“You’re John’s dad.”
“May I come in?”
The chain slid off and he stepped inside a high-ceilinged living room. It held a few pieces of expensive new furniture and art posters on the wall. He didn’t take time to read the details of galleries and dates, although one prominently featured the avant-garde Contemporary Arts Center downtown.
“I’m only living here through the summer. Until I go to college. But I didn’t want to be stuck out at the parents’ house, if you know what I mean, nothing wrong with parents, mine are cool, but I love this area…”
The chirping young woman was tall, with reddish-brown hair falling in tendrils over her shoulders, high cheekbones, and shapely legs shown to advantage in shorts. He could see why John was attracted to her. Still, she was mussed and out of breath.
“Let’s sit down,” he interrupted. She sat quickly and nervously. He turned down the radio and set it on the cushion beside him.
“We need to talk, Heather.”
“About what, Will?” A smile to light up a city. The sense of entitlement he had expected from her parents’ bankbook.
“Let’s get off on the right foot,” Will said. “I’ll call you Heather. You call me Detective Borders.”
“Okay.” A pout descended over her lovely face.
“I know you and John were on the river Saturday night and early Sunday morning…”
The pout was turning to unconcealed alarm when a closed door fifteen feet down a hallway was thrown open and a man angrily strode toward them. He was only wearing boxer shorts.
“What’s going on, Heather? This dude bothering you?”
Will made no effort to react. If the guy got in his face, the steel shaft of the cane would make an excellent impression on his nose. As he came into the light, Will saw how young he was. He was John’s age, maybe a year or two younger, and his stride was all confidence. He was lean and fit in an untested way, with stubble on his pretty-boy face, stubble on his head, and no hair on his chest. Beyond his belligerent posture, he wore a sleepy expression. When the fly of his boxers came open as he walked, Will could see the piercing. Lord, he didn’t understand this. But that was a reflection deep inside. His face was all cop.
“Who the fuck are you, kid?”
“I don’t have to…”
“Actually you do, asshole,” Will said, flashing his badge. The young man was momentarily deflated. Long enough for Heather to say, “This is my friend, Zack.”
“Go put on some clothes, friend Zack.”
The young man stared defiantly, then padded back to the bedroom, cursing under his breath.
“What’s Zack’s full name?”