Eighteen
It was quiet in the middle of Hollywood.
The morning had turned dewy and gray by the time Dante got Rook up into his loft above Potter’s Field. Within seconds of the elevator doors closing behind them, the skies were a threatening black, crackling with the promise of lightning and fury. Pouring a senseless Rook into bed was less trouble than Dante thought it would be, especially after a judicious application of a pain pill, ibuprofen, and tooth-brushing. With the loft’s blackout curtains drawn, the rooms were plunged into a thick darkness, and Dante stumbled a bit as he left Rook sleeping off his trauma to get his head around the murders.
Spartan was one word Dante had in mind about Rook’s place. Its dearth of furniture was sad in a way, as if Rook never planned on having more than one person in the apartment—himself. While comfortable, the couch was kept company by pieces of lawn furniture, but Rook’s coffeemaker definitely was geared to a heavy user. Brewing up a strong carafe of Italian roast, Dante contemplated the deaths he’d been assigned, then retired to the living room space to construct and file reports on his laptop. He spent nearly two hours doing paperwork, serenaded by Rook’s soft snuffling and melodic murmurs before turning his attention back to the murder board in his notebook.
A ping from his e-mail turned out to be an information dump from a detective working Vice in West Hollywood, and Dante read through the initial message, then shot off a promise of beer, eternal gratitude, and future favors. Running briefly through the notes was dizzying, but he quickly picked out familiar names among the stacks of references in the other detective’s reports.
“Rook’s got to be the center of it,” he mused, sipping at the rich black coffee. Scribbling down the key people gave him a laundry list of names whose sole connection was a nebulous dotted line to his irascible lover. Drawing a large square in the middle of a blank page, Dante sat staring at the empty block until his cell phone burbled a cheery tune. Shaking his head at the number, he answered the call. “Yeah, Camden?”
“Montoya!” Hank blasted through the speaker, and Dante pulled the phone away from his ear. “Just wanted to touch base. I’m still out for a couple of days. Doc won’t sign my release form yet.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I want to share a car with a ginger howler monkey. Tone it down a bit. I don’t know what’s louder—you or the explosion,” Dante teased. “Can you hear me?”
“Oh, I can hear you. I’ve got speakers on this thing. Wife made me go into the bathroom and close the door. Says I’m breaking her eardrums.” His partner’s voice dropped a notch. “Better? I’m working on volume controls. Are you back at work? Or did the captain pass our stuff off to someone else for right now?”
“Well, my ears aren’t bleeding, and no, he gave me a day, but shit’s happened.” After filling Hank in, Dante paused long enough to take a sip of his cooling coffee. “So what do you think?”
“It’d be easier if we could run this down together, but it’d be a tossup who’d kill me first, the captain or the wife.” Hank grumbled under his breath. “The Pigeon didn’t seem too broken up about her sister. Are we sure she’s out of the game?”
“Pretty sure. She’s been clear of Vice for a while now, and everything seems to check out. Our victim in the townhouse definitely was on track to go clean. She was known to Winters, one of the detectives down in WeHo. Apparently he was working with her to get information on current players, which included her former partner. Pigeon wasn’t on the negotiation table there, but the sister, Dani, was.”
“Strong-arm on Pigeon’s part or loyalty on our vic’s?”
“I’m going with loyalty. Pigeon’s the one who suggested Jane go talk with WeHo. From what he’d gotten from the vic, there’s stuff that might have even rolled over to the feds.” Dante called up an e-mail he’d gotten from the other detective. “Winters said Pigeon’s involvement was cloudy, so he didn’t think he’d get anything solid on her, but our vic had some good stuff against the ex-partner, Madge, and a few others who were running some dangerous cons. Jobs that included our original victim, Dani Anderson.”
“He give you any details?” Hank asked. “Any known associates between Dani and Madge?”
“Cast of thousands, or at least hundreds.” Dante scrolled through electronic reports. “Madge Stalgetti with a hell of a lot of AKAs. He didn’t specifically target a connection between Madge and Dani, so other than Jane mentioning they knew each other and were working on something together, that’s all Winters’s got. Apparently our girl Madge is quite the go-getter. Jane told Winters her ex-partner had about five cons going, including a long con big enough for them to never work again.”
