April 11, 1935: 5:30 p.m.: Malibu, California

Brian Kinney scanned the entire area around the fancy house with the careful eye of a seasoned Detective. He was extra careful not to miss anything because the life of his lover was on the line. One mistake and he would go back to the solitary life he had been living since the day he was born. He may not have known the budding artist for very long in chronological terms, but every time he saw the young man's face he felt like Justin had been a part of his life forever. It was a feeling that Brian had no desire to lose. He would do whatever it took to protect Justin and give him back his freedom to live his life in whichever way he chose.

Brian finished his task when he felt comfortable that the place was deserted. There was no sign of the man they were hoping would show up tomorrow. As he made his way into the beach house, Brian's face revealed the tension that he had been feeling ever since he and Justin had made their final plans to trap Vanderbeke's real murderer. He knew that there were plenty of ways for everything to go wrong, but he also knew they had no choice if they wanted to end this cat-and-mouse game with their dangerous foe. Brian tried to relax his tensed muscles as he went in search of Justin. He knew how well the young man could already read him and he didn't want Justin feeling any more nervous than he already was.

Brian found Justin in the kitchen, putting up the few bags of groceries they had brought with them in the car they rented in Los Angeles. He turned around when he heard Brian coming into the room and smiled. Brian felt a fluttering in his stomach. What was it about this young man's smile, he asked himself? Why did Justin always make him feel like a schoolboy with his first crush? He was a hardened veteran of a decade of police work and had never thought of himself as being capable of romantic feelings. But now he couldn't deny that this was exactly how Justin made him feel. The thought of that smile being lost to him forever was not even remotely acceptable. Brian simply could not let Justin's stalker hurt him, or worse.

Justin let Brian wrap his arms around him and the two men stood like that for long minutes, just enjoying the warmth of each other.

"Is everything quiet outside?" Justin inquired, seeing the worry lines on Brian's face despite his best efforts to hide them.

"Not a soul in sight," Brian answered, punctuating it with a quick kiss.

Brian let Justin go and began rummaging in the refrigerator for a beer. Naturally the wealthy owners of the house had a modern fridge, unlike the old icebox that Brian had to use in his apartment at home. Still, the drink hadn't cooled off enough yet, so Brian set it back on the shelf. He'd settle for water until later. He turned on the tap and filled a glass from the shelf. He got down a second glass and offered Justin some water too. The young man noticed for the first time how dry his throat was and accepted gladly. They knew that the next day or two was probably going to be the beginning or the end of everything they hoped for and they were clearly on edge. Brian set his glass down and draped his arm around Justin as the young man drank deeply from his glass.

"Don't worry, Justin. Your boss knows what to do and will make sure that Jaeger is aware that you are here in Malibu and all alone. Chances are he'll be here as soon as he can tomorrow, but we have tonight to ourselves. If she waits until morning to leak the news to the press about your sudden need to get away to recuperate for a few days, he'll have no choice but to take advantage of this opportunity to get at you and finish the job he started. This place is ideal for him, being separated from any nearby houses and having its own private beach. I'm sure he'll case the place first but once he is assured that you are alone, he's bound to strike.... and when he does, we'll be ready for him."

Justin nodded his head, but he still felt the anticipation in the pit of his stomach. He was almost as nervous as he was when he had to face Debbie earlier that afternoon.

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Early That Same Afternoon:

At first Justin hadn't been sure whether Brian should accompany him to his meeting with Miss Debbie, but in the end he knew his story would carry a lot more weight if the cop who had been chasing him was in attendance as he told his tale of woe. The couple had left Brian's hotel separately with Justin dressed as 'Sunny'. Brian went to Debbie's hotel room and waited at the door for Justin to show up. Justin was relieved to see that Miss Debbie had not gone out. He was even more relieved that she was alone.

The first thing Justin did was introduce Detective Brian Kinney to his boss. Debbie's curiosity was piqued immediately. She had already heard about the cop from Cherry and was well aware that 'Sunny' was interested in him. The way they stood so close together, their bodies just barely touching, and the way they glanced at each other confirmed the affection that Cherry had mentioned. What made her curious was why 'Sunny' had brought the cop to see her and why 'she' looked so serious as she began to talk. By the time that Justin had reached the point of telling her that the reason the Detective had traveled to California was in pursuit of a fugitive killer, Debbie began to feel concern. Before she could voice her thought that the fugitive might be 'Sunny', the blond laid the real bombshell on her. Yes, 'she' said, 'she' was the fugitive... but there was more.

Justin then proceeded to slowly peel away the perfectly-fitted blonde wig off his head. He stood there with his short blond locks and barely made-up face and watched Debbie's reaction. The red-head sat with her mouth agape. She had lived a long time and seen a lot of things, and she had been sure that nothing would surprise her anymore. She had even known a few cross-dressers in her time, but this one had caught her completely by surprise. She was totally speechless. Justin stood with his hand in Brian's and waited for the explosion... words of recrimination... anger... accusations... anything. Finally he couldn't stand the suspense any longer.

