Before You

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR





Roth found Adam’s stark apartment empty and unlocked. If the place looked barren before, it looked desolate now. Not even his scent lingered.



He stalked to the main office, yanked open the door and barked at the man sitting behind the worn desk. “Unit nineteen. When did he vacate?”



“S-sometime early this morning.”



“You see him?”



“No. If he owes you money, he left another month’s rent,” the guy verbally scrambled, “I-I could pay you.”



Roth snarled, “I don’t want fucking money. I want answers. Did he say where he intended to go?” He already knew the answer, but had to ask.



The guy shook his head frantically. “Just put the money, parking tag and keys in through the mail slot envelope and vanished.”



Thwarted, he walked out the door and across the lot to his car, dialing Adam’s cell as he went. His heart thumped painfully as he waited. An obnoxiously cheerful little tone played prior to a recording. “The pre-paid wireless number you have dialed is invalid.”



He hit the key chain mounted remote to disarm the car’s security system. Scrolling for Nelson’s cell number, he located it and punched ‘send’.



“Roth, after our recent conversations, I dug up everything I could about Adam Reed/Taggart. Every archived article and paper trail about his family.”



“Yeah, well, he found out someone was onto him and bolted.” Climbing behind the wheel, he said, “I want my man back, Nelson. Talk to me.”



“I called in some favors. His dad may not have been so squeaky clean.”



Roth closed the car door and his eyes. “Spill.”



“Seems he might have had an affair with a Stephanie Rhimes, a coroner. Buddy of mine found significant connections between her and one of the sons of the organized crime heads. Looks she might have been fucking him and on the take for ignoring certain COD’s in her lab.”



Sick at the implications, Roth opened his eyes. “Just help me find him, Nelson. Before they do.”







Joseph and Roth began sleeping together in the master bedroom. Not sleeping, really. More like laying awake together, sharing fears.



Nathan returned faster than expected. Roth and Joseph went to meet him at the same airfield. He wore boots, black combats and a black tank showcasing his massive musculature, and had a gauze bandage over his left shoulder. Joseph reached up to his much taller lover. “You’re hurt.”



Voice filled with tenderness, he murmured, “I’m not hurt. I’m home.”







Weeks passed. Roth’s heart ached. As a doctor, he knew the organ did not account for emotion. However, it fucking felt like it.



The land line rang in the night. Roth rolled from bed, grabbing the handset as he saw the caller ID. “Hello?”



“Roth, hey.”



“Goddamn you, Adam! Tell me you love me and leave?” In the nighttime lull, this encounter seemed surreal.



“I can’t stay on. The people that killed my family know about me now.”



“I can protect you, baby.” He felt so desperate he ached. “Come home. Or tell me where you are. Doesn’t matter. I’ll come get you.”



“Won’t risk it. Just had to hear your voice.”



“You told me you loved me.” His soul felt raw and vulnerable.



“I do, Roth. Don’t try calling this number. I’m tossing it as soon as I hang up.”



“You can’t ask me to accept this.” Tears dripped onto his bare body. His lungs worked like he’d just sprinted. “Please. I’m begging.”



“I don’t have any choice.”



“You’ve got fucking choices!”



“I won’t call again. Goodbye, sweetheart. “



“Don’t go - ” The dial tone reverberated in his ear. He surrendered to his emotions.







Nathan used his contacts to seek any sign or trail to follow. Roth had no idea what to do. He worked at the shelter, maintained his house and ignored the real world. Swearing Nelson to silence, he decided to not to involve and upset his family. Joseph tried mightily to console him, cooking and fussing over him like a mother hen.



Nelson seached.



Roth agonized.



Adam had vanished.





The next time the phone rang in the middle of the night, Roth almost suffered a coronary. He had the handset in his grip before his feet fully hit the ground. Seeing Nelson’s number, he swiped his hand over his face. “Yeah? Mom and Dad okay?”



“Sorry for the hour, Roth. I’ve sent you a link. Check it. It’s real time.”



“Hold on.” He dropped the phone on the bed, dragged on gi pants, and then picked it up, saying, “Back. Getting my laptop.” He ached desperately to hope. The universe couldn’t rob him twice. Striding out into the living room, he picked up the computer and sat on the couch. After a moment, it woke from hibernation. He tapped the connect key for his wireless router and his email came on screen. Hands shaking, he opened the missive from Nelson. It held a hyperlink. “Clicking.”



“I had a hunch and asked a friend to monitor shelters. A place in Chicago had some trouble with gangs and the patron had hidden cameras installed. My buddy happens to work for the private firm keeping eyes on for the contract. ”



Roth waited as the site loaded. A window came up, black and white, grainy, yet so clearly, he saw Adam breaking up a fight between two men. “That’s my baby, Nelson. I owe you big. Can you scramble the GD chopper without my family knowing?” He stared at his lover’s face on the screen.



“Think so. If you want a guarantee, and will foot the bill, I can have a private charter collect us.”



“Make it happen. Let me give you the info from my American Express.”