Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction

CHAPTER 36: PROTECTION

 

FORBES AND MUSTER

 

OUTSIDE MAGNUS FORBES’S OFFICE

 

CELESTE

 

I can’t believe what I have just recorded!  One of the aspects of my job, as the PA to Magnus, is discretion but there is no way in fuck that Liberty Avenue is not hearing about this!  Brian Kinney isn’t my type but he’s a good man, does good things for us and he’s found happiness that he deserves.

 

No, these two are going to find out what it feels like to really have Liberty Avenue protect their own!

 

They walk out looking furious muttering to themselves.  I hear the word diner and know what I need to do.

 

“What shall we do with this recording Magnus?”  I poke my head round the door.

 

“As soon as we get a crime number we give it to their lawyers.  Seriously, Celeste you should’ve seen how pleased they looked about what they had done!  Right let me get this reported.”

 

BRITIN

 

DRIVEWAY

 

JUSTIN

 

I stand up exasperated and glower at a smirking Brian.  “Will you stop checking out my ass and help me lay the tarp that you’ve insisted we lay down so Russell can get back to work?”

 

He shakes his head.  “I don’t do manual prep.  Russell can you help him out please?  But make sure he has his back to me at all times?”

 

Russell just laughs and finally the tarp is down and he’s on his way.

 

I look at Oliver and the notes that Slick sent with him and feel his arms come round me.

 

“We’ll work on it…I mean him together alright?”  He whispers in my ear.

 

“Yeah that would be nice.”  I nod and cover his hands with mine.  “Come on my big grease monkey let’s see what we need to do next.”

 

DINER

 

BRANDON

 

As soon as they sit down my blood boils.  They are sitting there as if they’ve not tried to ruin lives!  Kiki comes over with coffee.

 

“No Debs today?”  I ask.

 

“Yeah but she’s out back.  Doing admin.  Why?”

 

“Can I have a word, do you think?  The Mother of Liberty Avenue deserves a heads up.”

 

Kiki frowns but nods and I go to see mom.  Steeling myself, I knock on the door and then poke my head in.

 

OFFICE

 

DEBS

 

“Hey Brandon what you doing here?”  She grins.  “Saving me from admin hell I hope?”

 

He sighs and takes a seat.  “You might want to go back there when I’ve finished saying what I have to tell you.”

 

DINER

 

MICHAEL

 

“Can you believe that bullshit your lawyer was coming out with earlier?  Clearly he needs to go back to law school!  Kiki can we have some service!”

 

She scowls at me and reluctantly approaches.  “What will you have?”

 

“Since service with a smile is out of the question, I’ll have…”

 

“Michael Novotny and Lindsay Peterson?”  I look up and see Carl.

 

“You know who we are Carl, what do you want?”  I scowl.

 

“I’m here in my official capacity.  Michael Novotny and Lindsay Peterson, I’m here to arrest you for aiding and abetting Craig Taylor in the harassment of Justin Taylor…”

 

“What? Are you kidding me?!”  Lindsay demands.

 

“Officer Crawford, can you take Mr Novotny; I’ll take Ms Peterson.”

 

Not a sound is heard in the diner.

 

“Carl?”  Mother’s voice breaks into the silence. He turns to look at her.

 

“Sorry Debs…”

 

“Do what you need to do.”  She sighs.  “How could you two do that?  How could you let him know where he…”

 

“Mother!   Are you serious?!  This is bullshit!  Now take those handcuffs away from me. No stop it!”  I yell.

 

Carl glowers at me.  “Michael!  Unless you want to add resisting arrest to your rap sheet, I suggest you let us do our jobs!”

 

Melanie takes that moment to arrive with Jenny and Gus. She takes in the situation.  “What’s going on?”

 

“Kids come back here with me?”  Mother calls out and they head quickly towards her.

 

“Mel!  Do something?” I demand, as the officer starts to pull me out of the diner followed by Carl with Lindsay.

 

“Wait Carl!”  She calls out as we head to the squad car. I heave a breath of relief.   “Which precinct are you taking them to?”

 

“57th.”  He replies.

 

“Okay thanks.”  She turns back to the diner.

