Chapter 77:  Burning The Midnight Oil

       That same Monday evening, Michael Novotny pulled his vehicle up in front of Ethan’s place and the musician hurriedly got inside with a large sack which he tossed over into the back seat.



“Wow!  That’s a really big bag.  You must have lots of shit to plant at the mansion tonight,” Michael commented enthusiastically but overlooked that the bag was empty.  Ethan and he had been going back and forth to Britin planting evidence that they hoped would make it look like (to Brian) that Justin and Ethan had been frequenting the place together.   “I guess you figure like I figure with Brian and the clan coming out to the mansion, we can’t wait any longer.”  Ethan had text Michael earlier that day and told him about the trip.  “We got to do this thing before Sunday.”



“Huh-huh,” Ethan just heavily sighed in response and then Michael got the car moving.



“You’re unusually quiet,” Michael commented on Ethan’s overall disposition, during the drive to West Virginia.



“I’m just a little tired, I guess.  I told you (already) that today was going to be a busy one at work,” Ethan uttered rather monotonously as he stared out his window intentionally avoiding eye contact with Michael, as well as his eyes seemed to be searching for something. 



“Oh,” Michael moaned.



Ethan remained rather reticent like that the rest of the trip to Britin while Michael did all the talking; and when Michael parked in front Brian’s mansion, Ethan reached in the back seat to get the bag and nearly flew out of the vehicle and ran up to the door appearing terribly anxious for Michael to open up the place up.



Michael had noticed Ethan’s anxiety but he didn’t say anything.   He just walked up next to Ethan and put the keys in the locks and unlocked the place but it was Ethan who pushed the door open and rushed inside.  He then went scurrying about like a madman grabbing things and stuffing it inside the sack.  He starting getting back all the stuff that belonged to him as well as anything inside in the mansion that belonged to Justin which he had swiped (over the last couple of months) and brought there from the married couple’s apartment in the Pitts.



“What the hell are you doing?”  Michael cursed him.   “Why are you running around grabbing shit and stuffing it into that bag… and what do you plan to do with all of it?  I had all that planted in the best places inside the mansion where I thought it would be most…”




“What does it look like I’m doing?  Obviously I collecting all my shit and anything of Justin’s that I brought here,”  Ethan cut him off in mid-sentence as he continued moving throughout the mansion collecting things and Michael stayed on his heels.



“But why?”  Michael whined.



“So there won’t be any evidence whatsoever left here that I ever stepped foot in this place.  That is why.”



“What?  But that‘s the point… the basis of our entire plan.   Unless…”



“Our plan, Michael?   That’s just it!   Sorry to burst your bubble, but there just isn’t going to be an ‘Our Plan’  any longer.  I want OUT!  So, I‘m collecting all my shit and all the stuff of Justin‘s that I snuck inside here and getting it all OUT of here.”



“But why?   Unless yours and his stuff is planted around the mansion, Brian won’t believe….”



“What part of I am bailing, Michael, and it’s OVER that you JUST don’t seem to get?  Your hair-brain scheme is whack!   And, I no longer want to be a part of it.  I’m OUT!”  Ethan declared as he stormed through the mansion, going in and out of any rooms where Michael and he had planted stuff over the last couple of months.  



“Why are you doing this?”  Michael kept pleading with him.  “Put that stuff back, Ethan.”  He ordered as he watched Ethan retrieving everything of his and Justin’s that they had planted there.  The most personal items ranged from soiled underwear (that Ethan had stolen from Justin’s hamper) to used condoms full of jeez he retrieved out of the wastebasket inside Brian and Justin’s bedroom.   Michael had scattered those things around inside the master bedroom and bathroom at Britin to give the impression that Justin and Ethan had been fucking inside there on the regular.



“Why are you taking everything?  It took us months to gather up and plant all that evidence,” Michael continuously whined.



“Fuck you, Michael!   I told you I want out!  And, I’m taking all my shit and anything of Justin’s that I brought here with me!”



“Why!”



“Oh do I really have to explain that to you, Michael?”



