Before the sun rose fully, there was pounding on Parker
and Dexter's dorm door. Parker staggered to see who it was. He
had only been asleep about two hours. Sluggishly, Parker
opened the door. A campus police officer and the resident hall
assistant stood there.
"What?" asked Parker.
"Dexter Marchant?" asked the officer.
"No. I'm Parker Reynolds. Dex is asleep."
"Wake him up."
"Why? He's had a long night. He needs to sleep."
"Wake him up. We need to talk to him."
Parker sat down on Dex's bed and gently shook him. "Dex,
wake up. Security is here. They need to talk to you."
Dex mumbled, "Did you tell 'em?"
"No. Wake up."
Dex struggled to wake up from the Percocet he had taken.
"What?" he asked.
"Dexter, did you know Rance Thomas?" asked the security
officer.
"Yeah. We went to high school together."
The officer cleared his throat and spoke with a harsh tone.
"Dexter, wake up fully, please. Rance is dead."
"What?" Dex sat up painfully. "How?"
"He hanged himself. He left a note addressed to you." The
security officer handed Dexter the note inside a plastic
evidence bag. It read:
Dexter shook his head. "Rance didn't write this."
"Are you sure?" asked the officer.
"It's not his handwriting." Dex tried to get out of bed. "Oh."
"What do you need?" asked Parker.
"In my desk drawer. I have some notes from Rance.
They're in my journal."
Parker got the journal and handed it to Dexter who
retrieved a dozen letters Rance had written him. "Look for
yourself."
The security officer looked through the letters without
actually reading them. "You appear to be correct. Mr.
Marchant, if Rance didn't write the suicide note, maybe he
didn't hang himself. You need to tell us what happened."
Dex shook his head.
"Dex!" Parker huffed loudly.
"No," Dexter said again.
Parker turned to the officer. "Give us a minute alone,
please."
Security frowned. "So you can synchronize your stories?
Perhaps Mr. Marchant killed his lover."
"Get real!" Parker stood. "Rance Thomas was a football
player." He pointed at Dex. "Look at him. Even healthy he
couldn't have killed someone twice his size by hanging, and
right now he can hardly move."
"Maybe a faithful friend helped."
Delusions of grandeur! Cop wannabe.
Parker spoke firmly.
"I'm about to call my father, Police Chief Raiford Reynolds.
We won't say a word until he gets here unless you walk out of
here and let me talk to my friend for a minute."
With a grunt, the security officer and resident assistant left
the room.
Parker squatted in front of Dex who stared at the floor.
"Listen to me. What happened to you was a hate crime. What if
those jerks killed Rance? They might hurt somebody else."
Dexter lifted frightened eyes. "He scares me, Parker."
My God! He looks and sounds like a girl.
"I'll be right here
with you, Dex. I won't leave your side, and I
will
be calling my
dad. Trust me."
"Okay."
Parker let the officer back in. "We don't need you," he said
to the RA. "Just the officer. Give Dex some privacy."
The security officer nodded for the RA to leave, and when
he spoke again, his tone became much gentler. "Mr. Marchant,
what happened?"
"Rance and I met at a club like we usually do to be
together, but I didn't dress like a girl this time because when I
came back to the room after the game and a couple stops at a
few parties Parker had company." He gave his roommate a half
smile. "Rance didn't want the team to know he was gay, but
some of the other players showed up and caught us holding
hands. He jerked his hand back quick and tried to make it we
were shaking hands. The fellows harangued him a while and
left—we thought. We left the club and came back here, but
Parker still had company. So, we drove to the park. We figured
nobody would be around with all the celebrations going on.
Rance kissed me in the car, and then we walked a bit.
Suddenly, the other players were there. They started shoving
us. They asked if I was his little bitch. Rance told them it
wasn't like that, that we had been friends a long time. They just
laughed and started punching and kicking me and held Rance.
They raped me. They took turns and then made Rance. They
said that is if he really wanted his little faggot. He did. They
dragged him off, and I got back here in Rance's car. My blood
is on the driver's seat if you want to check." He glared at the
officer. "It's in the parking lot. Parker was asleep, but he woke
up and took me to the emergency room. My cheek bone is
cracked, and I have three broken ribs. The doctor did a rape kit.
Parker brought me back, and I took two Percocet and sort of
passed out 'til you came."
"Who were the other players?"
"I don't know all their names."
"Can you identify them?"
