Free Sin City Uniform 02 - Copping an Attitude by Morticia Knight Page A

than if you’d planned it that way. What do you honestly hope will come from all of this?”
    Gripping the steering wheel tighter, he knew what the answer was. “Nothing.”
    He sighed in resignation as it dawned on him that contemplating anything other than that was pointless. Slade didn’t need Parker. He needed help to get set up in a new life and time to figure things out on his own.
    Darren reached over and gave Parker’s forearm a quick squeeze before letting go.
    “You’ll find someone who’s right for you eventually. I know losing Brett is hard, but don’t turn to this kid to make yourself feel better.”
    A surge of anger swept through him. Even if he was confused about his true feelings toward Slade, it had nothing to do with Brett or trying to make himself feel better. It wasn’t about him trying to find someone. It just was.
    “Yeah. You’re right.”
    He didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
     
    * * * *
     
    As exhausted as he was, he had to stop by the hospital and check on Slade. He’d promised him. When he got there, he was relieved that there was police protection outside Slade’s room. He spotted Beau over by the nurse’s station, talking quietly on his cell. Parker waited until he was finished before approaching him. Beau’s surprise was obvious when his gaze fell on Parker.
    “Parker? Do you have additional info for me?”
    This could be awkward.
    “Hey, Beau. No, I wish I did.” He ran his hand across the top of his head, looking around to make sure no other detectives or cops were nearby. Another awful thought occurred to him. “Jesus, are you here because he’s…?”
    “Oh, no. No. He should be okay eventually. It’s a good thing you guys got there when you did, or else… Well, anyway, there was another one of Julio’s workers killed tonight. A woman.”
    “Jesus. Did she have really short hair that was a bright blue?”
    “No, long and blonde.” Beau frowned. “That was specific. You know something you’re not telling me?”
    “Oh. Uh, I don’t think it’s relevant. I just happened to see her come by to pick up Slade when I was…”
    Jesus. This keeps sounding worse and worse.
    Beau raised his eyebrows. “When you were what?”
    “Um…” Parker glanced around to check again that they were alone. When he looked back at Beau, his stare was boring into Parker. “Shit.”
    “Let’s go grab a coffee downstairs in the cafeteria. We should have plenty of privacy there.”
    Parker couldn’t help but take a peek in the direction of Slade’s room. That was the reason he’d stopped by the hospital.
    “I’d like to stop in and see him first real quick.” He met Beau’s eyes. “I promised him.”
    Instead of the reproach he’d been expecting, Beau’s expression softened.
    “He’s doped up on painkillers right now. He should be out for a while. But we shouldn’t be long. You can go sit with him then.”
    Parker nodded, swallowing hard.
    After they took the elevator downstairs and got what turned out to be a surprisingly good cup of coffee, Beau indicated to a chair at one of the small tables. They both took their seats and Parker waited for Beau to lay into him about Slade. He’d certainly already gotten it from all sides.
    “Before I ask you any more questions about what you know in regards to Julio’s people, I gotta talk to you about something else. This is all off the record from one man to another. I’ve seen kids like Slade more than I would have cared to in the course of my job. A lot of them end up dead. Sometimes it’s drugs, sometimes it’s a bad trick, sometimes it’s the pimp. Regardless, a lot of them might not have ended up where they are if their families hadn’t rejected them or thrown them out because they’re gay. That’s what happened to my brother.”
    Parker was startled. Not that he and Beau hung out all that much, but in the years they’d known one another, he’d never once mentioned a brother. When he really thought about it,