Joe had left for work in the morning, Alex had told him that he was going to be out of town this weekend. He was still a little annoyed at that, even though it was what Alex always seemed to do. Even after four months it rankled. “Happy?”
“Yep,” Steve said with a grin. “’cause you’re coming over to my place. The weather’s nice, and I’m thinking of having a barbecue.”
“All right, that’s enough,” Joe said, crossing his arms and sitting back. “What game are you playing, Detective Russell?”
“None, really, I just thought…”
“Just thought you’d invite over a guy you only met two days ago, and only because your partner arrested him?”
“You weren’t under arrest, you were…”
“Don’t. Just don’t.” Joe glared, and Steve felt himself wince a little. That surprised him. He’d been glared at by punks, nutcases, politicians, and furious five year old children. None of them had gotten to him, but Joe was coming closer than any of them ever had.
“Fine. Chris is family. You’re dating… Alex. That makes you family too.” He shrugged. “Figure we should get to know you better.”
Joe started to say something, then stopped. He tried again, and on the third go-round he managed. “What?”
“Just because Chris has his head up his ass doesn’t mean everyone else does. Though I guess you’ll have to be more careful than the rest of us whose ass your head’s up.”
“You are a complete and utter bastard,” Joe said without heat. Detective Russell was being honest with him, he could tell that. Truth be told, when he wasn’t dancing around things Joe actually found he liked the man. He was straightforward, crude, didn’t take himself seriously, and didn’t have a problem not taking anyone else seriously either.
“Nope, sorry. My parents were married when I was conceived.”
“To each other?”
Steve raised his glass in salute. “Nicely done. Saturday?”
“Thanks. Okay, fine, I’ll come. What time?”
“Twoish. Bring beer and a swimsuit if you want, we have a pool.”
Joe nodded and smiled. The image of Alex in his white Speedo flashed through his mind. It was a very nice image.
“I hate to leave such wonderful food,” he said, checking his watch, “but I should probably get back and salvage what’s left of the day you so casually trashed.”
“All part of the service,” Steve said as he dropped some cash on the table.
“And I got a smile, too.” Joe dropped back a step and took an appraising look. “Pity about the view.”
“Won’t someone be jealous?”
“Don’t think so. Way too many donuts in those back pockets.”
“You and my wife,” Steve said, shaking his head.
They were partway back to the station when the radio crackled.
“Detective Russell, we have a report of a possible homicide with multiple fatalities at 1453 Washington Terrace, building three. Officers and ambulance en route. Suspect is at large, no report of gunshots.”
Steve debated for a moment. He should make his apologies and toss Joe out of the car. Still, while he didn’t know what sort of fucked up game Chris was playing, Joe was dating a cop, and it was better for him to know what he was getting into. Regulations were meant to be ignored, and Steve decided to do so.
“Dispatch, I’m en route, ETA five minutes.” He flicked off the radio and turned on his lights.
“Sorry about this, Joe – we’re going to have to make a detour.”
* * *
Steve pulled up into the apartment complex driveway. Like a lot of complexes in town, it was a collection of small buildings. These were brick, six apartments in each three-story
“Yep,” Steve said with a grin. “’cause you’re coming over to my place. The weather’s nice, and I’m thinking of having a barbecue.”
“All right, that’s enough,” Joe said, crossing his arms and sitting back. “What game are you playing, Detective Russell?”
“None, really, I just thought…”
“Just thought you’d invite over a guy you only met two days ago, and only because your partner arrested him?”
“You weren’t under arrest, you were…”
“Don’t. Just don’t.” Joe glared, and Steve felt himself wince a little. That surprised him. He’d been glared at by punks, nutcases, politicians, and furious five year old children. None of them had gotten to him, but Joe was coming closer than any of them ever had.
“Fine. Chris is family. You’re dating… Alex. That makes you family too.” He shrugged. “Figure we should get to know you better.”
Joe started to say something, then stopped. He tried again, and on the third go-round he managed. “What?”
“Just because Chris has his head up his ass doesn’t mean everyone else does. Though I guess you’ll have to be more careful than the rest of us whose ass your head’s up.”
“You are a complete and utter bastard,” Joe said without heat. Detective Russell was being honest with him, he could tell that. Truth be told, when he wasn’t dancing around things Joe actually found he liked the man. He was straightforward, crude, didn’t take himself seriously, and didn’t have a problem not taking anyone else seriously either.
“Nope, sorry. My parents were married when I was conceived.”
“To each other?”
Steve raised his glass in salute. “Nicely done. Saturday?”
“Thanks. Okay, fine, I’ll come. What time?”
“Twoish. Bring beer and a swimsuit if you want, we have a pool.”
Joe nodded and smiled. The image of Alex in his white Speedo flashed through his mind. It was a very nice image.
“I hate to leave such wonderful food,” he said, checking his watch, “but I should probably get back and salvage what’s left of the day you so casually trashed.”
“All part of the service,” Steve said as he dropped some cash on the table.
“And I got a smile, too.” Joe dropped back a step and took an appraising look. “Pity about the view.”
“Won’t someone be jealous?”
“Don’t think so. Way too many donuts in those back pockets.”
“You and my wife,” Steve said, shaking his head.
They were partway back to the station when the radio crackled.
“Detective Russell, we have a report of a possible homicide with multiple fatalities at 1453 Washington Terrace, building three. Officers and ambulance en route. Suspect is at large, no report of gunshots.”
Steve debated for a moment. He should make his apologies and toss Joe out of the car. Still, while he didn’t know what sort of fucked up game Chris was playing, Joe was dating a cop, and it was better for him to know what he was getting into. Regulations were meant to be ignored, and Steve decided to do so.
“Dispatch, I’m en route, ETA five minutes.” He flicked off the radio and turned on his lights.
“Sorry about this, Joe – we’re going to have to make a detour.”
* * *
Steve pulled up into the apartment complex driveway. Like a lot of complexes in town, it was a collection of small buildings. These were brick, six apartments in each three-story
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