"I think so. One of them was Pike Hilton. Rance said Pike
was gay, too. Maybe he was trying to prove otherwise, but I've
seen him at some of the places we go. He has made several
passes at me. I think he knew who I was all along."
The security officer pulled out a team photo. "I thought
something like this might have happened. Show me."
Dex pointed out five other players besides Pike. "That all?"
asked the security officer.
"Yes, sir."
"I have to bring in the city police on this. I want you to
write out what you told me. Parker, write what you know
firsthand. This was murder because he was gay."
Parker called Ray who left immediately to be with his son.
Ray got there and read both boys' statements before he let them
turn them in.
"Daddy, we didn't do anything wrong," said Parker.
"I believe that, Parker, but I don't want anyone to be able to
misinterpret anything you say. Dexter, call your father. You
need support."
"Mr. Reynolds, he's already disappointed that I'm gay. This
will kill him."
"Dex," said Ray gently. "Were you molested as a child?"
"Why? Because I'm gay? I know that's true for some
people. No."
He looked at Parker who nodded encouragement. Dex
sighed and went on. "I'm a hermaphrodite. I was born with both
genitalia. My folks chose to raise me male." He ran a hand
down his side. "Look at me. Do you think they made the right
choice?"
"I see your point. You've had to grow up far too fast,
haven't you? Have you considered transgender surgery?"
"And be what, Mr. Reynolds?"
"That's for you to decide. Have you
ever
had an attraction
to women?"
"No. I cared for Rance forever."
"You sound like a good kid. Call your dad. You know, he
could be struggling with his decision, too. You can discuss
options with him. Maybe Dexter Marchant should be Dixie
Marchant."
Parker's jaw dropped. He could not believe Ray had said
exactly what he had thought when he first met Dex.
By the end of the day, Jonas Marchant was with Dexter
discussing serious possibilities and six football players had
been arrested for assault and battery, sexual battery, rape, and
murder. Officers took turns interrogating the young men. Ray
went to the police station and watched the interrogations.
Noting only one room did not have the frosty air he had come
to associate with evil, he spoke to the detective in charge.
"Give me a crack at the Hilton boy. I can break him."
"What are you gonna do—beat it out of him?"
"No. Talk."
"Go for it."
Ray went in. "Hello, Pike. I'm Raiford Reynolds. I'm not a
cop here."
"So?"
"Tell me what happened. Let me help."
"I didn't kill anybody. My career is over."
Ray sat down across the table and stared at Pike for a good
fifteen minutes without saying a word. Finally, Pike screamed,
"Stop looking at me like that! Rance killed himself. I wrote the
note for Dexter. It wasn't right what we did to him, and then to
lose Rance. I had to go along with them in the park or they
would've known about me." He dropped his face into his
hands. "I wish I hadn't. Rance really did kill himself, but he
didn't even leave a note. I found him." Pike met Ray's piercing
blue eyes. "Dex is a sweetheart. Not even to say good-bye was
heartless. I didn't hit Dex, not once. Yeah, I raped him, not to
hurt him, but to keep
my
secret. Ask him if I hurt him. Ask
him. I'm really sorry. I like Dex. I really like Dex."
"Was that hard?"
"Yeah. I guess I have to go to jail now, huh, and register as
a sex offender? I'll never have a life."
"You
did
rape Dex." Ray cocked his head to the side.
"Not because I wanted to. You said you would help." Pike
wrung his hands on top of the cold metal table.
"Give up the others, and I'll see."
Pike sat back. "I'd like to talk to Dex."
"To intimidate him?"
"To apologize."
"I'll see."
Ray relayed the request. Dex agreed to talk to Pike who did
apologize and explained the whole situation, even knowing the
conversation was being monitored. "I'm truly sorry, Dex. God!
I didn't wanna hurt you. I tried not to hurt you."
"I was hurting too much to notice. What do you want from
me?" asked Dexter.
"Another chance."
"At what?" He released a nearly hysterical giggle.
"I'm going to San Francisco if I get out of this. To hell with
football! I'm gonna work for an ad agency. You could come
with me."
"Why?"
"I'll take care of you."
"Why?"
Pike put his hands to both sides of his head and appeared to
squeeze. He released a frustrated sigh. "I knew about you and
Rance. He cheated on you with men and women. I wouldn't
cheat on you. You're special. I've been watching you. We
would work, Dex."
