CHAPTER 38 - SMOKE, MIRRORS AND FLATFOOT

BRITIN - TWO DAYS LATER, AFTERNOON

STUDY

BRIAN

Everyone is gathered and trying not to laugh. And largely failing. Emmett is actually doubled up shaking, Vic has had to leave twice, Debs has tears running down her face and Chyna is just staring at the screen in horror.

“How is...what is...that?!” She exclaims.

“No idea, but I would kill for some sound right now!” Daph snorts into her glass. “Arm flinging, where is there arm flinging in this routine?! He looks like he throwing seed...wearing a blindfold and was that wobble?!”

“No part of him has been stable, including his mind!” Ted snorts from behind Blake.

“No, look at him! As well as throwing seed he’s gone to seed look at that belly!” Cyn shrieks pointing at the screen.

“Pause it!” Chyna demands and finally, for the first time since she got here, starts to smile. “Wow, he packs on the meat fast doesn’t he?”

“So, what do you think this…” Sade swallows down her wine and pours another glass. “...is about?”

“From an idiot point of view, no idea.” Naomi replies. “But from an ego point of view, and knowing the ego that is Ethan as well as I do, he might try and crash the show. You know, show the world how good he is. Like Rostropovich for the modern era…”

“In all seriousness, people, they could really fuck this up!” Chyna declares and starts to pace before coming to a halt when Shadow sits in front of her and tilts his head. “Oh, for...you can’t be cranky when you have the puppy tilt can you?”

“No you can’t. Good boy, Shadow.” Justin smiles and feeds Silver another piece of my burger.

“Excuse me, Brat, feed him your burger not mine!”

“Twerp, I have eaten my burger. You always give them your remains so why so precious now? It’s like Cantata and Sonata, after you very carefully debone the KFC before you casually leave it for them.”

“Seriously? You feed your cats Kentucky…” Emmett is indignant.

“Korean fried chicken which is homemade. They love it. We have it on Fridays if we don’t go out, and on Saturday for lunch if we do.” I interject and smile as my Brat feeds Silver another piece of burger.

“Are you seriously feeding them sirloin and chuck steak burger?” Emmett just stares as Justin feeds Shadow.

“Yep. I love them and I love him, so gotta keep them fed and happy. Now, what are we going to do with this?” I indicate the screen but then turn back around when it is so quiet. “What did I say?”

“You’re happy.” Cyn smiles tearfully. “Truly and wonderfully happy.”

“Yeah. I am. But back to this.”

“Leave it with me.”  Naomi turns to them, having been making notes. “Hawkstreek is not an issue anymore, correct? What about the comic guy? Would he be willing to speak to the press about his…”

“Alleyway!” Chyna suddenly shrieks.

“Okay, lower volume higher clarity.” Sade utters as only she could get away with.

“When Thaddeus was last here, I taped them having a discussion…”

“Leak it? That would stop the association with Michael from an Ethan point of view?” Cyn asks keenly.

“No” Ted sighs. “And that would harm the case for Agnes. She accepted money from Thaddeus...”

“From him for giving it to her, but not from Novotny for giving it to him. That has nothing to do with anything, but yeah, he could argue that he didn’t know about the chlamydia.” Daph sits up and looks thoughtful.

“Which he didn’t.” Vic states. “Not until he was diagnosed in Florida.”

“So much for that…” Debs grumbles.

“But he bare backed willingly and for money at the end of the day.” Daph argues. “He could’ve got anything but he didn’t care. Have you got the video from the alleyway?”

“What you thinking, girlfriend? Naomi asks, seemingly on the same wavelength.

“Let’s just see, my darling boy, let’s just see.” She replies.

“The other thing!” Alexi exclaims. “The thing that he said that he couldn’t prove that he gave to him, does she have it?”

“Hmm. That could be an avenue to go down, but I want to have Agnes involved in the press as little as possible. Thaddeus aside, she’s a victim too and needs to be seen as clean as a whistle. This has to be about him and his callous disregard and…”

“The F-word!” David declares, and then looks contrite when Alexi glares at him while rubbing his ear.

“What F-word?” Naomi asks. “He called him a faggot? That’s bitchy not...”