“Fuck yes, you do!   You’ve come this far and now you’re chickening out of on me out of the fucking blue like this.  How come, Ethan!”



“Tell me something, Michael!  Where’s all the evidence that you’ve been here?”   Ethan said after it seemed he had gathered up everything inside the mansion; and then he used his cell phone as a flashlight making his way outside to the grounds to retrieve anything that Michael and he had planted out there as well.  Michael followed diligently behind him.



“Huh?  What do you mean?”



“I mean there’s no evidence that you were here, Michael… only me.  You've even taken precautions by wearing those gloves that not even your fingerprints would be found.  You wear them every time you come down here,” Ethan motioned to the gloves that Michael always wear and that moment was no exception.  “I was a real fool to agree to do this with you.  What is there in it for me anyway?  Even if your plan did manage to break Brian and Justin up, what would it benefit me?  Justin would know that he and I never did it here together.   So, he’d want to know how my stuff and some of his things from his apartment got here.”



“Hey, we had an explanation for that.  Don’t ‘you recall!  You would claim someone set you up too.”



“Like he would really buy that, Michael?”



“Doesn’t matter if he buys it or not, Ethan.  I’m still going to compensate you handsomely once Brian and I hook up again.”



“Michael, it’s a stupid plan.  No guarantee that EVEN with Justin out of the picture that Brian would turn to you.”



“He would be so vulnerable, Ethan, that he would actually NEED me then.”



“You mean like he needed you that first time Justin and he was divorced!“  Ethan sardonically mocked.  “Dream on, Michael.  It’s JUST NOT going to happen.  It’s finally over with.  Justin told me how Brian doesn’t want anything to do with you ever again.  I done with the plan.  I don’t care anymore.”  Ethan accentuated as they were now inside the horse stables and he was collecting any evidence that was planted there to make it look like Justin and he had fucked inside the haystack.



“Ethan!  Reconsider… won’t you!  I’ll pay you well.”



“It’s no longer about the money anymore, Michael.   Don’t you get it?  It’s ALL about my safety and freedom now.  Justin will point a finger at me and arson is a serious offense.  I could be trialed and found guilty and spend a whole lot of time in the slammer for this shit.”



“Not if…”



“Shut up, Michael!   It’s over!  Do you know how much trouble I could have been in if you had taken a torch to this place already, and all they found was my shit in here but none of yours!   Fuck!  Brian and Justin owns this place.  They wouldn’t have to explain what their crap’s doing here.  But I sure would have had some explaining to do!   But no one would have found any of YOUR shit here, Michael… only mines.  So, therefore, all the heat would have fallen on MY doorstep.  Your plan is an idiot’s plan.  And, I want out.”



“Well, get out, Ethan!  I don’t need you!  I’ll do this without you.”



“Well, do whatever you want.  But you’re not doing it with my shit still around here.  I‘ve collected it all.  I‘m sure this is the last of it.  And, if you had any real sense you (yourself) would abandon this idiotic plan of yours before it‘s too late.  Like I told you earlier, Justin, Brian, Justin’s grandmother, and their son Gus plan to come down here on Sunday.  So, if you still plan to torch this place, you’ve better do it before then.  Because I don’t think you’re actually deranged enough to send it up in smoke with them inside of it.  Are you?”  Ethan wasn’t quite sure anymore. 



“Well, I’m not driving you back to Pittsburgh.  You find another way home,” Michael scoffed him.



“I most certainly will, Michael.   I don’t need you ANYMORE… not even for that!  In fact, our association with each other… ends now!  Like I said earlier I no longer want any more part in this.”



“Oh?  And when did you grow a conscience, Ethan?”



“Sense someone talked some common sense into me, Michael, but before that even.  And, you can use some too.  Try ditching your obsession with that married couple and get a REAL life for a change… will you!  I most certainly have.”  And, at that, Ethan secured his bag tightly closed and started trotting out of the stables with Michael still bitching at him; and during his endless ranting Michael unconsciously dropped the keys to Britin on the ground outside.  



