Chapter 5
When Ben Speaks
"Fuck!" Robbie cussed out as a speck of the tomato sauce he was heating up for lunch hit his pristine white t-shirt, staining it bright red.
"What happened?" Charlie asked, poking her head out of her bedroom.
"Nothing, just spilled some sauce," Robbie replied, sighing. He tried to wipe the stain off with water, but the damage was already done. With resignation, he took a few bites of the spaghetti straight from the pan, then took off his shirt and went back to his bedroom to change. Today was his most important interview of all, according to Guy. Today he'd be speaking to Benjamin Fowler, Casey's brother.
Guy had presented significant information, and enough motive, for Robbie to believe that Ben could truly be a potential suspect. Robbie was intrigued to meet the other sibling and see whether he was more like Elsa or Casey. He didn't know much about the man, and Ben's profile on his firm's website was clinical and devoid of any personal information or clues to what he was like as a person.
An hour later, Robbie entered the intimidating headquarters of Valencia, the digital marketing firm ran by Casey's brother. It was a large and modern space, clean and full of glass windows and smartly dressed people mostly typing away at their desks. If what Guy said about the firm not doing so well financially was true, it was certainly not reflected at a first glance. The receptionist took Robbie up to a conference room that housed a table for twenty people. She brought him a cup of coffee, then left him to wait until the busy CEO showed up.
Benjamin Fowler was a well dressed and neatly groomed man. He was tall and slim, like Casey, but his face was a bit older and much more serious. He wore a pair of sharp silver rimmed eyeglasses that looked simple but not cheap. He had a plain Rolex on his left wrist, and on his left hand Robbie noted a thin gold wedding band. Unlike Casey, he had no warmth or wild frivolity written on his face. Benjamin's expression was set, and his manner reflected that of an efficient man who disliked anything out of order or that didn't align with his particular world view.
He shook Robbie's hand with a quickness, and wasted no time on any other niceties.
"I've already talked to the police. I have nothing new to say, and I'm only speaking with you out of courtesy to my grieving sister. Now, you have five minutes, then I need to get back to work. Go," he said, glancing at the expensive looking Rolex on his wrist. Robbie expected him to be less than welcoming, but he wasn't prepared for a five minute time limit.
"What were you doing at Casey's apartment that morning?" he asked.
"Like I already told the cops, I went over to try to talk my brother into a music deal with Magenta. It was a great deal, it would have helped him out immensely."
"But he wasn't struggling for money," Robbie replied.
"Not in terms of money, it would have helped him out with structure. Given him a more solid schedule. Casey was all over the place, it was hard to get him into the studio. He had no structure in his life. He just did what he wanted, when he wanted. That's not a healthy way to live, and it led him into all his mood swings and depressive episodes. A deal with Magenta would have given him a deadline and some responsibility. His fans deserved a new album. A three album deal with Magenta would have guaranteed that they got what they wanted, while Casey continued doing what he loved, for the right price."
"But he felt like being tied down to a label for three albums was too stifling?"
"That's right, he couldn't commit to it. Like I said, he was all over the place," Fowler replied.
"And what exactly did he say when you decided to talk to him about it that morning?"
"He said it wasn't happening, that he wouldn't let me crush his creativity by selling him out for money. He was unhinged that morning, I think Guy and him had a fight the previous night, so he wasn't in the greatest mood."
"He told you him and Guy had a fight?"
"No, but I could tell most times. He'd act crazier than usual when things weren't going his way with Guy. He was like a spoiled child at times. My parents babied him too much."
"Not according to your sister. She said your father was quite cold towards Casey."
"They babied her too," he replied, shooting Robbie a pointed look. "Our dad did the best he could. He worked in the army, had a tough life. He didn't exactly ooze warmth and love out of every pore. But he was a good father. Gave us a stable childhood. We never wanted for anything."
"But he didn't like Casey being gay?"
"What father does?" Benjamin asked, staring Robbie right in the eyes, as if it was a challenge.
"Some fathers don't mind," Robbie replied and Benjamin gave a dry chuckle.
"Our father never beat him, never threw him out of the house, never said a bad word. Just because he didn't throw him a coming out party doesn't mean he was a bad father. Casey always expected too much, wanted too much from people. He was like a puppy that needed constant attention. It's only cute for so long, until it isn't. Until it becomes draining and annoying." Robbie was shocked at Ben's cold approach, when his brother had passed so recently. Was the man devoid of feelings?
"Seems like he was searching for something," Robbie said.