“Isn’t that what they all say?” his partner shouted into the phone. “Did our vic say what it was exactly?”
“No, only that it was something she wanted no part of.” Dante skimmed a paragraph. “It’s what turned Jane completely off of the partnership. Winters states Jane knew the intended victim and didn’t want to cross him. She and Madge fought over it. Ugly fighting. Seems Madge and her partner or partners were very serious about doing this job, no matter what the cost. Whatever was said, Jane believed Madge was willing to kill to pull this off, and that wasn’t a line she was going to cross.”
“So, two questions,” Hank drawled. “The him in this case? Think that’s your boy, Stevens? And was Madge’s new partner our first victim, Dani?”
“Yes and probably,” he answered. “Remember, Pigeon said people don’t want to fuck him over. He’s someone you go to when you’re up against the wall, so screwing him would bring down murder and mayhem on your head if it got out. Apparently, he’s likeable.”
“So not the Stevens we know and love.” Camden laughed. “Well, me. You’ve probably already known and loved him a lot by now.”
“Focus, Hank.” Dante glanced at the corner of the bed he could see around a bank of bookcases. “And as for Dani being Madge’s partner, if you were going to fuck over Stevens, she’d be the one who’d do it. They parted badly. Good reason to hook up with someone if it let her get back at him.”
“And the other two Betties ended up being collateral damage?”
“Stands to reason. They were known for cleaning a place out quickly. With all the stuff at Rook’s shop, they’d be a good addition. Madge would have known them and could have brought them in,” Dante pointed out. “Something went sideways, and Dani was killed. Could be Madge’s cleaning up loose ends.”
“But what was the reason for it?”
“Could be Dani had another agenda, and Madge decided to permanently end the partnership. Leaving the body there was a good idea on her part. My guess is Madge wants Rook Stevens out of the way. Pinning a murder on him is a good place to start, but she didn’t count on him having a flush of high-price lawyers in his back pocket.” Dante scribbled Rook’s name in the empty box in the middle of the page. “They were looking for something. He said all of his expensive stuff’s over at a warehouse off-site, but nothing so rare it’s life changing.”
“We’ve already established he lies, Montoya. Or have you forgotten that?” Hank asked. “For all you know, he’s got the goddamned Maltese Falcon over there.”
“He probably does, but nothing that’s a disappear-to-a-tropical-island hit.” Dante chuckled. “He’s inventoried everything out. I’ll get a price list when he wakes up, but the stuff he runs is pretty unique. Dumping it would send up red flags like crazy. So it makes no sense on that end.”
“So they were probably after something that’s in that building, and you’re over there having a slumber party.” His partner sighed. “Great, I’m going to have to break in a new partner because my last one got his dick dipped and his head shot.”
“No one can see in, and he’s beat. He had more things hit him yesterday than the Egyptians had plagues,” Dante replied. “We’re fine. It’s daylight, and the angles are off for a hit from the street. I checked. Besides, they’ve already taken a shot at him here. Chances are good if Madge is going to go at him, it’ll be from another angle. I just don’t know what or where.”
“Okay so Rook says he doesn’t have the golden goose over there, and the ones he does have wouldn’t be enough to kill for. Thing is, Montoya, people have killed for less. Shit, you and I’ve picked up the pieces of a kid shot up because he had a cool backpack. A pencil that changes colors is a life-changing hit to some people.” Hank grunted. “Hey, you ever think that maybe you’re another angle? Against Stevens, I mean?”
“No one but you and the captain knows… okay, his family. Pigeon. Manny.” Dante counted off the people he’d come into contact with. “Yeah, half of Los Angeles. Fuck. I’ll be careful. As soon as he gets up, I’ll move him out, but I can’t promise he’ll stay moved. They invented the word stubborn with him in mind.”
“Oh good, so happy the two of you have found each other. That’s all the world needed.”
“Nice. I think our next move should be to find Madge,” he suggested. “Pigeon doesn’t know where she is. She left off fucking with people before Jane did and kind of fell out of the loop.”
“I’m with you on the Madge. Pump Rook… for information.” Hank burst into a peal of loud, hearty laughs when Dante groaned in protest. “This is never going to get old. Seriously, maybe he knows someone who knows someone.”
