Tangled Web - A Mystery - 3. Chapter 3 - Alex and Guy

Alex reclined in the bed gently touching the man who lay against his chest. As he traced the shape of the other’s ear, he thought about how happy he was, how fortunate that life had brought this man to him. He savored the sensations of their lovemaking, the heat and excitement still with him.

“That tickles,” the man in his arms teasingly complained.

“What we just got done doing tickled, too.”

“I never heard of anyone with a ticklish ass.”

“I’ve never been touched that deep before.”

“You bet you haven’t.”

“Brag, brag.”

“Hey, lover.”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

They kissed, embraced and made love again.

***

“How long has it been?”

“Since we did it? About an hour. You are certainly in the mood today.”

“No, since we met.”

“Wow, it’s been almost two years.”

“I can’t believe you pulled that line on me.”

“I am really lucky you bought it.”

“You really have balls.”

“As you well know. Hey, I wasn’t about to let you get away.”

“You mean my apartment.”

“I admit that’s an amazing perc, but no, I mean you. Loveable, luscious, fuckable you.”

“That was quite a night.”

“Ah yes, I remember it well…”

***

Alex was being taken out for a celebratory drink with friends from his job in the office of the chief economist of a major financial institution. He had received a minor promotion, but his friends seized any opportunity to have drinks.

They were into their third round when one of his friends hopped up from the table and accosted a person sitting at the bar. Alex overheard some of their conversation. “You said to meet you here. So I’m here. What gives?” The speaker was darkly handsome, dressed in a suit and tie, typical of a banker or attorney.

“Come on and sit at the table with us.”

“Us? Are you here with friends or are you trying to set me up again?”

“Never mind, just come over.”

The man took his drink and followed over to the table. Alex’s friends rearranged so that a chair next to Alex was vacant. The man sat. “Hey, I’m Guy. Around here they say it to rhyme with sky, but it should really rhyme with bee.”

“Like the French.”

“Exactement.”

“Hey Alex, he speaks French,” one of Alex’s friends said leadingly.

“Spent summers in Provence with my French grandparents. No big deal.”

“And Guy is in the DA’s office. He’s an attorney” offered another friend.

“What is this, a set up?” Alex asked.

Suddenly, his four friends all stood up, offering several lame and conflicting excuses why they all had to leave. Alex was left stammering as they headed out the door. He looked sheepishly at Guy. “I’m sorry, my friends seem to have arranged for us to meet.”

“Normally it’s not something I’d do, but I’m glad they did,” was Guy’s reply.

“You don’t have to be nice. If you want to go, please, I won’t be offended.”

“Since we’re here anyway, could we get something to eat?”

“I guess so, but I’m not a fan of bar food, could we go somewhere else?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Over near my apartment is a great Thai place. It’s not too far a walk and worth it.”

They made the journey and enjoyed a fine meal together. Through the evening they began talking about their jobs. Then they talked about their childhoods. Then they talked about their families.

They stood on the sidewalk after dinner, both awkwardly waiting for the next step. “This may be presuming a lot, but I don’t do sex on a first date, if that’s what this was.” Alex was cautious.

“Oh, yeah, sure, no problem,” Guy stammered in reply. “I can respect that, not that I don’t find you very attractive, I really do. But hey, didn’t you say your apartment was around here? Freddy mentioned you had this great apartment.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. What else did Freddy tell you?”

“Oh, that you’re smart, funny, very very sexy, and have a great apartment.”

“The apartment seems important to you.”

“If you lived in the dump in Brooklyn that I do, it would be. Never mind. We’re only a few blocks from the river, let’s walk over.”

They walked to the park that runs along the river’s edge. Guy maneuvered them onto a park bench. “Hey, the stars, you can really see them here.”

“Yes, it’s a beautiful night,” Alex agreed.

Guy got on one knee. “Alex, will you marry me?”

“What?” Alex was shocked.

“Will you marry me?”

“Guy, I just met you an hour ago.”

“Four hours ago. It’s been four hours.”

“And you ask me to marry you? We haven’t even had sex.”

“If that would convince you, I’m willing,” archly replied Guy.

“How can I resist a line like that?”

“I’ve been working on it for a long time, but I was afraid to use unless I was willing, hoping to make it come true.”