“Flamer.” Ted growls.

“Flame…” Naomi looks scandalised. “...he didn’t?!! In what circumstance?”

“At least twice. As for the circumstances, just him being him.” David mutters.

“Okay people, I want full disclosure on this guy!” Naomi demands. “Is there anything that we can get him on the hook with now that doesn’t involve Thaddeus, Agnes or Jerry?”

“He watched us fuck and was arrested for it, but managed to explain it away.” I sigh.

“Who can we trust?” She asks.

“In the precinct?” Chyna replies and she nods. “Xin, the arresting officer, and Horvath. Old school. Straight.”

“Carl Horvath?” Debs looks surprised. “When did he get back?”

“Few months ago, been meaning to catch up with him. He was here before and…” Vic begins. “...knew Rodney.” We all go quiet. “Rodney was a cop. He got it from a needle stab…” He explains when Justin and I both look puzzled.

“Fuck.” I sigh.

“Yeah. They tried to play it off that he was gay and could’ve got it the other way but Carl had his back and was so disgusted that he requested a transfer.”

“I always liked him.” Debs smiles.

“Let me put a call in and see what we can grab.” Chyna declares.

“Grab?” I question.

CHYNA

Sighing I sit down and rub my temples. “Yes grab. Vic, Deb please just listen.” I clear my throat and look across at Sade and she nods. “They hate him, I mean really hate him. The Avenue as a whole hates Michael. There’s always been a degree of animosity towards him because he coasted on you being his Uncle, his Uncle’s partner being a cop and Emmett…”

“Me? Why me?” Emmett looks confused.

“Look in a mirror and see what we see. A kind, sweet and very strong man worth a million of him. Everything he is not and never could be.” Drew tells him making him blush.

“The times I have heard him say that he’s ashamed of you. But I didn’t know who he was talking about.” I sigh.

“Who?” Vic demands.

“Debs. As far as he is concerned you are an embarrassment. Ted, well you know what he thinks about you.”

“My adorable stock is high with him.”

“It had better fucking not be!” Blake snaps.

“It’s not.” Ted reassures him with a kiss. “I only want one man to adore me and that’s you.”

“Wait a minute. You knew him when he took you on?!” Emmett exclaims.

“Yep.” She smirks. “Shout up to the coinkidinkly god that I happened to be there. But I could see him looking down his nose at me. So I ramped it up to show him what I could do, but never expected him to bite the way he did.”

“There’s no way he can get back to you with his many acc…” Isla begins.

“Oh Daph! Could I prevail upon you my beauty?!” Chyna exclaims.

“To...” Vic prompts.

“I always have a feed running of my classes so…”

“Give me! Just give me and I will work my magic!” Daph says with relish.

“Well this embarrassment made forty grand!” Debs explodes and we are startled as she hadn’t reacted much since Chyna said that.

“How?!” Vic gasps.

“Plain old fashioned research! He knew fuck all about selling! He sold to the same group of people! I went wider and four of them went for $40K! Four!”

“Jeez. And how many have you got left to sell?”

“Hundreds. So far my holding bids total, oh hang on let me see here. Yes that.” She shows Vic her phone.

VIC

I open my eyes and find myself looking into the concerned ones of Emmett. “Now slowly, very slowly, sit up.” He orders. Nodding, I look around the room and can see concern and head tilting from Shadow and Silver. “You okay? Want water or brandy?” Ever practical Emmett asks.

“Brandy.” I look at Debs who is tapping on her phone. “Did that number...I mean is that number correct?”

“Yes, and that was for 10 of them. Sorry nine, just sold one!” She grins.

“Vic, what was the number?” Sade asks.

“Seventy thousand. She’s holding seventy thousand dollars’ worth of bids.”

“There were some toys...” She sneers. “...in the basement. Those are what these bids are for.”

“Vic, there is someone who wants to talk to you.” Chyna hands him her phone, and although I frown I do take it.

“Hello? Oh, hey, Carl.” I speak to him for a while before handing back her phone.

“Well?” Sade demands impatiently. “All we heard was uh huh, great, maybe and you could’ve put it on speaker. Care to fill in the blanks?”

