Death Changes Everything

Chapter 2-2

Ian sat down and stared at his food. “Please tell me this isn’t real. Tell me this is all a terrible dream. Tell me that I’ll go home and Debbie will be there asking me why I didn’t come home last night.”

“I wish I could. I really wish I could, but sadly this is real,” Danny said sympathetically.

Ian picked at his food and ate about half of the hamburger and some of the fries. When it appeared he had eaten all he was going to eat, Detective Johnson cleared her throat and said, “I’m sure this is all very difficult for you. You have my deepest sympathy. While I wish I could let you mourn and not focus on the horrible tragedy, you probably knew Debbie better than anyone. So, if it’s okay with you, we’d like to ask you a few questions. We need your insight to help us with our investigation.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help you nail the bastard that did this,” Ian responded stoically.

“Is there anyone you can think of who might have done this?” Detective Johnson asked.

“You asked me that last night. I’ve thought about it a lot since then but I can’t think of anyone. Of course, I didn’t know much about Debbie’s contacts at work. Shane or Grady would know more about that.”

“Who are Shane and Grady?” Jess asked, writing some notes in her book.

“Shane McIntosh is Debbie’s brother-in-law. He’s married to her sister, Dana. Grady Simmons is the vice-president of Fairchild Properties. He and Debbie work…worked really closely together.”

“We’ll talk to them and see what they think. I know Detective Diaz told you about the note we found. Is there anyone who would want to hurt you?”

“Not that I know of.”

“You’re a college professor. You haven’t pissed off any students? Maybe someone who failed your class?”

Ian considered that for a bit, then said, “The only person I can think of is Jason Lee. He really hated me.”

“I can’t imagine anyone hating you. What makes you say he hated you?” Danny asked.

“He was in one of my graduate classes and I turned him in for plagiarizing a paper. He got kicked out of the university as a result of it. He was furious and left a few threatening notes on my car. I turned those over to the campus police and they dealt with it. But that was all about a year ago and I haven’t heard from him since. I doubt he would wait a year before doing anything, and I doubt he would resort to murder.”

“You never know. We’ll check him out all the same. Is there anyone else?” Jess asked. She was good at her job and she knew she needed to push Ian to remember anyone else he might have upset.

“Not really. I mean there have been a couple of students who have been mad because they got a lower grade in my class than what they thought they should get. But nobody’s been pissed off enough to threaten me or do anything.”

“In an investigation like this, we have to explore all possibilities. I have to ask a few very personal questions and I need you to be completely honest with me,” Detective Johnson said delicately.

“Okay. Ask me whatever you need to ask and I’ll be truthful.”

“How was your relationship with your wife?”

“It was good. I mean we had some disagreements here and there, but nothing major. Debbie and I were best friends.”

“What was your s*x life like?” Jess asked.

Ian looked a little uncomfortable as he responded by asking, “Are you trying to find out if we were into anything kinky or what we did in bed? What exactly is it you want to know?”

Danny saw the concern in Ian’s face. He wanted to help his friend be more relaxed, and open. “Your wife’s death has a lot of elements of a crime of passion. Usually in these cases there’s some type of personal relationship with the victim. We know you didn’t kill your wife because you were on a flight from Boston. Which means there’s a good possibility someone else was romantically involved with you or your wife. So, I’m trying to ascertain if both of you were happy with your s*x life. Were either of you having an affair?”

Ian hesitated before saying, “To be honest our s*x life was pretty much non-existent. A few years ago, I got really busy at the university and Debbie was busy dealing with the family business after her dad died. Both of us were working at least eighty hours a week. We hardly saw each other and when we did, we were both so exhausted we weren’t in the mood for s*x. That went on for about a year. Then, when things calmed down for both of us, we just never rekindled that aspect of our relationship. We still loved each other and were best of friends, we just didn’t have s*x anymore.”

“Did either of you look elsewhere for s*x?” Jessica pressed.

Ian sighed. “I guess you could say we had a don’t ask, don’t tell policy. I’m sure Debbie slept with other guys, but I don’t know who they were. I knew she loved me and always came home to me, so I never let it bother me.”

“And what about you? Did you sleep with other women?” Jess asked.

Ian shook his head. “I never had s*x with another woman.”

Danny instantly caught Ian’s subtle emphasis on woman. “Did you ever have s*x with men?” he asked. Although the question was pertinent to the case, he really wanted to know if his suspicions about Ian’s sexuality might be true.

Ian’s face became slightly flushed. “I still don’t see what any of this has to do with Debbie’s murder,” he asked, deflecting the question.

“We need to know if any of your s****l partners might have killed Debbie either out of jealousy, or revenge for being spurned,” Danny answered.

