A glass bottle shattered against the wall beside Dillon's head, causing him to jerk involuntarily. "You know, if you get the fuckin computer wet, I'll not be able to do dick shit, right?"
"Fuck! Just find him!" Rin barked out as he paced the room.
"What the fuck do you think I've been doing? Do you think I've been running all over hell and living on caffeine and no sleep for two weeks for the hell of it?" Dillon spun the laptop around on the desk. "You think you can do better? Be my guest!" When Rin only paused for a brief second before continuing his pacing, Dillon turned the laptop back toward him. "That's what the fuck I thought… Why don't you make yourself useful and go make us sandwiches or something… You can do that much, right?"
"Sandwiches?" Rin arched a brow. "Depends, what do you want?"
Dillon paused his typing before shrugging. "Surprise me." Dillon was about to resume typing when he thought better of it and spun around in the seat. "You know what, on second thought, there's just too many ways you could find to fuck up a sandwich… pb&j, make it grape jelly."
Rin arched a brow. "You really are an asshole, you know that."
Dillon sent him a dubious glare. "Alright then, what goes on a sandwich?"
Rin shrugged. "I don't know… Whatever's in the fridge…."
"My point exactly." He turned his attention back to the computer. He was glad for the distraction because Rin was not going to like anything he had to report thus far. Rory was smart. It was obvious he was used to running from people… people with better than average tracking skills. "Fair enough… His ex was a cop after all… What about hacking skills then…" Dillon was shoving his seat away from the computer desk when Rin came back into the room carrying two plates.
"What have you found?"
Dillon held out his hand. "Give me the plate first. I don't want to scrape fucking plate shards out of my goddamn sandwich. I'm too fucking hungry right now." He frowned. "Second thought, give me yours too. I don't feel like cleaning peanut butter off the walls either."
Rin frowned as his gaze moved to the computer screen. "That bad?"
"Our boy's a skilled runner. He's only made one bank withdrawal, and that was the day after he left. Nearly emptied his account at a bank near town here, probably came back just so we wouldn't have a place to look. He hasn't made any calls out and has only taken a handful of calls in… every single one has bounced off different towers… Tells me he's using a VPN on his phone. I've tried hacking his laptop, but he's not used it. I hacked Sabastian's phone. The last call was on the day Rory went missing. It could have been work-related like he said… who knows…" Dillon ran his hands through his hair as he rocked side to side in the office chair. "Nothing was too out of place at his apartment, though I could tell someone else had been there recently."
"You didn't go into his bedroom though…"
Dillon shrugged. "No one was in there. It probably wouldn't have done much good. I'm sure they would have been smart enough to hide any sign of him if he were there. Besides, I drove around the parking lot of the apartment. I didn't see Rory's car anywhere."
Rin slid his plate onto the desk and flopped down into the other chair. "Fuck… What next then?"
"The only person he's been in contact with is Maggie…"
**
"Rory, you're here!" Maggie called out gleefully as she stepped through the door of the kitchen. Her smile faded slightly as her gaze moved to Sabastian standing behind Rory. "And you brought a… friend…"
Rory nodded. "Yes, this is the friend I'm staying with."
She forced her smile wider. "I see… Well, boys… come on in and make yourselves at home. Had I known, I would have made up the guest bedroom."
"It's alright, Mom. We can share my old room." Rory quickly remarked. "I'll show him the way."
Maggie gave up trying to hide her unease. "Rory, dear… can I talk to you for a second alone?"
Rory shot Sabastian a knowing look before following his mom into the kitchen. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Should I not have come, Mom?"
"Nonsense! Of course you should have! I'm glad you did." Maggie fumbled nervously with her hands. "It's just… You're friend…" She bit her lip. "You're not… He's also…"
Rory nodded. "He is, but we're not together like that. He's just helping me out right now."
Maggie nodded her head. "I see… You know, Ben will probably still…" She shook her head. "You know, never mind… I'll handle it… You are both free to stay and do as you please." She stepped over and clasped her son's shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. "I'm glad you're here, son. Get cleaned up. I made pie."
Rory nodded, his surprise most likely evident on his face. "I'll show him around first."
"Very well… Come back when you're ready."
Rory's wide eyes held his mom's. "We will… Thanks…" He flinched as she pulled him into an awkward hug.
Sabastian arched a brow as Rory walked out. "Not what you were expecting? I'm glad, though. I don't feel like repeating that drive again so soon."
Rory huffed out a laugh. "Yes, well, don't get too settled in yet. Ben hasn't gotten back yet." Rory nodded toward the hallway. "Come on. There are some things I'd like to grab before he does."
"Ah, so you had a motive for coming?" Sabastian asked as he followed, his eyes moving around the warmly decorated home.
Rory nodded. "A few, I guess. When I left for college, I didn't think it would be the last time I'd step foot in this house, so there were a lot of things I left behind… things of mine… of my dad's…"
"Will your mom not be mad that you are taking them?" Sabastian asked as they stepped into a large study at the back of the house.