“Well, you are something, Guy. Come on, let’s go see the apartment.”

“You know how difficult it is to get an apartment in New York, much more in this neighborhood.”

They laughed the few blocks to Alex’s apartment. Once inside, Guy was very impressed.

“Two bedrooms – not that we’ll need them – sunken living room with fireplace, terrace, two bathrooms and a gourmet kitchen. Are you a Rockefeller?”

“No, my grandparents bought the building back in the thirties. My mom had this place when she went to NYU. Now I’ve got it.”

“You own the building?”

“No, I pay rent like everyone else. Of course my grandmother sends it back to me at Christmas. I know I’m really lucky. It has apparently landed me a husband.”

“You may think differently by morning, but I hope you’re as sold on me as I am on you.” Guy was hopeful.

“So, what do we do next?”

Guy moved to take Alex in his arms. “First we kiss.” They kissed. “And we kiss some more.” Guys tongue licked along Alex’s lips and probed between them. Guy held Alex tighter, Alex pressed against Guy. “I think I’m feeling a reaction, Alex.”

“Uh huh,” came Alex’s breathless reply.

“I’m feeling a little light headed, could we go lie down?”

“Uh huh.” Alex led Guy to the bedroom by the hand and moved toward the bed.

“Are you ready to do this?”

“Oh yeah.”

“A couple of kisses and your ready to do it?”

“Kisses like that, oh yeah.”

“Do you mind if we slow it down a little? Especially since we’re engaged and all.”

Alex looked a little stunned and confused.

“I want to savor our first time together. Let me undress you.” Guy pulled Alex to his feet and faced him toward the mirror over the bureau. Guy stood behind him, kissing Alex’s neck each time he unfastened each of Alex’s shirt buttons. By the time his shirt was open, Alex was breathing hard. Guy grazed his fingers over Alex’s nipples and plucked teasingly at the hair on his chest. Alex’s head lolled with the pleasure. Guy eased Alex’s shirt off of his shoulders and arms then wrapped Alex in an embrace.

“I’m like totally seduced, and you haven’t even touched my cock.”

“I will, later, much later.” Guy’s voice spoke of his own arousal.

Guy’s hands played down Alex’s torso, coming to rest upon Alex’s belt buckle. He unfastened the belt, opened Alex’s pants, and pulled down the zipper, Guy’s index finger riding down the length of Alex’s cock. Alex moaned. Guy pushed Alex’s pants to the ground, assisting him to step out of them.

“Alex, open your eyes. Look at yourself in the mirror. Try to see you as I do.” Alex opened his eyes but only saw Guy’s face reflected in the mirror as it peered over his shoulder. Guy’s face was flushed with excitement, like Alex’s own. “Look at this handsome man I have in my arms. He has strong, furry legs.” Guy stroked Alex’s thighs. “This delightfully heavy package we’ll come back to later” as Guy clutched Alex’s balls still in his underwear. He has hard, lean abs with just the right amount of fur, so masculine. And his chest, could this be my favorite part? We’ll see. His chest is beautifully developed. Crew or swimming in college and gym time since. Thank you for taking such good care of yourself.” Guy pressed his hardening cock against Alex’s ass. Alex pressed back. “Nice arms, a good match to that chest.” Guy took Alex’s wrists and raised his arms over his head. “Furry pits. So nice.” Guy buried his nose into Alex’s arm pit, his tongue darting out to tickle. “Mmmmm.” And this face, Alex’s handsome face. I’ll bet when you’ve just shaved you look too young, but now, this late in the evening, your beard darkens your face in the most erotic way.” Guy spun Alex around, desperately kissing him on the mouth then pushed Alex onto the bed. Guy tore off his own clothes and leaped onto the bed then climbed onto Alex, kissing him, running his fingers through Alex’s thick head of hair, and rubbing his whole body against Alex, their cocks making contact, heated with desire.

As they grappled, seeking to make more and more contact, bodies bucking against each other, Alex began to chuckle, then laugh. Guy raised his head from the armpit he was ravaging to ask, “What’s up?”

“First, if you don’t stop that, I’m going to cum right now. I don’t want to get to the finish yet. Second, while I know I’m totally willing to do anything you want, we didn’t ask that very important question gay men must know, top or bottom?”

