If It Made Sense, It Wouldn't Be a Mystery, Would It?

Chapter 8

AUTHOR'S NOTE: IN THIS STORY, BRIAN NEVER BOTTOMED FOR JUSTIN IN SEASON 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

POV: JUSTIN

I look over at Brian, who is standing by the counter staring at the small pile of evidence Horvath has just dumped on him. "Brian, nothing's going to happen to Mikey," I venture. My tone of voice doesn't sound very convincing though, and I wish I hadn't said anything at all.

He says nothing but he snaps out of his reverie and looks at me. Then he grabs the stack of letters and heads over to the bedroom, flops onto the bed, and begins to read. I walk over and lie next to him, reaching over to grab one of the letters. The one I grab was dated a few weeks prior to the one I had read aloud when Horvath was here.

My True Love,

You will not believe this! I've found Jimmy! You remember I told you that he had run away from home about two months after I left Rita, or so she had told me in that particularly bitchy phone message... anyway, since getting that message, I've been looking for him- I didn't tell you about it because I wanted to do it on my own- and I was worried that, if you found him, and he was involved in something illegal, you would have to either arrest him and put him in juvie, or you'd have to compromise your position in the force. And I know that now is not the time to rock the boat, given the pressure you are under from that asshole ex-partner of yours. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I found him in the so-called 'vaseline towers' on Grant- you of all people know about that place. He hasn't told me anything about what he had done for money… I didn't ask him. I didn't- I don't- really want to know.

One thing he did tell me is that Rita had pimped him out after I left - pimped him OUT! Ken, can I get her arrested? Is his word enough to put her in prison for that? He insists the 'johns' won't dare testify. I am so fucking angry, I could kill that bitch. I feel like shit for having left him with her- I knew she had a violent temper at times, but I never, ever imagined her capable of stooping that low. Her own goddamned son!! Money-grubbing, heartless cunt…However I can do it, I swear I am going to get her. That kid has been through enough- coming out, getting beat up at school, getting slapped around by his mother at home, living on the fucking streets… for her to do this to him… I'm going to fucking kill that bitch if I ever see her again.

But, true love, there is a happy ending: he's living with me now, back in school, hanging out with friends like a normal teen. He has a friend from the towers, I can't recall his name- it begins with "J"- damn- I forget what it is. But Jimmy calls him "J". Anyway, he's over a lot, and often spends the night. He's a decent kid. On Jimmy's insistence, I've agreed not to talk to the authorities or try to contact his parents (Jimmy says they're dead)- apparently he ran away from foster care, and so long as he's going to school and comes over here to do homework and keep Jimmy company while I'm out on the road, I'll let him be. I know you don't approve, but please don't do anything. He's a good kid, and he's doing well.

Which brings me to: I'll be home from Santa Monica in two weeks! I can't wait to see you, and I want you to meet Jimmy! I'll make my famous tuna casserole with potato chips. I miss you more than you can imagine. Write me soon- my laptop is on the fritz still, so I'm not getting emails at the moment. Besides, I so adore getting letters from you. The hotel address is on the envelope- I hope to hear from you soon! I am SO excited for you to meet my son!

Love and kisses,

Gary

I look over to Brian, whose mouth is open as he reads the letter he holds in his fingers.

"What is it, Brian?"

"This is another letter from Reikert that he must not have sent. It's dated the day before Carl found his body. He says he hasn't heard from this Gary guy for weeks, and he hopes he's not angry with him. Angry about what, he doesn't say."

"Yeah. So?"

Brian looks down at the letter. "Then he says that he believes Stockwell had Jason killed when he'd found out about his and Reikert's affair and-"

"But I thought he was just forced to resign..."

Brian looks at me, a slightly annoyed expression on his face. So, sue me. I interrupt people sometimes. He continues, "Well, he was, yeah, but he wasn't really sure about that, remember? In that letter you read while Carl was here, he said he'd resigned under pressure because of the gay thing- at that time, he only suspected that Stockwell had found out about Jason and--"

"--Still, why kill Jason if the problem had disappeared? I mean, Reikert had already willingly and quietly resigned...?"

"Jesus, Justin. Stop interrupting me. According to Reikert here, he believes that Jason had started blackmailing Stockwell with something- he isn't- er, wasn't sure what, but he warns Gary that Jimmy was probably in on it. He thinks that Stockwell might try to get to Jimmy- and might try to through Gary. Jason was killed around the time Stockwell's 'family friendly' campaign started to hit the news; Reikert seemed to be worried that Jimmy or Gary- or both- would end up dead as well; that Stockwell would assume Gary would know whatever it was that Jason was blackmailing him with - because, presumably, his son knew."

Brian looks at me and folds the letter, putting it back on the stack. "He also says that there are a couple of queers- a tall, dark-haired hottie," he grins, "and a shorter blond, who he describes as being 'uglier than hell'," he looks at me and I roll my eyes and he grins at me before he continues, "He says that the hottie and the troll have been poking around and have gone to the cops with evidence linking him to Jason's death. He insists it's not true, and says he's leaving town the next day, before he's either indicted or killed. Or both." He pauses, serious now. "One thing Reikert doesn't say here is that the evidence me and the troll- er, you- had, was his sperm, which was obtained the good old fashioned way by Gary's own son..."

"So... the next day…" I pause. "That was the day he was found shot in his garage. That was what…? About 4 months after Debbie found Kemp, isn't it?" I reach over and scan the letter he just finished. "He does not call me a troll, you ass. It just says 'two guys'. Jerk."

He ignores me and picks up the letter I had been reading and skims it. "I guess I can see why Horvath thinks Hunter might know more than he's let on...."

Return to If It Made Sense