Stumptown by A. M. Huff

Author:A. M. Huff
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay thriller, gay suspense, abduction, murder, kidnapping
Publisher: JaMarque Publishing
Published: 2017-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Try as he might, Justus could not stop thinking about the picture and Patrick. It had been five days and still no text from Curtis. He was beginning to think he was right, that Curtis was not going to show Patrick the picture.

Justus glanced at the flowers in the garbage can beside his desk in the file room. Dean still had not let up. Justus picked up the card and looked at the inscription again. The growing anxiety inside his chest was beginning to make him feel as if he were about to explode. He grabbed his coffee cup and headed for the break room.

The break room was located on the west side of the twenty-eighth floor overlooking the West Hills. It was not a large room, but it was not a closet either. A counter—complete with sink, microwave, and industrial coffee maker—spanned the wall to the right between the door and the windows. Several round tables surrounded by too many plastic chairs took up the center of the room. Against the wall to the left sat an uncomfortable, worn, and stained office couch with matching and equally stained chairs. No one ever sat on them anymore and Justus did not know why they were still taking up space.

Music from an easy listening station was piped in through the speakers in the ceiling and controlled by the main switch in the boss’ office upstairs. Justus was told it eliminated fighting. He did not care for the station, in fact, with everything else that was on his mind, it grated on his nerves.

Justus walked straight over to the coffee urn and filled his cup. He looked in the small refrigerator for the bottle of sweet cream and took it out. It felt light. He shook it. Empty!

“Why don’t they throw it out?” he grumbled and threw the plastic bottle into the trash. He grabbed his cup and headed back to his file room.

The telephone on his desk was ringing when he walked into the room. Justus nearly spilled his coffee while he hurried to answer it.

“Are you going to make your rounds anytime soon?” Harrison asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Justus said. “Be right there.”

He hung up the phone right when his cell phone rang. He grabbed it and answered without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Justus, this is Scotty. Have you heard from Marcus?”

“No. Not since last Friday.”

“Neither have I. I tried calling his cell, but he’s not answering. It goes straight to voicemail.”

“Have you tried his work number?”

“Yes, but they said he hasn’t been in.”

“Hasn’t been in?” Justus repeated and sat down in his chair. His stomach tightened and he suddenly felt nauseous. A sense of dread filled him. “I’ll see what I can find out. Try not to worry. You know Marcus. He may have decided to take a few days off.”

“Okay. Let me know when you find out anything.”

“I will.” Justus disconnected the call and quickly dialed Marcus’ home phone. It rang and rang. He tried his cell number. As Scotty had said, the call went straight to voicemail.

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