"Say something," he begged. "Please! I promise you I didn't do this for any other reason than self-preservation. I'm innocent, Miss Debbie, I swear to you. Brian... Detective Kinney knows this now and he has been helping me to find the real killer."

Debbie suddenly stood up and walked over to Justin. The young man flinched, obviously thinking he was about to be slapped. Instead, the buxom woman gathered him into her arms and hugged him tightly. Brian stepped back, surprised by what he was witnessing. Once Debbie let Justin go, she led him over to the bed and sat him down, taking the seat she had just vacated and turning it towards him. She sat down and gathered Justin's hands in hers. She leaned in and smiled.

"My dear boy, I may be a bad judge of gender... apparently... but I've never been accused of being a bad judge of character. Of course you are no murderer! Anyone who knows you should be able to tell that. It isn't in you." She turned to Brian. "And apparently this handsome officer has gotten to know you quite well."

Justin blushed. Debbie went on. "I have the feeling there is more to this story. Otherwise, why would you feel the need to out yourself to me at this particular time? And while we're at it, what name should I be calling you by?"

Justin felt like the weight of the world had just been lifted off his shoulders. He couldn't believe his good fortune. He now knew unequivocally that he and Brian would be able to count on Debbie's help with their scheme. He gave Debbie his real name and filled in all the blanks, including their certainty that they knew who the real killer was. Justin then sat back while Brian went on to explain how they intended to draw Jaeger out into the open and trap him. Debbie was none too happy to hear that Justin would be setting himself up as bait in the trap, but she fully understood their desperation. She could see that there was something far deeper than professional dealings going on between the two young men. She had been around enough gay men in her life to recognize all the signs. It was obvious that her adored singer wanted to be himself, and there was only one way to achieve that.

She listened carefully as Brian explained her part in the plan. She was to use the studio resources to make an announcement to as many of the media as she could that her band singer had come down with a nasty case of laryngitis while waiting for them to resume work on the film they were appearing in. She was to say that they were sure that a few days of rest, relaxation, and solitude at the Malibu beach house of family friends, the Chanders, should get 'her' voice back in top form by the time shooting began again on Monday. By the time Brian finished with his explanation, Debbie was convinced that this was as good a plan as any. The killer might not be fooled, but it was a chance worth taking.

Brian and Justin remained with Debbie for a while longer as Justin opened up to Debbie about who he really was and tried repeatedly to apologize for leaving her without a female singer, but the couple finally decided it was time to get moving. There were kisses and hugs all around and then the men hurried away. Debbie watched them leave and felt her brow knit with worry. She prayed that she would see 'Sunny'... or rather, Justin's smiling face again real soon and his ordeal would finally be over.

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That Same Night Back In Malibu:

Justin felt the cold splash of the Pacific Ocean on his legs. It may not have been like Winters in New York here in Sunny California, but the sun had gone down and the water was freezing. Justin hurried out of the surf and ran over to the large blanket that had been spread out for him and Brian to lie on. Brian lay out on his back, staring up at the winking stars in the evening sky. He sat up on his elbow and grinned as Justin grabbed the large fluffy towel from the house and wrapped it around his body to ease the chill.

"I warned you the water would be too cold," Brian laughed out loud.

"At least I'm not too chicken to give it a try," Justin shot back.

He plopped his towel-wrapped body down onto the blanket next to Brian, wrapping his arms around his legs and hugging them close to his body. He turned to observe Brian still grinning at him. Justin stuck his tongue out at Brian, which Brian took as an open invitation. He reached up and pulled Justin's face down to his. Justin had no time to escape, not that he would have wanted to. Brian clamped firmly onto Justin's lips and worked them until he was able to capture Justin's tongue. He very gently nipped it and then increased the pressure of his lips. By the time he freed Justin, the young man was panting. His whole body was tingling. If this was Brian's idea of punishment, then he was sure he would be prone to misbehave many times over in the future.

"Better think twice before sticking your tongue out at your elders again, young man," Brian warned, a wicked grin lighting up his face.

"Oh, I will indeed, old timer," Justin promised.

The couple settled back onto the blanket and lay side by side staring up at the same sparkling stars. Suddenly, one star shot across the sky and disappeared.

"Quick, make a wish," Justin said, excitedly. He closed his eyes tightly and whispered something into the night air.

Brian didn't believe in such things, but he found himself following Justin's lead. He made a silent wish too.

"So what did you wish for?" Brian asked.

"I can't tell you," Justin answered, surprised that Brian would even ask. "It will never come true if I say it out loud, and I really, really want this one to come true. So did you make your wish?"

"I did, but I'm not worried about it coming true. I won't have it any other way," Brian proclaimed.

