Our Little Nest - 14. Chapter 14

Dead bodies and suits. 

Patrick stepped out the front door of Adam’s business and their home onto the empty sidewalk. The wind picked up making his pull the collar of his coat up to shield the back of his neck. Patrick hated the winter. He could never stay warm enough. He walked to the curb and started to hail an approaching cab when he received a text on his cell. Thinking it was from Adam he let the cab pass him.

“Where are your plans for today?” Patrick saw that the text came from Yuri. He was about to ignore it when another came. “You’re not still mad about the kiss, are you?” Patrick could hear the mocking tone in Yuri’s text. He knew he shouldn’t bother, but to downgrade the kiss set Patrick off.

“You’re lucky I didn’t tell Adam.” He texted back.

“What, would he challenge me for your honor?”

“He would have beaten the crap out of you.”

“So, he told you he’s working for me?”

“Of course, he did. He tells me everything.”

“And you told him about us?”

“There’s no, us.”

“There was. Did you tell him about that?” Patrick realized he hadn’t told Adam about Yuri being his ex. He lowered his cell and was about to wave for an approaching cab when a new text came. He considered not answering it, but he wanted to give Yuri a piece of his mind. He scowled back at his cell and saw that it wasn’t from Yuri, but from Michael telling him his suit’s designs were ready for review. Patrick’s eyes lit up. Forgetting Yuri, he waved down another cab and boarded, telling the driver to head to the hotel Duet.

*************

Adam decided to bring Justin along when he followed AJ and Artie’s car in his jeep. They headed for the mortuary. Justin stayed in the waiting room not wanting to see dead bodies. Adam followed the detectives into the sterile room with hard steel reflective tables and a chilly room temperature.

The two men, on their own tables, laid disrobe under a white sheet, that came just above their chest nipples. Artie looked for a technician in a connected room but found it empty. Not wanting to stand around, he grabbed the chart on a nearby table that had the info of the two men. He checked the toe tags on them both to be sure.

“Okay we have this one,” Artie points. “A white male about 5’8’ weighting 235 with a bullet in the left temple.” He moves his index finger to the other corpse. “His partner is Chinese and comes in at 5’7 and at 250 pounds with a bullet to the right temple. The two things they have in common is their buzz cut hair styles and an arm tattoo of black chain link that wrapped around their right biceps.” Artie returned the chart to the table and turned back to Adam and AJ.

“Do they look familiar to you, Adam?” AJ asked. Adam stared at the men and knew the answer right away.

“No. Who are they?”

“No clue. They had no IDs or wallets. Only, your business card, and a name written on a folded piece of paper,” said Artie.

“I don’t know how they got my business card.”

“Does the name Yuri Jen ring a bell?” AJ asked. Adam sighed, wondering himself why Yuri’s and his own names were in the company of the dead man. He promised Yuri he wouldn’t get the police involved, but with these two dead men who could have been the ones that attacked him and Jamie in the penthouse, now dead. His back was against the wall and he needed answers but not break the trust with his client.

“No, the name doesn’t ring a bell.”

“We’re going to talk to him,” said Artie.

“Be my guest,” said Adam, thinking over what his next move was.

“Potter these men are dead,” said Artie.

“No doubt.”

“This is out of your jurisdiction, Potter. This is a murder investigation.”

“I can see that, Artie,” said Adam turning his back to him. Artie was about to make Adam turn back around by grabbing his arm, but AJ stopped his partner, whom he had an affair with years ago while in a relationship with Adam.

“Let me talk to him,” AJ whispered to Artie. Grudgingly Artie agreed, leaving the room, hoping AJ could get through to his ex.

“Adam,” AJ said, in that voice that always caught Adam’s attention.

Adam turned to the handsome, clear skinned male, whose crescent eyes beamed back the most haunting, perfect black eyes he has ever seen. They met while on the police force, fell in love, fucked, and even talked of marriage. Only during it all AJ knew something he didn’t share with Adam. That it terrified him when Adam took a suicide approach to dangerous situations. That the thought of hearing that Adam got himself killed made him sick. So, he fell in love and had an affair with his mentor, Artie Cutter, breaking Adam’s heart.