“Didn’t think of that sorry Sade. So he will be speaking to Xin about the Voyeurism charge, although it was plausible enough that he lost the top, Xin didn’t buy it. We may have been able to fool Michael with the footage of Tinklebell walking into the forest wearing the same colour top, but that won’t…”

“No it won’t…” Chyna interrupts sighing. “So the rest of the conversation was about what? You mentioned me and the feed.”

“That was the great as in he thinks that’s a great idea. The uh huh is us meeting up for a drink. And the maybe was to see if I could get you to come with.”

“Me?” Chyna looks surprised. “What for?”

“Not you, I mean you Debs.”

“Me! What on earth does he want me there for?!” She exclaims but I see a smile playing.

“He’s always liked you too.” I grin and she goes a little bit pink. “So I can tell him yes?”

She smiles back, completely blushing now. “Yes, you can. You most definitely can!”

MICHAEL AND ETHAN’S HOUSE - THREE DAYS LATER

KITCHEN

ETHAN

I am back from the gym and although a part of me is glad of his lack of company, he is definitely not looking his best! I managed to take a picture of what they are going to wear after Emmett was giddily showing the trousers off. They are much better than the shorts but just as unforgiving, although naturally, I am going to look glorious in mine. I hear the door opening and he comes in with the source of his problem...Captain Crunch and two packs of chocolate chip cookies.

“How was the gym?” He asks and then frowns. “What’s that?” He points at the smoothie I brought with me. “It looks revolting.”

“A cleanse smoothie. Gets rid of the toxins in your body. And speaking of bodies, have a look at this.” I show him the picture I managed to take.

“Not really your style. It’s a bit obvious. That would definitely be something that tick would wear in the hopes of keeping Brian’s attention.”

“Brian will be wearing it as well. I saw Emmett at the gym and this is what they are going to be wearing on the night.”

He looks at the picture again and nods. “Actually, I think I would look great in those. Let’s see if we can find out where he got them from.” He heads to get his laptop and I watch his ass wobble and shake my head. He sits down and takes my phone and then starts to seemingly send himself an email.

“What exactly are you doing?!” I snap taking my phone off him.

“Sending the picture to myself of course. How else am I supposed to find those trousers?”

“First, you should ask if you can send emails from my phone…” I rebuke him and he rolls his eyes. “...and secondly, just type in black codpiece leather trousers and something will come up.”

“Very well.” He grumbles and turns back to the screen.

“There see how easy that was? And I accept your apology for your presumptiveness.” Again he rolls his eyes. “So how much are they?”

“$150, which isn’t too bad. I will add it to your rent.”

“Again you are presuming! As the dancer you would be wearing that. I have decided to be in my full tuxedo, just without the shirt.”

“Why not the same as them?”

“I want to stand out for good reasons and…” I am interrupted by the door being knocked hard. “Are you going to get that?”

“Police! Open up!” A voice yells and I hurry to open it.

“Yes officer can I…”

“Michael Novotny?” A rumpled man demands and I shake my head and point at Michael.

“What’s happened is it Uncle Vic or Ma?” He exclaims and then seems relieved when the officer shakes his head.

“My name is Detective Horvath…” He shows us both his badge. “...this is in regards to the complaint made against you by Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor.”

“What complaint?” He frowns.

“They say that you watched them have intercourse in the forest near the home of Justin Taylor.”

“That was all a misunderstanding. They found a top that I lost there and…”

“You came home shirtless. Having worn it out to the forest.”

“No I didn’t. Like I said I was nowhere near the forest on that day.”

“You went to Britin, which is the home of Brian Kinney, before you went to the Opera House, which as you know is the home of Justin Taylor. The guard at Britin remembers you and you were wearing that top on that day. You walked across the strip of no man’s land as they call it to get to the Opera House. You tried to see if anybody was in and finding nobody you went to the forest.”

“This is all preposterous!” He snaps. “Now unless you have evidence to support these allegations then I suggest…”

“We have evidence. Surveillance of you at both Britin and the Opera House…”

“If you have that why wasn’t I arrested then?”