For a while, the couple simply lay together drinking in the fresh-smelling sea air and enjoying the peaceful solitude. The sound of the waves hitting the shore was somehow reassuring that all would work out as they had planned. For now they felt safe. Nothing could harm them or come between them. Brian was a hundred percent certain that they hadn't been followed by anyone and this location was far too open for anyone to be able to sneak up on them unexpectedly. The house was surrounded by a private beach front and only an occasional low sand dune offered minimal hiding space once you could reach it. The front of the house had an excellent security system with a locked gate entering onto the circular driveway leading to the house. The men had no doubt that tonight belonged to them and they would not need to worry about an intruder until tomorrow at the earliest. Justin suddenly sat up and leaned over Brian to give him a warm kiss.

"What was that for?" Brian asked.

Justin stared down at Brian and the corners of his eyes moistened.

"I just had to. I don't think I have felt this safe and at peace in what seems like forever. I owe you more than I can ever repay."

"You don't owe me anything, Justin. In case you haven't figured it out yet, you have come to mean a lot to me and I have no choice. I intend to get to know you a lot better and I can't do that until this thing is solved. Believe me, I'm being totally selfish here. But if you want to show your appreciation, I know one way you can do that."

"Oh? And what is that," Justin inquired.

Brian reached over and grabbed Justin by the arms. He forcefully lifted the much smaller blond onto his outstretched body. Justin spread his legs instinctively and straddled them over Brian's waist. The two were wearing loose swimming trunks without their accompanying tank tops, in defiance of the modest style that was expected of male bathers of their era. They could only have dared this on a private beach. Brian's hand slipped under the heavy fabric of Justin's suit and snaked its way up his thigh. He finally reached what he was aiming for.

Brian grabbed a handful of Justin's already hardening manhood. Justin let out a low moan and leaned down to kiss Brian fervently. As he did, he stretched out, covering Brian's body with his own. Justin could feel Brian's growing excitement as it pushed against him. Brian removed his hand from under Justin's trunks and hooked both hands into the waistband. He began pushing Justin's trunks downward. Justin quickly joined in and soon the trunks were off, thanks to their united efforts. Justin then took the time to help Brian with removing his trunks too. Justin returned to his position sitting atop Brian, straddling his waist.

Brian ran his hands slowly down Justin's smooth chest from his bare shoulders to his waist. He stopped only long enough to gently pinch Justin's soft nipples until he felt them hardening to his touch. Justin leaned backwards and reached behind so that he could lovingly stroke Brian's magnificent hard-on. Soon both men were panting with shortened breaths as they slowly built up their desire to be connected again. Somewhere in all the stroking of the silken skin of his young lover, Brian had managed to encircle Justin's ample buttocks and find the prize he was seeking. He began working a finger, then two inside of Justin until he could feel the blond's sphincter relaxing. He knew from the sounds pouring from Justin and the feel of his partner's body that it was time to take possession of his lover.

"I want you, Justin," he whispered into the night air.

It was almost drowned out by the sound of the surf, but Justin knew what Brian wanted. He lifted himself up and scooched back until he felt he was in position. Justin found Brian's rock hard member like a man seeking shelter from the storm. He prepared himself for the onslaught and then dropped his body down onto Brian. Justin let out a whoosh as the first moment of pain hit, but seconds later he felt himself swallowing Brian to the hilt and his whole body shook as the pain turned into pure pleasure.

Justin began riding Brian, his knees digging deeper into the blanket covered sand with each downward stroke. Brian held back his release with a mighty effort. He wanted this ride to last as long as humanly possible. He had been up inside countless asses in his time, but none had felt like this. This was an emotional connection as well as a physical one. Brian had no desire for it to end. Mother Nature, being what she was, couldn't allow it to go on forever and eventually the lovers reached their limit. Brian let out a loud groan as he shot his release deep inside his lover. Within seconds, Justin offered up his own release to decorate Brian's chest. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin as the young man fell forward onto Brian's dampened chest.

They lay there for the longest time, feeling one another's rapid heartbeats as they slowly returned to normal. Eventually the cooler air forced them to retreat back to the house. They took a long leisurely bath in the extra large claw-footed tub and settled together on the big four-poster bed in the main guest room. As they snuggled tightly together, they went over their plans for the next day again. It was of the utmost importance that they not slip up in any way. If the fates were on their side, this would be the last night they would have to sleep with an uncertain future hanging over their heads. Hopefully Jaeger would swallow the bait that was set for him the next day and think he had his one best shot at Justin here at the beach house. If he did, and Brian's carefully thought out plan worked, the bastard would be in cuffs by the end of the day... or the next day at the latest. Tomorrow was Friday. It all had to be over by Sunday or the lovers would be faced with impossible choices. But at least for this one night they were safe and sound. They would sleep peacefully tonight. Tomorrow was another story.

To be continued.............