”

“I am. The police needed me to vacate the premises and whatnot. Thank you, and thank Augustine, for giving me some time. I promise I’ll be back in a couple days.”

Gabin’s nose crinkled in disgust at the mention of his husband, but that was the only impression I got that he was still upset.

“Of course, dear. You simply get back on your feet. If I can do anything, please let me know.”

At that he turned and began walking the opposite way I was going. I knew for a fact he didn’t live around here so why was he here? Only thing up that street was an apartment complex and a church, and I didn’t think Gabin was the praying sort.

The sound of a horn honking at some stupid pedestrian snapped me out of my thoughts, and the fact I was standing there out in the open hit me. Right, someone wants me dead.

As quickly as possible I walked back to Elise’s. I liked her building and I made a mental note to ask her if she knew about availabilities and how much rent was. It was a light yellow, not obnoxious but like the sun itself kissed it. Everything was accented in white and all the windows had flower boxes. Some tenants had flowers in them but most didn’t. Spring was long gone and the chill in the air wasn’t making people plant anything. I loved that you needed a code to get into the building and that the people seemed friendly. If a killer was chasing you and you hollered for them to call 911, they would actually help you.

No doubt about it, I was never living in my old apartment again even after it was cleared. Not a chance so I best start figuring out what I was going to do.

Knowing Elise was closing tonight I made myself a sandwich for dinner, camped out on her couch, and got lost in Cake Wars on TV.

I must have dozed off because the sound of someone entering Elise’s apartment made me jolt awake. I stood fast, grabbed the remote, and readied myself to defend my life.

“Chill out, Andy, it’s just me,” Elise said with a chuckle. “Were you going to hit me with that or maybe…” She gasped in mock horror. “Mute me?”

“Shut up.” I tossed the remote on the couch and followed her into the kitchen. I sat at her table as she fixed herself a glass of wine to unwind.

“There were cops down the street. The Parker Complex. Wonder what happened over there. I had to take a different route home.” She sat at the table watching me as she drank.

“Parker?” She nodded and I remembered Gabin walking that way earlier. “Let’s turn on the news.”

Once we sat on the couch, we flipped to the evening news. Sure enough, after a few minutes a newscaster appeared live from near Parker.

“There’s very little to go on at this point, Richard. Police aren’t talking and residents seem almost confused. About ten minutes ago a body was removed, but that’s all we know right now. One resident said she heard screaming and some thumping around at about nine this evening. She called the police shortly after. She did say how upset she was that the police took almost forty minutes to arrive, and by that time, the sounds stopped. When the police entered, there was one less person in the world. The identity of the victim or the circumstances aren’t being released, but as soon as I know more, I’ll report it.”

Elise quickly shut the television off and ran to the window. Parker was only a mile from her place, so the blue and red lights were visible.

“Do you think—” I started to speak, but Elise cut me off.

“Don’t, Andy, let’s just wait and see.”

Elise and I watched for hours while police cars, news vans, and a parade of other cars and trucks came and went from Parker Apartment Complex. We agreed to walk over there in the morning and see if some of the people who lived there could tell us what happened.

The police not giving a shit didn’t surprise me. Their priority was for the upper-class, not us here. Even though Elise lived on the better, poor side of New West City, it was still a no rush zone for authorities.

We both fell asleep on her couch to the sound of infomercials. When the sun finally rose, the news was reporting a murder over at Parker. When the comparison to the murder matched Francis’, I left a message for Ray. I didn’t know if he’d heard about it, but this killer was still out there, and as a former cop I had no doubt he’d be able to get information on it that would help find this guy and keep me alive.

Was the killer looking for me? Who was the dead person? What the fuck was happening and why didn’t the cops care? Did Gabin have anything to do with it?

My mind raced from rational thinking to ridiculous.

After breakfast, Elise and I cleaned up and got dressed and decided to walk up to the complex. There were a few people sitting outside smoking and talking, so we walked over and asked what the hell happened last night. No point trying to butter anyone up. It wasn’t like that where we lived.

“Ethel over on the fourth floor said—Chad, Chester, something like that—some young guy was killed. She said it sounded like he was being attacked,” Hank, a guy who lived there, said. “She said while she was waitin’ on the cops it got silent all of a sudden. She knew someone was still there and locked her doors and put a chair blockin’ it. Said she heard someone leave right before the cops showed up.”

It was all so suspicious and similar. I texted Ray with all the info I got, gave him a small list of things I needed, and told him I’d be at Elise’s for the rest of the day.

Like Ethel, I was barricading the door.

Elise had to work the afternoon to close, so when we got back she dressed for work. On her way out, she said to text her every hour to make sure I was okay.

Ray sent me a text shortly after Elise left saying he saw the news, was doing some digging, and would be by Elise’s later.

I sat on her couch, clutching a baseball bat she gave me, and waited for Ray like he was the only thing capable of keeping me breathing.