Killer and Ike

Killer and Ike Chapter 3: Fortune, Glory, and our fifteen minutes.

Isaac stood up from the padded deck lounge and stretched his hands way up over his head. "I'm going in the pool. You coming?" He asked Keller and adjusted the waistband of his Hawaiian printed swim trunks.

Keller nodded and set his iced tea on one of the tables. He also adjusted his suit when he stood up and looked over at Janice and Ben. "You guys coming in?" His well-tanned skin glimmered from the sunscreen Janice had insisted on.

"In a minute, Keller." Janice replied. She watched him walk carefully to the steps and down into the water. He seemed to be able to move better, and said that his shoulder wasn't as stiff after swimming. She turned to Ben. "So if I can ask, how did you end up with the NWP? Did you have a similar situation to ours?"

Ben smiled sort of wistfully and shook his head. "No, my brother's boyfriend did." He looked up at her. "See, when I was twenty Vance was seventeen. He got real brave one night and came out to the family and like an ass I got mad. I mouthed off to one of my friends about how pissed off I was, and the next thing we knew it got back to Kenny's parents. Kenny is Vance's partner."

"They didn't like it very much?" Janice asked.

"No. It was really bad." Ben looked down and played with the hem on his tank top. "Kenny's dad beat him so bad he was unconscious for almost a week. When he heard the sirens coming he realized what he'd done and shot himself in the head. Kenny still blames himself."

"Oh my God!" Janice put her hand to her throat and felt like there was a weight on her chest. "Kenny's alive though? NWP helped him?" She was actually thinking how lucky Keller was that it hadn't been worse for him, and how lucky they all was that Keller was home where he belonged.

"He's got some serious issues but he does okay." Ben smiled at her and dropped his shirt, embarrassed. "He and Vance work for me managing some of the office buildings I bought with my modeling earnings. Kenny rarely leaves the house because of his fear of people, but he is a grand expert accountant."

"Do you have a partner?" Janice refilled his iced tea and handed it to him.

"Actually I'm married. My wife Linda and I have a two year old son named Deacon." Ben said proudly. "I thought once that I might be gay, but I tried it and didn't like it much. Linda is the only one for me."

"That's sort of funny don't you think?" She suppressed a chuckle. "A straight man being the spokesperson for a gay support group?"

"It's been the source of more than one joke, let's put it that way."

Keller moved his arms under the water, appreciating the ability to move it without to much pain. His bronze tanned skin still showed some purplish green bruises over his ribs, and he still looked like he had a lot of mascara from the bruise around his left eye, but he felt a lot better. The only problem was that he'd get sore after awhile and that made him tired.

Isaac floated not to far away, looking up at the large trees that shaded the back yard in the afternoon. "What I was saying was that I liked Ben's idea about the school he suggested. He's right, Killer, you could be a model like him. You're drop dead gorgeous."

"And what I was saying is that if you won't do it with me I'm not doing it either." Keller swam to the side and hooked his good arm over the lip. "It's creepy, Ike. I don't want all of those people looking at me in underwear."

"They do other stuff, dumbass. You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Isaac also hooked an arm over the edge. "I said we'd do it together. You never listen to me."

"I was listening. You didn't listen to me." Keller shook his head. "I was trying to tell you that it weirds me out a little."

Isaac looked up as his mother brought the cordless phone to him. Not for the first time he thought to himself that his mother was very attractive. She worked hard at keeping her body in shape and so did his dad. He was always proud of them when he saw someone else's parents, like Keller's, that had let them selves go. He reached up and took the phone. "Thanks, Mom."

"Who is it?" Keller asked, letting his legs and body rise up to float on the surface.

"Cindy." Janice shook her head. "She sounded really upset." They watched as Isaac climbed the steps out of the pool and wandered over to one of the trees. "So," she asked him, "is the water helping?"

"A lot." Keller smiled up at her. "I'm getting tired, though. Want to get in the hot tub with me?"

"Sure. Let me see Ben out and I'll be right back."

"He has to go already?"