“Lately, it’s been nothing, nowhere, no how. I like both, but it really has depended on who I was with and how well I knew them. I need a lot of trust to bottom. My cock is not so fussy as my ass, I guess.” They laughed together and kissed.

“I almost always top. I’m never really turned on enough to take it, but I’ve never felt like I do right now, either. I think you weren’t just giving me a line when you asked me to marry you.”

“I thought I was serious then, I know I am serious now.”

“Shut up and fuck me, Guy.”

“Your word is my command.”

“There’s lube and condoms in the drawer of the nightstand.”

Guy rifled through the drawer. “Assorted sizes?”

“Wishful thinking. I’m not quite a virgin, but this bed is. I never connected with anyone, even when I went out desperately looking for someone. Did you find one that will fit? I’ve never seen anyone this hard before.” Alex bent over to kiss Guy’s cock. “It’s like steel.”

Guy squeezed out some lube into his hand and began to work it into Alex’s ass. “Relax, baby, relax.” Guy worked Alex’s ass for a while, then rolled a condom over his own cock and pressed the head against Alex’s ass, desperate to enter. “Okay?” Guy asked, seeking Alex’s response.

“Oh yeah. Go slow though.”

Guy lay alongside Alex’s back. Using all his self-control, Guy gently press against Alex’s ass, feeling the hole open over his cock head. Alex gasped as the widest part of the head popped through the sphincter. Guy stopped pushing and waited for Alex’s breathing to slow. Alex writhed as Guy continued entering him. “Okay?” Guy asked desperately.

“Oh yes, don’t stop. You’re cock is so thick right there, but its better, way better now.”

As Guy’s cock grazed against Alex’s prostate, Alex’s cock sprang to hardness. Guy paused his entry to stroke Alex’s cock. “Yum” was Alex’s reaction. “How much more you got to go there, buddy?” Alex asked Guy.

“A fair ways to go, lover, but I can stop when you say so.”

“Keep going, you’re in new territory, that’s all.” Guy continued to press in. “Wait, stop” Alex gasped.

“Sorry, lover. You okay?”

“Yes, I think you hit my liver.”

“Probably just the end of the rectum. There’s a turn there, we can stop here.”

“You’ve got more?”

“A little.”

“Hell, I will marry you.”

Guy had begun to stroke in and out of Alex’s ass. “It feels so good, Guy, keep going.”

“I want to see your face as we make love” Guy responded. Guy very slowly pulled out, Alex’s body jolted with the sensation, wishing to be full again. Alex rolled onto his back and raised his knees. Guy moved between them and re-entered Alex’s ass, having relubed his cock. Guy pressed in, but hit the turning in Alex’s rectum. “Not so deep in this position. That’s okay, we’ll work it from here. Alex writhed with the overload of sensation. Guy waited until Alex calmed down and then began to fuck in earnest, leaning down to kiss Alex. Alex’s cock had begun to drool onto his stomach. Guy pumped away, driving into Alex’s ass. Alex’s hips thrust upward, meeting Guy’s cock as it entered deeper. Guy cried out as he came and came.

“Oh, my god” Alex said softly, “you’re all the way in. I can feel it all the way in.” Then with a tremble, Alex’s orgasm came, shooting cum between their locked bodies.

***

They had uncoupled during the night, yet slept seeking every possible point of touch. Alex awoke, the sky still black outside the windows, feeling a soft stroking on his cock. He was already fully hard and beginning to leak precum. Guy’s back was toward him, he snuggled closer. Guy maneuvered about, bringing Alex’s cock in line with his ass and then began to ease Alex’s cock in. Alex tried to be patient, but his cock wanted to fuck. He pushed until restrained by Guy’s hand. “Easy lover.”

“Sorry. I got excited.”

“Me, too, but it’s been a while for me. And I want this to be all around good.”

They stopped moving for a bit, then Alex felt Guy’s ass relax around his cock.

“Take me from behind.”

“I already am.”

“I mean doggy style.”

“Ahhh. Cool.” Alex grabbed Guy’s hips and, while still engaged, hoisted them to their knees. Alex began to stroke slowly in and out. “Like this?”

“Oh yes, just like that.”

“Faster?”

“A little.”

“Deeper?”

