“Th-they s-said someone will be here soon.”
“Good. Go let them in, and tell them I’m up here.”
“O-okay.”
The faint wail of sirens could be heard already, and giving him a wide berth, the man sprinted away and ran down the stairs. Minutes later, red lights flashed against windows, and Win heard the murmurs of the officers below. Footsteps trod heavily on the stairs, and only a moment passed before two officers entered the bedroom. One was an older light-skinned Black female, and the other a younger white male.
“Detective Rogers?” The female officer made eye contact with him. “Officer Jones with the Fifty-Second.”
“Officers. I was driving home and watched this guy enter through the front window. I followed him upstairs. I live in the house next door.” At those words, his neighbor’s jaw dropped and shock filled those big eyes. “Book him and read him his rights. I’ll file my report later.”
“Thanks, Detective.” The male officer bent and grabbed the perp by the elbow, yanking him upward. “Let’s go, buddy.”
“Fuck you. I didn’t do nuthin’.”
“You talk to your mother with that mouth? C’mon. Tell your sad story to the judge.” The officers pulled the protesting man out of the bedroom and down the steps, leaving Win alone with the homeowner, a man Win figured to be his age or slightly younger.
“Not the most auspicious circumstances to meet each other, b-but thank you. I was planning on fixing the window this weekend. I’m Elliot Hansen.”
“You knew it was broken and you let it sit? That’s an open invitation to the bad guys.” Frustrated and annoyed by Hansen’s foolishness, he pushed his hand through his hair. “Not a smart move.”
“I said I was going to get it fixed,” Hansen responded hotly, eyes skeptical. “You’re really a detective? You don’t look like one.”
“Detective Winston Rogers. And have you met a lot of detectives in your life? Should I run a warrant check on you?” Win smirked, enjoying the back-and-forth despite the late hour. He appreciated the attitude, rather than having to console a freaked-out victim. That had never been his strong suit. His earlier exhaustion had vanished, leaving him curiously on edge.
Hansen’s eyes bugged out. “No. Of course not. Are you crazy?”
“I’m just teasing. You look like a nice guy.” He leaned against the bedpost, his focus on Elliot. A very nice guy, in fact, with nicely muscled legs, big, blue, soulful eyes, and a sweet, almost innocent air about him. Win blinked, annoyed with himself. This was an investigation, not a date. What the hell was wrong with him?
Hansen’s lips pressed together. “Yeah. That’s me. Always the nice guy.”
Something seemed off to Win, and then he remembered. “You’re alone? I thought someone else lived here.” On one of the rare times he’d left later in the day, knowing the investigation would run well into the night, Win recalled spotting a long-haired man entering the house. His blond hair flowed past his shoulders, so definitely not Elliot Hansen, who wore his dark, wavy hair short.
“Uh, yeah. My boyfriend used to, but we broke up. He moved out almost six months ago.”
And judging by the downward slump of his shoulders and the droop of his soft mouth, it hadn’t been Elliot’s idea. Win gentled his approach.
“Can you look around and see if you’re missing anything? I was only a few steps behind him, but these guys know how to grab stuff in a hot second.” Win pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and waited, hoping Hansen wouldn’t get all emotional.
“Okay.” He walked over to the dresser by the entrance. “Nothing’s missing here. I-I’ll be right back.” Elliot ran out, and Win heard a door close and the sound of water running in the master bathroom. He grinned to himself, thinking it was kind of cute that Elliot was embarrassed to pee with him within earshot and had to run the water to cover the sound.
Left alone, Win decided to have a little look around. On the nightstand sat an old digital clock radio, along with several candles, a watch, and a piece of paper with some writing scribbled on it. Win’s gaze slid over it…and he stopped, intrigued.
Elliot Hansen’s Perfect Man
He shouldn’t read it.
Really.
He picked up the paper.
Hung like a horse, huh?
Well, now. Isn’t that interesting?
With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure Elliot was still in the bathroom, Win read through the list. People’s secret lives or fantasies were most often different than who they were in real life, and the first group in the list didn’t jive with the second, but who knew what Hansen was thinking when he wrote it. Besides, there were lines through all the ones at the top. Maybe he had a change of heart, or maybe it was meant as a joke. Win could relate to the second group.
The toilet flushed, and not wishing to get caught reading Hansen’s personal thoughts, Win set it where he’d found it and retreated to the opposite side of the room. Hansen returned, in a pair of pajama pants, his face freshly washed, looking nervous and a little flustered. He did a rapid circuit of the room.
“Sorry. So yeah, it doesn’t look like he took anything. You got him before he had a chance. Th-thanks a lot. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. Here to protect and serve, as the NYPD always says.”
“Well, yeah, but knowing you live next door makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad.” He gave Hansen a slow grin that sent a red flush up the man’s neck. “And how about I start making you feel even better right away?”