“Because I wasn’t on the case then. But I am now. Officer Xin, asked me to look further into this and the guard who saw you that day was out of town so we couldn’t get his statement before now. So his statement, coupled with footage of you wearing that top on the day puts you there. Michael Charles Novotny I am arresting you on the charge of voyeurism…”

“You are kidding me?! You can’t do that I’m a respected member of the community, it’s disgraceful what...”

“You disgraced yourself Mr Novotny now let me finish reading you your rights.”

“What about Brian and everyone in Babylon in the backroom?” He shouts as he tries to avoid being cuffed and fails. “Why not arrest them too?!”

“Because there is a difference between watching men getting it on in there, that’s what some men go there to do. But watching two people have intercourse without their consent, now that is illegal! So as I was saying…”

As he is taken downtown I can’t help but laugh at his predicament! But then realise that this will reflect badly on me when it comes to the dance...fuck!

57TH PRECINCT - THREE HOURS LATER

MICHAEL

I am incredulous and humiliated! Voyeurism and trespass? Really? And the audacity of that stupid cop! Once again Mr Novotny, watching men having sex at the backroom at Babylon isn’t voyeurism because they know they are watched. Watching two men have sex on their private grounds without them knowing you are there is voyeurism. Add to it that you weren’t allowed on said grounds makes it voyeurism and trespass. You got it now or do I have to take out some paper and crayons to write it out in big pretty letters for you? Like I am some dumbass child! I got a fine and now I have a criminal record!

“That’s you all done now Mr Novotny.” The desk sergeant looks down his nose at me.

“I hope I never see you again!” I mutter and storm out.

I trudge to find a taxi and as I do, I spot Uncle Vic with that flatfoot and am about to go over and give him a piece of my mind when my phone beeps and it’s one of my collectibles buyers, I gape at the text he’s sent me. I find a place to stop and make a call, it takes forever for her to pick up. “You sold all my collectibles?!” I scream at her. “You had no right to do that! Well I want my share! What do you mean no?! I bought them! You can’t prove that it was your money that I used and…hey!” I shout as my phone is snatched out of my hand and the mugger takes off on his bike. I storm back to the station and march up to the desk. “I’ve just been mugged!”

“So much for not seeing me again!” The desk sergeant snickers. “What was taken and did you get a good look at the perpetrator?”

“My phone and no I didn’t. I was on a call and it was snatched out of my hand. The bastard then rode off with it.”

“Ah, we’ve had a lot of those lately. I don’t hold out much hope for you getting the phone back though.”

“But I have to get it back it has everything on it!” I yell. “My life is on that phone!”

“A little melodramatic don’t you think? What’s happened Michael?” I hear Uncle Vic ask.

“I’ve been mugged twice now!” I snarl turning to face him. “First by my so called mother selling all my collectibles and now someone has stolen my phone! This is your fault! If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here!” I snap glaring at the flatfoot.

“Him doing his job did not cause you to be in the vicinity, and, unfortunately, be mugged Mr Novotny. You being a low down Peeping Tom caused you to be here! Now let’s get back to the form shall we?”

ALLEYWAY - 10 MINUTES LATER

TINKLEBELL

I got it! The one thing I have always noticed about Novotny is that he never and I mean never let that phone out of his sight. And I have always wondered why, quickly I scroll through to take off the passcode and decide to let Naomi and Daph check it out. Together they can decide what to do with it before I take it to the precinct saying I found it. Like any good upstanding citizen would do...eventually!

MICHAEL AND ETHAN’S HOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER

CARL

I am going to enjoy this! I wait for the door to open and when it does, he doesn’t, as predicted, look pleased to see me. “Mr Novotny. I am here to return your phone. It was handed in, unfortunately, it was severely damaged when it was…”

“Oh it was, was it? Sure you didn’t drop it a few times?”

“No I can assure you Sir that this was how the phone was handed in.” I hand over the remains of it in the evidence bag. “Can you identify it as your phone? From what I can see, it is the same serial number as the one you put on the form.”

He peers at it and then sighing resignedly he nods. “Yes. That’s what’s left of my phone.”

“Good. Good. Well here you go, at least you can claim back for it on your insurance. You’re good at that I understand.” He narrows his eyes at me before shutting the door firmly in my face. “Have a pleasant evening...or not!” I call out and then return to my car chuckling at the poor guy’s misfortune!