Innuendo by R.D. Zimmerman Read Free Book Online

past the display windows of Oak Drugs that were already filled with Halloween costumes. This kid, Todd was sure, wasn't just upset, he knew something. Throwing open the door and hurrying into the building, Todd looked up the broad staircase that was easily six feet wide and lit by row after row of fluorescent lights. The walls were painted a bland white, and Todd saw him just past the mid-point landing, climbing two steps at a time.
    “Wait a minute!” When the kid didn't stop, Todd called, “I need to talk to you, just wait a—”
    Without turning around, without stopping, he screamed, “Fuck off!”
    More than a little surprised by this opening salvo, Todd hesitated, even slowed. Okay, what was going on here? Was Todd merely being an asshole of a reporter by treading into tender territory? Or was Todd right in chasing after this kid, sensing he might know something about Andrew's tragic end? There was, for sure, only one way to find out.
    Todd didn't remember the rules, couldn't remember if uninvited adults were even allowed in the DQ, particularly at this time of night, but he plunged on, unable to stop himself. Grabbing the railing, he started up the wide stairs. He was about to call out again when the kid reached the top and disappeared from sight.
    Todd continued up, and when he reached the top, huffing for air, he was immediately greeted by a young African-American girl, perhaps no more than sixteen or seventeen and wearing a plain white T-shirt and blue jean overalls. Her face round and cute, she wore glasses and had her hair pulled back in pigtails.
    “Can I help you?” she said, from behind a reception desk.
    “I'm looking for the guy who just came in here. I need to talk to him.”
    “Well, I'm afraid you can't. I mean, adults can't come in unless they're invited to speak or do something official. Anyway, from the looks of it, Jordy doesn't want to talk to you or anyone else, for that matter.” She pushed up her glasses and glanced down a hall. “What happened, anyway? He's awfully upset.” She looked Todd up and down. “You're not his dad, are you?”
    Gee, thanks, thought Todd with a scowl. But it was true. He was easily old enough. Todd's own son was, in fact, even older than this kid. And, yes, that was his name. Jordan. He'd been the one sitting there, holding hands with Andrew. Todd was sure of it now.
    Trying not to sound like a bullying adult, Todd said, “No, I'm not family. My name's Todd Mills, and I'm a television reporter from—”
    “Oh, yeah, I remember now,” she said with a bright smile. “You're the gay guy on TV. Didn't you and your lover come in here and speak or something?”
    “Right. That was a couple of months ago. But we've got a problem tonight, and I need to speak to Jordy.”
    “You know, I really don't think he—”
    “I'm sorry, but either I talk to him or I call the police.”
    “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,” she said, holding up both hands, palms out. “Come on, we don't need any shit like that. Particularly not on my shift, okay? I mean, I'm just supposed to be monitoring the place. I'm just volunteering.”
    “I mean it.”
    “Oh, man.” She bent her head, rubbed her forehead with one hand, and then, without looking up, pointed down the hall and said, “He's down there, first room on the right. Leave the door open. If I hear him shout or anything, you're gonna have to leave. Clear?”
    “Thanks.”
    Todd took a deep breath, held it a second, then blasted it out between pursed lips. Feeling oddly like the enemy, he proceeded past the monitoring desk and down a hall with fresh beige carpeting and newly painted walls.
    Originally the DQ had been in a dump of a storefront on Lake Street, an idea born of a dream and that functioned on a shoestring. And it had worked, not only proving to be a much-needed haven, but garnering a lot of media attention, gay and straight. The dollars had followed, both from the queer community as well as, surprisingly,