Injustice Read online

  I couldn’t resist poking at Adam a little more about Oliver’s extracurricular activities. Adam contracted with the Denver Police Department on event nights for extra security and, while most of them were good natured about the bar and its eclectic patrons, a few had been known to give us grief. “So do you think he really has sex in the bathroom on his break? I hope he doesn’t get us in trouble with the police. That wouldn’t be good.” I made a tsk, tsk sound and shook my head.

  If I had expected to get a rise out of Adam, I was disappointed, but apparently Tommy’d had enough of the graphic conversation, as I saw him exit quietly. I breathed a sigh of relief, turning my attention once more to Adam.

  “Babe, have you looked at him? Oh, wait, of course you haven’t. The man is the most beautiful thing in this place, you included, and the men love him. I don’t care if he humps the customers on the bar in broad daylight.” And with that, Adam walked into his office at the back of the bar and closed the door.

  Smiling, I realized that I felt good, despite Tommy’s sudden appearance. The bar was doing well, I was settling into law school, and Jane wasn’t constantly in the forefront of my thoughts for the first time that I could remember. I checked my watch, wondering how Ali was doing, and smiled at the thought of the way she had brushed against me in the kitchen yesterday. The teasing was making me crazy, but it was fun and exciting, if not slightly frustrating. Soon enough, we both agreed. There was no rush to tumble into bed and complicate everything further, especially given all the stress Ali was under with Tommy.

  “Hello? Riley? Beer? Hello? Help?”

  I snapped out of my daydream and saw Chris waving an empty beer bottle at me from the end of the bar.

  “Sorry, sorry…another one, Chris?” I took the empty bottle and replaced it with a full Blue Moon.

  “What’s on your mind, Riley? You were totally out of it there. I’ve been waving at you for a while.” Chris leaned her short frame across the bar at me, and the light from the pool tables backlit the short blonde spikes in her hair. The effect was like looking at either a small devil or a large elf.

  “Nothing,” I lied. “I’m just tired from all the law school studying and the hours here. I must have just zoned out.”

  “Oh, I know. Me too. I’ve been dealing with a crazy neighbor, and I haven’t slept well in months.”

  “Yeah, that sucks. I’m pretty lucky—all my neighbors are really old, work all the time, or are students. No one seems to have time for anything but survival, and we all mind our own business. What’s going on with your neighbors?”

  “Oh, I have a bitch of a lady who lives next to me. She’s forever in my business and keeps calling the cops to report me for this or that…loud music, too many people, smoke coming from my house. It’s getting to be ridiculous. She left a crazy note on my door the other day. I’m considering getting a restraining order.”

  “Geesh.” I again felt lucky that my life was going well. “What’d the note say?”

  “It said, ‘Get out, dyke bitch. You’re not welcome here.’ ” Chris sat down on the closest bar stool and rested her elbows on the bar.

  “What?” I asked, my good mood evaporating. “I’m sorry, what? What the hell, Chris? Did you call the cops?”

  “Ah…no…I don’t need to involve the cops, Riley. It’s just a little matter between neighbors. I was kind of hoping you would be able to help me. I talked to Jessie, and she said you helped her with her boss.”

  I froze with my back to Chris and reached for another beer to stall for time before I answered. Cripes. What had Jess told her, and what did she know? Jess wasn’t aware of my contribution to her new success at Mosaic, but I was worried. The gay circles in Denver were small, and if people were talking, I might be in trouble, regardless of how well I had covered my tracks.

  “What did Jess say?”

  Chris gave me an odd look, and I realized my tone sounded a little harsh. I set a fresh Blue Moon on the bar and waved off her money.

  “On the house, Chris,” I said with the most genuine smile I could muster. Relax, I thought. You are smart. Calm down. She doesn’t know anything.

  “Geez, Riley. She said that you gave her some good advice, and she was thankful you had taken the time to listen to her when she needed you. I was just hoping you might have some good advice for me.” Chris downed half her beer and checked her iPhone. She suddenly looked hurried and glanced my way. “So, any advice?”

