Our Little Nest - 35. Chapter 35

Once Adam drove pass the main gate, he dialed Yuri Jen’s cell number. Yuri answered on the second ring.

“Hello, detective Potter.”

“Mr. Jen, do you still want help finding Jamie?”

“I’d be grateful.”

“All right. I still have some things to do. Let’s meet at the diner near my office in say, two hours?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Okay, see you in two hours, goodbye.”

“Goodbye Detective Potter.

Adam hung up and called Justin, but his call went to his voicemail box that was full.

“What the fuck Justin, where are you?” Adam pressed redial and after the third ring he was going to give up when someone answered.

“Hello,” said someone who wasn’t Justin.

“Can I speak to Justin?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Who’s this?”

“Who are you?” The undertone in his voice raised red flags for Adam.

“This is Adam Potter, Justin’s employer. Now it’s your turn.” A deafened pause followed before a response came.

“Ethan.”

“Okay, Ethan. Can you wake Justin for me, I need to speak to him?”

“I said he’s sleeping.”

“I’m sure he’ll want to talk to me.”

Another pause, then murmuring.

“Yeah,” said a groggy voice.

“Justin?”

“I said yeah,” Justin said, yawning his response.

“It’s Adam.”

“Okay.”

“I need you to meet me at the office.”

“Now?” Justin groaned.

“I’m coming from Patrick’s family home so in an hour would be great.”

“Is this important, I’m dead.”

“Yes, Justin it is.”

“If it’s about that research…”

“As a-matter-of-fact it is. One, I never received it. And two, did you go to WillowMoss?”

More dead silence, then out of nowhere the call drops.

Adam considered calling back, but felt he got his answer and knew his next destination.

***********

“Justin’s naked body shook as he sat on his bed with Ethan beside him. He dialed a number he had no way of knowing. After one ring the someone answered.

“You have news?” said the raspy voice.

“I think Adam knows I’ve been to the town,” Justin said.

“This is not news, so I need you to go to him and find out what he knows. Keep communications open. Understood?”

“Yes.” Justin lowered his cell and looked at Ethan tugging on his jeans.

***********

Adam stopped at two places a pawn shop and the police station.

AJ sat and listened to Adam’s broken story about WillowMoss while Artie paced behind him. Adam also wrote down his statement and handed it over to AJ and Artie to read.

“There, that’s all I can say,” Adam said.

“Say?” Artie said, with a muddled look. “Say what? All you told us was that a diner employed young men only, and they had numbers. That’s it. The rest of your rant and written statement was incomprehensible.”

“Thanks Artie.” Adam said.

“No, Adam. He’s right, didn’t you listen to yourself? You went on and on about—nothing,” AJ said.

“Then that should persuade you to come with me,” Adam pleaded.

“We have no jurisdiction in WillowMoss,” Artie said.

“I just need you both, to have my back.”

“For what?” To save someone named Jamie Steward, whose real name is Christopher Huge. What makes you think he wants help?”

“Come on AJ, you know me, I would never ask for help.”

“True, you did like doing things your way but, to be honest Adam, you gave us nothing to think there is any wrong doing in WillowMoss,” AJ said. “Get us some evidence and we’ll investigate.

Adam left the station feeling defeated. He never thought AJ would refuse to help him, but he did suspect they would. At least if anything happens to him, they’ll remember their last conversation with him. A deep sigh left him as he recalled Patrick’s word asking him to come back to him. And here he was making sure someone knew his last whereabouts.

He climbed back into his jeep and reached for a bag on the floor in the backseat. He removed one of three sun guns and one of three tasers. He didn’t want this to become a shootout, so he found less life-threatening means as he opened the boxes and plugged them in to charge. By the time they reach the town he’ll be ready. A text came to his cell and he saw it was from Justin.

‘Meet you at the office.’ Was all it said. This only confirmed Adam’s fears as he started his Jeep, Justin was under the same trance, but at least Adam knew how to free him.

He made good time as he found a parking spot near his building. He checked his watch and found he still had twenty minutes before meeting Yuri.

He entered the building and went right for the elevator making sure the lock was in place. Taking the stairs up, he touched his pocket where he tucked a stun gun.

He reached his office where he found the door opened and no lights on. He walked in and noticed his office light on, but the door shut.

“Justin,” he called. No answer. Opening the door, he saw Justin sitting on a male’s lap in his chair involved in a deep kiss. Adam stood perplex that Justin didn’t respond to him when he called and that he was using his office to make out with his fling.

“Justin,” Adam said.

The males stopped their embrace and looked at Adam. After seeing Justin’s face Adam knew something was wrong with his friend. Dark circles under his eyes, pale skin, and he looked drained. Justin rose from the male’s lap who also stood and walked over to the window. Justin stepped around standing in front of Adam leaning on his desk. Other than Justin’s face the rest of him looked normal. His hair and clothes were neat.

“You wanted to see me?” Justin said, in the same tired voice.

“Yeah, I want to know what’s going on with you, and who is that,” Adam asked, jerking his head toward the other male.