Rory frowned. The room had changed quite a bit. Though most of the shelves were still packed with his father's books, the desk was now littered with Ben's things. Rory's eyes moved around the room. His eyes fell on a box on a lower shelf in one of the corners. He crossed the room and pulled it out. He pushed a pile of papers out of his way on the desk before setting the box down and carefully unlatching the lid. He lifted it slowly as if unveiling an ancient artifact.
Sabastian's breath caught, and he found himself moving forward before he even realized his feet were moving. "Wow… I've never seen a real one in person…"
Rory set the lid to the side and pressed one of the buttons. "My dad used to type all his work on this… He said it made it feel more real… more authentic…" A tear slid down Rory's cheek as he pressed another key of the typewriter. "I would lie on that sofa over there for hours every night and listen to him type away on this thing… once he'd finish for the night, he'd carry me to bed… He did that every night until he passed away…"
Sabastian frowned as he watched Rory hit another key. "How did he die?"
Rory swallowed hard. "Car wreck…"
Sabastian's breath caught. "You… You're…"
Rory nodded. "Now you see why I can't help but think the stalker is who he is…"
Sabastian shook his head. "But Rory, that would be public record, no?"
Rory blew out a defeated sigh. "I'll never convince any of you…" He placed the lid back onto the typewriter and latched it back into place. He handed it over to Sabastian. "There are a few books I'm after in here as well."
Sabastian frowned. "I feel like a thief."
Rory shook his head. "No, not a thief. My father would have wanted me to have these. The real thief is the stranger who moved in after he died and made himself at home in another man's home." Rory glared hatefully at Ben's scattered belongings as he moved around the room. "I have a few things to grab from my room, then we'll take them out to the car. I want to make sure that even if we get kicked out tonight, I'll not leave again without them."
Sabastian stared back at him, dumbfoundedly, as Rory continued stacking things on top of the typewriter. "Um… This is getting heavy. I'm not strong, you know…"
Rory frowned back at Sabastian before plucking one last book from the shelf and taking the stack of books from the top of the typewriter. He traded the stack of books for the typewriter, then said, "We'll take them out to the car first, then head to my room."
Sabastian stumbled through the hall after Rory. His eyes were moving around in panic. "Had I known this was why you came, I would have stayed home."
Rory shot him a skeptical glance from over his shoulder. "And agitating a homophobic preacher is less scary?"
Sabastian shrank down behind the stack of books he was carrying. "I feel like it's a double offense… Now, on top of it, I'm robbing him."
"It was never his to steal to begin with. Now come on." Rory muttered, but his sure-footed steps froze as soon as he stepped out the front door. A matte black Audi was parked beside his car. He shook his head and backed inside the house. "No, no, no…" His eyes were wide as the passenger and driver's doors both opened. His grip tightened around the typewriter. How could this be happening? He left no trail… no trace. He spun on his heels, and his angry eyes snapped to Sabastian, but he looked just as shocked.
The books fell from Sabastian's hands as he quickly turned back into the house and took off running.
Rory turned in time to see a devilish grin spread across Rin's lips. "You little shit! What did I tell you!" Rin launched himself into a sprint toward Sabastian, but Rory blocked the way.
Rory tried his best to clear his throat, his frantic gaze darting back and forth between Dillon and Rin. "What are you doing here?"
Rin's wild eyes moved to Rory. "I could ask you the same… but first I want to ask that little prick."
Rory squeezed the typewriter against his chest with one hand as he held out the other. "No… leave him alone. He only did what I asked of him… nothing more, nothing less… and that was all in the hopes of protecting the two of you regardless of how bad you treat him." Rory shook his head. "I swear, at first, I left to protect you as well… but now… I'm not so sure that's my only reason, seeing how you both treat people." His disapproving gaze moved to Dillon. He forced himself to remain calm, though he was far from it. His heart pounded against his chest, and his palms sweated against the cool case of his father's typewriter. He silently prayed that his father could somehow send him strength through it.
"You were there, at Sabastian's that day?" Dillon retorted.
Rory nodded. "I've heard and seen enough to know how both of you treat people once you're finished with them…" His eyes moved to Rin. "Will it be that way with me, too?" He shook his head. "I'll not stay to find out. You can both leave."
Rin advanced, but Dillon caught his arm. "Wait in the car… I'll handle this…"
Rin sent him a skeptical glare. "Like you did before?" His eyes moved to the box in Rory's hands. "You want that in your car? Give it to me. I'll put it in there for you, then we can go inside and have a conversation… I'll keep my shit together… I promise…"
Rory frowned. He'd hoped… counted on it even… that Rin would lose his cool and, in turn, be forced to leave. Rory squeezed the box to his chest. "Not this…" He nodded to the books Sabastian had dropped in his hasty retreat back inside the house.
Rin nodded. "Very well… But then we talk."