  “Yes, try to stay out of your neighbor’s way, and call the police if she leaves another note.”

  “Great. Good thing I didn’t think of that,” Chris finished off her beer, dropped a twenty on the bar, and turned to leave. “See ya, Riley. I have to go.”

  Chapter 20

  I woke after only a few hours of sleep the next morning, the conversation with Chris keeping me from getting any rest. As I lay half awake, I had roughed out a plot to help with the neighbor. I tried to find any common sense or logic in my actions but kept coming up short. Although I knew Chris casually from the bar, she wasn’t one of my good friends, and I didn’t feel any special sense of loyalty to her. I highly suspected that my willingness to help was due more to the excitement of the hunt rather than any sense of righteousness on behalf of victimized gays everywhere. Well, maybe it was a combination of both, I rationalized, rolling out of bed.

  I was out the door after a few minutes, with minimal makeup and my hair in a ponytail. Chris lived in the Highlands neighborhood, an area that had recently undergone a significant change of personality. Once filled with mostly Hispanic families, the neighborhood had transformed into a yuppie haven, with both the houses and storefronts in the area morphing into stylish and expensive locations. As a result, the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum now shared space with wealthy young people, or had sold their homes and fled the neighborhood altogether.

  As I got into the car, I felt the urge to stop and check on Tommy on the way. I knew a good part of his route, and since UPS to a very strict schedule, it was fairly easy to pinpoint a driver’s location. I pulled up and parked in a strip mall, near King Soopers, knowing he had many deliveries in the area. I thought I’d grab a vanilla chai while I was there, so I headed around to Starbucks, watching through the window as I waited to get my cup full of joy. Happily sucking down the sugar, I almost forgot why I was there, until a big brown truck caught my attention. The driver was none other than Tommy. I was about to pull away, to address more pressing matters, when I saw boxes tumble from the back of the truck. Right behind them came Tommy. It looked like he was picking them up at first, but then he was ranting and raving, talking to himself, and he started kicking the boxes. As Tommy turned, I could see the telltale blue light flashing in his ear. I knew it was against UPS rules to drive wearing a Bluetooth headset, and something suddenly dawned on me. I dialed my phone, only to find Ali’s going directly to voice mail. He was talking to her! He had to be. As I watched over the next several minutes, he self-destructed right in front of my eyes. Tommy threw all the packages out of the truck, and I’m pretty sure he kicked the truck, too. I wondered how this was going to end. I slowly sipped my drink, wishing I had picked up some munchies as well.

  It unfolded in the strangest way. I couldn’t help but think of the old-fashioned guys in white suits and butterfly nets, but they came in the form of the Denver Police. Apparently, they were just a cell call away. Tommy was screaming about random things, redialing his phone periodically. I wasn’t even able to distinguish the words. Tommy started yelling about bugs crawling on him, while scratching at his skin. I watched with great interest, but I didn’t laugh. While I thought Tommy deserved every bit of what was coming his way, I was actually a little appalled at what I’d done.

  The news crews showed up as the police chased Tommy around the truck, not able to catch him because they were slightly heavier and not in nearly as good shape as a guy who runs with heavy boxes for a living. I walked closer, a part of the growing crowd. A few of the officers went bac
k to their cars and pulled out different guns. One minute Tommy was doing the crazy dance and the next was lofted off his feet and fell to the pavement, shaking violently. I held my breath. What had I done? I looked again, and instead of calling an ambulance, the police handcuffed Tommy and dragged him to his feet. No blood, just a lot of volts from a Taser, I was guessing. Tommy was probably heading for the psych ward on the eighth floor of Denver Health.

  I realized that Ali was either probably very upset because she had been talking to him while he flipped out or she was about to see him melt down on TV, or both. I headed back to the car and postponed my trip to Highlands in favor of checking on her.