“A little at a time, please.”

“Harder?”

“No, just the same. I’m feeling my ass in whole new ways with you. I want it to last a long time.” Guy relaxed his arms and lowered his head to the pillow. Alex tried to match his thrusts to Guy’s sighs. As Alex pumped, a kind of hypnotic state overcame them both. They continued in a joint rhythm outside of time. Slowly, the intensity in Guy’s core began to mount. He began to push back, meeting Alex’s thrusts. Alex could feel his climax nearing and pumped harder, faster. Guy grabbed his own cock and matched Alex’s pumping. Each felt the searing moment approaching, clinging to the sensations, not wanting to end but needing to release. With a deep, guttural grunt Guy released his load, spewing across the bed. By Guy’s third pulse, Alex’s orgasm burst from his cock, filling the condom, with spurt after spurt. They collapsed together onto the bed, their hearts pounding.

“Is it going to be like this every night?”

“God, I hope so.”

“I better start taking some vitamins.”

“Whatever it takes, babe, whatever it takes.”

“Am I heavy?”

“No you feel good on me, in me.” Guy could feel Alex’s cock pulse with an orgasm aftershock. “Real good in me.”

“This seems to be working, I mean us.”

“Uh huh.”

“Should we set a date?”

“For what?”

“Remember, you proposed.”

“Oh yeah. Tomorrow? I guess I mean today.”

“You are a lawyer, right? You do know it’s against the law to marry in this state.”

“State of bliss?”

“No, New York.”

“Pity.”

Alex shoved a little deeper into Guy. “You’re not getting out of it that easy.”

“When you do that, I won’t want you to get out either.”

“Do you think we should date some more first?”

“Not if you mean date anyone else.”

“Are we going too fast?”

“I’d say you hit just the right speed.”

“I’m thinking we’d better just fuck the night away and leave any serious conversations until the morning. You’re still horny.”

“And yet satisfied at the same time.”

“Is it always like this with you?”

“Boy, I hope so.”

“Go to sleep. You’ll need your energy again in a while.”

“Night, night, lover.”

“Good night, lover.”

***

Morning light filled the room. Alex awoke to find himself in Guy’s embrace, as he had several times during the night. He leaned against the headboard and tried to clear his head, trying to remember all that had happened. His alarm clock confirmed that only one night had passed. The litter of condoms around the room indicated that it had indeed been a busy night. Still he felt rested. Guy snuggled against his side, laying his head in Alex’s lap.

Alex raised the sheet covering them, taking a peek at the sleeping form beside him. While Guy had undressed him, examined him point by point, Alex hadn’t taken the time to look at his new lover’s body, he had been too aroused. Now in the calm of morning he began his assessment. Guy’s chest was lightly covered with fine dark hair. Guy was clearly very fit, though smaller boned than Alex. A thin line of hair ran down to his pubes. From the nest of dark hair, Guy’s cock extended, now fully relaxed and draped across Alex’s thigh. No wonder Alex still had sensations deep in his body. When that thing is hard, it must be enormous. Guy’s balls hung low, laying on the sheets between them. Alex remembered them slapping on his ass when Guy fucked him. Yum. Guy’s long, thin legs stretched out of sight. His legs had similar dark fine hair. Alex would have to wait until they got up to see if that continued along his feet.

Alex began to smack Guy’s face with his flaccid cock, trying to wake him. Guy stirred, Alex’s stomach was scratched by Guy’s morning beard. Alex persisted in teasing with his cock until Guy snapped it between soft lips and sucked lovingly.

“Good morning.”

Guy reluctantly released Alex’s hardening cock. “Good morning, to you.” He kissed Alex fully. “How are you feeling?”

“Thoroughly fucked and very satisfied. You?”

“Hmmm. If I didn’t dream all that last night, and since you’re still here this morning, I’d say it really did happen, and consequently, thoroughly fucked and very satisfied captures it well.”

“What do we do next?”

“I think we’ve pretty much done it all.”

“I can’t imagine being in this bed without you.”

“I hear you completely, though it does seem early in our relationship to talk about living together.”

“I think we talked about this last night.”

“I don’t remember too many times when either your tongue or cock wasn’t down my throat. How could we have talked? Grunting I remember.”