“Look, I really should get showered and go talk to Dana. Can’t we finish these questions later?” Ian asked.

Danny noticed that Ian was extremely uncomfortable. He could identify with Ian’s uneasiness. He had felt the same way when confronted about his sexuality before he was ready to come out. In an attempt to let Ian know it was safe to come out to them, he said, “Ian, it’s okay if you did. There’s no judgment here. A lot of married men have s*x with other guys. Hell, I should know. I’ve been with a lot of married men.”

“You’re gay?” Ian asked, somewhat shocked.

“I thought you knew that. You defended me when kids at school bullied me for being gay. You seem surprised. Does it bother you that I’m gay?”

“Not at all. I just didn’t realize you are. That’s all,” Ian responded.

Danny knew Ian wasn’t judging him, but there was something different about the way he looked at him. “So, back to my question. Did you fool around with men?”

“Yes,” Ian said quietly, looking down at the ground.

Detective Johnson said, “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We just need to know if any of the men you were with might have wanted your wife out of the way so they could be with you. Were you serious with anyone?”

Ian shook his head. “It’s not like that. I come from a very conservative family. My dad was a general in the air force. I think he would have killed me if he ever found out I had played around with guys. Debbie would have been really hurt and probably would have divorced me. I really loved her and couldn’t imagine my life without her. My life would have been ruined if anyone found out I was into men, so I couldn’t let anyone find out. I only hooked up with random guys I met on Grindr. I never used my real name and never went with the same guy twice. It was all just anonymous s*x. That’s all I wanted and all any of the guys I was with wanted. Is there any way this information can be kept confidential between us? I only told you because I said I would be honest in answering your questions and I want to help you catch whoever did this. Please, it can’t get out.”

Danny glanced at the other detective before saying, “Your secret is safe. We won’t tell anyone.”

“I really feel I should go and talk with Dana. Would it be okay for me to shower and go to her house?” Ian asked.

“That’s totally cool. I’ll drive you there as soon as you’re ready,” Danny said.

“Would it be okay if I came along?” Detective Johnson asked.

“How can I say no after you bought me lunch?” Ian replied, hoping humor would lighten the mood after his revelation.

“Great. I’ll go wait in the lobby so you can have your privacy while you get ready, Mr. Hughes.”

Ian’s face conveyed warmth and friendliness as he said, “Detective Johnson, now that you know my deepest, darkest secret, I’d feel more comfortable if you called me Ian.”

“Okay, but only if you call me Jess,” she said, trying to convey the same warmth and friendliness Ian had shown.

After Jess left, Ian started to get ready for the day. As he was undressing, Danny continued their conversation. “You really didn’t know I was gay?” he asked.

“I kind of thought you might be, but I figured there was no way you would be,” Ian answered.

“What made you figure there was no way I would be gay?” Danny asked, unable to keep from staring at Ian’s body and the impressive bulge in his briefs.

Ian chuckled nervously, “This is so embarrassing, but I had the biggest crush on you. I guess I thought my suspicions of you being gay were just wishful thinking.”

“What’s embarrassing about that? I’m actually flattered. To be honest, I had a crush on you. When I’d go swimming at your house, I used to get a b***r every time I looked at you. I was sure you had noticed.”

“You mean like the b***r you sprung as you’ve been checking me out while I’m getting ready?” Ian asked, smiling and nodding at the obvious protrusion in Danny’s slacks.

“I’m so sorry. I uh…” Danny’s hands dropped to his lap to try and hide his excitement.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad I can have that effect on you. It lets me know all those hours in the gym are paying off. I’m going to jump in the shower now. I think if you sit on the bathroom counter you’d get a better view,” Ian said with a wink as he took off his briefs.

Danny fixated on Ian’s impressive c**k. Even soft, it was obvious he was hung. “Uh…thanks, but I better stay out here. I need to keep things professional.”

“Do you like what you see?”

“Yes…no…I mean…seriously, I’ve got to remain professional.”

Ian laughed, “You mean like you are right now? I think a burglar could come into the room, steal all my things, and you’d never notice because all you’re looking at is my cock.”

Danny forced himself to look up at Ian’s face. “I really am sorry! It’s just I’ve wanted to see you ever since high school. I always knew you were big, I just didn’t realize you were this big.”

“It grows even bigger when it’s hard,” Ian teased.

“We shouldn’t be talking like this. I’m on duty. I think you’re doing all this on purpose just to tease me,” Danny said.

“It’s just payback.”

“Payback? For what?”

“I really wanted to sleep, but your snoring kept me awake. I’m just showing you something you obviously want, but can’t have,” Ian laughed as he stepped into the shower.

“I forgot what a horrible tease you can be.”