  I stopped in mid thought. I had to get to Tommy’s apartment and replace the pills before the police came to investigate. If they came to investigate. Crap! Where were they? In my bag, I hoped? Could I even risk another visit to the neighborhood? I tried to figure out the quickest way across town and parked a few blocks away, holding my breath that the place would be humming along at its normal slow pace. I pulled out a hat and took a deep breath and took off at a good pace. There were a lot of people around at the hour, but blending in wasn’t hard, because nobody seemed aware of their soon-to-be-famous neighbor.

  I headed in the front door of the building again, and as I was about to turn the knob of his apartment door, something told me to wait. I passed by and headed to the other end of the hallway. Sure enough, I heard a door open, and out of the corner of my eye I could see someone leaving his apartment as I rounded the corner. My breathing quickened as I saw a female in a police uniform exiting his place. I had some serious doubts, worried about the officer returning, but having come this far, I figured I better see it through. The hallway held an eerie quiet, and I picked the lock as quickly as I could. I pushed it open and looked inside. The aftermath of a tornado came to mind. The place was totally wrecked. I wondered if it was his work or that of the police officer. I guess it didn’t matter. I picked my way to the bathroom, only to find that it was a mess as well. I couldn’t find any bottles at all. Someone had cleared out the stash. I heard a flurry of activity outside and knew it was time to go.

  Back at my apartment, I turned on the TV in the background as kind of a distraction, and sure enough, there was a news flash starring Tommy and showing his rolling exit.

  I tried to bring my mind back to the issue present in Highlands, but that would have to wait. Instead, I pulled out my books, knowing that they were not getting the attention they deserved. I thought I would go to the law library and get some research done. They still expected us to use the books, even though most lawyers used the online search engines such as Westlaw or Lexis Nexis.

  As I pulled into the law school parking lot, I saw Carina and went over to say hello. She had new animal print seat covers in the truck and was smoking up a storm. She put out the cigarette when she saw me coming, and smiled. We locked arms and skipped into the building like a pair of schoolgirls, singing all the way. A few of the serious day students stared at us, but we didn’t care. Once inside, we lowered our voices and slowed our pace. We walked down the hallway, the infinite volumes of law books visible through the glass walls. Inside the doors and in numerous places there were posted warnings to not leave your things unattended for even one minute.

  Floyd was sitting at one of the large tables, looking a little lost and really tired. We plopped our things down beside him. “Hey. How’s it going?”

  He shook his head. “Not too well. This stuff is harder than it seems.”

  It looked like he had more than that on his mind, so I pressed a little harder. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look beat.”

  He shrugged. “I just found out that I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”

  Carina and I looked puzzled, I’m sure, so he continued. “My body’s kind of screwed up and gets exhausted doing the smallest things. It’s like I’ve been doing all-nighters every night, and I constantly have a fever and stuff.”

  I was concerned for him. He was a nice guy. “Can they treat it?”

  He nodded his head. “They said I have to manage my symptoms and not put too much on myself.”

  We all knew that wasn’t possible for him for the next few years. Carina and I both got out our assignment sheets and looked at one another and then at him. “Let’s do this as a team, okay?”

  Floyd looked relieved. He was forty-something years old and dressed for the beach, surfing, or a golf course, but not for law school. I’m sure one of his polo shirts cost more than half my wardrobe. I had noticed that he’d had trouble grasping things from the beginning of school. The study group had helped him. I could see that he put the effort into it, but he would need continued assistance to complete the course of study.

  It took us hours to complete the assignment. I wondered how they would feel about me sharing it with Ali. I didn’t even know if Ali would want help with it. I tried to check in with her, but the phone went straight to voice mail. I was sure that she’d turned it off after her incident with Tommy. Hell, if I’d had that experience, I probably would have smashed mine.

  Chapter 21

  I grabbed a snack and headed off for class. I could hardly wait until tonight was over and I could relax a little for a few days. At the last minute, Ali breezed in and plunked herself down beside me. “Hey. What’s up?”