“More talk like that and you’ll have it there again.” Alex smacked Guy with is half hard cock.

“Happy to oblige.”

“Seriously, or as serious as two naked guys who have just fucked the night away can be, we have to talk about what we do next.”

‘I suppose we could decide to a cooling off period, date once a week, avoid sex and be all around miserable.”

“That doesn’t appeal to me.”

“Me either. We could declare our undying love and go to Massachusetts and get married.”

“While that does appeal to me, it seems a bit rash.”

“I’m sure your caution is prudent, damn.”

“How about we give it a try, you move in with me since I’m not moving to Brooklyn and you haven’t painted a very good picture of your accommodations there. We have to promise that if it doesn’t work out we can kiss and say good bye and just hang on to the wonderful memories. I’m not saying we can’t disagree, but only if we’re trying to find a way to better understand each other.”

“A trial marriage with an easy out clause?”

“No Mr. Attorney, a relationship about love, not contracts. A relationship about openness and honesty, not property. I expect there will be times when we have to fight like hell to keep it working, but I’m willing to be told I’m being an asshole if I’m bugging you. And you can expect the same from me. What do you say?”

“Where can we get a truck or something so I can get my stuff?”

“I think we better get cleaned up first. I think the sheets are stuck to my back. You came a lot last night, lots of times.”

“You were no slouch there either, lover.”

“I like that, how you call me ‘lover’.”

“I didn’t really notice, it just came out.”

“Nice. Now off to the shower.”

***

Alex borrowed the super’s truck and drove with Guy to Brooklyn to retrieve his belongings. On entering Guy’s soon to be former apartment, the comments about Alex’s apartment became clear. Guy’s apartment was truly a dump. For furniture there was a mattress on the floor, some beach chairs and a trunk. The scattering of dirty clothes added nothing to the décor. Guy’s work suits, shirts and ties were neatly hung on a pipe extending from a wall.”

“Should we just pour some gasoline around and light it?” said Alex sarcastically.

“Are you seeing a side of me that makes you uncomfortable?”

“Nothing a little discipline won’t fix. Though I’ve never thought of myself as a dominatrix. Is there a gay equivalent? Other than Daddy or the leather thing, and I’m not going there.”

“Pity, you’d look good in leather.”

“More secrets revealed?”

“No, you just painted a lovely image.”

“Well in that spirit, get some garbage bags and pack this shit up. We can drop most of it off at the laundry. The few tidy things we can move. The rest we should dump.”

Guy looked sadly around the wreck of a room. “I guess you’re right. How I lived didn’t make much difference to me. I didn’t hang out here at all, weekends out on Fire Island or the Berkshires, late nights at work. It will be good having a nice apartment to come home to.”

“And me, too. Don’t forget me.”

“No worries, lover, I’ll never forget you.” Guy embraced Alex and kissed him.

“Get moving, Guy, I’m getting horny. And I’m not doing it on that mattress.”

***

They moved Guy into Alex’s apartment. They began their lives together, working at their careers by day, loving at night. Their first night together had been blissfully compatible. Their daily – and nightly - interactions grew on that foundation. Alex’s corporate job was regular and routine. Guy’s job in the DA’s office was marked by long hours and tense situations. Guy grew to depend on Alex’s loving embrace at the end of a long day. Alex thrived on being loved for loving. Guy returned Alex’s care and made every effort to be with him.

Guy came home late one evening. Alex had already gone to bed, but woke when Guy climbed in next to him. Alex could feel the tension of Guy’s body.

“Tough day?” asked Alex as he took Guy’s cock into his mouth.

“Getting better now.”

“Tell me about it” said Alex around the swelling organ.

“You really shouldn’t talk with your mouth full. Not that I want you to stop what you’re doing.” Alex continued his happy slurping.

“Alright, I’ll try to keep enough focus to tell you about my day. Oooh, that’s good right there. Anyway, you wouldn’t believe how poorly the average citizen provides evidence. I’ve spent the better part of two weeks sifting through conflicting reports made to the police and FBI. You have no idea what it’s like being part of a criminal investigation.”

Alex lovingly sucked and nibbled on Guy’s cock all the while Guy spoke. At the last comment, however, he took Guy’s cock out of his mouth, kissed it gently, then putting it aside with some regrets, sat up and faced Guy. “Au contraire, my half Gallic lover. I did, in fact, provide evidence to no less than the FBI.”

