Another Dead Teenager by Mark Richard Zubro

Author:Mark Richard Zubro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 1995-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

Six

The next morning Paul woke up to a silent house. Usually the morning bustle of his two sons easily wakened him even if the alarm didn’t. He realized Ben wasn’t in bed next to him. The digital clock on the nightstand read 9:00 A.M.. He threw on jeans, a sweatshirt, and gym socks and padded downstairs.

Ben sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee and reading the Chicago Tribune.

They exchanged good mornings. “Boys get off to school okay?” Paul asked.

“We were all very quiet. Figured you needed the sleep. I helped with breakfast. Jeff insisted that I tell you he loves you.”

Paul squeezed Ben’s shoulder as he passed by him to grab a mug from the cabinet and pour himself a cup of coffee.

“I’m glad you were here,” Paul said. He still felt wiped out, but the few extra hours of sleep had helped. “Don’t you have to be at the shop?”

“I’m the boss. I can do what I want. Besides, Myra is there. She’s much tougher on the rest of them than I am.”

“I’ve got to shower and get to the funeral by eleven.”

“I’ll make you breakfast.”

“You don’t have to…”

“I want to.”

After letting water cascade over his body for fifteen minutes, and then a meal of fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, and potatoes, without an excessive amount of fresh vegetables, Paul felt more awake than he had in days. The phone rang as he was drinking an extra cup of coffee.

It was Ian. “Why didn’t you tell me these were homosexual murders?” Ian demanded by way of hello.

“What homosexual murders? I thought we didn’t….”

“I know we don’t say ‘homosexual murders,’ but two of the Chicago morning television shows are reporting that Goldstein and Douglas died because of some gay connection, only they used that bullshit ‘homosexual murder’ tag. As if some goddamn heterosexual couldn’t leave a string of dead males. Jesus fucking Christ, I am pissed!”

Turner sighed. He hated the term “homosexual murder.” Did it mean that a homosexual was committing murders or that homosexuals were being murdered? He hated the clinical sound and the inherent homophobia of too many who used the term.

Turner said, “As far as I know, the murders aren’t gay-related.”

“Well, you better talk to the police department public relations division. They were quoted.”

“Shit.”

“An excellent reaction and an accurate description.”

“What’d the reports say?”

“Quoted some guy who claims he saw the boys at a gay bar. You know how loony some people around this town get if they think there’s a gay connection. After Gacy and Eyler, you’d think they’d learn better.”

“This is the first I’ve heard about their sexuality having anything to do with the murder. We have no evidence from the scenes of sexual activity. Both boys have solid heterosexual credentials. It’s usually the kids from poor families, history of drugs, whatever, who the Gacys and Eylers go after. You know the drill. Boys out there hustling for money, drugs, or kicks. None of that fits the profile of these kids or any of the facts that we’ve been able to find.

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