Justin glanced at his companion and smiled.

“Oh, him? He’s just a friend.”

“Let me guess, this friend’s name.” Adam glared at the male who’s face also revealed fatigue. “Are you Ethan?”

“Good guess. Justin said you are a good detective.”

Adam returned his focus to Justin.

“Did you go to WillowMoss?” Justin glanced away, but Adam grabbed his chin and made him look at him. “Answer me Justin.”

“Hey man, take your hands off him,” Ethan snapped, taking a step towards them. Adam shot him a glare that stopped Ethan from approaching. At the same time, he reached into his pocket and removed the stun gun kept out of sight.

“I need you to stay out of this,” Adam ordered.

“Adam, I swear we never went,” Justin said, almost cringing.

“You’re lying Justin and I understand why.”

“Oh, do you?” Ethan asked.

“I told you to stay out of this,” Adam barked, not taking his eyes off Justin. He released Justin’s chin only to grip the weapon in his hand tighter.

“You’re going to go find him?” Justin asked.

“Find who?” Adam returned.

“Christopher.”

“How do you know that?”

“He’s not going to want to leave this time.”

“He will, when I get to him.”

“Are you going to use that on him?” Justin asked, referring to the stun gun Adam held.

“If I have to.”

“Are you going to use that on me?”

“If I must.”

Justin closed his eyes for a second before reaching out to touch Adam’s face.

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with. This is beyond your control, any—of our control.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.”

Before Adam could strike Justin with the stun gun Ethan rushed him, sending him off balance, but not to the floor. Justin managed to move away unharmed as the two men fought. Ethan tried to grab Adam’s wrist that held the weapon, but Adam managed to toss the male off him. Only to have him bolt at him again, but this time Adam pressed the device against his side, sending him into spasms then dropping to the ground.

Adam checked the charge and turned to Justin finding him in a corner with his cell to his ear. Adam didn’t need to know who he was talking to, when he rushed at him, jabbing the stun gun against his neck, causing Justin to drop his cell and collapse to the floor.

Adam found the cell and broke it with his heel. He sat with Justin as he came to and looked at Adam.

“Hey boss,” he said, groggy.

“Hey yourself, how are you feeling?”

Justin was confused by his question as he realized where he was laying.

“What am I doing in your office and on the floor?”

“What’s the last thing you remember, Justin?”

“I remember…” Justin suddenly lost his voice as he tried to say he was in the town WillowMoss with Ethan but was unable to. Adam knew why he was struggling and touched his shoulder.

“It’s okay Justin, I know why you can’t talk. Come on I’ll help you up.” Adam pulled him to his feet and Justin flinches from the pain in his neck. “Sorry for that, I had to wake you out of your stupor, so I had to use this.” Adam showed him the stun gun. Justin still didn’t understand what Adam was talking about but switched his attention to Ethan groaning on the floor.

“Ethan?” Justin moved from Adam to his friend helping him to his feet. “Are you, all right? Adam, what is he doing here?”

“I found you both here,” Adam said.

“What—I don’t remember.”

“I won’t be able to explain fully but you were both in a trance and the only way to wake you, was to hit you both with this stun gun.”

Ethan looked at Adam and Justin as he found his footing.

“Are we okay now?” asked Justin.

“I think so, go home and rest. I’m going to handle things from here on.”

“What are you going to do?”

“It’s best I don't say, just go home and get some rest.”

“Who are you?” Ethan asked.

“He’s my boss,” Justin said.

“Okay, then I agree with him. I could use sleep right now.”

“Good,” Adam said. Adam locked up and walked them downstairs. Ethan saw his Range Rover and held the door opened for Justin, who rolled down his window to talk to Adam.

“Adam, I feel so strange.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow Justin. We’ll find a way to work through all of this, okay?”

“Okay, boss.” Adam smile and touched Justin’s cheek.

“It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back.”

Ethan started the rover as Justin rolled the window back up. They pulled off, leaving Adam at the curb. Once Ethan turned a corner his cell phone rang, and he answered it. Justin looked for him but couldn’t find it.

“Ethan, I think I left my cell back at the office, mind if we go back and get it?”

Ethan didn’t respond as he continued to listen to the caller. Justin muscles were sore as he yawned his exhaustion.

“Ethan, did you hear me?” Ethan brought the cell from his ear and held it out to Justin.

“You should listen to this.”

Justin hesitated as he reached for the cell.

“Who is it,” he asked.

“You know,” was all Ethan told him.

Justin raised the cell to his ear and listened as a voice spoke.

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

Adam went to the diner and saw Yuri, sitting at the counter. He walked up and saw him drinking a cup of tea.

“We’re not staying, pay and meet me outside.”

Yuri tossed a ten on the counter and left. He found Adam waiting.

“Let’s get this over with. We have a long drive and we need to make a plan.”

“My car’s just down here,” Yuri said.

“We’re taking my jeep,” Adam said, walking off ignoring Yuri’s protest. Yuri grudgingly followed, sensing Adam was not in the mood to argue.