“When?” uttered Guy in disbelief.

“When I was a senior in college.”

“What happened?”

“Well, I was sworn to secrecy, but seeing as how we’re engaged and all – see I haven’t forgotten – I’ll tell you.”

Guy settled in for a long story.

“I wasn’t always the sophisticated, urbane, socially mature individual you know and have come to love. I see you scoff, but, alas, it is true. I entered my senior year of college a frightened, shy, closeted, lonely child. While I masturbated continually, I had not ever had any contact with another person. I knew how excited I got when I saw some of the guys around campus. I tried not to gawk in the gym or on those rare sunny days when the shirts came off. I was dying of hunger in the middle of a banquet, but was too afraid to reach out.”

“You poor dear. Of course that explains some of your manic sexual activity since,” speculated Guy.

“My cousin had lent me his car for the semester while he was overseas. It gave me mobility, so I thought perhaps if I could venture out, away from where I was known, maybe I could make an initial contact. I went out one night to a gay club near the State University. Not too far, but not too close, or so I thought. I had only been there a short while, hiding in the deepest shadows, when two men I knew walked in, Mr. Marcus and Professor Stephenson. Mr. Marcus ran the business office at the college and taught an accounting class. Professor Stephenson, usually called ‘Cal’, was a new professor and he was substituting for my advisor who had taken a leave due to an illness. I thought ‘holy shit’, if these guys are gay, maybe I could talk with them. Just as I had about worked up my nerve to talk to them, a bunch of guys from my college showed up and starting talking with them first. I panicked and ran out the back way. I just wasn’t ready to be that exposed.

"While I sat despairing in the car, Mr. Marcus and Cal walked right past me. They stopped and kissed, I mean really kissed. I threw a boner on the spot. They got into their car and drove off. I knew Cal lived with Mr. Marcus, so I followed them back to school, thinking I could catch them alone. I had to park back near my dorm so it took me a little while to get to Mr. Marcus’s house, it was just off campus. It took me a while to work up the courage, but I did go up on the porch and was about to knock when someone inside made a noise. I’d recognize it now, having known you, Guy, but then, it was kind of scary. I looked inside the window and saw Cal and Mr. Marcus going at it. I mean wild, wonderful sex. Furniture flying, ass pounding, full on sex. I was terrified and incredibly aroused at the same time. I ran back to my dorm, beat off several times and tried to pretend I hadn’t seen anything.

“As interesting as your early identity crisis is, what has it to do with giving evidence to the FBI?” Guy asked wanting an end to the story and a return to the loving.

“In due time, impatient one. Don’t worry, you’ll get what’s coming to you. Anyway, a couple of weeks later, Mr. Marcus died. I felt awful, for him and for Cal, since I knew they were lovers. I went to the memorial service they had, the Provost, Dr. Waldheim gave a very moving eulogy. I was pretty upset and had lost my chance to talk with Mr. Marcus about me. Later that afternoon as I was about to go into a class, one of the administration staff stopped me and asked me to go see the Provost. Dr. Waldheim was a nice enough person, but hell, he was the real head of the college. I couldn’t imagine what he might want to see me about. I even thought that maybe he knew about me, my secret. Yes, by your expression I can see you thought I was a real mess, and I guess you’d be right. I get called into the Provost’s office and there are these FBI agents. I was terrified and lost it. Dr. Waldheim was really nice to me, but when they asked me what I knew about Mr. Marcus and Cal, I fell apart. I had to tell them what I had seen and also why I was there peeking in the window. It was awful.”

“But you did your civic duty. Whatever became of the case?

“That’s not even the whole case. The FBI agent told me a student was missing and somehow it involved Mr. Marcus’s death and Cal Stephenson. That’s when things got weird. Cal Stephenson was never seen again. The student, Samir a student from overseas somewhere, never returned. After a few weeks, the FBI agents that had swarmed the campus disappeared and no mention was made of the whole thing ever again.”

“That’s it? That’s your testimony to the FBI?”

“Yes, it never went anywhere.”

“I wonder if the case is still on the books? I could check the system. Hmmm, interesting.”

