Blinded

Chapter 21

Brian awoke with a start.

He felt all around the bed. Nobody was there. He was warm and safe and somewhat rested. What the fuck had happened? He turned over wondering what time it was. He pulled the faceless clock off the nightstand and carefully felt the hands. Little hand on the two, big hand on the six. It was two-thirty. He thought carefully. Was it night or afternoon?

Suddenly the events of the night started coming back to him. Someone had tried to kill him. Someone had saved him. Where were these people? What had happened?

"Is anyone there?" Brian called out with some trepidation.

"I'm here. Don't be afraid," a voice said from the bathroom. He heard the toilet flush.

"Who … who are you?" Brian drew back wondering who this person was. The voice sounded kind of familiar and it didn't sound threatening.

"You should recognize my voice."

"My stalker?" Brian surmised suddenly sure who he was dealing with.

Trent made a face but he knew Brian couldn't see it. "My name's Trent but I knew you didn't remember it."

"You … you saved me … up on the roof."

"Yeah."

"Why?" Brian asked. "I thought you were the one who was after me."

"Apparently I'm not the only one. You certainly know how to win friends and influence people. What the fuck have you been up to?"

"I wish I knew," Brian said solemnly. He didn't understand what would have caused someone to try to kill him.

"You know that you pissed me off big time!" Trent said.

"Yeah, I guess, but most tricks know the score before they come home with me."

"Maybe I don't want to be 'most tricks'."

"I got that already," Brian admitted.

"So maybe you pissed somebody else off even more than me."

"I can't think of anybody," Brian said trying to think of a trick that he had had a really bad time with.

"Too many to choose from?" Trent asked sarcastically.

"What was your name again?" Brian asked.

"Fuck! You are one motherfucking son of a bitch!"

"That's me, so why do you want anything to do with me?"

"I'm beginning to wonder the same thing." Trent frowned as he studied this man who had been the object of his fascination, his obsession, for so many weeks.

"Of course, I am the best fuck in town," Brian said some of his bravado returning.

"You had to remind me," Trent said shaking his head.

"So what was your name?"

"Trent."

"So Trent, how the fuck did you know we were up on that roof?"

"I was making another delivery to your door."

"In the middle of a fucking blizzard?"

"I'm nothing if not dedicated," Trent said the irony of that statement not being lost on either of them.

"That's for sure."

"I've been watching your place every chance I got since the night we were together."

"But you have to understand that there can never be anything between us," Brian said slowly.

"Because of that blond kid?"

Brian knew he meant Justin. "No, because I don't do relationships. And I don't do repeats."

"Never?"

"Never."

"You're lying to me. That kid's been here all weekend."

"We … we haven't fucked," Brian said. Technically that was correct. This guy didn't need to know anything else. "He's just staying with me because I'm blind."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth."

There was a long silence. Brian wondered if he had gotten through to Trent, if he finally understood they were nothing to each other. Except … except now he owed his life to this man.

"Is the kid coming back?" Trent asked.

"He should be here this afternoon, after school."

"He's a fucking schoolboy? I didn't know you were into chicken."

"I'm not. I told you he helps me … to cope … with the blindness."

"Is it permanent, the blindness I mean?"

Brian debated telling Trent that his blindness was permanent. Maybe he wouldn't want anything to do with damaged goods. Then he decided he at least owed the truth to this man who had saved his life. "They say my sight will return. There's pressure on the optic nerve. When the pressure lessens, I should be able to see."

"That's good. I wouldn't have hurt you, you know."

"You were outside the loft door that day, and you talked to me. You sounded like you wanted to hurt me … or Justin."

"I was angry that he was taking my place, angry that you let him look after you, this Justin, the blond?"

"That's his name, yeah."

"And you remember his name, but not mine." Trent was obviously not pleased by that revelation.

"He's been with me for over a week."

"Yeah, I saw him at the rehab center."

"You were there?" Brian asked with a twinge of fear. "Were you watching me?"

"A few times. I even told you that it was 'me' once."

"I remember that," Brian admitted thinking back to that whispered word. "How did you find me at rehab?"

"I was dropping off an envelope at the loft when the elevator started to come up. You had been missing for a few days and I thought it might be you. I hid in the stairwell and watched that kid unlock the door and go in. I was really pissed when I saw that. I knew he must know where you were, so I waited and followed him when he came out. He took my message to you."

"Yeah, he brought me the envelope."

"Then I knew where you were and I could watch you."

"Did you steal my tape?"

"Yeah," Trent admitted with a little chuckle. "I erased the blond's message and left you one of my own."

"You heard me playing his message, didn't you?"

"Yeah. You called out asking who was there, but I was angry at you and I left. But I came back in the middle of the night and stole the tape out of the recorder. I took it home with me and the next day I made my message for you. I had to buy a fucking recorder of my own to do it. And then I put the tape back that night."

