The Poison Bottle, page 17
“Do you guys all work construction?” he asked. He soon learned that his new friends included a surveyor, a preschool teacher, a florist and a pharmacist. Their sartorial choices reflected their warm, caring personalities. “I will never make assumptions based on red and black checks again.”
Bill and his companion returned from their survey of the street with nothing to report. Landry allowed himself to relax and one by one, his new friends drifted off to their jobs all with standing invitations to visit Treasure Trove any time they wanted. Tank, who had been working behind the counter, joined Landry and Bill at the table. “That’s the early rush over. Just time to take a breather for a few minutes before the commuter crowd start arriving. I guess your detective will be here any minute, Landry.”
“I hope so.” Landry picked at the edge of the bandage covering his grazed palm.
“Stop messing with that,” Tank warned. “You need to keep it covered so it doesn’t get infected. I didn’t pick those bits of gravel out of it for you to ruin my good work.”
“You and Gage are gonna be friends,” Landry said. “I know it.” He thought to himself that he would like to bring Sorrell along to meet Tank. The man had a good heart and needed someone of his own to look after. Sorrell definitely needed a keeper and someone to be attached to that wasn’t James Ellery.
“Speak of the devil.” It was Ellery who pushed through the door of the Coffee Bean, Gage close behind him. Landry got up so fast he tilted his chair and Tank had to catch it.
“Sir!” Landry threw himself into Gage’s arms with a sob. For a moment, Gage held him tight without speaking then pushed him away a few inches.
“Let me look at you.”
“I’m sorry about your sweater,” Landry said, sticking his finger through one of several holes in the garment.
“We’ll get to the topic of why you’re wearing my clothes instead of your own later,” Gage said. “I’m just relieved the holes aren’t in you.”
“These are my new friends, Tank and Bill.” Landry introduced the men who both shook Gage’s hand. “This is my boyfriend, Detective Gage Roskam, and his partner, James Ellery.”
“It’s a pleasure, gentlemen,” Ellery said.
“You don’t sound like you’re from around here,” Bill commented. “I spent some time stationed in England. You know the airbase near Croughton?”
“As it happens, I am familiar with that area,” Ellery said. “We must get together another time and discuss all things English. My partner here doesn’t even appreciate a decent cup of tea and is very confused about what a biscuit is supposed to look like.”
Bill chortled. “Don’t encourage him,” Gage said. “He’s insufferable enough as it is.”
“Did you find the bottle, Sir?” Landry asked.
“We did. You were right about Ellery knowing an old toilet when he saw one.”
“Commode!” Landry and Ellery shouted at the same time.
“You say tom-ay-toe…”
“When the correct pronunciation is toh-mah-toe,” Ellery interrupted, and Gage responded with a pained sigh.
“Tank, can I get two coffees to go, please? Three shots, maybe four. It’s been one long-assed night.”
“Sure.” Tank fired up the coffee machine. “I was wondering why you were wearing leather pants…is that usual plain clothes for Seattle detectives?”
Landry giggled at the twinkle in Tank’s eye. “Before all this went down, Tank, we were at Scorch enjoying a night out. You should wear leather more often though, Sir. It’s hot.”
“You should,” Ellery added with a shrug.
“I can just hear the comments in the squad room,” Gage muttered. “That’ll be a hell no.” He took the take-out cup Tank offered him. “You see what I have to put up with?” He handed the other cup to Ellery.
“Hey, I agree with them.”
“Time to get you home, Landry.” Gage swigged his coffee. “I’m too tired to debate the merits of my leather pants.”
“Don’t I get more coffee, Sir?” Landry bounced.
There was a chorus of “no” from everyone present. Gage hustled Landry toward the door. “I appreciate you guys taking care of him,” Gage said. He handed Tank a card with his contact details. “In case you need it. We’ll be back for statements at some point when I’m not in danger of falling asleep on my feet.”
“Come back for a meal,” Tank said. “You’re all welcome any time.”
Bill followed them out. “It was nice to meet you, young Landry. I’ll be dropping by the store some time, you can be sure of that.”