She chuckled. "He has a flight out at nine tonight. He's doing some exotic location shoot in the Cayman Islands. Wish we were going."

"No shit. That would be nice right now." Keller walked to the stairs and climbed out. "Can I help do dinner tonight? I'm getting a little tired of being babysat."

"If you're up to it, sure." She grinned at him and then lost her train of thought as Isaac stalked towards them and handed her the phone. His face was contorted in rage.

"I have to go to Cindy's." He said in a very controlled voice. "That bitch Niki has gone to all of their friends and told them that Cindy drugged her and then raped her."

"I think you ought to stay out of this, Isaac. The last thing we need is for you to fire off your mouth and get in trouble with the law." Janice put her hands on her hips. "Its just crap and people know that."

"I could give a shit less about Niki, Mother. I'm going to see Cindy. I love Keller but I still care about her." Isaac insisted.

"I'll go with you." Keller offered and turned towards the house. Isaac caught his arm and shook his head.

"No offense, Kel, but I need to go alone. I hope you know I'm not shitting on you."

Keller smiled slightly after a moment and nodded. "I still don't like this, Isaac." Janice stated firmly. "You need to stay here and not get things stirred up."

"I'll be back for dinner, I promise." He kissed her cheek and headed into the house trailed by Keller. He pulled off his suit as he walked into his room and tossed it into the bathroom. Keller leaned against the door jam and watched him dress.

"Don't do anything stupid, okay?" Keller said. "I know your temper."

"I won't. Have you seen my car keys?" Isaac searched the top of his dresser.

"Mine's behind yours, hang on a sec." Keller walked into his room and got the keys to his almost restored 1967 Ford Galaxy convertible. It had been one of the few things that he and his dad had pleasant memories about, sanding and painting the car. He walked back to Isaac's room and tossed him the keys. "It needs to be driven."

"Okay, Thanks." Isaac walked over and kissed him. "I won't be long, I promise."

"I love you, dumbass." Keller said to Ike's retreating back.

"Me, too!" Ike waved and was gone.

Dinner came and went, and Keller helped with the dishes and then watched TV with his adoptive parents. None of them said anything, but as the time went by they all began to worry. After the news was over (and for once they weren't in it) Vaughn headed for bed. He had a meeting in the morning and had to be up early. Janice went to make sure his suit was laid out.

Keller turned off the TV and headed for his room. He took a cool shower and changed into a pair of Isaac's silk boxers. He thought about a t-shirt but decided against it. He'd gotten just enough sun for his skin to be red and almost stinging.

The bed glared back at him as he stood at the end of it, almost challenging him to try and sleep. He sighed and glanced towards Isaac's room and decided that he wasn't going to get in bed yet. He found some cigarettes on Isaac's dresser and headed out to the patio.

The lights were out and the only illumination was the reflections of the pool lights on the surface of the water. He climbed onto one of the deck lounges and folded his legs under him and lit a smoke. It was still fairly warm out, and he looked up at the stars as his mind wandered on Isaac, his parents, his dad's upcoming trial, and the future.

"Why are you out here in the dark?" Janice asked him, causing him to jump. She laughed lightly and sat in the chair next to his. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump."

"I guess I was zoning." He smiled at her and looked back up at the stars. "I can't get my head to shut down tonight."

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.

Keller sighed and glanced over at her. "I don't know if you're the right person to tell this to. It's about Isaac." He was embarrassed.

"You think you two have any secrets after the last week, Keller?" She pulled her legs up onto the chair. "Try me."

He grinned and shook his head. "You asked for it. I was thinking about how good a friend Ike is, how he'd wade through a fire to help me." He took a drag off the cigarette and exhaled slowly. "I was thinking about how that changed when I decided I loved him, when he told me he loved me."

Janice looked out across the pool into the yard. She had been thinking along similar lines for several days. It was hard to accept that Isaac was gay, or said he was, and it was harder to accept that Keller, Isaac's faithful companion for many years, was now his lover.

She turned back to Keller and her eyes softened. "Keller, how do you feel inside when you think of Isaac? I mean the truth, not the automatic answer."

