“Thank you,” Art said. He seemed to be far better at managing hisemotions.
Wes, on the other hand, wanted to break something…and someone, particularly the person responsible for such blatant disrespect for what theyshared.
Art checked his phone and then showed it to Wes. It was a text from Frances:You guys okay? I hear you were heading into the securityoffice.
Word made it around a place like Heathrow fast, and it made Wes suspect exactly how quickly the other residents had learned about their relationship even before Wes and Art really knew what itwas.
Art sent a message to the other members of the Fabulous Five, and they convened at Frances’s place, sitting in her livingarea.
“What kind of ignorant assholes do something like that?” she asked after Art revealed the details of their discovery. “Kenneth Moore did it, I’m sure. Or at least someone from that crowd: Jasmine Fairden, Clarke Hawthorne, Baxter Willis, Chelsea Monroe. They know that’s where you always go. They knew you were going to see it. I’m sure there are plenty of other words they’d like to share with the rest of us. But they don’t, in the name of civility. I hope security find the bastard who’s responsible forthat.”
Tony appeared particularly rattled, his face pale, his expression stoic. He had always been fairly quiet in comparison with Gabe and Frances, but seeing how upset he was concernedWes.
“They got a picture of it?” Tonyasked.
“Yeah,” Art replied. “The security guard, Joe, asked me if I wanted a copy. I told him no. Don’t want to ever see thatagain.”
The fury in Wes sweltered as his anger intensified. “That spot was ours,” he said through grittedteeth.
“We’re gonna find out who it was,” Frances said. “Just you hear. And then we are gonna glitter-bomb the hell out of thatmotherfucker.”
“I like the way you think,” Gabe said, sitting on the love seat, in his familiar navy-bluejumpsuit.
Art laughed, clearly amused by their solution, but neither of them appeared to be in humorousspirits.
Tony pushed to his feet. “I’m really sorry this happened. I…need to head out, but I’ll check in with you guys later,alright?”
He seemed like he was pressed for time, so no one fought him on it, but as soon as he left, Frances noted, “That was strange. I hope everything’s okay with Tony. That’s beside the point, though. If there’s anything we cando…”
“I appreciate it, really,” Wessaid.
“Yes, it’s nice having the support, but maybe it’s for the best. Maybe we’d been living in our own little bubble a little too long and needed to be reminded that not everyone is okay with what we’redoing.”
“We’ve had that reminder enough throughout our lives and even with the looks we get every day.” Wes couldn’t accept that any good had come from the criminalact.
They chatted some more, venting their frustrations, before Art and Wes parted ways with Frances and Gabe and headed to Wes’s place instead. Wes was glad they’d talked to their friends, since it had given him time to soothe the turbulent fit stirring withinhim.
“Are you okay?” Wes asked as he closed the door behindthem.
“I could ask you the samequestion.”
Wes took a moment. There was something he needed to say, but he didn’t know if it would help or make thingsworse.
“Art, what if I told you I’m confident about who wrotethat?”
The lines between Art’s brows deepened. “I figure Frances is right about KennethMoore.”
“It’s not Kenneth. I know who itis.”
“Then why didn’t you tellsecurity?”
“It’s complicated…the reason that I know. You see, Joseph andI—”
“Joseph Duvall?” Art asked, his eyes wide withsurprise.
Wes nodded. It saddened him to confirm the truth. “One semester in high school, we did do something. We were in the woods, no one else around, and he encouraged us to…messaround.”
“In whatway?”