"I don't know."
"Think about it. You could go to Berkley. We'd fit in out
there. I guess I'll be right here while you decide. I'm so sorry.
Dex, the words in the note were from
my
heart."
Dexter glared at Pike in silence of a long time before he
asked, "Did Rance ever talk about me?"
"No, not even to those of us who knew."
"Were you and he ever intimate?"
"Yes."
"Did he hurt you?"
"Yes. He liked it rough, but not on the receiving end."
Dex bit his lip. "I know."
"I wouldn't hurt you. You deserve better."
Dexter talked for a long time to his father that night. The
next day, Pike Hilton walked out of jail. Dex waited. He said,
"This is your chance. Mess up, and I have four years to file
charges."
"I won't mess up." Pike kissed Dexter in front of
everybody.
Parker Reynolds shook his head in disbelief. He was ready
to go home for the holidays. He was dying to see Sheena.
Parker bounded out the front door when he heard Sheena's
car, but he stopped short as she walked up the steps.
"What are you wearing?" he asked.
"A mink coat."
"Where did you get it?"
"Alex. It's my Christmas gift."
Parker scowled. "Friends? Sheena, that's a little much for a
friend."
"I told him that. He guilted me into accepting it."
Folding his arms across his chest, he said, "I don't like it."
"Sorry. Did you give your friend,
Loraine
, a gift?"
"Yeah, a box of assorted chocolates. I gave Dex a better
gift, silk PJ's."
"Are you jealous?"
"Yes."
"Don't be. I told Alex I couldn't see him anymore."
"Good."
Sheena slipped her arms around Parker's neck. "Kiss me."
Parker kissed Sheena but held back. "What else is wrong?"
she asked.
"Put the dead animals in the car."
Sheena laughed, but put the coat in her car. "Now?"
"Better."
Parker kissed Sheena passionately. "Mmm," sighed Sheena.
"That's what I've been missing."
"Let's take a drive and be alone for a while."
"Sounds good. Where?"
"Out by the old train trestle. We'll take the T-bird. It's not
cold yet."
"I have a feeling it's gonna get real warm."
"Oh, yeah."
Parker and Sheena parked in his car near the old train
trestle that ran along Raif's property line. It did not take long
for the windows to be steamed. Stretched across the front seat,
Parker and Sheena were on the verge of consummating their
relationship. Parker toyed with entering Sheena unprotected
before he opened the door and tumbled out into the cool night
air.
"Parker! Why did you stop? I didn't say no," panted
Sheena.
"We made each other a promise."
"Parker, did you sleep with Loraine?"
"No."
"Did you get close?"
He sat on the dirt road, hands in his hair. "Yes."
"This close?"
"Yes."
"Damn you!" shrieked Sheena.
"What warranted a mink?" Parker yelled back as he stood.
"How dare you?" screamed Sheena as she sprang from the
car. "Do you really think the mink was in exchange for sex?
Ooh!" Sheena walloped Parker.
"Don't you hit me!" Parker grabbed Sheena's wrist and held
her arm behind her back.
She kicked him in the shin. "Damn it! Stop it, Sheena!"
Parker pinned her to the hood of the car. They were both
completely naked in the middle of the bayou. Parker wanted to
be inside Sheena so bad he ached. He pressed himself against
her.
"Get off me!" Sheena screeched. "You're acting just like
Derrick."
"Were you naked with him, too?"
"It doesn't matter if I said, 'No.'"
"It matters. Trust me, Sheena, we men don't think with our
big heads in this situation. I won't let you break my nose."
"I had ideas of breaking something else on you."
"Like what? My heart?" Parker let go of Sheena. "Get
dressed."
"Parker?"
"Get dressed," he said again as he put his own clothes back
on. He surveyed the area.
Fitting. This is the place where my
mother killed Robert and tore out his heart.
As soon as Sheena had her clothes on, Parker drove back
home. He stopped beside her car. "Good night, Sheena."
"Parker!"
"Good night, Sheena," he said coldly.
She got out and Parker drove into the garage. Sheena
waited with her arms folded across her chest beside her car.
She had put her coat back on. Parker started up the steps.
Vindictively, Sheena spat, "He asked me to marry him and said
he loves me. I was fully dressed"—She ran her right hand
down the left sleeve—"
covered
in mink." The frost from her
words hung on the suddenly chilled air. She got in her car and
slung gravel as she left.