Joshua sighed. “Oh, I suppose in her mind there are a lot of things to love. Mainly what she loves is the man shewantshim to be. The fact that he’s incapable of becoming that man has yet to be made clear to her.”
“Yeah?” Colin growled out. “My only hope is that it’s not made clear to her on the day he beats her to fuckingdeath!”
“Yeah. That’s my hope too.” Joshua grimaced and squirmed in his seat. “Let’s talk about something else. I’m losing my appetite.”
“Fine by me,” Colin replied. “But before that happens, I’m going to say this once more: Do not gonearthis guy, Josh! He’s dangerous.”
“Believe me, I have no intention of going near him.” He laid his hand on Colin’s arm. “How was your day? Better than mine I hope.”
Colin grimaced. “Not much better. We’re trying to talk the university into setting a curfew until this whole abduction thing is solved and getting nowhere. Why the hell don’t theylisten?It’s just like before ‘Unite the Right’. Ignoring law enforcement’s advice.”
“You expected something different maybe?”
Colin scoffed. “Yeah. Silly me.”
* * *
The following morning,Joshua stepped off the porch with Colin right behind him. In their driveway Joshua turned and embraced his husband. “Have a great day, babe. I hope you get good news on the curfew.”
Colin nodded, then frowned and hitched in a quick breath. He grabbed Joshua’s shoulders and eased him to one side then stalked past him to Joshua’s car. He stood staring for a moment, then turned to Joshua “Get me a clear plastic bag from the house and a paper towel. A clean one!”
“Why? What is it?”
“Honey, just DO it!”
Joshua bolted to the house and returned moments later with the items Colin requested. He handed both to his husband and watched while Colin used the paper towel to carefully pick up an item from the hood of his car and drop it into the clear plastic bag.
“Goddammit!” he spat out, clutching the bag in a tight fist.
“What is it?” Joshua asked. He moved to Colin’s side and grabbed his arm. “Colin, what is it?” Colin turned to him and opened his hand. In the center of his palm, clearly visible through the clear plastic lay a bullet.
“That was on mycar?” Joshua exclaimed. He lifted his face to meet Colin’s eyes, his own wide with stunned surprise. But Colin spun away and retraced his steps to the car. He shoved the plastic bag into his jacket pocket, then examined the hood and the ground beside the vehicle. Seeing nothing, he walked to the street peering down at the ground as he moved then inched his way along the road scrutinizing the gravel surface from every direction and angle.
Joshua stood where Colin had left him. He felt the tightness in his chest that often signaled a panic attack and drew in deep, calming breaths, watching as his husband examined the road in front of their home. He heard Colin hiss out a frustrated breath. “I can’t see anything unusual,” he said, moving back to where Joshua waited. “For sure nothing the cops could use.”
Joshua leaned forward into his embrace, grateful to feel Colin’s arms tighten around him. “Colin, who d’you think...”
“Are youkidding?There’s no mystery here, Josh.”
“You think it wasDale?”
“Iknowit was Dale!” Colin replied, his voice harsh in the early morning air. “He checked Chrissy’s phone and saw the clinic number. To him, that meansyou!”
“Should we report this?”
“Baby, I’m not sure what we’d say,” Colin replied. “We have no proof. All we’ve got is our own suspicions.” He tipped Joshua’s face to his and kissed him. “And while that’s good enough to convinceme,” he said, “I doubt it would convince the police.” He blew out a noisy breath. “I wonder if I should pay this asshole a little visit.” He stared past Joshua’s shoulder toward the hills beyond, brows furrowed in thought. “Shake him up a little. Let him know we’re on to him.”
“Colin, no!” Joshua protested, grabbing his arm. “You can’t! He’d take it out on her. I don’t want to be responsible for...” Joshua swallowed hard and gripped Colin’s arm tighter. “Honey, please don’t.”
Colin nodded then frowned, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m going to take the bullet to campus police. I can’t file any charges, but I can alert the guys and get it put in evidence lockup.” He looked up and slid his thumb across Joshua’s arched cheekbone. “Report this to Miranda,” he said. “Do it as soon as you get to work.”
Joshua nodded. “I will.” He made a slight motion toward his car, but Colin grabbed his arm.
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” He turned Joshua around and walked him to his own car. “Get in, he said. “I’m taking you to work.”
“D’you really think...”
“Yes, I do,” Colin interrupted. “Call me when you’re ready to leave at the end of the day, and I’ll come and get you. You’re not going to work by yourself for a few days. I don’t want you walking to or from that parking lot alone.” He unlocked his car, and they both climbed in.
