Chapter 30

“Does this cat ever move?” Reed asked, entering the living area. Brian and Bear were ensconced on the sofa. Brian sat in Bear’s lap easing his tension, drawing shapes through the whorls of auburn hair on his chest. Brian looked up.

“Nope,” he answered. “Not when anyone’s looking. Jim says his name is Washington.”

Reed said, “Bear, we need to talk.”

“I don’t feel like talking, Reed, I feel like hurting someone. This nut job is threatening my boy and Jim and the cops act like we don’t pay taxes. You haven’t looked at the bedroom yet. Go look and tell me what a joke it is.”

Reed walked down the short hall to Jim’s bedroom. He opened the door. The sight made him gag and sent him running to the toilet. He puked. After rinsing and wiping his mouth, he steeled himself to return. Words in red spray paint covered the walls: whore, queer, fag. The contents of all of the drawers and closets were strewn over the floor and ripped to shreds. The room stank of human feces and urine.