“Well, that’s everything,” Ethan echoed once more feeling highly relieved when he felt confident that he had collected all his stuff and the things belonging to Justin that he had stolen and brought out there.  He wasn’t sure what he was going to do with Justin’s stuff at that moment but he knew he had to get it off the ranch.



“So, you are just abandoning me just like that, Ethan?”  Michael was still trotting behind him pleasing with him.



“Yeah, Michael.  And, again if you had any good sense you’ll abandon your own self where this pathetic shit‘s concerned; and permanently leave this place tonight and in tact just like you originally found it, and never come back here again.”



“And watching all my handiwork and hard planning get washed down the drain.  No, I don‘t think so, Ian,” Michael purposely referred to him by Brian‘s condescending mispronunciation of his name.  “I like my original plan… watching this place go up in smoke instead.  Well, maybe you’ve done away with that original plan, but I can still cast havoc onto this place.  I‘ll burn it down anyway.  So, Brian and his clan can forget about vacationing here this Sunday.  Instead they can come down here and clean up the ashes instead.”



“You really are just that damn crazy, Michael.  Aren’t you?”



“Oh, fuck you, Ethan.  You were just as willing to burn this place down as I was.  I still don’t know why this sudden change of heart.”



“I got a news flash for you, Michael.  Even from the very start, I was rather skeptical.  You knew that.  I was never really sure if I was going all the way with this.  The planning was actually kind of fun though.   But deep down inside a part of me didn’t know for sure if I could carry this thing out to the bitter end; and I kind of felt you might chicken out too when it came right down to actually (theoretically speaking) drenching the place with kerosene and striking the match.  But seems to me you really are crazy.  I started suspecting for sure that you didn’t have the right amount of marbles in tact, when you showed up and crashed Justin grandfather’s funeral reception and then had the audacity to make a scene too.  How pathetic or sick was that!  Also, Justin told me about that incident when you tried to crash Brian‘s son birthday party as well.”


 
“You’re the only pathetic and sick chicken around here, Ethan.”



“For your sake, Michael.  I hope that that just isn’t true.  You can stand to chicken out too.  Bye now.  Take care of yourself.  And, I hope you DO come to your good senses before it’s too late.”   Ethan then left Michael.   He walked (by himself) up the road a bit farther and stealthy looked about him and then smiled real heartily when he finally located what he had been looking for on the drive down there; and then hurried up to the hidden black Mercedes, which was concealed from Michael’s view at least.



“Hey, Babe.  Get in.”  Chris opened the door on the passenger’s side and invited Ethan inside.   “I said I’ll follow you down here and wait for you.”



“You most certainly did.  And, thanks, Sweetheart.”



“You got it!   Get in already, damn it!”  Chris humorously and impatiently ordered his new boyfriend.



Ethan then hurriedly ran over and got himself and the bag inside Chris’s car.  They kissed passionately and then Chris drove out of there with him; and Michael was back inside the Taylor-Kinney’s mansion [Britin] by then.  He just sat inside a comfortable chair inside the living room and just pouted for a while before he decided to leave.  And, he could care very little about what happens to the place just then.    So when he left, he left everything unlocked and some of the lights on, got inside his car and drove out of there.



However, he was so full of rage that he still had every intention of returning to Britin (very soon) and burn it to the ground just to spite everyone.   And, at that moment he didn’t know whom he was angrier at the most… Brian and Justin, or Ethan.

*****

    “Sure, Justin, no problem, hubby… I can pick up the dinner wine and bread on my way home from the office.  I’m leaving right now.”  Brian assured his husband as he was already packed up and getting into his suit jacket and exiting the office.   He locked his door and  he was heading towards the elevator but heard movement from in back of him and he turned around.



“Ben?”  Brian was quite stunned to see his V.P. of his publishing business coming out of the men’s room and still there at that late hour; and rather concerned that he might be over extending himself (considering his state of health).  “Surprised to see you’re still here, this late.  I don’t suppose YOU are still around here at this hour burning the midnight oil… are you?”



“You can definitely say ‘midnight’ again, Brian.  I do believe I’m going to be here even a few hours pass then.”