  She was in a pretty good mood; Tommy’s going down had improved her outlook.

  “I’m good. How about you? It had to be a trying day.”

  Ali looked puzzled. “Nah. It was a pretty good one, actually. I got a lot done. How about you?”

  I pulled out the materials for the class at hand. “A bunch of us worked on that research project, so if you need some help with it, let me know. We’re not quite finished but got through most of it.”

  She sighed. “Thanks, but I got that done.”

  I tried not to look surprised. When did she find the time for that? And for that matter, Ali she gave no indication that she’d just gone through a stressful experience with Tommy. I was honestly shocked to even see her there that night. “You sure you’re okay?”

  Ali really looked like she had no idea why I was asking. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Just as I was about to respond, it was time for class to begin.

  An hour later, as we packed up our books, Floyd came over. “Hey, did you hear that the next class is cancelled?”

  Both Ali and I shook our heads. “That makes it a pretty short night.”

  Floyd hovered a little. “You guys want to go and get some dinner or something?”

  Ali vetoed this one but was gentle with her rejection of the offer. I was going to ask her the same thing, but it was a moot point now, or so I thought.

  As we headed to the parking lot, it was her turn to hover near my car. “You want to come over for food?”

  I was a bit leery at first. “Your place?”

  She offered a teasing smile. “You bet.”

  I followed Ali home, and we both shared the cooking duties. She had a few bottles of wine that were perfect for the occasion. I found myself relax as we drank and chatted and prepared the meal. It was one of the first weekend nights in a long time that I hadn’t spent in a bar. I must say that it was an adjustment, but one I was sure that I could easily make.

  After a good amount of wine, Ali took a bathroom break, and I took the opportunity to check her phone. Even though I had access to Tommy’s phone, I thought it would be prudent to also keep tabs on her mental state as well. A good deal of Tommy’s texts were still there. I did a quick scroll. A series of them were about me, and how if she didn’t agree to meet him, he was going to take us both out after school one night when we least expected it. Just two shots was all it would take. We’d never see it coming. Ali had chosen to keep the messages, which was probably a good plan—evidence was always good.

  As I put the phone back in her bag, my hand touched something hard and cold. It was a gun. I picked it out of the bag and looked. It was loaded, so
I unloaded it quickly. No matter what, I knew that it was not going to end well. I was so engrossed in it that I didn’t hear Ali approach.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked in a low tone.

  I didn’t have a good response. “What am I doing? Why would you have a gun?”

  Ali reached for the gun, but I pulled it away before she could get her hands on it. Despite the fact that it was not loaded, I had no intention of returning it to her. It would be simple to get bullets but hard to get another gun. Ali was very calm. “I’m not just going to let him terrorize me.”

  I stared. It was clear now what her plan had been before my plan had kicked in.

  “So you’re wondering what I’m planning on doing? I’m going to take him out before he kills us.”

  My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Seriously?”

  She snorted. “Follow me.”

  I followed Ali upstairs, and she opened her closet, beckoning me to look. Inside, I saw one part of the closet filled with police uniforms and neat rows of leather gear. “You’re a cop?” I looked at the gun, still in my hand, stunned.

  “That’s my off-duty weapon.”

  I felt a wave of nausea run through me as I replayed the last few days, looking for mistakes. I had been fairly careful with Joey, but my skills were rusty, and I searched Ali’s face for any signs that a police interrogation was imminent. I turned back to the closet, running my hand across her uniform shirts until I found a shoulder patch. Denver Police Department. I sighed. That’s perfect, I thought, the blood draining from my face. You fall for a hot chick who turns out to be a cop and works right in your backyard. Well played, Riley, very well played.

  I tried to recover, but it wasn’t that easy, as I was still reeling from the shock. “Good thing you weren’t planning on taking Tommy out today. He’s in the psych ward right now. He won’t be hurting anyone for some time.”