HOUSE OF BROKEN SOULS Part 32
Warnings: This Chapter: None. Overall: Slash, sexually explicit content, graphic violence
The fiction includes a mental illness storyline. I am not qualified in mental health, everything I know about it is googled. It's fantasy folks, please don't shoot me though helpful criticism is always welcomed.
*Not real. The folks aren't mine. No damage intended.
Lia (Cheebles) is still with me for help & support for which I am very grateful (hugs)
Caitlin was sitting in the Glenview lobby. Her hands fiddled with the clasp of her bag. Doc Carver stopped by and rested his hand on her shoulder. “JD will be along soon. The weather’s a bit breezy but it’s dry. Why don’t you wait by the flowerbeds outside. They’re real colorful right now.”
Her eyes flicked nervously to the main door but he was impressed to see her square her shoulders and stand up. “Should I?” she said.
“You’ll be going home next week Caitie and you've got that Christmas shopping trip planned with Jay, you may as well get used to it, there's no point in putting these things off.”
She signed herself out and breathed deeply as she walked freely into fresh morning air. She was sat on a bench, mentally naming all the flowers when the smell of cigarettes wafted toward her and a nondescript, middle aged man sat next to her. “Hey there Emma.”
She looked around to see who he was talking to but his eyes were fixed on her, intense and unnerving. “Do I know you?”
“Oh, now Emma, that’s just unkind.” He placed nicotine stained fingers over her hand and blew smoke in her eyes. Somewhere at the back of her mind someone was screaming at her “Remember! You have to remember.” Unconsciously her right hand traced a pattern on her left shoulder and down her arm but nothing made sense.
JD reported to reception at Glenview but Caitlin had already signed out. She wasn’t in the lobby and there was no sign of her in the gardens or on the sidewalk. Thirty minutes after JD and the staff started to search for her and just before Doc Carver picked up the phone to dial Jared she breezed back into reception with a wide smile. “Ready to go.” she said and then looked at their concerned faces and added “I went to get a paper. I’m sorry, did I lose track of time?”
***
Jensen had just settled at his desk when his mobile rang.
“So who am I putting down as your plus one this weekend Bro?”
His silence was deafening.
“Jen, tell me you haven’t forgotten my party.”
“No. Of course not.” he laughed, guilt transparent in his tone.
“So are you going to give me a name? How are you getting here? What time? Details Jen.”
“Mac, I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
“Because you forgot.” she replied exasperated.
“I’ll be there. I promise.”
“I’m going to put you next to Old Aunty Ann if you don’t bring anyone. Bring someone Jen, I’ll leave the place blank because I’m an awesome sister. I won’t even tell Mama you forgot.”
“Thanks Sis. You are awesome and that fiance of yours better be good to you.”
"By the way, remember you asked me about that book title, 'House of Broken Souls.' I did find a story that matched. It's in one of those generic horror compilation books for kids. Usual tale of a haunted asylum where kids get locked in and get bumped off one by one. The ghost of a madman makes them kill each other. I admit, I read it, it was kind of fun. It reminded me of my childhood, reading horror books under my covers' then being too scared to go to the bathroom and having to cross my legs all night."
"So that was why you spent so long in the bathroom every morning." he laughed.
“Bring presents Jen and plus one.” she said warningly before ringing off.
He planted his forehead on the desk and groaned. He didn’t dwell on it because his fax machine came to life, churning out pages from Baltimore PD and there was the audible beep of multiple emails arriving.
He tore the pages from the fax machine and his stomach clenched. It was a missing person report for a 25 year old Baltimore scaffolder. His disappearance, from a building site, one lunchtime, was dated four days before Tom had been taken. In all ways the disappearance had been unremarkable and it had been weeks before he was formally declared missing. Young men willingly walk away from their lives on a regular basis. Most cases are not suspicious. There had been no positive leads and routine interviews indicated that Jake Abel had been infatuated with a married woman at the time. The woman hadn’t been available for comment and after a time search resources had decreased to nil.
The thing that suddenly made Jake’s disappearance remarkable was the woman he had a crush on. Jake Abel had reportedly been flirting with the woman who brought sandwiches to his building site. According to his workmates, James Painter had looked on angrily , several days running, as Jake winked at Emma and joked. Painter’s Mobile Snacks had continued to call at the site for several days after Jake went missing but after that they had ceased and another supplier had taken the slot. In fact Painter’s had ceased trading altogether. Their warehouse unit was abandoned with food rotting, the van hadn’t been seen, and it’s insurance was left unrenewed.
Jensen concentrated on the practical details of the information, filing and cross referencing every detail but his eyes kept wandering back to the young face, a man in his prime, someone who should have had a future. His gut instinct and everything on the pages before him told them they weren’t going to find Jake alive.
“Do you think she can do it Tom? Three cards for this one, what’s the odds? She refuses and it‘s your turn pretty boy. Watcha think? Think you can do it? Have you ever killed? Ever known the thrill?”