“Why!”  Brian asked adamantly.  “I‘m concern, Ben.  I don’t want to see you hurt yourself.“



“Thanks for your concern, Brian.  But I’m not out to hurt myself.  There’s been a slight change in my moving plans; and I just don’t want to leave any work undone when I make my move to San Francisco.”



“Yeah, I suspected that might be the reason,”  Brian accentuated.  “However, it’s hardly worth making yourself sick over, Ben.  Neither is it necessary that you should do this.  Any work you might leave undone after you made your move to California, I can very well have your successor do it, you know.  And, what‘s the change in your moving plans?”



“I’m leaving for San Francisco a lot sooner now.”



“Oh,” Brian looked terribly concerned.  “Why the immediate rush, Ben?  Things haven’t become worse in any way… have they?”



“Don’t worry about me, Boss,” Ben tried soothing him.  “I’m good.  It‘s my aunt back in San Francisco (the one who raised me) who is the one that‘s not doing so well.   She‘s been diagnosed with breast cancer and I want to go down there and be with her as soon as I can.   But still I’m not leaving anything unfinished here before I go.   I just don’t do that to my employers; and in the particular case of you and me…  I consider you a dear friend as well.”



“Ben…“



“Brian.  I’m determined to leave nothing I started undone and there’s nothing you can say to change that.”




“Okay, Ben,” Brian frustratingly huffed and puffed.   “Well, at the least, let me do whatever it is I can to help make it go a little bit smoother and faster for you.  What can I do to help?  I know all my businesses inside out.  I can do almost any of my employees’ jobs.”



“Well, actually, there are a few things I do need to discuss with you as well as get you to sign your John Hancock to as well as stamp your seal of approval; or it JUST won’t get done before I have to leave.  But I’d only ask you to stay if you don’t have to rush off right this instant.   I assumed you were rushing out of here now to get home to Justin and the rest of your family.  It is quite late, Brian.”



“I can spare a few minutes, Ben.  Don’t worry about it.  Justin understands about how unpredictable my business can be.  I’ll just call him and explain everything; and I’ll go back inside my office and get the seal and meet you back at your desk in a minute.”



“But, Boss…”



“Hey, it’s fine.  Now go back to your desk.  I’ll be there in a sec.”  Brian was pretty adamant that Ben allow him to help him out.  



So, Brian went back inside his office and got the seal, afterwards he started to call Justin but his phone rang several times and he was engaged in those conversations and immediately after he concluded those calls, he hurried to Ben’s office with the seal.   He sat comfortably inside the chair facing Ben’s at his desk.  However, the moment they were comfortably seated, Ben’s phone rang.



“Go ahead.  Get that, Ben.  I’ll wait.”



“Thanks, Brian.”



“Ben Bruckner,” the V.P. announced to the caller and then paused and listened.  “Yes…  I will.   Actually, I have just a little to do to finalize that agreement and then I’ll have my boss sign off on the project and I’ll be faxing it tonight actually.  Bye.”  Ben then hung up and then started to readdressed Brian but the phone rang again and he answered that call too, and he made the same promise to that client that he did the first one who had called.



“You really are in a bind there and you DO have your work cut out for you tonight,” Brian intensely acknowledged and already he was coming out of his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves.



“But are you sure, Brian?  Umm… as much as I really do need your assistance to complete some of this stuff, I still don’t want to take up that much of your time so late in the evening like this.  I know you have a family to get home to.”



Ben’s phone rang again even before Brian could get another word in.



Ben checked the caller id but before answering that time, he contemplated on whether or not it was someone he could avoid responding to.  However, Brian could read on his V.P.’s facial expression ‘no such luck’.



“Answer it,” Brian sat patiently and courteously encouraged Ben.



“Hi, Mr. Hibachi,”  Ben greeted the caller and listened intensely.  “Sure, I can.  I’ll have it for you within the hour.  You’re welcome.”   Ben then hang up.



“Like I said.   You really got your work cut out for you and unless I stay behind and help, you‘ll be here until nine a.m. Tuesday morning.  So, let’s get cracking.”