Landry gave Bill a hug. “Thanks for saving me, Bill. I got new friends out of all this. So worth it.”
“I think you could be a dangerous friend to have. I like that.” His eyes gleamed. “Take care of yourself.”
Giddy with fatigue and edging toward hysteria, Landry clambered into Gage’s Jeep. He curled up on the back seat and drifted off before they’d even pulled away.
* * * *
Gage carried Landry up the stairs to their apartment. Ellery held the door so that he could get Landry into the bedroom without disturbing him. Gently, Gage took off Landry’s shoes and socks before tucking him into bed. He didn’t bother with the rest of his clothes, dirty though they were, because he didn’t want to wake him. Asleep, the worry lines were smoothed from his face.
“Christ, he looks so young.”
“You sit with him awhile. I’ll go make coffee.”
Gage acknowledged Ellery with a nod. He couldn’t take his eyes off Landry’s sleeping form. He never wanted to let him out of his sight again, though he knew he was being irrational. He rubbed at his eyes, exhausted beyond measure. The temptation to crawl into bed beside Landry rode Gage hard, but he had work to do. He brushed a strand of blond hair away from Landry’s eyes. “I’ve not been doing a very good job of keeping you safe, have I? That’s going to change.” He crept from the room, leaving the door open. If Landry woke, he’d likely be disoriented and Gage wanted to hear if he cried out.
He found Ellery leaning on the kitchen counter, staring at the coffeepot as if he didn’t quite know what to do with it. A floorboard creaked under Gage’s weight and Ellery started.
“I always wondered if it was possible to sleep standing up with your eyes open. Now I know.” He scooped coffee grounds into the filter then added boiling water. The aroma of fresh coffee immediately wafted through the room.
“I don’t think there’s enough caffeine on the planet to keep me awake for much longer,” Gage admitted. “We should plan our next move then get some shut eye. You can use the spare bedroom.”
Ellery grabbed two mugs that had been sitting on the draining board. He filled them and handed one to Gage.
“Let’s take these into the living room.” Gage led the way to the couch where he and Ellery sat side-by-side, sipping their drinks in silence for a good five minutes. “This isn’t finished, is it?” Gage placed his mug on a side table with deliberate care.
“Not while Chet is out there. He has unfinished business.”
“The first job is to identify him. I’ll get some people onto obtaining samples for DNA analysis. We don’t have his car, but we know where he was working and Mrs. Penton senior should be able to provide a home address. I’d guess everything we know about him is fake, but DNA won’t lie. We should also be able to lift prints from something and get a photograph from his employment record. If he’s on a criminal database anywhere, we’ll find him.”
“I’ve been thinking about the bottle.” Ellery drummed his fingers on his knee. “I want to run an idea past you.”
“Go ahead but bear in mind I’m so tired that when I wake up I’ll think it was a dream and you’ll have to tell me all over again. In fact, hold that thought. I need to find Mr. Lao and talk to Petey and Carson. It’s past time to open the store. I thought I might attempt to convince them to close for the day.”
“Good luck with that. You want me to come with you?”
“No. Get some sleep. I’ll do the same when I get back and set my alarm. “
“I’ll forgive you if you have to dump a bucket of cold water over me to wake me.”
“Oh don’t tempt me.”
Gage left the apartment and stomped up a set of stairs. He knocked on Petey’s apartment door and wasn’t surprised when Carson opened it.
“You’re back. How’s Landry?”
“Sleeping. A bit battered. Would you believe he jumped out of the trunk of a moving car? Slow moving, thank Christ. Then, Landry being Landry found himself a rainbow-colored café full of bears who were protecting him like a new-born cub when I arrived.”
Carson chortled. “Petey will be relieved. I managed to get him to sleep but only after convincing him to have a tot of brandy in his hot chocolate. That boy cannot take his drink. He was out like a light.”
“How about Mr. Lao, he didn’t go home, did he? The killer is still out there.”