"Like I have a nervous stomach." He suddenly became interested in his thumbnail. "Like I can't breathe. When I look at him it's almost like I can't think because he's so beautiful." Keller looked out at the pool and the dancing reflections. "If it wasn't for him I think I would've killed myself when my dad did what he did."

She shook her head slowly. "Sounds like love to me. For the record if your answer had been any different I would've drowned you."

Keller laughed and stubbed the cigarette out. "He's like the world to me. I can't explain it. He's special. There isn't another Isaac anywhere."

"You both are." She grinned and stood up, holding out her hand to him. "Come on, Killer Keller. You need to take one of your pills and go to bed or you won't be able to move tomorrow."

He stood up and impulsively hugged her. "Thanks, Mom. I really love you guys. Thanks, for everything."

"We love you, too. Now move it." She slapped his ass and followed him into the house. "I want you in bed in five minutes. You can watch TV or read or whatever while you wait for Isaac, but I want you in bed, okay?"

"Yes Ma'am."

It was an hour later when Isaac came in to his room. Keller was faintly glazed from the pain pill but not out of it. He smiled up at Ike and put his hand on his arm. "So? Everything's cool?" Ike nodded, and Keller could see that he'd been crying. His eyes were red and puffy. "What happened?"

"We talked and went to the batting cages and then out for pizza, then talked and cried some more." Ike leaned back and put his head in Keller's lap. "She's pretty fucked up. Niki said some nasty shit. About all of us."

Keller stroked his hair, catching a whiff of Isaac's scent. He closed his eyes and smiled. "In a year none of this will mean shit, Ike. Get in bed and let's get some sleep."

Isaac stood up and stripped to his boxers. Keller held up the covers for him and he slipped into bed. "One of the things we talked about was you." He said, sliding up to Keller's side.

"Oh, like what?" Keller asked, opening his eyes.

"About what a moody shit I've been, and how fucked up I was to act like a spoiled brat when you moved in." Isaac reached up and touched Keller's lips with his finger and drew an invisible line down past his Adam's apple. "And about how I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you."

"Wow, I had the same talk with your mom. That's spooky." Keller chuckled. If you've been acting like a spoiled brat I missed it. I thought we were all doing pretty good considering all the shit we've been through."

"Keller," Isaac said seriously and used his hand to turn Keller's face toward him. "I mean it when I say I love you. There is nobody else I would want to be with than you, ever."

"I love you, too, Isaac. I really do, and I know that now." They kissed, a long slow proper kiss and when they parted Keller sighed and rested his head on Isaac's shoulder. "Just don't let me go until I fall asleep, okay?"

"Deal." Isaac blinked back tears and kissed the top of Keller's blond head. "Never in a million years."

The next morning Janice looked up from the onions she was cutting up for omelets and smiled as Keller shuffled into the kitchen. He'd pulled on a t-shirt with his boxers but had otherwise not bothered to get dressed. His hair was sleep matted, and he gave her a dopey grin and peered at her through slitted eyes.

"Hi, sunshine." She reached up and took a mug out of the cupboard for him and poured it full of coffee.

"Thanks." He mumbled and shuffled to the table and sat down.

"So what time did Prince Charming drag his butt in here last night? I noticed your car was back." She whisked several eggs together briskly in a clear bowl and started cooking.

"It was after midnight. I got the pleasure of his cold feet when he came in." Keller wrapped his arms around the warm mug and held it up to his lips. It was hot and strong, just the way he liked it.

"His dad's like that." Janice chuckled and scattered diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers onto the eggs and then turned to get the ham. "Wait until winter." The doorbell rang and she looked towards the clock and then towards the living room. "Who's that this early? Will you get it?"

"Sure." Keller ran into the laundry room and pulled on some shorts and then dashed to the front door. There were two guys in sunglasses on the porch when he pulled open the door. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Isaac Rawlins?" One of the men held up a badge.

Keller felt a cold shiver crawl up his back. "No, I'm Keller Martin. What's going on?"

"I'm Detective Rickover and this is Detective Gardner. Can we speak to Isaac, please?"