“AJ, I told you…”

“Adam,” AJ interrupted. “This was not a random killing. The car doors were locked when we got there. This was a professional hit.”

“What do you expect me to do AJ?”

“Help us catch a killer.”

“There’s nothing I can do for you.”

“Oh, I think you do. You just want to be the hero.”

“Oh, AJ, you know me so well, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Well, I’ve moved on. So, should you,” Adam smirked, as he walked towards the door.

“Do you know there was a witness,” AJ called after him. Adam hesitated at the door, turning to AJ.

“A witness? Then you don’t need me.”

“He’s dead Adam. His throat was slit in the backseat of the police cruiser.”

Adam now knew he was desperate for answers and had to find them right away. There was one place he needed to go. Adam didn’t respond as he turned and left the room getting Justin and heading to his jeep.

**************

Patrick arrived at the hotel Duet energized. The doorman, bellhops, and management right away greeted him. No one stopped him as he boarded the elevator. He arrived at Michael’s suite knocking twice at the door. it’s opened by Michael’s assistant Ian, who held a degree in fashion design at twenty-three. Skinny, magazine clothes clinging to his body and a boorish attitude.

Patrick just gave him a look and the male knew he’d best keep his brashness in check.

“Welcome Mr. Valdez, Michael is expecting you,” he said in the most fake polite voice he could mimic. Patrick stayed quiet as he’s escorted to the sitting room with a step-down area. Windows covered the far wall where Michael had his makeshift studio. Fabrics, torsos of three headless mannequins, two covered with a white cloth, design patterns and a small staff of four, all interns. Michael was giving instructions to one of the college interns when he saw Ian approaching with Patrick. He walked away from the frantic student holding a large book of swatches and walked down the steps to greet his important client.

“Patrick welcome again, I know you are going to love the suits I’ve created for you and yours.”

“I can’t wait to see them.”

“I wish your lover could have come with you, so he could try it on.”

“I’m sure it will fit Michael, I took his measurements myself.”

“Then here, come with me.” He held his hand out for Patrick, who took it. Michael led him up three steps to the two covered mannequins. He clapped his hands and two of the interns removed the white fabrics revealing two suits.

Patrick said nothing as he examined the outfits. Of course, they weren’t in their finished stage, but Patrick knew that Michael had managed to capture the style he was looking for.

“They're perfect,” said Patrick.

“And they’ll be amazing when they're finished.”

“Can you have them delivered to the mansion.”

“Of course. Would you like to try it on?”

“No, I trust you’ll do a wonderful job like always.”

“That is true.”

“So, how should we settle the bill?” asked Patrick, turning to him.

“Well, your mother took care of all that, when I sent your father’s suit to him earlier in the week.”

“She did?”

“Yes, I thought you knew?”

“She must have forgotten to tell me.”

“None the less, I will have them delivered by the morning of the party.”

“Thank you, Michael.”

“The honor is mine. Your family had been most gracious to me.” Patrick smiled and was about to leave when an intern interrupted.

“Excuse me, Michael,” said a blue and green hair male, wearing torn jeans and a faded tee shirt.

“Yes, yes,” said Michael annoyed.

“He said it was a perfect fit,” he responded holding a suit.

“Ah, yes, good. Be careful with it.”

“You have a client to attend to, I won’t keep you,” said Patrick.

“Thank you, Patrick. Your family has always been good to me. Call me day or night if you need me, no matter the time.”

“We might hold you to that. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Michael hurried off as Patrick headed for the front door. Ian let him out and gave him a genuine smile. Patrick headed for the elevator feeling things were going to go well for him and Adam at his parent’s mansion. He pressed the down button for the elevator and smiled outwardly at his reflection. He heard a door closed behind him just as the bell dinged telling him the elevator had arrived. The door opened to the empty lift. Patrick took a step in when he heard someone running up behind him most likely to catch the departing elevator, he thought.

“Patrick,” said the person behind him. Patrick turned, and the person grabbed him stepping into the elevator with him just as the door closed.