“No. After you and James left, he went to his hotel. He’ll probably be here shortly because he said he’d be back to open up. He said to let the boys sleep in.”
“And Sorrell?”
“Snoring on our couch. I didn’t think it was a good idea to send him home.”
“Thanks, Carson. I was in such a hurry to get to Landry that I didn’t think to leave instructions for anyone else. I’m glad you’re here.”
“No problem.”
“What about you, have you had any sleep? How’s your head?”
“I dozed but I didn’t think it wise that everyone should be sound asleep. I’m used to keeping strange hours on my shifts and my head is fine, though I’m glad it’s under a helmet at work.”
Gage snorted. “When are you on shift again?”
“This evening. My watch is on nights for the next month.”
“Oh, that’ll please Petey.”
“Don’t I know it? He’s getting used to it but I’m considering making some changes.”
“It’s a balancing act, isn’t it, caring for someone?”
“They’re worth it though. No question. I always thought submission was the ultimate gift but until Petey let me into his life, I didn’t truly understand. Listen to me, what a sap.”
“You’re not the only one that’s fallen under that spell,” Gage admitted. “I couldn’t imagine ever finding the right man to collar, but I can’t wait to get that strip of leather around Landry’s neck permanently.”
“Pretty sure it’s some kind of witchcraft but I don’t really care,” Carson said, grinning.
“Same.” Gage swayed. “Shit, I’m getting too old to deal with all-nighters. Ellery is at our place, and we’re going to grab a couple hours’ sleep before we get going again. Do you mind letting Mr. Lao know when he arrives? We should let Landry and Petey sleep as long as possible.”
“Sure. I can hang with Mr. Lao in the store for a while then sleep this afternoon. Go lie down before you collapse.”
Gage nodded. He trudged back down the stairs. In the apartment, he found that Ellery had cleared up their coffee things and when Gage snuck a look in the spare room, he found him sound asleep on the bed, still fully dressed. Gage padded into his bedroom where Landry was sprawled, taking up most of the bed. Gage stripped to his underwear then crawled beneath the covers, nudging Landry’s limbs to one side. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to claim him. Landry snuffled and Gage thought he heard his name then Landry rolled so that he was lying half on Gage half on the bed. He was still wearing jeans and Gage’s sweater, so the heat soaked into Gage’s skin. He held Landry tight, closed his eyes and blanked his mind. Some sleep might just inspire him to come up with a decent plan.
Chapter Eighteen
Landry came to in a slow drift of awareness. His awakening didn’t improve as his body informed him that it didn’t appreciate the previous day’s abuse. He stuck out a hand to pat the bed where Gage was supposed to be. The sheets were still warm.
“Gage?” His voice croaked. “I sound like a thirsty frog. Need coffee.”
“And since when is that different from any other day?” Gage, stark naked, wandered into the bedroom. “There’s a pot brewing in the kitchen.”
“Am I still asleep? I’m having a spectacular dream and there’s a gorgeous naked cop in my bedroom. I think he’s about to ravish me.”
“You’re awake, sweetheart. Suffering from a lack of caffeine but not hallucinations. Sadly, we don’t have time for the ravishing part.”
“What time is it?” Landry sat bolt upright. “Why am I dressed?”
“When I brought you back here earlier, you were already sound asleep. I didn’t want to wake you by taking your clothes off. It’s early afternoon. Considering everything you went through overnight, oversleeping is understandable.”
“Oh my God, the store! I need to go open up.”
“Stop panicking. Mr. Lao is in control with Carson as a very capable assistant. Petey is sleeping in too and Sorrell’s with him.”
“What about Ellery?”
“In the kitchen making you something to eat.”
Landry slumped back on his pillows. “I could get used to this. Two Doms waiting on me hand and foot.”
Gage scowled and put his hands on his hips. “Let’s get one thing straight, Ellery is not a permanent fixture in this apartment and never will be.”
“You’re never hotter than when you’re all stern and possessive, Sir. Fuck me? Please.”
