“What?” Aud asked as he accelerated to keep from getting hit by the big diesel Dodge truck that roared up behind him.
“The asshole who raped Felix left a note asking Felix to call him. Said he had fun.” Leo’s anger was tangible in the car.
“How did Felix react to that?” Aud knew he wouldn’t have responded well if it had been him.
“He doesn’t know.” Leo took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I grabbed the note and haven’t shown it to him. He doesn’t need to see anything like that right now. It might push him over the edge.”
“Wow. I guess anybody who’d rape somebody would do just about anything.” He reached over the console and took Leo’s hand. “It scares me, what the world is becoming.”
Leo squeezed his hand back. “It is scary. I guess I’ve been lucky and haven’t been touched by the ugliness of it before. I mean, I’ve been called names, but I’ve never been attacked like a lot of guys have.”
“I hear you. A few snide remarks now and again but nothing dangerous.” Aud frowned as he got on the interstate. “This stalker, and now a rapist—they’re things I never imagined touching me or people I know.” It really disrupts my white-picket-fence mentality. Is anybody truly safe nowadays?
“Exactly.” Leo looked out the window but didn’t let go of Aud’s hand.
Holding hands with Leo helped Aud ground himself and he hoped it helped Leo feel better.
“So why are the monsters going after people like you and Felix? You two are nice guys. There’s no reason for people to want to hurt you.”
“I think rapists and stalkers operate off different mentalities, but I could be wrong. Felix’s rapist was probably being violent for the sake of violence. A stalker is normally after possession of the target of his interest.”
Leo looked at Aud. “Where did you hear that?”
“Something back in school. Don’t ask me what class it was.”
“At least it isn’t any of that legitimate rape crap these politicians keep going on about. How can any rape be legitimate? That’s just bullshit.” Leo’s hand shook as his rage rose again.
“I agree, but we’re supposed to be trying to get you to relax tonight.” Aud squeezed Leo’s hand, hoping to change his focus. “Where would you like to go eat? We rushed out of your place so fast we didn’t have time to discuss that.”
“I’d been holding my anger at the note in. I didn’t want Felix getting upset.” Leo turned and smiled at Aud. “Thank you for coming to get me and taking me out.”
“Hey, if I’m not spending a romantic weekend with you, off somewhere no stalker can find us, then I want to take some time hanging out. What kind of food would you like?”
A thoughtful crease lined Leo’s forehead. “Oriental? The atmosphere in most of the ones I’ve ever been in has been laid-back.”
“I know just the place. It’s over on the east side of town, if you don’t mind going that far.”
Leo shrugged. “You’re driving. I’m just here for the awesome company.”
Aud smiled. “Good. I find your company pretty awesome too.”
AS AUD finished his dinner and pushed his plate toward the center of the table, his phone rang. He glanced at it and saw that it was Heather. I’ll check the message later. He silenced the phone, not wanting to disturb the awesome time he was having with Leo.
“If you need to take that, don’t let me stop you.” Leo grinned at him from across the table as he worked on finishing up his broccoli beef.
“It’s just Heather. I can check the message in a bit.” The phone rang again before there was time for a message to be left. Aud frowned at Heather’s number. “Okay, maybe I should talk to her.” He swiped the screen to answer the call. “Hey, Heather, what’s up?”
“Where are you?”
“At dinner with Leo. I told you we were going out.”
“Look, someone just tried to break into the gallery.”
His heart raced. “We’ll be right there. Have you called the cops yet?”
“Yeah, they’re on their way.”
“Okay. You’ve got your gun on you?” He knew she carried a small pistol in her purse and was skilled in its use.
“Yeah. That’s why they didn’t get in. But I put a hole in the loading doors.”
“The doors can be repaired. We’re over off Powers. It’s going to be a few minutes before we get there.”
“No problem.” She hung up.
“What’s going on?” Leo had set his fork down on his plate.
“Someone tried to break into the gallery.” Aud daubed his lips with the thick cloth napkin, then dropped it on his finished plate. “We need to go.”
“Sure.” Leo wiped his lips with his napkin. “I can’t believe all this stuff keeps happening.”
Aud sighed as they stood to walk to the cashier. “I know.”