For Richer or For Poorer - 6. Chapter 6 - Labor Day

The Alexander family had all their summer holidays up at Foxborough Hills Manor, a beautiful granite and brownstone mansion sitting on 50 acres of manicured farmland, looking out on picturesque Lake Superior. The house was built by Michael’s late father Marcus in 1956. When he built the home, his original designs for it was to use it for escaping Chicago when the corruption and mob-related crimes began to get to him. As the years went by, Gabrielle Alexander fell in love with the place and began making it into their future home for retirement. No Florida for these two. Before he died of cancer Marcus and Gabrielle had been married for 55 years and Michael was their only child. Gabrielle was still the matriarch of the family.

“So Michael, care to explain this situation to me. What the hell is going on?”

So for the next hour with little interruption, Michael told her all he knew starting with stashing Ryan away and making it seem like he was dead to the events leading up to Ryan and Kieran saving Davis’ life and uncovering a murder conspiracy. He even told her about Davis and Bryce’s relationship.

“Well it’s about damn time,” she laughed.

Michael cocked his eyebrow quizzically, “What the hell are you talking about, Mom?”

“Michael, language!” she admonished.

“Sorry Mom,” he said blushing.

“Mmhmm, anyway to answer your question, a grandmother always knows, just like I always knew Ryan was gay.”

***

Bryce and Davis were taking their newly found relationship slow. Even though they were sleeping in the same bed now, they still hadn’t consummated their love for each other, but their love was apparent to everyone.

Davis was trying to set up a hammock but it kept getting tangled on him. When Bryce walked up, Davis got entangled in the ropes and fell on his ass. Bryce busted out laughing.

“Hey baby, what you doing?” Bryce laughed at his boyfriend’s predicament.

“Trying to put up the hammock to sleep in with my lovely boyfriend, but it won’t cooperate,” Davis laughed.

After helping untangle his man and setting the hammock up, the boys climbed in and wrapped each other in their arms and kissed for a good ten minutes they laid intertwined silently reliving everything since the events at the police station: their growing love, Ryan’s reappearance, and the latest murders. Bryce broke the silence, “So, I wonder what Kieran is like? He has to be good for Ryan to be with for so long.”

“I can’t wait to meet him and see my brother again, I still can’t believe he’s still alive, and that he is not like all the other asshole Caldwell’s,” Davis said.

“I can’t wait to meet him either, he brought you back to me, I love you Davy,” Bryce said affectionately.

“Love you too, Bry.”

After kissing for another ten minutes or so a sound behind them broke the moment.

“Ahem,” the person said.

The boys turned and saw James, Ryan, and a gorgeous blond stud were looking at them. The two lovers blushed at being caught.

“Hey Ryan. Hey James, is this Kieran?” Davis asked as the boys untangled themselves and got out of the hammock.

“Yea I’m Kieran, you must be Davis. You look so much like your brother. So nice to meet you,” he said pulling the brunette into a hug.

“Thank you so much for saving my boyfriend, Kieran. You my friend are a godsend,” Bryce said when it was his turn for a hug.

Kieran blushed at the flattering comments and humbly stated that it was nothing, constituting an eye roll from Ryan and more praise from the younger boys.

Ryan and Davis went to go talk in private for the first time since they left the police station a week ago, even though they talked on the phone every day. Davis asked if he wanted to go fishing on the lake and Ryan agreed.

After a few moments of silence, Davis asked the questions he had on his mind since he found out his brother was alive.

“Ryan, why did you disappear?”

After a few seconds Ryan answered, “Louis caught me having sex with another guy, I didn’t know he was home, or I would have never had sex at the house. I was 16 at the time, and Dad’s current favorite. Louis told Jacob and he sent that goon Dino Czorniak after me to kill me.”

He paused to collect his emotions, “You and Bryce were only six at the time and you were staying with his grandparents. I was walking through the neighborhood to meet with James and the guys, when I got hit from behind. Dino and his thugs beat me senseless. I suffered from a concussion, a broken arm, a few broken ribs, and some internal bleeding but the worst was the…” he stopped.

Davis waited for him to continue and his heart broke for his older brother when he continued the worst day of his life, “…the worst part was that they gang raped me and stuck items like baseball bats up my ass, When they left, I crawled up to Jimmy’s house and Michael found me near death. The next thing I know is that I was in the hospital, and Michael and I formulated a plan to make me disappear. Davy, I'm so sorry, I didn’t know they were going to turn on you next. I love you so much little brother,” at that point Davis grabbed Ryan and pulled his older brother into a warm embrace and they both cried at the fact Ryan was almost murdered at the hands of their father. His grief soon turned into anger at his father, at Louis, Jacob’s asshole bodyguard who he never liked, and at Dino Czorniak for raping the man who had come to save his life. Those sentiments were shared by James who had come over to check on the man who had been his best friend all those years ago. He was beyond angry, he wanted revenge. Bryce and Kieran noticed this look of pure rage and the emotion pouring off of him and gave James a look that shared the sentiments but also said that they needed to be patient and do it legally. Ryan and Davis saw them and soon all five boys were crying at Ryan and Davis’ cruel, sadistic father and the fact he can be so cold and calculating as to hire someone to kill them.

***

Jacob was sitting in his office when a knock at the door took him out of his thoughts. “Come in,” he said gruffly.

The door opened and in entered Louis Krieger, his bodyguard and former business partner, back when Jacob and Louis used to work for Natalia’s father, Piotr Abramov, a notorious Russian mobster and arms dealer that had, until his death, been notorious for being ruthless and bloodthirsty. Piotr and his father had taught the two men all their tricks. His father's murder had hardened him further. The aftermath of the dissolution of Abramov's criminal empire had made them plan nearly 30 years for revenge on those responsible. This meeting was for concocting a new plan to destroy the Alexander family once and for all. He also needed to take care of the unforeseen complication of Ryan's survival of Dino's murder attempt.