“I’ve got a couple of contact names from Winters. If they’d cleared you for work I’d have taken you with me, but I guess I’ll go at it solo.”
“Not going to happen. Any place you go, I go. Fuck the doctor’s orders. And well, I won’t say anything to the wife. Just don’t get me blown up this time.”
“We’ll see.” The tired Dante held off with coffee and work finally snuck up on him and he yawned, his jaw popping. “I’ll keep you caught up as I go. But for right now, I’m crawling into bed.”
“Yeah, you do that, Montoya,” Hank shot back. “Most of all, keep your head down. And while you’re there, keep Stevens’s head down too. Last thing I need is for you two to end up like Dani Anderson, ’cause I don’t want to break in a new partner.”
The bed dipped with Dante’s weight, and Rook swayed on the mattress as Dante settled on top of him. Naked and warm, he fit into the dips of Rook’s body, his cock thickening as it nestled into the part between Rook’s cheeks. Stretching out over him, Dante drowned the world out with the taste of Rook on his tongue when his lips found the soft burr of Rook’s nape.
At some point, Rook kicked the blankets off, and he’d sprawled across the bed, stretching out his limbs as far as they could go. As Dante cuddled into him, he pulled himself in, squirming under Dante’s weight as he shivered in the shared heat of their bodies.
“You awake?” Dante chuckled when he got a sharp elbow to the ribs. “Guess so.”
“Talking to yourself out there, or did someone call up to ask you about aluminum siding?” Rook mumbled softly. “Heard you muttering, then my brain said fuck it and went back down.”
“Hank. He’s as deaf as a post still. Talking to Camden is like having an air raid siren pressed up against my ear.” Dante’s teeth nipped down Rook’s spine, stopping for a larger nibble when he got close to a shoulder blade. “Just going over the case. We agreed Madge is our probable in this whole thing. We just need to find her. Any clues about where she’d be tucked away? Secret underground bunker you all know about?”
“Nothing about Madge,” he sighed into the pillow. “A few clues about you, though.”
“Those aren’t clues. Those are dirty thoughts.” He wiggled his hips. “Really interesting dirty thoughts.”
“Same thing. Both lead to bigger and better things.” Rook shifted under Dante, and he slid to the side to let Rook turn over. “Shit, this stuff is just crazy. I didn’t even know the Betties, haven’t seen Dani in years, and now it’s like Lord of the Flies around me.”
The room was full of milky shadows, the day held back by thick blackout curtains, but a soft LED sconce from the bathroom brushed enough of the darkness away to pull the grays to gentle hues. Rook turned his shoulders and propped his head up on a pillow, bringing his face into the light. Dante stretched up, tasting Rook’s lips with a quick kiss. When he pulled away, Rook growled, then wrapped his fingers into Dante’s hair, giving a short tug to show his annoyance.
“Get me started, then back away. You, Montoya, are a cock tease.” Rook tugged again, then let go.
He enjoyed exploring Rook. There were stretches of skin on the small of the man’s back where Rook could barely stand to be touched without laughing, and Dante’d discovered a kiss on the inside of his lover’s thighs could turn his bright blue-green eyes to storm and foamy ocean with lust. He didn’t need the light to know Rook’s shoulders ran to blush when stroked or that he bit his lower lip at least three times before finally gasping soft erotic mewls as he became aroused.
“I wanted to talk to you a bit. Don’t make that face. I like talking to you.” Trailing his fingers down Rook’s stomach, Dante skimmed over Rook’s belly, watching his muscles jump when touched. “I’ve got a list of people Jane pinged as trouble. Mind if you take a look at it later? See if any of them pop?”
“You trying to seduce me into doing what you want, ’Toya?” Rook groused. “’Cause I’m kind of liking this police interrogation method you’ve got going. You don’t have to stroke me off just to get me to do what you want.”
“Sad to say, I’d be doing this no matter what.” His lips were back on Rook’s skin, this time teasing Rook’s nipple. “Just take a look and see if you know anyone.”
“I probably know a lot of people. The Betties just weren’t some of them, but yeah, I’ll go look. We didn’t run in the same… circles. Fuck, Dante. I can’t think when you do that. You’re turning off my brain.”