 

“Mel!”  Lindsay screams after her but she doesn’t turn round.

 

“Come on sir, you’re in this car.”

 

BRITIN – EARLY EVENING

 

MASTER BATHROOM

 

BRIAN

 

“So this thing with Oliver?”  I rinse the shampoo out gently.  “You want to tell me about it?”

 

“I thought you knew.”  He looks up at me in surprise.

 

“Nope, I just wanted to shut Michael up.”

 

“Oh!  In that case, can I keep it a surprise then?”

 

I huff out a breath.  “Are you sure I will like it?”  I lick his neck, he tastes of honey.

 

“Yes I’m sure.”

 

I watch him rest his feet on the taps and wiggle his toes and I put mine alongside his.  “You have pretty feet, I mean for a guy.”

 

“You have elegant feet, mine are kinda stubby.”

 

“But the foot vs dick theory is correct.  For both of us.”  I snicker.

 

“Are you trying to tell me that I’m stubby dicked?”  He’s indignant and on the verge of getting up when I pull him back down.

 

“No, I think you’re about an inch shorter than me but you’re definitely wider.”

 

He turns to face me.  “I am?”

 

I nod and kiss him softly.  “And you curve just right. It’s like you were made just for me.”

 

He beams his sunshine smile and settles back against my chest.

 

TAYLOR ELECTRONICS – LATE TUESDAY MORNING

 

CRAIG

 

I feel like shit and most likely smell like shit but I had to come back to the office so that I could get my stuff and get home.  I’m relieved to find Shirley’s desk unoccupied and quickly grab my stuff and was about to head out when I hear her voice.

 

“Mr Taylor is everything okay?  It’s just when you didn’t come back yesterday…”

 

“Yes, thank you, everything’s fine.  I will be at home for the rest of the day and most likely tomorrow.”

 

“Okay Mr Taylor take care.”  She smiles at me but I do see her wrinkle her nose.

 

SHIRLEY

 

That man stinks to high heaven!  I’m not sure where he’s been but he should never go back there again.  As soon as he leaves the store, my desk is surrounded by concerned colleagues.

 

“So what do you think happened?”  One asks.

 

“Did you smell him?”  Another asks in disgust.

 

“I think we should all go back to our desks and actually earn our wage.  That’s what Mr Taylor pays us for after all.”

 

I roll my eyes and look at Ethan Gold with barely concealed contempt.  He’s the worst kind of employee…a sycophant with deluded aspirations.  If Taylor told him to jump off a cliff, he’d ask which one just to make sure he got his death right!

 

“Thank you Ethan.  While I appreciate your point, don’t tell me you’re not interested in what’s happened?”

 

He curls his lip at me.  “It’s none of our business and I’m sure Mr Taylor won’t look too kindly on those who gossip.”

 

“And how would he hear about that Mr TT?”  Someone asks.

 

I hide my smirk in my cup of coffee as everyone filters away from my desk, some snickering.  Everyone except him.  I try to ignore him but he starts to tap his fingers on my desk.

 

“For someone who is insisting that we go back to work, you are still here.”

 

“Why did he call me Mr TT?”

 

“I’m sure I don’t know.  Now, I have some personal work to do for Mr Taylor, so…”

 

“You do realise that I’m virtually his right hand man in this store?”  He smiles smugly.

 

“If it helps your day go faster to believe that then carry on.  Now as you said back to work.”

 

I stand and usher him out closing the door firmly behind him and think what a deluded ass Mr Tattle Tale is!

 

BRITIN – WEDNESDAY MORNING

 

KITCHEN

 

JUSTIN

 

Brian and I just stare at Mel and Debs.  “They arrested them?”  I repeat.

 

“Yes, Carl came to the diner with another officer and did it.”  Debs starts to cook, her coping mechanism.  “And of course Jenny and Gus came in just as the cuffs were going on.”

 

“They were fine with it once we explained what happened.”  Mel reassures us.

 

“So what happens now?”  Brian is pacing.  “Was Slick okay? She wasn’t hurt at all?”

 

“No, she’s fine.  According to Carl, she took him by surprise by standing up to him. Don’t think he’s used to that.”  Mel tell us.