Louis got a sinister grin on his face, “I think our friendly neighborhood serial killer should pay the Alexander’s a visit and drop of a special gift. They are probably in Superior right now having those faggots over for the holiday weekend. This is going to be fun.”

Jacob was intrigued at the prospect of giving the family an unexpected visitor and listened as Louis gave him the plan. The Ripper would be perfect for this as it seems that the FBI agents working the case didn’t heed his dire threats.

When Jacob had heard the plot, he smiled and made the call.

***

Special Agent Moira Campbell was working overtime to get clues on the Ripper case. She was running down leads by herself as Kieran was off to visit Ryan’s adoptive family and brother. She liked Ryan; she believed he was good for Kieran, a man she had come to think off as her brother. The leads were going nowhere, until the phone rang.

“Hello?”

The man on the line told her that he had some information on the killer and that he would only talk to her in person.

After writing down the address she texted Kieran that she might have a lead in the case. He told her to be careful and keep him posted.

She got to the location near Grant Park around midnight, sat on a bench near the famous Fountain of the Great Lakes, which portrays five women that are arranged in the way the Great Lakes water flows: from Lake Superior in the north to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in the east. As she looked at the statue that had been part of Chicago’s Loop District since 1913; she didn’t even see the man sneak up behind her. She felt the pinch in her neck from the injection she received and turned around to see her assailant smile at her. Then everything went black.

***

After the emotional day before, Ryan woke up refreshed waking up to the smell of bacon and coffee wafting in the air. When he turned to see if Kieran was asleep, he found himself alone in bed. He got up to relieve himself and showered then went to search for his boyfriend and to find sustenance. When he found Kieran he saw the troubled look on his face.

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“Moira’s missing.”

“What? She’s probably looking at the lead from last night.”

“They found her car outside Grant Park and a syringe near the fountain by the Art Institute. I think he took her. God I should have quit looking for him,” Kieran broke down.

“Hey now, stop that! He would have done something like this anyway. He’s a sadist and a sociopath. Hell, we might be wrong, she could have just got in someone else’s car, the syringe could be from anyone,” Ryan said reassuringly, not believing a word he just said.

“Thanks, but you’re a horrible liar.”

They looked at each other worryingly.

After a few seconds, they got up and joined the family for brunch. After an hour of light conversation, Ryan spoke up with an announcement. “Kieran knows about this, but I want you all to know what is going on as you are my family.”

They sat quietly looking up at Ryan, who was standing, waiting for his news. He continued, “I’m quitting my practice.”

After a few murmurs and gasps from the boys, Michael asked, “Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, for the past two and half years, I have been juggling my lawyer duties and traveling to Quantico at the FBI Academy. I applied to become an agent. I’ve been through FLETC and I graduate from the Academy next weekend.”

After receiving congratulations and hugs the family celebrated only to have the mood shattered with the ring of the doorbell.

***

Ten miles away in Amnicon Falls State Park outside the city of Superior, a jogger and her dog come upon a grizzly scene. Just off the path under a big oak tree by the river were the naked remains of a woman. What made the scene even more shocking to the woman and the Superior Sherriff’s Department was the fact the woman had no head and the wounds on her torso were clean and showed absolutely no blood. But the clothes hanging from a tree a few yards away, were covered in it the thick viscous red liquid. Other than that there were no other clues of the killer.

***

The doorbell rang. Everyone just stopped what they were doing.

‘Who could be ringing the doorbell on Labor Day?’ Michael wondered.

He got up and answered the door. When he opened it all he saw was a big brown box addressed to “The Alexander Family.”

Everyone was confused at the box Michael set on the table.

Marc asked “Were we expecting a package Dad?”

“No this is strange, and stranger still no one was outside when I answered either. It was just sitting on the porch.”

Kieran volunteered to open it. Inside was another box and a white envelope. When he saw it was addressed to him, his blood went ice cold.

“What is it, babe?” Ryan asked.

“The Ripper was here.”

Everyone was stunned.

Kieran finally opened the letter and as he read his eves fell on the box inside.

Dear, Special Agent Pollack,

As you can probably tell, I am back and my latest victim is all on you. I told you to stop hunting me, but no you had to have your partner look for me and run down my whereabouts. Well guess what? Seems I got the last laugh, faggot. The surprise in the box is my present to you for your efforts. Enjoy it Kieran.

Sincerely yours,
The Ripper.

P.S.: Tell your boyfriend congrats on graduating from the FBI Academy. Can’t wait to give him my present. I just haven’t picked it out yet. Meanwhile enjoy yours, Kieran.

Kieran stared at the box and letter for what seemed like hours. Finally he took it out, cut the tape, and opened it. Even though he had a feeling what it was, what he saw made him sick to his stomach. He rushed to the sink and threw up.

When everyone looked in the box the women screamed and Gabrielle even fainted. Marc yelled, “What the fuck!”

Michael immediately called the police as Abigail began hugging and comforting a distraught Ryan and Kieran. James, Bryce, and Davis looked at each other with looks of shocked horror.

In the box was the head of Special Agent Moira Campbell.

***

Half a mile from the Alexander manor, in a White Mitsubishi Eclipse, The Ripper listened as the police scanner crackled and the dispatcher gave the police code for dead body at the address of Foxborough Hills Manor. He smiled his sinister and cold smile and drove off as police cars came roaring in from the State Park.