"I wondered how anyone could have done that."

"It wasn't hard," Trent said. Nothing had been too much for him to do … for Brian.

"You never finished telling me how you knew we were on the roof. You couldn't have seen us from the street."

"I didn't. I was coming up to the loft to leave you another message. I still have it in my coat pocket," Trent said thoughtfully. "When I got to the landing your door was wide open. I couldn't believe my eyes, knowing you were blind, and knowing that you were afraid when I talked to you through the door. I came inside and nobody was here. I was worried. I had come up the stairs and I didn't meet anyone, and I never heard the elevator being used. The only other place was the stairs to the roof, unless you were gone somewhere else entirely, but that didn't seem likely in a snowstorm. And why would you have left the door open?"

"So you came up to the roof and saved my life."

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"Did I thank you for that?" Brian asked.

"Not yet."

"Well, consider yourself well and truly thanked. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shouted at the guy when you did. Actually I do know, and it's one hell of a long step off the edge."

"That didn't happen, thank God."

"Did you see who was up there with me?" Brian asked realizing that Trent might be able to identify who had tried to kill him.

"I saw him, but not clearly. The snow was blowing so hard and it all happened so fast. He had a dark jacket and a hat pulled down almost over his eyes. And those eyes! Cold and scary! He looked right at me as he ran past."

"I wish you had tripped him … or something," Brian said thoughtfully. "Maybe this would finally be over if you had."

"And if I had taken the time to do that, you might be lying dead on the street."

"I forgot that part," Brian said with a rueful sigh.

"I was so scared … when I saw you at the edge of the roof."

"That makes two of us," Brian said with a wry smile. He had come so close to going over. "Do you think you could identify the guy if you saw him again?"

"I hope to hell never to see that bastard again! I'd kill him with my bare hands."

"Thanks, I think," Brian said.

"I mean it," Trent said sincerely. "I didn't know what to do after I got you back down here. You were shaking and so cold and I was afraid if I didn't get you warmed up, you might be seriously ill."

"You put me in the shower," Brian said vaguely remembering.

"Yeah, and then I wrapped you in the duvet and rubbed you until you fell asleep."

"I can't believe I slept after all that," Brian said shaking his head in disbelief.

"It was probably the best thing you could do. You feel all right now, don't you?"

"I … I'm fine, and I owe it all to you … Trent."

"You remembered," Trent said with a big smile. It felt good that Brian knew who he was now. He couldn't stand being some nameless trick.

"I'll never forget it again," Brian promised.

"I'm glad. It … it makes me feel better."

"Good, but you understand we can never be more than … friends," Brian stated wanting to make sure that Trent understood they would not fuck again.

"I'm beginning to understand. I would like to be your friend though."

"You already are."

"I … I suppose I should have called the police after what happened on the roof."

"Why didn't you?" Brian asked realizing that they should do just that.

"I wanted to make sure you were all right first … and I wasn't sure what might happen to me."

"To you?"

"I have been … stalking you. I was afraid they would arrest me. I still haven't called. In fact I was getting ready to leave when you woke up. I had to piss and I was thinking while I was in the bathroom that I should just leave. Get out while the going was good! You're safe now and you don't want me around. I should go right now."

"No," Brian said. "Don't go. Don't leave me alone. And we do need to call the police."

"Will you have them arrest me?" Trent asked fear evident in his tone.

"Fuck no! You saved me. I wouldn't do that to you. Plus the cops already told me that leaving notes at my door is not really a crime. You didn't actually threaten me. It was more Justin that you wanted to get rid of."

"That's for sure," Trent admitted. "But I don't think I should get involved in this other stuff."

"You have to," Brian said desperately. "You're the only one who saw the guy. You can tell them what happened better than I can."

"Why did you open the door for that guy?"

"I didn't. I heard someone scratching at the door, and I thought it was you." Trent grimaced. "The next thing I knew he was in the loft ordering me around," Brian explained.

"Did he beat you up?"

"No, just told me to walk and he directed me to go to the roof. I followed his instructions."

"I didn't see a gun or anything."

"He probably knew I was helpless. I just did what he told me," Brian said feeling like a fool.

"He almost killed you, Brian. You need to report it to the cops. And … and he could come back. It sounds like he had some kind of key or he picked the lock to get in."

"Will you stay with me until the police come?" Brian asked.

"I'll stay."

"There's a card on the computer desk. Call it and ask if Detective Carver can be reached. He's the one I've been dealing with."

"I'll call now. Where's the phone."

"I couldn't find it last night when I heard him trying to get in. I think it's somewhere near the sofa."

"I'll find it and make the call," Trent said going to the sofa and seeing the phone wedged down by one of the cushions.

"And Trent, I really do appreciate everything you've done," Brian called to him.

Trent smiled and dialed the number on the card.