Landry scrambled out of his clothes and the instant he was naked Gage crawled over him, already reaching for the lube on the bedside cabinet. He hoisted Landry’s legs onto his shoulders. “No time for romance.”
“Want you in me, not hearts and flowers.”
Gage slathered his cock with lube then prepped Landry’s hole with a few deft strokes of his finger. “You have a graze on your ass,” Gage muttered as he pushed into Landry’s willing body.
“I’d ask you to kiss it better, but I’m not sure that’s physically possible at the moment.” Landry closed his eyes, relishing the sensation of Gage’s rock-hard cock filling him completely. He was a bit lightheaded already and that increased when Gage began to move. “Harder, Sir.”
Grunting, Gage didn’t hold back. He gave Landry exactly what he wanted, what he needed and when he came, filling Landry’s channel with heat, Landry came too, not even needing a touch from Gage’s hand to pull him over the edge. Instead, Landry reached for Gage, digging his fingers into Gage’s hips, dragging him deeper. His need for connection was overpowering even as Gage softened inside him.
“You’re gonna have to let me go at some point, love.” Gage sounded amused.
“Don’t wanna.”
“Not even for coffee?”
“Well, okay then.” Landry capitulated, shifting his legs from Gage’s shoulders, letting him sit back on his haunches. “I needed that so bad.”
“Me too.” Gage cleaned himself up with a handful of tissues. He went to dab at the splatters of cum on Landry’s belly.
“Don’t bother. I’m gonna jump in the shower real quick.” Landry didn’t really want to move, but he wanted to catch up with his friends and find out what was going on. He could also smell bacon.
Gage pulled on thigh hugging jeans and a soft pullover. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“How long have you been up?”
“Ellery and I grabbed a couple hours’ sleep after we got back, but we’ve been working since. I needed a shower though, so we took a break. If you hadn’t surfaced of your own accord, I would have woken you.”
“That’s good. If I slept much longer, I’d be hopeless tonight.”
“I’ll bring you up to speed as much as I’m able over brunch. Or is it lunch?”
“Early afternoon, it must be linner, somewhere between lunch and dinner. I think I just invented a new thing. Go me.”
Gage shook his head. “And on that note, I’m going back to work.”
“Someone has no respect for my natural inventiveness,” Landry grumbled, hauling himself off the bed. Various parts of his body ached but other than a few scrapes and bruises, he’d gotten out of his recent adventures with relatively little damage. He still spent ages in the shower, scrubbing every bit of his body, wanting to get rid of any lingering traces of car trunk odor. He cleaned his teeth twice then gargled with mouthwash, remembering the disgusting gag that had been shoved in his mouth. He took the time to blow dry his hair, because for some reason he was a little cold. He put on his thickest pair of jeans, T-shirt and a roll neck sweater. Thick socks and old tennis shoes completed the ensemble. His reflection revealed dark rings beneath his eyes, pale skin and the tracing of a bruise down one side of his face. His lip was also a bit swollen. “I’ll either scare the customers away, or attract sympathy purchases,” he mumbled before wandering through to the living room.
Gage and Ellery were already seated. There was a place set for him, a mug of steaming coffee already poured, a chunky bacon sandwich sitting on a plate next to it. Landry slid onto his seat and, without saying anything, devoured the food and slurped down the coffee. He poured another mug from the pot then sat back with a sigh.
“It’s official. I can confirm that I am indeed alive.” Gage and Ellery were both staring at him. “What are you two looking at?”
“I’m not sure,” Ellery said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bacon sandwich disappear quite that fast. I’m impressed.”
“I worked up an appetite.” Landry blinked at Gage then licked his lips.
Gage cleared his throat and made a grab for the coffee pot. Ellery grinned. “Ah, I see, you’ve been leading Gage astray. I’ve been trying to do the same but for some reason he doesn’t rise to my bait.”
“The only bait he’s rising to is mine,” Landry snapped. “Got it?”
Ellery inclined his head very slightly. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
“The only thing you’re trying is my patience,” Gage said.
Giggling, Landry swallowed more coffee. “Catch me up with everything. What did I miss?”