“But did you…?”  Ben, although he had assumed Brian might have called his husband Justin while he was inside his office getting the seal, he thought he’d ask anyway just in case Brian didn't after all, and just might need reminding but his phone rang yet another time distracting him.



“Hey,” Brian instructed his V.P.  “Let me answer and handle that call for you, Ben, while you get started on some of that stuff.  So, you can make those deadlines you promised the clients and still get out of here and get some sleep before it all starts up again in the morning.  I‘ll take care of this client and  join you in a minute.”



“Thanks, Brian.  I gravely appreciate that.”



“You’re welcome,” Brian said and then he figured he’ll take that call, and by then he was quickly reminded that he had forgotten to call Justin; and he thought he’d call him immediately after that call ended.  



However, it didn’t work out that way.   Because suddenly it was like a madhouse with the phones.   It was like all over the globe word got out that Ben was leaving and everyone of his overseas clients (ALL) picked that particular moment to call and make nearly impossible demands of the V.P.

   

Every time Brian picked Ben’s phone up and put it back down again another one came immediately through.  It just rang again and again and again; and each time Brian answered while Ben worked.  And, after the phones finally died down, Brian worked industriously next to Ben to get all that work done and meet all those overly demanding requests and stringent deadlines.


*****


    “Brian.  Thanks for everything,”  Ben said as they had been there for a few hours and most of the work at least enough of it was completed that Ben felt he could accomplish the rest without imposing any further on his boss and devoted friend.   “But, I can tackle the rest of this on my own and still make it out of here and get a decent amount of sleep before I‘m back at it again in the morning.   You better get on home now to Justin and the rest of your clan,” Ben courteously stated as the V.P. continued working but was trying to order the CEO out of there. 



“Fuck!”  Brian frustratingly and violently slapped himself across the forehead so hard that it actually stung him.




“What is it?”  Ben asked as he finally looked up from his diminishing pile of assignments.




“I forgot to call Justin.  He’s going to be so mad, that he’s likely to have my head chopped off and served up on a platter to our next door neighbor’s dog, and still he will chew me a new one.”




“Wow!  Brian!  I’m sorry.   It’s all my fault; and I had started to remind you to call your spouse but I got distracted.  Sorry.”




“Don’t blame yourself, Ben,” Brian said as he got up, rolled his sleeves back down, and then put on his suit jacket.  “He’s my husband.  It was my responsibility to remember to call him… not yours.  I was the one who fucked up… not you.  I better call him now.”  



However, just Brian’s fucking luck though:  his cell rang before he could make the call.  And, he assumed it was Justin but was terribly shocked to see whom he discovered it was when he looked at the display. 



“Troy?  What are you doing calling me this time of night?”




“I hate to disturb you this late in the evening, Mr. Taylor-Kinney," Brian's ranch hand immediately apologized, "And I was debating rather I should call you now or first thing in the morning since it IS so late.”




“Never too late in the evening for me, Troy.   But I assumed if you called me this late, it must be quite important.   So what’s the matter?”




“It’s your ranch in West Virginia.”
 



“What about it?”  Brian’s heart started beating sporadically at just the thought that something had gone so seriously wrong at Britin (the place where Justin and he had concluded their honeymoon) that his ranch hand felt the need to call him so late.   It would pang him gravely if something ever happened to the place and the things of sentimental value inside of it, especially so if the love-blanket and Justin’s paintings were destroyed.  [Brian still wasn’t aware that Justin had taken the blanket from Britin]



“I was just riding out here to set up for your stay this Sunday, but when I got there I discovered the door unlock and several lights on at the mansion."  



 
“And?”




“It seems there was a break in.”




“What!  And, what was the outcome?  What was stolen?  None of my spouse‘s paintings… I hope!  And, are you okay?  You didn‘t run into the robbers… did you?  They weren‘t still there when you arrived… I hope not?”




“I’m fine, Mr. Taylor-Kinney; and ‘yes’ they were all gone by the time I arrived.  That’s the strange thing though, sir.   It doesn’t seem like anything at all was stolen.  In fact, even weirder than that…”



“What else is so strange, Troy?”



