He watched as the prosecutor and defense argued over what the jury heard. When it all happened, he never planned for it to go off this well. Kip was collateral damage; Brian Kinney was his target. He never meant to kill Kip in the beginning, but then it seemed to be written in the stars, a way to take the great Brian Kinney down. He had gone to Brian’s loft looking for him, that’s when he ran into Kip. He had never met the guy but he had heard a lot about him. Kip had told him that he left something in Brian’s loft. He knew it was a lie, but he led the man up to the loft. Used the spare key that he had gotten off the hook at Michael’s.

The first plan had been to plant drugs in the loft or child porn on his computer. He wanted Kinney gone…for good. Once he and Kip were upstairs things seemed to progress without even trying. Kip started to come on to him, the best part of being in Brian loft, he had so many people in and out of there, it would be impossible to pick him out with DNA.

Kip let him tie him up, smiling lustily at him. The stupid kid probably thought he was getting one over on Kinney. It wasn’t until he put the scarf around the boy’s neck that he seemed to realize he was in trouble. The absolute thrill he got from squeezing the life out of a virtual stranger was exhilarating. After the kid was dead, he knew that they would have to find his body soon. He wanted Brian locked up as soon as possible. So, he started a fire just outside the door of the loft under Brian’s. He did his best not to smile when he thought about the great Brian Kinney rotting in prison.

At just that moment, Brian turned and looked at him. His face was hard but not suspicious, he had no clue he was looking at the man who set him up. That’s the way it would stay too.

Brian watched the jury being led back in, the judge said a bunch of nonsense about them disregarding what they just heard…like that was possible.

He looked at the jury, not for the first time. Juror One was a female, late sixties with a sour looking expression, she reminded him of his mother. Juror Two, a forty-something bald, black man with a beer gut. Juror Three, a thin man with a bit of a horse face, around forty. Juror Four, an older Asian woman, she held herself like a take-no-prisoners’ kind of woman. Juror Five, a young and pretty woman with black hair, her tanned skin looked natural. Juror Six, a plump woman of about thirty. Juror Seven, was a hot little, blonde twink. He couldn’t be more than eighteen. His blue eyes were much too innocent for this trial. Juror Eight, a big, middle aged man, he had black hair and a goatee. Juror Nine, a woman that looked old enough to be in the grave…ten years ago. Juror Ten, tall stud that sort of looked familiar to Brian. He couldn’t have fucked the guy because they made a point in asking during selection. Three had to leave because they knew him intimately. Juror Eleven, a middle-aged, dark-skinned woman who looked about six months pregnant. Juror Twelve, a bitch if he ever saw one. She had been glaring at him since they started. She was tall, young and sneering.

“Counsel, call your first witness,” the Judge said patiently.

“The prosecution calls Tyra Yearly to the stand,” Torrent Lewis, the prosecutor said.

A tall, dark skinned woman walked up the stand. She had short hair and an air of hostility to her. After the swearing in, the prosecutor walked in front of his table.

“State your full name please for the court.”

“Tyra Ann Yearly,” she answered, glaring at the prosecutor.

“What do you do for a living, Ms. Yearly?”

“I’m a firefighter.”

“What station?”

“Station Twenty-eight.”

“How long have you worked as a firefighter?”

“Fourteen years.”

“So, you’ve seen a lot of things in your line of work?”

“Yes.”

Justin could see how much she didn’t want to be there. He didn’t know why she was so upset. Maybe she was the defendant’s friend.

“On December 24th, 2000, were you at work?”

“Yes.”

“Did you answer a call to a fire at 6 Fuller Street, on the corner of Tremont on that day?”

“Yes.”

“When you got there what did you see?”

“Smoke coming out of the windows of the second floor.”

“What did you do then?”

“After gearing up, I went up to the top landing, to make sure everyone was out. The call we got said that they thought the neighbor was upstairs in his loft. I and another firefighter, Juan Torrez, broke down the door.”

“What did you find inside?” Even Justin could see the glee on the man’s face.

“A young man, tied to a large bed. He had a white scarf tied around his neck.”

“What did you do next?”

Justin listened as she explained everything she had done. It was far too late to have saved the man. After the relatively small fire on the second floor was out, the police were brought in.

The defense, just asked pretty much the same questions but made her admit, that there was no trace of Brian Kinney that day.

The first cop on scene was next. Justin knew right away he didn’t like him. That was followed up by a detective he liked even less. The man creeped him out. Detective Rickard was giving off a bad vibe. It made him very uncomfortable. Finally, after hours of cross-examination, they adjourned for the evening.

Before he was led out he felt someone’s eyes on him. Looking up, he locked eyes with the defendant, looking as though he could see through him.

“I fucking hate this,” Brian bitched. He should be glad that he didn’t have to spend his time in jail, but that didn’t help matters.

His lawyer had pulled off a miracle and gotten him bail. Even though his loft had been cleaned up from its crime scene, it wasn’t a great idea to move back in. Not that he was in a hurry, someone died there. He wanted to get another place but his lawyer thought it would be better if he moved in with family. His options were, Deb and Vic or Mel and Linz. Like hell would he move in with the Munchers and be forced to listen to whatever atrocities happen in their bedroom.