 

I shake my head.  “No he’s not. He’s always had ‘yes’ women…oh shit we need to let my mom know!”

 

“Already done, I called her last night.  And yes I told her to tell Daphne too.”

 

“So they hate me that much?”  I start to feel sick to my stomach. No matter what I think about a person I wouldn’t put them in danger.

 

“Which brings us to the other reason we’re here.  I think it’s a good idea that you get restraining orders raised against them two for both of you and your father and I’ve advised Slick to do the same.”

 

“Good idea Mel.  I’ll get my lawyer on it right now.  Wait, what about Gus and Jenny? Do you think they should move in here?”

 

“No.  They are fine where they are.  But this does strengthen the cases against them.”

 

“Them?”  We both echo.

 

“Yes, I’m going to petition for Michael to be stripped of his parental rights and any visits between them and the children to be supervised at a neutral location, if they are granted at all.”

 

“Debs?”  I touch her arm as she checks the pot.  “How you holding up?”

 

“Slick gave me the recipe for the beef bone broth for the boys and I’ve made about 5 litres of it…”

 

As she starts to cry, Brian pulls her into his arms.  He holds out his hand and we give her the support she needs.

 

OUTSIDE 57TH PRECINCT

 

MICHAEL

 

We have been trying to hail a cab for the last half an hour and despite the lights being on, nobody is stopping.

 

“This is ridiculous!”  Lindsay storms and paces.  “I just want to get home and have a bath and go to bed.”

 

Carl comes out.  “Still here I see.”

 

“We’re trying to hail a cab but…”

 

“I’ll drop you off.”  He heads to the lot.  “You coming or not?”

 

We follow him quickly and the drive back is made in silence.

 

“Piece of advice, lay low and don’t cause any more trouble than you need to. In fact, have your food delivered.”

 

“We’ll take that under advisement.”  I rebuke him and slam his car door hard.

 

I watch him drive away.  “What a fucking rent a dick he is.”  

 

“Come on let’s get inside.”

 

I sigh as I look at the new sign above the door, Phoenix Rising Comics…Downtown.

 

“Well she didn’t waste any fucking time, did she?!”  I gripe

 

“Michael, come on let’s go.”

 

We trudge round the corner only to be faced with two gentlemen working on the door.

 

“What’s going on here?”  I demand.

 

“By order of the landlord we’re changing the locks.”

 

“Like fuck you are!”  Lindsay snaps.  “We have our stuff in there.  Let me pass!”

 

“You’ll have to take it up with the landlord.  Locks are done.  Good night.”

 

We stare at their retreating backs in shock.

 

“Okay.  What the fuck do we do now?”  I snap.

 

“Liberty Avenue Hotel.  We go to Liberty Avenue Hotel.”  Lindsay decides and we head in that direction.

 

LIBERTY AVENUE HOTEL

 

RECEPTION

 

“No vacancies.”

 

“But it says there are vacancies outside.”  I point out.

 

She reaches under the desk.  “Meant to switch that off.”

 

We trudge outside.  “Now what?”  Lindsay asks.

 

“Let’s go to the diner and get something to eat and then go home with mother.”

 

As we walk down to the diner, I notice people giving us funny looks.  When we walk in, there is silence.

 

“What are you all staring at?”  I look round nobody says a word.  “It was all a big misunderstanding, it will be cleared up in…”

 

“You’re both barred from here.”  Kiki stops us from heading any further.

 

“Barred?”  I scoff.  “Mother would never allow that?”

 

Kiki gets in my face.  “She doesn’t have a choice; management reserves the right to refuse service.  You’re barred.”

 

“Will you two just get out and don’t make a bigger scene than you already have.”  Emmett snaps.

 

“Emmett, keep the fuck out of this!”  I snarl.

 

“Since I own the diner I won’t keep the fuck out of it!”  Emmett’s voice is hard and cold.

 

“Your diner?”  Lindsay gasps and then looks at me, but I’m in shock.

 

“Yes, mine!  And I reserve the right to serve who the fuck I please in it.  The only reason you were allowed in here before was because of Debs and now she’s had enough, so get the fuck out of my diner!”

 

 

 

You must login (register) to review.