The Virgin Master (50 page)

Jeremy held on to Evan for dear life as Evan clutched him with a familiar desperate grip.

Evan finally faced Jeremy and told him more about the subpoena and the possibility of going to Italy.

“If I send you there, you will have a false passport and a new identity. You won’t be a slave in Italy. You’ll be free. I should have done this long ago.”

“But, Evan
…
you…would you come with me?”

“I can’t right now. The FBI would be watching me to see where I go. And I’m real sure as soon as it became clear that you are gone and I’m not going to tell them where you are, I’ll be arrested. So, it wouldn’t be right away. I don’t know how long they could hold me for this, but, I’m pretty sure it’s tampering with evidence or something and I might have to serve a couple of years.”

Jeremy gagged. “No. No, no, no, no. No. That will not happen. No.”

“
Jer
….please. I can’t stand the thought of what might happen to you in some kind of evidence storage facility.  I remember a news report about five years ago about some evidence being “forgotten” and found dead of starvation and dehydration in the cage. You’re too precious to risk like that.”

“And you’re not? No. Evan. Let them take me. At least we don’t have to worry about me being sold or something. Didn’t Sean say he could talk them out of it?”

“I can’t take a chance on you being mistreated anymore.”

“If I have to go, come with me.”

Evan looked at him for a long minute. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. I give up. If Jeff can make sure we have access to funds so that we can live until we find some kind of job, okay. We’ll go somewhere else, be somebody else and do something else. The most important thing right now is being with you and just being able to live my life. I don’t need all this stuff. I just need you.”

Jeremy smiled like the sun
rise
. “And I won’t be your slave?”

“Baby, you know you’re not my slave now, but no. No one will think you’re my slave.”

The communicator beeped and Evan answered it.

“Evan?” Sean sounded perturbed. “She won’t budge. Something is very wrong here. I’m thinking the
Pleshenko
money has reached into the FBI. Take him and run. Go with him. I presume Jeff knows somebody who knows somebody?”

“I’m not admitting anything. But if you ever get into the Lake Como area, I’d love to see you.”

“Don’t stay at any James owned property. Is there a country where you don’t have any assets?”

Evan thought. “Well, Germany.”

“Go there. I’ll help Jeff figure out funding. Just get out of there. You told her Jeremy was out of the building?”

“Sandy did.”

“Has she seen you, today?”

“No. “

“Don’t even take time to pack a bag. Just go. And ditch your phones.”

“Thanks, Sean. See you when I do.”

“I hope I don’t hear from you soon, because it will be because you get caught.”

“Me, too.”

Evan shut off his phone and took Jeremy’s hand. He buzzed Sandy.

“Sandy Atchison.”

Evan smiled. She was making it look like it wasn’t him.

“Sandy, is there someone watching the hallway?”

“Yes.”

“Can you divert their attention away from my door long enough so that I can get Jeremy down to my Dad’s office?”

“Yes sir.”

“How will you let me know?”

“You’ll hear it, sir.”

Bemused Evan hung up. He took Jeremy’s hand and they stood near his door peeking out into the reception area. He almost drew back because he saw the bored FBI agent standing directly across from Sandy’s desk. They watched as Sandy got up, picked up a large box of paper to be recycled and went around the corner.

They heard a scream and a thump and saw the agent spin around and run down the hall. Without hesitation Evan and Jeremy sprinted to Allen’s office and slid through the door past his receptionist, Dina, who, when Evan looked back, put her finger to her lips and nodded. Allen got up and hugged Evan. Then to Jeremy’s astonishment, he hugged Jeremy. Jeff already had Jeremy’s bag and leash.

“Change of plans, Jeff. I’m taking him. Dad, somehow I’ll let you know where we are and who we are.”

Jeff grinned. “I didn’t mind taking him, but Moira….”

“I didn’t think, Jeff. I certainly should never have asked you to leave your family like that. But, you know, it means a lot to me that you were ready to do it. Just because I asked you to.”

Jeff handed Evan a manila envelope. “Here’s the money from the safe. It’s a little over twenty-five thousand. Here’s the ticket information and the address of the passport expert. I’ve already sent digital photos and he’s been paid. Here are Jeremy’s new papers. I hope you don’t mind being named Clark.”

“I don’t mind being called anything as long as I can stay with Evan.” Jeremy took the papers and learned that he was now Clark Tipton from Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

Evan beamed at him. “I think I like the sound of that. Who am I?”

Jeff grinned. “You’re his life partner, Alec Tipton.”

“At least the names are cool.” Evan laughed. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Allen smiled at him. “I’m glad you are. Get away from here until everyone has forgotten about you. Jeff and I will make sure you can get cash on a regular basis. Make a new life. Sean will tell us when I can hire Alec and Clark Tipton back here at the company in acquisitions. If you want that. If not, then I’ll come visit whenever I can. I just want you to be happy, son. I think you have a real shot at it if everybody would just leave you alone.”