He mulled it over. The reference was always ‘she’. He shuddered and tried to forget the insane cackle, the warped joy on his face “Three cards. Wasn’t betting on that.”
He snapped out of his thoughts as Misha came into the room. He was whistling.
“Don’t suppose I can have my cuffs back now?”
“Crap! Sorry. They’re still at home.”
“Ah well, I’ve got more, but they are my favorites. Is Jared still in them?”
“No!” he couldn’t contain a gleeful smirk.
“He stayed! You sly dog. Congratulations. This isn‘t awkward for you is it?”
Jensen swatted at him. “How’s it going here?”
“Oh you know, card theft and muggings. Nothing as exciting as you’ve got. Reminds me, I got that info from Scotland Yard. I’ll pass it through. We got a class photo back from Bryony Lodge School. I don’t want to jump the gun. I don’t want Jared getting excited but our Riordan/Matthews girl is a ringer for a young Caitlin. Have you got that face recognition stuff? The photo is 15 years old but I think it’s worth doing.
“It’ll give us an indication, but it’s never going to be accurate, there was so much damage to her face. You’re really excited about this aren’t you?”
“I’ve got a hunch Jen, which is allowed now I’m a real life movie cop.”
“Should we be passing all this through to witness protection?”
“According to The Yard they lost interest in her years ago. Old news. She went to University in England to study Occupational Hygiene then dropped off the radar. It was a knee-jerk reaction when her name popped up and it’s all settled down again. What even is Occupational Hygiene?”
“The Yard, seriously Misha you’re not getting your own mini series yet.”
He Googled ‘occupational hygiene’ as he spoke and turned the screen to face him ‘discipline of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards in the working environment with the objective of protecting worker health and well-being and safeguarding the community at large.’
“In short, Health and Safety. Like that helps.”
“Talking of help. I need to buy an engagement present for my sister. It’s not like she needs anything. What the hell do I get?”
“Something she doesn’t need. Something fun. I have this contact who makes this awesome furn…”
“Misha ! NO!"
“Just saying.”
“I need a plus-one or she’s going to torment me for the rest of my life.”
“and that’s a problem how?”
“I haven’t got a plus one.”
“Then what’s Jared? I thought you two got it together.”
“Oh c’mon, Jared’s not gonna to want to go with me. It’s an overnighter.”
There was a rap on the door and Jared stood, arms crossed, looking at him. “What don’t I want to do?”
“Jay, do you lurk by my door permanently?”
“Pretty much.” grinned the tall man. “Seriously, what is this overnighter?” he sidled up beside Jensen ruffling his hair playfully.
Misha put his finger on his tongue and made a sick face before exiting. “I’m out of here guys. Make sure you lock the door.”
“My sister’s engagement party.”
Jared frowned and looked disappointed. “Oh.”
“What Jay?”
“It’s just you didn’t say anything and I thought we might do something together this weekend. It’s OK though, I mean that’s huge. It’s fantastic. I can totally understand why you don’t want me there. Family can be odd about the whole other guy thing.”
“Jay, my family organized and came to my wedding, you know, the one with the other guy. My being gay isn’t an issue.”
“Do you want me to come? I can do parties. I scrub up well. Where is it?” his enthusiasm was endearing.
“Why? Would you do that for me? I mean that’s pretty heavy for a first date. I don’t want to scare you.”
Jared moved in and placed his hands on Jensen’s waist, pulling him into his chest. He rubbed his lips lightly over Jensen’s. “Do you know what really scares me? Losing you. Is that too heavy for a first date? I know I’m messed up but I do want to try. You found Megan for me and she’s my only family. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that. I’m a grown man and a professional and I need my ass kicking if I can’t cope with one night away from home with you. Caitlin comes home next week and time away will be difficult after that." he only paused a beat for breath "Oh. Unless you don't want your family to meet me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't push it, I'd get it, I'm not really good boyfriend material.”
"Woah. Stop, stop right there. Of course I would love for you to meet my family. You are perfect boyfriend material, they will want to adopt you. I know it. If it helps I can organize separate rooms or twin beds.”
“Or you can just bring the handcuffs.” Jared waggled his eyebrows at Jensen and Jensen swallowed “Yeah, I can do that. Now stop talking and kiss me.”
The kiss was tender and passionate and Jensen ran one hand over the curve of Jared’s ass and up his back while the other held him tight at the base of his neck pulling him in. Jared held on to Jensen’s waist with a grip that spoke of never wanting to let go. They did break apart after a time, lips wet and shiny. Jensen trailed a thumb over Jared’s lips then put it to his own mouth and sucked the tip suggestively.
“Jeez Jen, you can’t do that to me here.”
The phone rang and Jensen shook his head. He took his thumb out of his mouth with a pop and rolled his eyes. “Never stops. I have to take this. By the way, you‘re cooking dinner tonight. You don‘t honestly expect me to use that white kitchen do you?”
“Eight o’clock and you’re allowed to dress inappropriately.” The architect walked out of his office with a bounce in his step.
Continued in part 33 here: anniespinkhouse.livejournal.com/9894.html