So, now he was living with Debbie and Vic. He had replaced Mikey’s twin bed, he couldn’t sleep that thing. After that Debbie reminded him that he really should save money. Ryder had let him go, his savings was being quickly depleted by his lawyer. He just hoped that starting over was worst thing that happens. He’d already had an offer to join another agency if he beats the charges. They didn’t even seem to care if he was guilty or innocent, just as long as he didn’t go to jail for it.

“What were you reading?” he asked, seeing Vic cover the paper he just was reading.

“It’s nothing.”

Like he believed that. “Tell me,” he demanded.

Instead of telling him, Vic uncovered the paper, pushing it towards Brian. His eyes locked in on the headline.

Renowned Ad Exec, Brian Kinney, Pittsburgh’s Gay Strangler?

Brian glared at Vic before turning towards the stairs, hoping to pass out soon.

“Are you hungry?” Debbie asked.

“No carbs after seven,” he reminded her.

“Does that still count if you are facing prison?”

“Yes.”

He stalked to his temporary cell, Mikey’s old bedroom. The worst part was that his friends were unable to be in the courtroom with him until they testified. Only David had been able to be in the courtroom today, and he was hardly a friend. There was something off about the way he smiled at him in the courtroom. Maybe he was glad to finally get Brian out of Michael’s life.

He fell face forward on the bed, closing his eyes. One day he hoped to wake up from this nightmare.

Justin pulled his grandmother’s car in front of Daphne’s house. His mind had been racing since he left the courtroom. Those hazel eyes seemed to burn into him. With these feelings, he knew he probably should say something to the bailiff. But he knew he never would, he couldn’t leave him. It was weird as hell, but he just felt like he had seen those eyes before.

“About time you got here,” Daphne said as she threw the door open.

“I told you I would be late.”

“That must mean the trial is important. Is it a murder trial? Mass murder?”

“Really, Daph, I can’t talk about it. If you’re gonna bug me I’ll go to my grandparents’ house.”

Daphne let out a squeal. “I still can’t believe it. Your mom and sister are finally away from him. I didn’t want to say anything but I wasn’t sure how long until he might hit one of them.”

Justin hated to admit it but he agreed. “You know what this means?”

“Daphne and Justin…the college years,” she said, grinning.

They had decided if his mother left his dad before they started school, they would move in together. Daphne’s parents didn’t want her living on campus, they thought it would be too much partying. Now that he didn’t have to worry about his mom and sister, he could concentrate on being young. Maybe even losing his pesky virginity.

“It’s going to be awesome. Once this trial ends I can look for a job. Then we’ll go out clubbing, maybe I can even talk you into going on Liberty Avenue with me.”

“I said I would, you were the one that chickened out. Then you decided to go by yourself, and you chickened out again.”

“Justin, dear, what in the world did you park in front of my house?” Daphne’s mom, Bonita asked.

“It’s my grandmother’s car, she’s letting me use it while I do jury duty.”

“Well, park in the garage, I don’t want people to think it’s ours. Daphne, you can move my car.”

Justin bit back a laugh when Daphne rolled her eyes. He loved her parents, but they were all about how they appeared to others. Daphne said it was because they still dealt heavily with racism even though they were the best in their fields.

It only took a moment for them to switch the cars. He parked inside the garage and Daphne’s mom’s car was parked beside hers.

“Do you have to go to bed right away or can you stay up?” Daphne asked.

“It’s still really early, Daph. All I have to do there is not fall asleep and pay attention. And trust me, that’s not a problem.” His eyes widened, he’d said too much.

“Why is that, Mr. Taylor? Is there a cute guy on the jury with you? Tall, dark and handsome?”

He thought yes to all accounts except being a juror. “Cut it out.”

“Oh, did you read the newspaper? They have this guy…”

“Stop, if it’s anything to do with any court, crime or anything like that you could compromise me and I’d have to tell the judge.”

“But you don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“That’s just the point, you don’t know what case I’m juror on. Let’s just talk about dumb stuff. Like, did you see Chris Hobbs?”

That was all Daphne needed before she was off. “Oh my god, that is the funniest thing I think I’ve ever seen. I hope he breaks his nose. What was he thinking?”

“I think it was obvious he wasn’t, he just realized high school was close to being over. No longer big fish in little pond. Now he just a run-of-the-mill loser.”

“I know, but I still can’t believe he broke into Mr. Ryan’s house trying to change his grade. He didn’t even get to graduate with us.”

“I heard he has to repeat his senior year, but in public school. I feel sorry for them,” Justin said, laughing.

“Still, twirling a sign for his uncle’s business in front of Dungrin’s Market. The humiliation.”

Justin smiled. “I know, it’s it great?”

He really didn’t think it was that bad, hell, he probably would do it to pay bills. It was the fact that Hobbs thought he was so far above everyone else that make it fun to see him down with the mere mortals. Hobbs had made it his life goal to pick on the weaker kids. Justin and Daphne had found themselves as his targets more time than once.

They wouldn’t admit it but they were both glad when he got suspended before prom. He really seemed to have a hard on for causing the most damage. It wasn’t even like he knew Justin was gay, he just suspected and that was enough to be a homophobic ass.

“Are you hungry?” Daphne asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He smiled. “Have you met me?”