Geography of Murder by P. A. Brown Read Free Book Online

the Vault?"
    "Charter member. Okay, maybe not that long, but yeah, I've been going for a couple of years."
    I shook my head. "Just when you think you know someone..."
    "You don't know me at all. But I'm going to give you a chance to find out."
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    55

    Geography of Murder
    by P. A. Brown

Spider
    Jason was released the next afternoon. He went to court in the morning and was discharged by the judge who thanked everyone for their efforts, didn't apologize, and moved on to the next case. Jason had to return to county to be processed out and collect his meager belongings. No one had brought him any change of clothes; he still wore the skin-tight parade pants. I found myself staring, only looking away when he cleared his throat.
    He wanted to take me out for drinks, but I was taking him to dinner. I knew he hadn't had a decent meal since he'd been incarcerated, so I planned something special. When I met him at the front doors of the county jail he scrambled into the cab beside me. I threw the truck into gear and peeled out of the parking lot.
    "Where to?" I asked.
    He stared down at himself and grimaced. "Home. I desperately need a shower and a change of clothes." He gave me the address.
    I dropped him off with the promise to pick him up in two hours. I told him to dress fancy. I didn't tell him where we were going. Some things should be a surprise.
    When I picked him up I was pleasantly surprised. He cleaned up just fine. A chocolate brown silk shirt that hugged his slender, but muscular, chest. No tie, but not everyone 56

    Geography of Murder
    by P. A. Brown
    bothered. Tan linen pants cut to show off an impressive basket. I felt a corresponding swelling in my groin.
    When I wheeled into the parking lot of Holdren's he looked on with childlike wonder. "I've never eaten here before. I've heard it's good."
    "Trust me." I put the truck into park. "It's as good as you've heard, and better."
    He followed me inside, smoothing his hands over his dress pants. We were shown a table by the window. The city had put up Christmas decorations and the palm trees outside the restaurant were covered in tiny white jewels. The host handed us menus and left, promising someone would return for our drink orders.
    I'm not much of a fancy drinker. I ordered a beer and was relieved when Jason did the same.
    He met my eyes over the menus. "What's good?"
    "Steak," I said. "Or, if not that, there's always steak."
    "I take it you're having steak."
    "It's my second favorite kind of meat."
    He ignored my innuendo, though I thought I saw his eyes darken. "Then I guess I'll have to have steak," he said.
    The meal was as good or better than the first time I had eaten there. Maybe it was the company. The first time had been with my ex-wife when I told her I was leaving her, and why. I had figured she wouldn't cause a scene in such a public place. Shows you can't always trust your instincts.
    To say she freaked out is the understatement of the year. I ended up wearing her Caesar salad and most of her linguine, which unfortunately had been crab. I smelled like fish the rest 57

    Geography of Murder
    by P. A. Brown
    of the night because she also locked me out of our house. I had to wait until the next day to get clean clothes. When I drove by in the morning in hopes of catching her before work I found my things, including my classic movie collection piled on the front lawn. It had already been looted by the neighborhood brats. Most of it I never saw again.
    To add insult to indignity, she waited until I was collecting my stuff and turned the sprinklers on. Never underestimate the fury of a woman thrown over for another man, or in my case, men.
    She did her best to ruin me in the department, but this is the enlightened twenty-first century so no one would touch me. God knows the brass tried. But I weathered the storm and now they just think I'm their happy faggot with no more secrets. They don't tell me what turns them on in bed, so why do