Desperate Lovers by Adam Carpenter (good beach reads TXT) 📕

“It’s dinner time,” he said. “You can take the tape to her tomorrow.”

Edgar reluctantly agreed and they continued the short drive to Eldon Court. As they turned onto the street Edgar noted that everything seemed quiet. He also noted that the lights were on upstairs in Number Two Eldon Court, and wondered how long Parker had had to wait before being freed from his ropey imprisonment. The lingering image of Parker, his sexy, hairy body naked and bound, flashed into Edgar’s head, and he quickly forced himself to think of something else.

After parking the car in the garage the two men walked up the path to their house. Edgar stopped in his tracks when he saw broken glass from a small pane in the door resting on the wooden floor. He touched the door handle, which caused the door to slowly creak open and the two men exchanged a panicked look.

“Stay here,” whispered Edgar, grasping the gun in his pocket.

“Like hell I will,” replied Jack. “I’m coming with you.”

Edgar sighed loudly. He knew from past experience that there was no use arguing.

“Alright,” he said, “but stay behind me. They might still be in the house.”

Jack gasped when Edgar pulled the pistol from his pocket.

“Where the hell did you get that gun?” he asked.

“I bought it awhile back,” replied Edgar. “I’ve been dealing with some pretty rough people.”

“You could accidentally shoot yourself…or me!” said Jack, exasperated.

Their dachshund whined at them from beneath the dining room table, obviously unscathed.

“Some watchdog you are,” said Edgar.

Slowly, they made their way up the stairs and searched every room, every closet. In his study, Edgar cursed loudly.

“What’s wrong?” asked Jack, rushing to his side.

“They took my fucking laptop,” said Edgar, fishing keys out of his pocket. He unlocked the file cabinet and was grateful to find the disc containing his manuscript safe and sound.

“Assholes,” he grumbled before replacing the disc and re-locking the cabinet.

A search of the remainder of the house failed to locate the intruder. Whoever had been in the house had left and, apparently, only been interested in the laptop. Edgar phoned the police to report a burglary and, within half an hour, a squad car appeared in the driveway. The officer took Edgar’s statement and gave him a case number so that he could obtain a copy of the police report, which wouldn’t be filed until the next day.

Edgar thanked the officer and, as he locked the front door, made a mental note to have an alarm system installed. While Jack patched up the broken window pane Edgar slipped to the basement and was relieved to see that the box containing the hood and sweat suit he’d worn over to Number Two was still there, undisturbed. He carefully retrieved them from the box and carried them upstairs. Despite the fact that it was a little too warm for a fire in the fireplace, Edgar was determined to get rid of the incriminating evidence.

The next morning, as Jack got ready for work, Edgar phoned the local company who installed home alarm systems. Fortunately, they informed Edgar that they would be able to send out an installer that afternoon. He hung up the phone and busied himself by cleaning the ashes out of the fireplace and smiled when he saw that everything, with the exception of a zipper, had been consumed by the flames. He was tossing the zipper into the garbage can in the kitchen when Jack entered the room.

“They’re coming to install the alarm system this afternoon,” said Edgar, washing the soot from his hands in the sink.

“That’s good,” replied Jack, kissing Edgar on the cheek. “I just hate that we have to do it…I mean Wonderland has always been such a safe, quaint place. I mean, first Parker is held at gunpoint, and now this…”

Edgar nodded his agreement. The trouble was, he couldn’t figure out who would have stolen his laptop. Was it because of his book? Had that been the motive? Or did the theft have to do with this fight for Eldon Court? Surely, Danvers Converse was capable of far worse than stealing a laptop.

“Well,” replied Edgar, “things have certainly changed. I want you to be careful…these are desperate men who will do anything to get what they want.”

“I’m not afraid of Converse or any of his thugs,” replied Jack.

“What I’m afraid of is my partner accidentally shooting himself with his stupid gun.”

“Jack…”

“No, I’m serious,” he said. “I want you to get rid of that thing before you hurt yourself or someone else.”

Edgar stared at the kitchen floor.

“Promise?” Jack pressed.

Edgar slowly nodded.

“I promise,” he agreed.

Jack kissed Edgar tenderly on the lips. He was in so many ways such a little boy, and Jack knew that the gun was nothing more than a new, potentially deadly toy.

“Thank you,” Jack said.

“I’m going to call Rich and LeeAnn about the tape this morning,”

Edgar said, changing the subject. “Get ready for all hell to break loose.”

Edgar was able to reach Rich at the bank and quickly explained their trip to San Francisco and their meeting with George Saunders.

“That’s good,” Rich replied, “but it’s not much to go on.”

“It’s a start,” Edgar argued. “Besides, the nurse said he had never heard of Parker.”

Edgar held the tape recorder to the phone and played the bit of recording where Saunders babbled the name Parker over and over.

“I’m going to call LeeAnn after I hang up with you,” Edgar said.

“I think we’ve got at least an explanation about how they got that deed.”

“Hey, Edgar,” Rich said, “I saw a police car in front of your house last night. Is everything alright?”

“Someone broke in and stole my laptop while we were in San Francisco.”

“That’s weird,” replied Rich. “They didn’t take anything else?”

“No,” said Edgar. “I think it was somebody fishing for information.”

“Well, I hope they turn it up. For now, that’s interesting news about old man Saunders. Listen, I’ve got to go but I’ll call you later.”

Edgar hung up the phone and then quickly dialed LeeAnn’s number. He was disappointed when he was sent immediately to her voice mail, a sure sign that she had her phone off.

“LeeAnn,” he said, “it’s