"Well, whatever it was, it was elusive and I don't think he ever found it." Robbie pondered the answer. It was a chilly way to address a dead brother.
"Are we done?" Benjamin asked, glancing at his watch once again.
"Almost. What do you think about Zane X?" Robbie asked, going off the script Guy had provided him with.
Ben regarded Robbie for a long while, then finally replied, "I don't think anything about him."
"He has a fairly extensive criminal record, do you think Casey's association with him had anything to do with any of this?"
"I don't," Ben replied simply. This was strange to Robbie. If he were accused of a crime, he would be happy to place blame on another potential suspect. Yet Ben wasn't doing that.
"Why's that?"
"Zane had no motive to hurt Casey. And if he had been to see him that day, there is no way that nobody would have noticed, seeing as he's one of the biggest rappers in the world at the moment," he replied. Robbie thought he was finished, but suddenly he spoke again, "Let's face the facts Robbie, the only two people who saw Casey on the morning of his death are sitting right here, in this room. Now, I know I didn't do it, and you say you didn't do it. Which leads me to believe the police are probably right, and it was a horrific freak accident." Now it was Robbie's turn to stare at Ben. Was he speaking the truth, or was there something buried underneath his words.
"I just have one last question," he said as Benjamin shifted forward to get up. "Do you miss him?"
"What type of question is that?" he asked, somewhat offended.
"A simple one."
"Would you like me to break down and cry in front of you, a complete stranger, to prove that I miss my brother? Well, that's not going to happen," he replied, getting up. "I trust you can find your way out of here," he said, and Robbie nodded.
When he got back home, he found Guy sitting in front of his door, waiting.
"What are you doing here? I was just about to call you," Robbie said.
"I wanted to hear what he told you in person," Guy replied. He looked worse than the last time Robbie saw him, like he hadn't gotten any sleep. The bags under his eyes were accentuated by his dark circles, and his scruff was now slowly forming into a beard.
"Come on in," Robbie said, opening the door. Guy followed him inside, and they went over to sit on the couch.
"I have to say, I didn't really believe you at first, but there's something not right with that man," Robbie started and he could see Guy's eyes sparkle with anger. He continued on, "The way he talks about Casey is just so...cold and unpleasant. Like he doesn't even care that his brother died."
"I knew it," Guy mumbled, running a hand through his hair. His eyes were now slightly moist.
"What are you going to do?" Robbie asked, putting a gentle hand on Guy's shoulder and massaging it.
"I'm going to kill him," Guy replied, and Robbie had no doubts that he meant it.
"No, listen," he said and turned Guy's face towards him. "Casey wouldn't have wanted that. He wouldn't have wanted you to spend the rest of your life in prison for killing his brother. He was way too good and pure, he would have wanted you to be happy." Robbie stared into Guy's lively blue-green eyes and feeling empowered by the night he just had with Zane, slowly leaned in to kiss him. Guy didn't move at first, and just as Robbie wondered whether he'd made a big mistake and was about to get knocked out by a boxer, Guy's lips finally opened with sudden force and in a matter of seconds the two of them were entangled on the couch and ripping each other's clothes off. But midway through their romp, the door of the apartment flew open as Charlie walked in, then with a shriek at the sight in front of her, she dropped her shopping bags and ran into her room.
"Jesus," Guy mumbled, getting off Robbie as if he was shocked by an electric current, and pulling his pants back on.
"It's alright, you can stay," Robbie tried to convince him, but Guy was already tying his shoes.
"My bad, I didn't mean to do that, I'm just, I'm a fucking mess. Listen, I'll call you if there's anyone else I need you to speak to, but for now you've done a great job. I truly appreciate it Robbie," he said, and then he was gone, leaving Robbie frustrated, horny, and confused about his own feelings. After a while, he picked up his phone and texted Zane, whose number he was now proud to possess. To his surprise, the rapper texted back right away and asked Robbie to come over.
Hours later, after drinking way too much champagne, snorting two lines of cocaine with Zane's crew, then watching the rapper play basketball inside his indoor court, Robbie found himself naked in bed and more sexually frustrated than ever, because Zane passed out in the middle of Robbie giving him a blow job. Was this really the life of the rich and famous, he wondered. If so, he was having major doubts about ever wanting any part of it.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, business establishments or events is entirely coincidental. Comments and feedback are highly appreciated, send to mozlover21@gmail.com.
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Below is the soundtrack I listened to while writing this chapter, in no particular order.
Now And Again - Tor Miller
everyting i wanted - Billie Eilish