Evan hugged Allen one more time. He clipped Jeremy’s leash on him. “Last time, babe.”

Jeremy picked up his bag and they left out the back door.

*****

Diana Pilsner felt faint. Security footage showed Evan and Jeremy leaving his office and then….nothing. There was no footage showing them anywhere again. She knew the security video had been altered but she couldn’t prove it. Her techs spent hours with Mark
Lepke
and the rest of the James security team and could find no proof of wrongdoing. Evan and Jeremy didn’t take a car, a taxi,
or a plane, public or private. They didn’t leave on a ship. They didn’t leave as cargo in a truck. They didn’t leave on a
train that
she could find. They didn’t use a credit card and they left their cell phones in Evan’s office. The housekeeper said nothing was missing but Jeremy’s leash.

Jeremy’s collar and tags were found a few days later in the landfill populated by trash from dumpsters surrounding the James Building. This just confirmed what Pilsner already knew. They left under different identities. Jeremy might still have his wrist tattoo
since
they didn’t have long enough to erase it, but they might have had it tattooed over to confuse scanners. But by now the pair could be anywhere.

The money
Pleshenko
paid her to make Evan James suffer would have to be repaid or she would forfeit more than money. Worse than that,
Pleshenko
would never make another offer to her because she couldn’t even keep an eye on someone in the same building. It might even mean
Ilya
would come for her with his serrated hunting knife. She swallowed hard. Whatever happened, happened. She had made a bet and lost.

Epilogue

One year later

“
Alec
Tipton” eyed the new neon sign adorning the large window facing Eisenhower
Strasse
. The sign proclaimed the establishment to be “Open” and Evan tried to deal with the swelling happiness in his chest that was currently trying to kill him. He watched the lithe body of his lover spring down from the ladder and grinned at him lopsidedly.

“You think we’re ready?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be. I just hope I don’t scare the customers away with my off-key singing.”

“Quit with the false modesty. Even when you rehearse you attract a crowd. At least tonight
t
he crowd will have to pay to hear you or see you. Are you wearing that black cowboy get-up tonight?”

“I guess.” “Alec” sighed and shook his head in amusement, as he thought about the black silk cowboy cut shirt adorned with sequined cacti and the skin tight black denim jeans. The whole outfit was completed with black cowboy boots and a black hat. Evan had vetoed the scarf around his neck to Jeremy’s acute disappointment.

The business itself had been all “
Clark
’s” idea---a Texas bar in the middle of Hamburg. They shipped barbecue in from Dallas on a regular basis; the floor would be covered with peanut shells before the bar had been open for an hour. And “
Alec
” would entertain with authentic American country rock music, doing most of the singing and playing lead guitar while being backed up by a wildly enthusiastic local bass player and drummer. Time would tell if it would make money. They didn’t need money
. T
hey knew it would at least be fun.

“What time does Allen’s plane get in?”

Shit!” Evan looked at his watch, “I’ve got about two hours to get there to pick them up, so I guess I’d better shower and change. You got this?”

“Yeah. All that’s left is stocking the bar and chilling the wine. Sandy’s got the kitchen ready to go. The wait staff will all be here about an hour before we open. I’ve got it
. G
o pick them up.”

Evan pulled him in for a lingering kiss and then sprinted up the street to their near-by townhouse. Jeremy closed and locked the door and turned off the sign. He stood, hands on hips and surveyed his little kingdom. From the mechanical bull to the juke box to the tables and chairs that looked as if they had been hard used; from the big mahogany bar with its gleaming brass footrest, to the little stage that Evan planned to christen tonight, this bar closely matched a favorite hang-out of Evan’s from when he was in high school and doing more than a little under-age drinking.

The website for the place had already sustained thousands of hits. Jeremy had set it up in English, German and Japanese and expected eclectic clientele. After Evan’s little group which would be more or less semi-permanent, Jeremy had booked guest spots for a Japanese Blue Grass band and a German country and western
trio. He had heard both groups and found their efforts highly entertaining if lacking in authenticity.

Jeremy felt settled and well. His family visited and emailed on a regular basis
.
Amy had started college
.
H
is father steadily advanced at work
.
H
is mother loved her job and was nearing the end of her course work for her doctorate and had begun trying to get approval for her dissertation and project. He dared to feel happy and safe. Their escape had been remarkably uneventful. Jeremy guessed that sufficient cash did permit people to hide.

Slavery was illegal in Germany, so Jeremy didn’t have to worry about any of the citizens becoming suspicious.
He smirked as he thought about the collar he had ordered that waited in its box upstairs. He
had
hated being
legally Evan's slave, but...the relationship did have its merits. He shifted his weight as he flushed with heat thinking about Evan holding him down. And maybe spanking him. He sighed with satisfaction.