After the Fall

Chapter 13

“So we are clear on this?” Several heads nodded and a few murmured, yes. The family had gathered at Deb and Carl’s for one more very early morning meeting. From their habits, the cops and the family knew that Cole and Lex were not early risers. And judging by the number of missing wine bottles, they were probably partying every night.

“We stay off of Tremont; let the cops and the security cameras do their jobs. Pawnshops within a ten mile radius have all been notified that a ring of thieves may use them; however, no details were given. Gene, of course, knows who we’re after. We’re hoping they’ll go back to his shop, since he was very accommodating the last time. Under no circumstances do you follow these guys.” Carl was emphatic about that. He knew the family was itching to get their hands on Cole and his cousin, if only for Gus’ sake.

“So we just go about our business while these fuckers rip off Brian and Justin?” Debbie shrieked.

“Debbie, we can’t go rushing in there; the cops need the evidence. John is going to monitor everything from the computers at the clinic. The cops will be watching also,” Hunter told his worried Grandmother.

“But what about Gus?” Debbie asked with concern. Gus was at home with his mothers. They decided to stay with him until they knew it was all over. Lindsay had wanted to call Brian, but Gus and Melanie convinced her that wasn’t a good idea. So they made a huge breakfast while they waited for the call.

“He’ll be fine. I spoke with him this morning,” John reassured the assembled family. “His moms are spending the day with him until this thing is over.”

“Well, okay, as long as he’s not alone,” Debbie conceded. “Katerina and Lacy can stay here until Kat has to go to work. Then we’ll drive her over to the hospital.”

Lacy and Kat sighed with relief. They didn’t want to stay at the apartment house either. Drew decided to stay at Deb’s too. John would go to the clinic with Hunter and Nick. Ben decided he’d hang out at the Comic Book store while Danny and Joan would go to work as usual at the new Book Store.

“So now we just wait?” Lacy asked.

“Now we wait,” Carl reiterated.

 

*****
 

“Fuck! What kind a shitty wine does Kinney drink? My mouth tastes like I swallowed sand. I should have added sugar to it last night,” Lex groused. He had drunk a bottle of very expensive and very dry wine but to his unrefined palate the wine was totally unappealing. But that didn’t stop him from finishing off the bottle.

Cole, on the other hand had gulped down a bottle of very sweet dessert wine. He was currently worshiping at the shrine of the porcelain god. After a while, Cole flushed, brushed his teeth then steadied himself for the day.

“Come on, let’s get this over with. I’m tired of this fucking city. We dump the stuff and then I split on the next bus back to N. Y. C.”

Cole packed up his meager belongings into his duffle bag and left it by the door. He and Lex stuffed several empty duffle bags into a back pack then left for the Tremont Avenue apartments.

 

*****
 

“Shh, be quiet,” Cole commanded. Lex rolled his eyes. It was so quiet in the apartment house that you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone was either at work or away. The thieves made their way up the stairs and then into the loft. John was watching the two via the security cameras which were relaying the images in real time. The security company reassured John and the representative from the police department that everything would be recorded.

Cole went straight into the bedroom. He opened the drawer that held the cash and stuffed the remaining bills into his pocket. He opened the other drawers, but finding little jewelry, he shut them. Cole then went to the closet to retrieve the last two Metal Men statues. He sifted through the clothes hanging there but finding them too old fashioned and totally the wrong size, he left them be. Cole spied a nice pair of boots but they were two sizes two big. The only clothes that would remotely fit were a couple of sweat shirts and hoodies. Cole left those hanging there as well.

“I disconnected the BOSE system,” Lex called up to Cole. “There are a few more ashtrays and vases we might get something for. You want me to take them?”

“Yeah, why not? Too bad we can’t take the computer or the TV but we don’t have the time to unload them. We take only what we can carry,” Cole instructed. “And then we get the fuck out,” he said to himself.

With their bags full Cole and Lex left the Tremont apartments for good.

 

*****
 

“Kinney,” Brian said into his cell phone. He had just cleaned up the lunch dishes, the kids were playing in the Wendy house and Justin had his nose buried in his computer. John had driven off early in the morning, as did Bobby, who had court today.

Brian was just about to enjoy the quiet afternoon when he received his call.

“Simon! Good to hear from you. So, can I persuade you to give up your sons for the remainder of the summer?”

“That’s why I’m calling. Raymond is dying to come, but Jeff is in the middle of rehearsal so he can’t make it.”

“Gus will be disappointed. He was looking forward to seeing both of them but I have a feeling that Raymond will keep him occupied.”

