Dangerous Obsession

by Richard Hunter

Chapter Thirteen

It was three days later, shortly after dark, that the call came in to Sterling at home. Shots had been fired at the home of Robbie Bailey and one shot had gone through the living room window and struck Robbie’s mother in the shoulder. A search of the neighborhood had produced nothing of significance except three shell casings outside the window.

“The fact that the shell casings were right there under the front window means that this was no random shooting. The person firing the gun intended to hit someone in that house. And I think we all know who that person is.”

Deputy chief Randall concurred. They were speaking to three uniform officers and two detectives, Abbott and Parker, who had been assigned to a small task force to find whoever it was that was creating such a panic in the community. “The Bailey kid is a target. This guy has now tried twice and he’s getting more brazen and more dangerous with each attempt. We need to turn up the pressure and find this guy before anyone else gets hurt.”

Sterling broke in. “Robbie Bailey is going to need protection. One of you uniforms will be assigned to keep an eye on him at school during the day. You’re not to be more than ten feet from him at anytime except when he’s in a classroom. You need to be discreet and non-disruptive, don’t squeeze him and make it hard for him with his friends, but be there and be alert for anything. Expect the unexpected, as they always say. I will take over each day at three o’clock to drive him home. For any of you who don’t already know, I’ve moved Robbie Bailey into my house as of last night. I was somewhat of a surrogate father to him several years ago when he was younger so I’ve got a personal interest in his safety. It’s better for his family, as well, because if he’s the target, the rest of the family will be safer in their home with him not there. I have a houseguest at present who has agreed to help me keep an eye on Robbie. If I get called out in the evenings or at night, there will be someone at the house with Robbie, although it’s unlikely this perp could ever get past my security and my ten foot high wall. But I’m sure Robbie will feel a lot better having someone around.”

Randall took over again. “Abbott, Parker, I want you to start interviewing everyone who knows Robbie Bailey and who knew Christopher Reynolds. Get anything and everything they can give you. Get gossip. Get innuendo. Don’t overlook a thing. We need to know if there are ex-boyfriends with a grudge, someone who had a crush on one or the other of them and wasn’t handling it well. Cover all the angles.”

Randall nodded to a young patrolman. “Martin, change into civvies, jeans and a polo shirt or the like. You’re going to play babysitter - or bodyguard - for Robbie at school. The Chief will drop him off at school each morning promptly at 8 o’clock so you need to be there waiting and ready to shadow him from that moment until the Chief relieves you at three. Bring some reading material because you’ll be bored. Robbie will be in classes all day except for ten minutes between each class and an hour at lunch time. Try to blend in with the students but don’t trust anyone. Our perp could be one of the students. Robbie is not at school today because we didn’t have this protection in place but he will be there at three thirty this afternoon with the Chief for his swim team practice. Be there to meet the Chief and you’ll be introduced so that each of you know who the other is.”

Finally looking at the remaining two uniformed patrolmen, Randall delivered their assignment. “You two are on special patrol assignment until further notice. You will not be given nor will you take routine radio calls. If you’re called, it’s likely that it has something to do with this case. Your assignment is to patrol around the highschool and the haunts that are the favorites of the highschool students, keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, anything suspicious, any hostilities or arguments. If you see anything that gets your attention, do field interviews and complete the FI card and turn it in. Maybe the information will lead somewhere, maybe it won’t. For now it’s all we’ve got.”

The chief dismissed them and then headed home for a late lunch. He could relax for an hour and a half before taking Robbie to the school for his swim practice. A little breather would be nice since he’d averaged sixteen hours a day now for the last few days.

As he entered the house, he saw the french doors were open and could hear the splashing of the pool so headed in that direction. He pulled up short at the doors. Tyler, comfortable as ever, was running around the pool naked, his soft penis flopping wildly from side to side with each step. Robbie, not yet comfortable with open nudity, was wearing a pair of trunks from a selection Sterling kept in the pool house. His face was a mask of awe and excitement, the size of the bulge in his suit clearly evidencing his arousal at watching Tyler’s beautiful nude body as he moved about. Sterling felt a twitch of his own in his pants as he stood silently observing the two boys until finally walking out onto the patio and shouting a greeting.

Tyler came running over followed closely by Robbie. He ran right up and kissed Sterling on the mouth as if it was the most natural thing in the world; hubbie had just come home for lunch and his dutiful wife greeted him with a kiss. It surprised Sterling but at the same time it was completely enjoyable. Robbie, on the other hand, took note of it with a frown. Uh, oh. Trouble in paradise. Looked like Robbie had a crush on Tyler already and didn’t like the fact that he was kissing Drew.

They all went inside and sat down around the table in the kitchen to eat. Tyler had made a chicken ceasar salad and cold pasta for lunch and they had just been waiting for Sterling to get home. As Sterling had found out, Tyler was actually a pretty amazing cook, even a chef, as evidenced by the meals he had fixed the last few nights from just leftovers and whatever items were already in the pantry. Sterling had no need of eating out anymore. The food at home was better and the company far more pleasant. He knew he was falling for Tyler and he kept asking himself if that was a good thing, something he really wanted to do. The answer kept coming back ‘yes’ but with the warning buzzing in the back of his head that he needed to go slowly and let things develop naturally, if at all, so that whatever came of this could be long term, hopefully permanent.

Tyler was extremely attentive, hopping up and down to get one thing or another that Sterling needed. Each time he got up, Sterling saw Robbie’s eyes go to Tyler’s crotch or his butt and just stare like it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Robbie almost appeared smitten and somehow Sterling felt a slight twinge of jealousy over that development. But regardless what he felt, he wouldn’t say anything to either one of them. It was up to them. But he might need to caution Tyler that Robbie was, after all, only sixteen and this was the home of the police chief.

After finishing their meal, Tyler had pulled on some walking shorts and they all sat in the all purpose room relaxing, waiting for the time to pass until leaving for the swim practice. Tyler had sat next to Sterling on the long sofa and, apparently exhausted, dozed off and gradually tilted sideways until his head was resting on Sterling’s shoulder. Heaven on earth could be achieved through such simple acts.