"Yeah, I'll get him." Keller said carefully. As he let them into the living room Janice came out of the kitchen to see who was at the door. Her face transformed into a curious look. "Mom, these guys are detectives. They want to talk to Isaac."

"What's going on, officer?" Janice looked at them. "Please, come in and sit down. Keller, go get Isaac." Keller took off down the hall and she moved into the living room with them.

"We're investigating an incident that happened last night, ma'am. Your son was in the area according to some of his friends and we need to ask him some questions." Detective Rickover smiled reassuringly.

Keller dove onto the bed and shook Isaac awake. "Wake up, goddamn it! What the hell did you do last night?" He jumped off the bed and picked up Isaac's shorts from the floor.

"What are you talking about?" Isaac rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on Keller.

"There's two detectives here that want to talk to you." Keller handed Isaac his shorts and then bent to get his shirt. "Hurry. Mom's going ape shit."

Isaac pulled on his clothes and followed Keller down the hall. As they walked in the two detectives stood up. The taller one, Rickover, stuck out his hand. "Are you Isaac?" Isaac nodded and shook his hand. "We need to ask you some questions about your activities last night."

Isaac sat down next to his mother and rubbed his eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"If you could, tell us where you went and what you did, and if you can the times, please." The shorter detective, Gardner said. He had a notebook out and was making notes in it.

"I guess about six I went to Cindy's house. We talked with her mom and dad until like eight, then went to the batting cages on Graham and 17th. We left the cages and walked across the street for pizza about ten thirty." He looked from one to the other. "Why? What happened?"

"What time did you get home?" Rickover asked, ignoring the question.

Ike looked at Keller and shrugged. "Midnight?"

"Isaac, did you drop Cindy off at home?" Gardner asked intently.

"Yeah, she got out on the west side of the street and went into the garage."

"Did something happen to Cindy last night?" Janice asked, a cold weight feeling settling onto her chest.

"Mrs. Rawlins, Niki Richins was murdered last night in a storage yard not far from the Third Strike batting cages on 17th Street." Rickover said, keeping his eyes on Isaac. "It was a very grisly crime. We're trying to track down who did it. Cindy hasn't been home yet."

"Jesus Christ!" Isaac gasped. "Niki's dead?"

"You can't possibly think my son had anything to do with this?" Janice was stunned. "They were very close."

"Right now ma'am we're just tracking leads we have several suspects to eliminate." Gardner stood up from the overstuffed chair. "What car were you driving last night, Isaac?"

"I had Keller's Galaxy. He was parked behind me." Isaac's voice was distant and he had to make an effort to drag his eyes up to the detective's. "It's in the driveway." He stood up and led them out into the driveway. "Right over there."

Rickover and Gardner put on rubber gloves and began to examine the car. "Can you open the trunk please? Do you mind?" Rickover asked.

"The lock is busted. There's a screwdriver in the glove box that works." Keller walked around and got the screwdriver out and handed it to Gardner. Gardner smiled and took it and put it in the hole where the lock had been. The trunk popped, and he raised the lid.

Keller walked back over to Janice and Isaac. They watched as Gardner opened the trunk and saw the look on his face change. "Hey, Rick? Look at this." He pointed into the trunk.

"What is it?" Janice demanded, walking towards the car. She glanced down and raised her hand to her mouth. On the red carpet liner was an aluminum ball bat. It was streaked with blood and there appeared to be hair stuck to it. "Oh my God!" She wheezed out. "Oh no!"

Rickover turned towards Isaac and peeled his gloves off. "Isaac Rawlins, you're under arrest for the murder of Niki Richins." He took out a set of cuffs and stepped behind Isaac, pulling his arms together. "You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. Do you understand these rights?"

Isaac nodded numbly, staring in shock at Keller. Keller's face was white and his eyes were wide. He looked like he was trying to say something but nothing came out. Isaac couldn't speak either. He glanced at his mother and saw that she was sobbing. His own eyes watered up as he was led out to the police car. He knew he should feel something right now, but for the life of him he was stone cold numb.