“I’m not sure I want to know.” Simon hadn’t forgotten the kiss.

“Are you saying you want to keep them apart?”

“Not at all. If my son must hook up with someone, I’d rather it be with someone I know, trust and like. Gus is a good kid. Ray couldn’t do better.”

“I agree. Raymond is a great kid. Shit, Simon, are we playing matchmaker? How gay is that?” Brian scowled as Simon burst out into laughter.

“Brian, old buddy, we’re gay men. It’s what we do.”

“Yeah, but I don’t have to like it,” Brian said with a snort. “How soon are you putting my future son-in-law on a plane?” Brian snarked.

“Day after tomorrow. They’ll have two full weeks together then he has to get back here to get ready for school.”

“Sounds like a plan. E-mail me with the flight details and we’ll pick him up. And Simon, Gus couldn’t do any better than your Ray too.”

The proud dads cut the connection and went about their day.

 

*****
 

“We’ve got them,” John said as he turned to Hunter. They had just watched Lex and Cole leave the loft with their bags of goodies.

“They fucking took the painting of Bree. Brian will kill them.”

“And it won’t be anything they don’t deserve,” John observed.

“Shouldn’t we let the police know?”

“They’ve been monitoring the loft. They know.”

“Then why didn’t they pick up those assholes as soon as they left the premises?” Hunter wanted to know.

“So far all they’ve done is collect some items from the loft. They didn’t break in.”

“They didn’t need to. They stole the codes and the keys from Gus.”

“We know that, but the law doesn’t know that … yet. As soon as they fence the items, we’ll have them.”

“I wish this was over,” Hunter sighed. “I have a feeling something bad’s going to happen. What if they get away?”

“I don’t think Carl and his cohorts are going to let that happen.”

“I hope not,” Hunter replied, still unsure about how all this was going to turn out.

“Don’t worry, Hunter. This plan is foolproof.”

“Unless they head somewhere else with the goods. Maybe we should have tailed them.”

“We don’t want anybody getting involved and putting themselves in danger,” John said reasonably.

“I wish this was all over.”

“It will be soon.”

 

*****
 

Gus sat on the steps of the back porch of the house. He felt like shit, but he knew he would feel even worse when his father found out what Cole was doing.

“Fuck!” he muttered to himself.

He had fallen for Cole and all the shit he had spewed. Cole had actually made him feel like an adult. They had kissed and sucked and got each other off. Try as he might, Gus could not be sorry for doing that, even with an asshole like Cole Adams. He had wanted to experience all those things, and he had. Cole had been his initiation into the world of sex … and love. At least that’s what he had thought at first. It was too bad that all that had happened had been with someone who was using him. Someone who didn’t really care what the fuck happened to him. Someone who didn’t love him … even a little bit. Because Gus knew that he did love Cole … more than a little bit. He had been ready to fall hook, line and sinker. He wondered what had stopped him from doing that.

Somewhere deep inside he must have known that Cole wasn’t really the one. He must have known that or he would have let Cole … go all the way. Gus sighed, as he reflected about how he had refused to let Cole fuck him. He had saved that for someone special. Thank God, he had saved that, hopefully for someone who would love him the way he loved them.

“You okay, Gus?” JR asked tentatively as she came out onto the porch. She handed him a soda and sat down beside him, sipping her own drink.

Gus shook his head. “I’m such a fucking idiot.”

“No you’re not!” JR contradicted. “You’re my big brother, and you’re very smart.”

“Not about some things.” Gus shook his head at his own stupidity.

“I never met Cole,” JR said seriously, “but I bet he was good at fooling people.”

Gus snorted. “Dad hated him immediately.”

“I think your father’s going to hate anybody you go out with,” JR giggled.

“You could be right about that,” Gus agreed ruefully. “But even Bree didn’t like Cole.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he refused to shake her hand. He basically ignored her.”

“I bet she didn’t like that,” JR giggled again.

“She sure didn’t. She’s not used to anyone who can resist her charms.”

“I wish I could do that … you know like Bree, charm people … boys.”

“Oh God, not you too,” Gus laughed. “We can be pathetic together.”

“Okay,” JR said with a little smile at her big brother.

Gus held up his can of soda, and they clinked their cans together before they each took a sip.

 

*****
 

“Carl, it’s Gene at the pawnshop. Guess who just walked in?”

“Great,” Carl said. “I’ll notify Rodgers and McGinty. Don’t let on anything’s up. Buy whatever they’re selling. Hopefully they’ll try to sell you everything.”

“Okay, I’ll play along,” Gene replied as he cut the connection. He walked out of the office to greet his customers. “Hey guys, what can I do for you today?”

