Love Lies Bleeding by Remmy Duchene (carter reed txt) 📕

everyone there knew what happened between himself and Leo.

"You're Anderson Williams, right?"

Anderson removed his sun glasses and eyed the man now standing beside him. "You were at my dad's crime scene."

"Daniel Fergis. I'm Leo's partner."

"Oh, right. Is he here?"

Daniel nodded and motioned over his shoulder. "Head on down that hall and go to the door with the number two on it. I'll tell him you're here."

"Thanks."

He glanced back at Daniel for a moment before continuing past a set of desks.

"You here to see Kim?" a voice asked. Anderson stopped to address the speaker.

"Yeah. I was told to go to room two?"

"Follow me."

As he walked down the corridor past desks of other cops with pictures of families they are slowly losing to long hours at work, telephones ringing, and someone yelling they 'didn't mean to kill her' Anderson thought of what he was going to say to Leo. What do you say to someone after you made love to them only a few hours before? This was new to him—sleeping with someone before he had a clear picture in his head of where the relationship was going. He took a deep breath when the officer stopped and opened a door. He stepped aside to allow Anderson into the room. He stepped in and looked at Leo, who was hunched over a desk cluttered with papers, photos, and coffee cups. Anderson said nothing. Seeing Leo again sent his body into overdrive and left him speechless. He forced himself to speak after licking his suddenly-dried lips. Anderson stepped forward and Leo looked up from his work. The look in his eyes wasn't something Anderson was prepared for. He wasn't prepared for the unfamiliar coldness that dwelled in the cop's eyes. That told Anderson to keep his mouth shut for Leo had already forgotten everything that happened between them.

"Hey," Leo greeted him. "Something wrong?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to see you before I headed over to see Byung."

"I'm glad you're here," Leo said. "I want to kiss you so bad."

"Why don't you?"

"The walls have eyes… Sit down for a sec. I need to talk to you about something."

"Sounds serious."

"It kinda is. Remember me mentioning we found another body?"

Anderson nodded.

"This time it was one of my high school teachers."

"Serial killer?"

He watched Leo's Adam's apple roll up, then down. ""It's not your fault your father is dead, Anderson… It's mine."

"Leo… you're not making any sense. Don't say that!"

"But it's true. First it was Jazmon. Now my teacher? I don't know what else to think. I mean, I really don't want to take all the credit for this but I'm starting to think someone out there is out to get me."

"You may be right—about someone being after you." Anderson spoke slowly. "Like they say, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you."

Leo chuckled. "Great. Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome," Anderson said.

"I'm heading over to Elmont to go see my football coach. I am thinking if we got ahead of the killer we can catch him faster."

"I'm coming with you."

"Anderson. You have classes…"

"I'm coming with you! If you're right and this guy's is going after people you care about—and I don't mean to think you give a damn about me—but he may not see it that way. I'd rather be with you than wandering around being serial killer bait."

Leo shook his head. "Do you always have to be so dramatic?"

Anderson leaned in. "I'm coming with you."

"I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

Anderson shook his head with a roll of his shoulders.

"All right. Did you drive here?"

"Yeah."

"Andy… I don't want you to think I'm only here because of your dad. He brought me here but I'm here now because of more than that. After we…"

"You didn't promise me anything, Leo. And right now I'm just going with the flow and see what happens… this is going to bother me!"

"Er… wasn't really the reaction I was looking for."

"No you don't understand. They broke into my house and didn't take anything. I think I might know why they did break in."

"Why?"

"My father has this book—this really old book he gave me when I got through my first year in university. He told me it meant a lot to my family."

"And you think this crazy person wanted this book?"

Anderson shrugged. "I don't know. I know it's a stretch but they broke into my place and took nothing. Nothing was missing from dad's place. Maybe they didn't find what they were looking for and the only thing I can think about is the book?"

"How do you explain the teacher?"

Anderson frowned.

"What's in this book?"

"'My father said pictures of everything that meant something to my mother. The first few pages have pictures of my father back in his Harvard days with some friends and my mother. But other than that, I haven't really gone through it. I mean—I'm clumsy. Who knows? There might be someone in the pictures who connects all of us instead of just my father."

"Where is it?"

"In a safety deposit box at the bank. How does it work? Do I sign something to give you permission to go into it? Or do I take you to it?"

"'Either is fine or I'll tell Daniel about it and he can get it while we're away."

Anderson nodded. "Just tell him to handle it carefully. If you don't have to take the book from the bank, don't take it. It's all I have left of my father and I can't lose it."

"Speaking of which," Leo said. "Remind me later to give you back your ring. The inscription was a bust"

"I will. I'm sorry it wasn't more help. What time are you leaving for Elmont?"

"I sent a squad car to watch the house for me, so first thing in the morning."

"Good." Anderson stood. "I'll see you later. I have to meet Byung and now I am officially late."

"This book could be a long shot—maybe we should hold off on it a second. Let me go through my theory first."

"What's that again?"

"He's