“Oddly, it did help me out in the end. Dr. Waldheim took an interest in me.” Guy looked at Alex with raised eyebrows. “Not like that, you pervert. He greeted me when we passed, sat at the same table at lunch, stuff like that. One time at lunch he invited to our table the professor who advised the GLBT group on campus. We got to talking. A few minutes later, several of the students I was pretty sure were gay came and sat with us. All of a sudden, I was part of their group. And thus you see the result, the well-adjusted, loveable me.”

***

“I’ve got a treat for you,” Guy teased when he came home from work.

“Since you’ve still got your pants on, I’m assuming it’s not the usual treat,” Alex replied sarcastically.

“That treat will be brought out later. I have another treat.” Guy opened his brief case and took out a thick file of papers.

“That,” indicating the file “does not look like a treat to me,” Alex complained.

“It’s the file, the file of the case where you gave testimony.”

“No shit. How did you get it?”

“Well, one of the privileges of working in the DA’s office is you can ask for case material. No one much cares about the ‘unsolved case files’ so I asked for it and a few days later here it is.”

Alex called out for Chinese food to be delivered so they could read as they ate. They sat down at the dining room table and began pouring over the file.

Guy made occasional commentary. “Yadda, yadda, yadda, usual pro forma investigation stuff. Student goes missing, special flag on his file, they call the embassy, the embassy calls State, State calls FBI. FBI investigates.”

“They talk with Marcus. This is weird. They took Marcus to the hospital to get a semen sample – out of his ass. I guess that time you saw them together wasn’t the only time Stephenson and Marcus got it on. It says here that Marcus was murdered. And Stephenson was suspected to be at the hospital at the same time. Your lovers seemed to have been troubled.”

Alex protested, “I’m not buying it. Those two met every day at a bench on campus. While they were sufficiently reserved, no one doubted they were in love.”

“Hang on, it looks like Marcus was getting it on with half the campus. They found twelve guys semen up his ass.”

“I admit I was pretty far out of the mainstream of gay life at school, but there is no way Mr. Marcus was getting porked by half the campus.”

“It does seem hard to believe you were the only one at the college not up that guy’s butt. Still the lab results were conclusive. Damn. Hey, here is your testimony, Alex. You gave them the substantive link between Marcus and Stephenson. I take back all I said about citizens and their testimony.”

Guy exclaimed, “Wait a minute. I think I know this one, Thibaud. I told you I spent my summers at my grandparent’s place in Provence. Well my best friend – now don’t look at me like that, I was not screwing around as a child – my best friend was Thibaud. He was a good looking kid, always up to some kind of trouble. We had a marvelous time. Yes, it lists his permanent address. That’s him. I wonder how he turned out. Look, read this. It’s definitely the Thibaud I knew, thumbing his nose at the authorities. What a hoot. Apparently he knew Cal Stephenson himself, very well. Still, what he said only opens more questions. Not much doubt about what Cal and Thibaud did together, but why all the way up in Vermont? It sounds like a nearby motel would have served the purpose.”

“You can see the case just winding down. The full dragnet search turns up nobody, not Stephenson, not the student, Samir. No proof of who killed Marcus. A fair amount of screaming from the embassy, the State Department, some guy named Worthington…”

“He’s the college president. A real asshole. He was just there to squeeze alumni and parents for more money. It was rumored that he had ‘connections’ whatever that meant. Funny, I used to get those alumni donation flyers from him all the time and they don’t come around anymore. I would probably toss a few bucks that way if it weren’t for him. I wonder why he was bitching at the FBI. The Provost was the one who ran the whole show. I would definitely donate if he asked.”

“So that’s it, a murder and two missing persons and no answers. You were right there in the middle of it all, Alex. I’m half sorry I got the case files. It’s left more questions than answers. I hope you’re not upset by what we’ve learned. Especially about Marcus begin murdered.”

“I’m more curious than upset. It would be good to get some answers. Mr. Marcus deserves that. How wild is it that you know someone I went to college with and he was involved, too.”

“I have an idea,” Guy suggested. “I’ve always wanted to go back to where I spent my summers. We both have vacation time. I’d love to show you that part of my life. My grandparents are gone now, but they and those summers are a big part of who I am. And we can see if Thibaud is around and remembers either one of us.