“It kind of looks like there might've been squatters here rather than robbers; someone or maybe even a couple people have been living here.”



“What?”




“I mean someone removed the dust sheets from all the furniture; and there are used and unwashed dishes inside the kitchen, and the master bedroom looks well lived in, as well as someone’s been sleeping in there on regular.  A few things inside the mansion has been moved around but still it doesn’t appear like anyone took anything or vandalized the place though.   And, although the front door was unlocked it didn’t’ seem like someone forced the locks.  It almost appeared like the culprit used a key to get inside and made himself quite comfortable once he got in.”



“Hmm, that is quite strange,” Brian agreed.   “So are you absolutely sure there was no damage to the property or anything was stolen?”



“Well, I haven’t done an extensive inventory of the exterior or interior or the grounds but from a quick glance, it’s pretty much like I said earlier, there doesn’t seem to be any major damage or theft occurred here.   But if you like me to hang out here and do a more complete assessment and inventory of…”



“No.  It’s pretty late, Troy.   So  for now just call and report the break in to the police.  But I want you to get out of there as soon as you are done giving them your statement because I don’t want you to be there in the event the intruder or intruders should come back tonight.   But let’s (you and me) meet around 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning at the property.”



“Okay, Mr. Taylor-Kinney.  I’ll take care of all that and I’ll see you at 6:30 a.m. sharp tomorrow.”



“Thanks Troy; and stay safe.”



“Will do, Mr. Taylor-Kinney; Bye.”



“Bye.”  Brian disconnected.



“Hey, I couldn’t help but overhear… is everything alright though, Bri?”  Ben asked.



“Everything’s just might be fine, Ben.  It’s just that a property I own in West Virginia might have been broken into but the man who oversees the place for me says it doesn’t seem that any serious vandalism or theft happened.  However, we won’t know for sure what the extent of damage or theft was really until sometime tomorrow when we do a complete assessment of the property.“ 



Ben then got out of his chair and walked over to Brian; but his boss had already started dialing Justin’s number.  Ben stood quietly next to him.



“What is it Ben?”  Brian asked while he waited an unusually long time for his husband to answer his cell but he kept incessantly pressing the redial button trying to get through.




“Just want to say a proper thank you to you, Brian.”



“Sure,” Brian smiled pleasantly at him.



“Don’t take this the wrong way, Boss, but did I ever tell you I love you,” Ben said and then the leaned in pretty close to exchange a small pecker on the lips with Brian.



They gently kissed and when their lips parted Brian said it back to Ben.  “I love you too.”



“Hello,” Justin answered the phone right then and wondered to whom in hell was Brian saying ‘I love you too‘.  He certainly knew it wasn‘t him that he was talking too.   And, like usual, the first thought to come to his mind was ‘Harold’.



“Umm, Justin,” Brian softly murmured.



“Have you been in an accident, Brian, and lain up somewhere half dead?”  Justin tried to keep his voice monotone but Brian could easily detect the high levels of anger in it.  “You certainly can’t claim that you are visiting with your son and have fallen the fucking sleep again inside his bed… Gus is here with me now.   So, what’s your excuse this time!   Are you in a hospital bed somewhere fighting for your life or just lain up in some other kind of bed for a totally different reason!”  Justin accused.



“Not,” Brian moaned.



Justin was so fed up that moment, that he flew instantly off his rocker, dropped the call and shut off his cell he was so furious with his spouse.  But not before he ranted,  “Brian!  Get your goddamned ass home!   Now!  Goddamn it!”

"Crap!  He's really fucking angry," Brian subtly said to Ben.


Then Justin hurried into the bedroom, got naked and stretched out across the bed pouting angrily while waiting for Brian to return home to him; and when he does he’d have something waiting for him! 



“I hope you enjoyed whatever Harold might’ve given you tonight, Brian," Justin mumbled out loud to hmself.  "Because you’re certainly going to get yours tonight from me when you get back here!”  He mumbled to himself.