“Like brain off and sleepy?” He’d never teased anyone awake before. Hell, Dante couldn’t remember the last time he’d woken up to a guy and hadn’t wanted to slide off the bed toward the door. Sex with Rook was easy and playful, with a hint of surprising tenderness amid the aggressive lust. It was something Dante could get used to… provided he could keep Rook close by. “Or are you up for a little bit? Pun’s intended, cuervo.”
Rook cocked his head, and something in his expression gave Dante pause. Distrustful to the bone, the skepticism in Rook’s tone dug something up from deep inside of the lanky thief. Dante didn’t want to read too much into Rook’s hesitation, but there was a glimmer of hurt and trepidation hidden in the man’s brash sneer.
“What’s going through that busy head of yours, Stevens?” Dante propped himself up on an elbow.
“Guess I’m wondering what’s going to happen once you catch Madge… or whoever’s doing this.” Rook’s husky rasp came off strong, but there was a thread of something desperate there. “I go back to hunting down old cereal box toys, and you… put your cape back on and leap tall buildings in a single bound? And what? We see each other for coffee and a fuck? How does this work?”
“More than coffee,” Dante admitted slowly. “Definitely more than fucking. I’m not going to put words in your mouth. Chingado, I can barely put them in mine, but you and me, we’re… how did you put it? Tangled?”
“You fucking anyone besides me?” Rook fell back into the shadows with a slide of his shoulders and ducking his head. “Because I don’t want to screw up something you’ve got going already.”
Comprehension dawned on Dante, a slow sunrise of emotions caught in the clouds of Rook’s distrust. Shaking his head, he replied in a gentle voice, “Rook… cuervo… I’m going to be very honest with you, and I want you to listen to me. Really listen to me, okay?”
“Sure, whatevers. Talk,” he tossed back. “Say what you’ve got to.”
The apprehension was back. Dante felt it rolling off Rook’s skin, and he put a hand on Rook’s stomach, spreading his fingers over his lover’s hard belly.
“I’m not with anyone else. I don’t plan to be. Just you.” Dante felt Rook’s sharp intake of breath reverberate across his palm, and he pressed down, anchoring the man lightly to the bed. “You say you suck at relationships. Well, I’ve never had one. Not really. I’ve dated a few guys, and well, being a cop is hard for some people to deal with. I’ve also never liked anyone enough to try. Really try to make it work. Not until now. Not until you.”
“Manny said you hated me. Before. With the whole shit about your partner and—”
“More honesty? Yeah, Vince left me with some serious anger,” Dante cut in. “Did I hate you? I hated the thought of you. Took me a while to figure that out, cuervo. I’m with you because you get under my skin, and I kind of like you there. Thing is, are you here with me? Are you willing to trust me not to hurt you?”
“I don’t get hurt, ’Toya. Shit like that….” Rook trailed off when Dante brushed his thumb over Rook’s lower lip. “Dude, I’m not….”
“You lie to yourself, babe. More than you lie to me, and that’s saying something,” he whispered. “I’m not asking you to be honest with me about how you feel. That’s going to take a hell of a long time. I know it. I know you. But today in the diner, it was the first time I felt like I was hearing the real you. Nothing fronted. Nothing to work the system. Just you. It was nice. And it made me feel… like you needed me.”
“You’re a dick, you know,” Rook grumbled, looking away. “Today was… fucking hell. It was too much, Dante. I felt like I was drowning, and… fuck. I hate needing people. I hate needing you.”
“You’ve spent your whole life making sure you don’t need anyone, Rook. Because you couldn’t trust the people who should have taken care of you. Your mother. Shit, even the people she dumped you with.” Nudging up against Rook’s long body, Dante leaned into him, touching skin to skin. “I know you push people away because you’re scared. Hell, I do the same thing. I didn’t want to fall in love. I didn’t want complications. Shit, I barely wanted to know who I’m having sex with, but then… there’s you. And now I want… different. I want you. With me. However that is. Can you do that? Can you try to trust me enough not to push me away?”
There was an eternity folded in between the moment Rook’s eyes shuttered and when he parted his lips and said, “Yeah, Dante. I can do that. I trust you. All the way.”