When Emerson Kent arrived back at the police station he found Joe Chandler and Ian Thomas leaning against his DI´s car. Chatting away cheerfully. That is awkward, he thought, I´ve never seen him as cordial with an almost stranger, in fact I´ve never seen him this way at all. „Ah DC Kent" Chandler said as he caught sight of the young man „excellent choice of clothes for tonight´s venture." The DI seemed in an astonishingly good mood „We´ll be having a good time working. But first let´s grab a bite"
He received a broad grin from both the detectives and then they all entered the car. DS Thomas was driving and Chandler turned around to instruct the younger. „We´ll be hopping the gay clubs down in Soho and Camden. We´ll enter separately, pretend to look for a flirt and try to find out about Jason discreetly. After about an hour DS Thomas will send a text to both of us. This is when we find each other and pretend to go home together. You´ll not leave by yourself. I don´t intend to repeat the incident with the Krays." Oh god, Emerson started getting nervous, I can´t do this, what if he realizes that I won´t be acting that part. Suddenly it became really hot in the car, „Would you open the window, please?" „Ah boy, you don´t need to be nervous, I heard that Joe´s a real good kisser. Not as uptight as he seems." „Stop it Ian! You are scaring him. Kent this will not be uncomfortable, I promise. What do you think about sushi?" He cleared his throat „Sushi would be great." „Okay, Sushi it is then."
Through a miso soup, an enormous plate of mixed sushi, which the all shared, and a few sake Emerson had time to wonder about the relationship those two men were sharing. It was astounding, although completely different these two seemed to have entered a symbiosis. DS Thomas wasn´t estranged at all by Chandlers OCD behaviour while being the most laid back person Kent had ever acquainted. At the same time the DI was not only much more relaxed then usual, he didn´t snap his rubber band once, he wasn´t even discomforted by Thomas´ rough and heartfelt and loud laughter when he slapped him on the shoulder.
Kent couldn´t make out what it was. Was it that the two of them were of the same age, the same intellect, was it their mutual interest in Cricket? As unlike these two detectives were they had just clicked. That was the only thing that made sense. But it didn´t matter since they had a real wonderful time.
Kent knew the first stop. He´d been here once or twice before a couple of years ago with his last boyfriend. It was a nice location with a good crowd. He was really relieved that the first club was one he really liked. „I´ll find you in one hour" Chandler said. And Kent quickly moved to the entrance. „Joe, you do realize how the kid looks at you, don´t you?" „I have no idea what you´re talking about." „Like he worships the ground you´re walking on. Like Dennis Milton when we were in our third year at Oxford." Speechless DI Chandler stared at his old friend.
Their first stop had not given them any new information at all. Except for a really discomposed young man who had mistaken Kent for his boyfriend nothing really had happend when the text from DS Thomas let his phone vibrate. „Lewis, where the bloody hell have you been, you don´t answer your phone... oh I´m so sorry. I thought you were somebody else." He looked quite disappointed and worried. Kent for some reason didn´t forget this bewildered look for the rest of the night.
The club had a second level from where you could look down on the dance floor. So he went there to dance until Joe Chandler would find him. If you needed to be found he figured this would be the best spot. Besides the DJ just had put on a Placebo song. And as he danced with his eyes closed he felt all the attention he drew to himself. He still had it, and it felt great to bath in that feeling again. The black Prada shirt, the dark blue jeans and his dark curls still did the magic.
This was when he felt a tall man dancing at him from behind, so close he felt the breath on his neck and the DI´s voice whispered in his ear „Hello handsome." Goosebumps ran all over Emerson´s body and for a moment he thought he would faint. But eventually he got a grip on himself and turned around. Enjoy it, he thought, be flirty and sweet as much as you like he´ll just think about what a great actor you are. So he pulled the doe eyed trick, softly touching his bosses forearm „Hello handsome yourself." And they were slow dancing for another two songs when Chandler said „Come on let´s go." as if it meant so much more and grabbed the young DC around the waist and they left.
„What a cute couple you make" Sergent Thomas commented as they slipped into the car. „Did you find anything?" Neither one had gathered any new information on the Jason Bakers whereabouts. They pulled of the same thing in an other location getting almost the same result.
The third club was more fancy than the ones before and the men were either really young or at the end of their forties. So both of the detectives really stood out. It felt like an eternity to wait for the DS´ text. But Kent had found out that Baker had been here Thursday and had left with Steve a podgy, small man with thick glasses and no hair. But the description indicated as he might have a lack of beauty he did not of money and that Jason hadn´t left with him for the first time that evening.
As the DC stood at the bar, feeling like prey to the one half and like competition to the other half of the crowd, someone tapped him on the shoulder. If anyone would stand out even more like him or DI Chandler it was this man. „Hi, I´m Eric." in the beginning of his thirties and even taller than Chandler, with marble skin and deep chocolate brown eyes and blond hair. Kent was thrown back by so much beauty that it took him some split seconds too long to answer. „Hi Eric, Nice to meet you." If he hadn´t been on duty he´d have followed the guy anywhere.
„Hey lad, you want a drink?" Joe´s appearance broke the spell that stranger had seemed to put Kent under. Distracted, the young DC totally fell out of his role and Chandler realized that his friend had been right. And whilst he always thought the DC didn´t have a girlfriend because of the anti social work schedule police men had or that he was too shy it simply was a fact that Emerson Kent was not into girls at all.
Somehow Chandler and Kent managed to leave without too much notice and without imitating the game of fox hunt the other men were playing at that club. „Ugh, I felt dirty, like a piece of meat, in there." Kent told Chandler in a sudden mood of confidentiality while they were walking to the car arm in arm to maintain their cover. „I know, I felt like a barbarian." he answered.
DS Thomas jumped out of his sleep when Chandler and Kent slammed their doors shut. „Let´s call it a night, shall we? I´ll drop you off at home, Ian" „That´s really kind of you, sweetie." the DS yawned and Chandler grinned as he looked in the rear mirror. He put on a CD and Emerson started slipping into sleep as he listened to the jazz sounds.
He awoke from Chandler slightly shaking him by the shoulder. „Kent, Kent wake up. We´re at my place now. You can stay the night in the guest room if you like. Or you need to tell me where you live so I can take you home." "The guest room is fine, sir." - The guest room is more than fine, it´s more fine then my entire apartment, was the first thing that sprang into Kents sleepy thoughts as he entered Chandlers home. The big rooms which were exquisitely furnished confirmed what the DI´s appearance had suggested all along. That Chandlers had been a wealthy family for a very, very long time. And as the young detective slipped under the white covers, surrounded by the fresh oceanlike scent that was Chandler´s, he was simply too tired to silence his arousal by masturbating.
Jason woke up in the middle of the night cold but sweaty from the withdrawal. The crust of his dried blood pulling on his skin. And as he listened into the silence he heard the others breath.