Dangerous Love (ONC 2019 - LGBTQ)

3. A Death

☆ Dedicated to Nyhterides and her story "Salvatoria" one of the scariest entries for the ONC 2019☆

A week later, Patrick was in the middle of packing for his next tour, when the entry panel at the front of his house announced that he had visitors.

Damn! Who was bothering him at this hour? He was already running later than he liked. The visitors hadn't announced themselves by name so he was guessing they weren't known to him. The panel chimed again. Insistently.

Muttering under his breath, Patrick strode to the door and looked at the display screen on his entry panel. A man and a woman, both wearing uniforms, stared back, unsmiling. What on Earth were the police doing at his house?

Wondering what he'd done, Patrick quickly opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"Patrick Morgan?" asked the female officer. Her dark hair was cut close to her scalp and her uniform fit snugly around a well-muscled body. Her companion was younger, and a head taller than Patrick.

Patrick swallowed, feeling nervous despite himself.

"Yes?" Offhand, he couldn't think of any laws he'd broken: he didn't drive... his tour guide license was up to date... he-

"I'm Officer Miller," the woman broke into his thoughts, "and this is Officer Werner. We're from the Avalain Police station. I understand you met Lieutenant Quinn at the space port last Friday night?"

Lieutenant? Harlan had never said he was a Patrol officer. In fact, he'd said Ted was a Patrol officer. What was going on? Was there some sort of mix-up? Patrick's confused brain scrabbled to make sense of things.

He blinked, realising the officers were now frowning suspiciously, waiting for his answer.

"I met a man called Harlan, Harlan Quinn, at the Space Terminal, but he didn't say anything about being a Lieutenant. You're not thinking of his cousin, Theodore, are you? I heard he was with the Patrol."

The officers exchanged a quick glance. "No, the man we're interested in is Harlan Quinn. He was a Lieutenant on the Patrol ship Lamar until he was dismissed a month ago."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that. He just said he worked in security," offered Patrick. "I only met him for the first time that night, and then he'd left by the time I woke up-"

Patrick caught the brief smirk on Werner's face and stopped abruptly.

"I think we should go inside and discuss this," said Miller pushing forward, not waiting for an invitation.

Indignant but compliant, Patrick led the way into his kitchen and sat down. Officer Miller took the chair opposite while Werner stayed standing, with his back against the wall, watching.

"Where is Quinn, now?" asked Miller.

"Syden, as far as I know. He said he had a shuttle ticket to Syden. He was going to look for work there."

"Do you have an address for him?"

"No, I don't." Patrick shook his head. "We weren't on those terms."

"What terms were you on with Lieutenant Quinn?" pressed Miller. "What is the exact nature of your relationship?"

"We don't have a relationship!" protested Patrick. "I told you. I only met him that one time. He didn't have anywhere to stay and I offered him my spare room." He tried to explain. "I went to school with his cousin, Theodore. In fact, at first I mistook him for Ted. They look very alike."

"Go on," said Miller, leaning forward.

"There isn't much more to tell you," answered Patrick. "We left the terminal and took a hovercab here. He slept in the spare room as far as I know, but when I got up in the morning, he'd already gone. I haven't heard from him since." He sat back. "What's this all about, anyway?"

"We have a warrant for his arrest," said Miller steadily, her eyes never leaving his.

"What? What is he supposed to have done?" Patrick didn't have to feign shock.

"He got into a fight with a fellow crewman from the Lamar. The other man was hospitalised with head injuries. At first, it seemed as if his condition was not too serious, but recently he took a turn for the worse. And I'm sorry to say, he died. Yesterday."

Patrick paled, but Miller hadn't finished.

"We're looking for Quinn. Now, it's manslaughter."

Patrick sat in stunned silence.

"Do I have your permission to search the house, ser?" Werner spoke for the first time.

"Of course. But I don't think you'll find anything," said Patrick. "He tidied up before he left. And I've cleaned since."

"I'll have a look anyway, ser, if you don't mind," said Werner, in decisive tones. He took a small scanner from an inside pocket. "If you wouldn't mind waiting here, ser," he added as Patrick got to his feet, intending to show him the room in question.

For the first time, Patrick wondered uneasily whether he was doing the right thing by co-operating so fully. But he hadn't done anything wrong, and besides, it was too late now. He'd only draw unwelcome attention to himself if he changed his mind about the search. He sank back onto his chair.

The officers stayed for another hour, Miller recording a statement from him, while Werner searched through the entire house by the sound of it. When Werner returned, he was still holding the scanner. He nodded to Miller, who rose to her feet.

"Thank you for your co-operation, ser. I think we're done here for the present. If Quinn should contact you in any way at all, please let us know immediately. Here's my link," she added, programming her wristcom to send Patrick her details.

Patrick escorted them out, feeling unexpectedly relieved when he was able to shut the door behind them. He glanced at his wristcom. Much as he wanted to sit down with a stiff drink while he tried to process the news about Harlan, he was now an hour late to meet his next tour group. Hastily, he sent his apologies to the party in question and dashed into his room to finish packing. He'd have plenty of time to worry about Harlan later.

Outside Patrick's house, Werner turned toward his fellow officer.

"He lied to us," he told her in a low voice. "There were traces of Quinn in his bedroom. And not only that, Morgan was in the middle of packing when we called. A backpak was open on the bed. I know he's a tour guide, but, the timing's a bit suspicious, isn't it?"

He waited expectantly for Miller's reaction, but it wasn't what he expected.

She just smiled.

"Then it's just as well I put a tracer in that link I sent to his wristcom, isn't it? If he's going somewhere to meet Quinn, we'll be right behind him."