“We have some more primo stuff for you,” Lex informed him.

“Really? You seem to have hit the jackpot.”

“Yeah, our uncle liked only the best,” Cole explained.

“Is that right? So, what have you brought me today?”

Cole and Lex started to unload their duffle bags. Gene looked over the items they set on the counter.

“Not bad,” Gene observed. “This BOSE system is pretty new.”

“Our poor dead uncle was a real audiophile,” Cole told him. “He loved to listen to his music right up to the end.”

Gene raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. “I can give you nine hundred for everything.”

“Nine hundred? The stereo system alone is worth more than that,” Lex protested.

“It’s a couple of years old, and pawnshops rarely give you the list price,” Gene said sarcastically, just the way he would with any asshole customer who tried to con him out of more money than he was prepared to offer. These two were amateurs compared to some of what Gene had dealt with over the years.

“Let’s take it,” Lex whispered. “You want to go back to New York, and that will give you a little bit to get started again. I may come with you.”

Cole smiled. “And we’ve still got that fucking picture, if your contact comes through.”

“He’s supposed to meet us down the street in about five minutes,” Lex whispered. “Let’s wrap this up.”

Cole nodded. “We’ll take it.”

Gene smiled. He counted out the money. “What else have you got in that other bag?” He noted the bag covering something that looked very much like a painting. He knew there would be Justin Taylor originals in the loft. He wondered if this was one of them.

“It’s something we’ve made other arrangements to deal with,” Cole said. “You wouldn’t be interested.”

“How do you know until you show me?”

Cole and Lex looked at each other. Lex shook his head.

“We’ll be back if our contact doesn’t come through,” Cole said, as he took the money and picked up the remaining bag containing the painting of Gus’ little brat of a sister. He would enjoy selling that. He hoped they’d get enough from it to pay for a down payment on a decent apartment in New York. They could party to their heart’s content or until the money ran out or until they had to get another fucking job. “Let’s go,” Cole said.

Lex picked up the two duffle bags that were now empty. They could use them to pack their belongings when they hopped a bus for New York. He couldn’t wait to blow Pittsburgh. The two men exited the store.

Gene grabbed his cell phone and dialed Carl’s number. He would fill the cop in on what the two men had pawned, and on the fact that they were meeting someone to fence what looked like a Justin Taylor painting.

 

*****
 

“So what have you got for me?” the man asked as Cole and Lex approached his car.

“A Justin Taylor original,” Lex said with a grin. “First rate stuff.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” the man said. He seemed to have little or no sense of humor.

Lex opened the bag that covered the painting of Bree. He kept the bag pulled around the picture so that it was not too obvious to any passersby what they were looking at. The man studied the painting, especially the corner where Justin had signed and dated it.

“It doesn’t look like most of his paintings that I’m familiar with. The market for his nudes of that guy that he’s shacked up with is the hottest,” the man said.

“This is his daughter,” Cole stated.

“It won’t be as saleable as the nudes, but I can probably manage to unload it. I have a couple of clients who are into Taylor’s work.”

“Great,” Lex said. “How much?”

“Two thousand.”

“Shit! Is that all?”

“It would go for more in a gallery, but you’re not dealing with a reputable gallery. You’re dealing with me. And I’m not asking any questions about where you got this. Do I make myself clear?”

“Very,” Cole replied. “Two thousand … cash?”

“I have it right here,” the man said patting his breast pocket.

“Deal,” Cole said.

The man looked at Lex, and Lex nodded in agreement. He pulled out a packet of bills and counted off two thousand dollars. Lex accepted the money and handed the bag with the painting to the man.

“Freeze! Police!” a voice shouted. “Don’t move!”

They all stopped in their tracks. McGinty and Rodgers, and a couple of other police officers, all with drawn weapons surrounded the three men.

“Lex and Cole Adams, you are under arrest for grand theft,” Rodgers stated. “You have the right to remain silent…” He continued to read the Miranda statement to the two men as they were cuffed and shoved into the police car that had just pulled up.

“And if it isn’t Sal Banderi,” Carl Horvath chuckled, as he joined McGinty who was reading the purchaser of the painting his rights and handcuffing him as well.

“Horvath, what the fuck?”

“I was after you for years,” Carl chuckled. “Never could pin anything on you.”

“And you won’t this time either.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Carl said. “I’d say we’ve got you dead to rights.”

He watched as Banderi was placed in another squad car and both cars pulled away. Carl pulled out his phone to let John Anderson know that their operation had been a total success.
 

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