Rentboy

your creativity when it came to designing experiments, and for your excellent memory.”
    When Eddie did not respond, Howard said, “I want every stage of the experiments documented and
    on my desk by Saturday. I want both versions of the Lintrane. You’d better get to work on it.”
    Only when Fox heard the man’s footsteps receding down the corridor did he crawl out from
    under the bench and stand up. “Do you get it now, Eddie? Do you see that something sinister is going
    on?”
    “It’s all very strange,” he conceded. “I’m not sure I believe your account of events, though.”
    “Why would I lie about something like this?”
    “Why would you lie about anything? You lie all the time. I hate liars. You can’t trust them. I’ve
    never been very good at spotting when someone is trying to pull the wool over my eyes, and right
    now, Fox, I wouldn’t believe you if your tongue came notarized.”
    “Can’t blame you for that, mate. But think about it. That black car we kept seeing, even in
    Mitton, is exactly like the one I saw in our driveway when Maputwa was there. He, or someone
    working for him, has been following you. I know it’s you because I only see that car when I’m with
    you. What do I have to gain by telling you all this?”
    “What did you have to gain by getting involved with me in the first place? Seducing me. Stealing
    my computer. You must be benefiting financially like your father.”
    “What do I have to gain? That’s simple.” Fox looked up into Eddie’s face. “I got to avoid a
    beating, because William Baillie would have kicked the living shit out of me if I dared refuse him.
    Then he would have gone to work on the twins until I gave in. It was safer all round to just do it. I
    didn’t know who you were or that you were a lovely man with a sense of decency and morality.” It
    was horrible having Eddie so angry with him. It was awful being physically close to him and not
    being allowed to touch him. “Eddie, I miss you.” The long moment of quiet that followed made him
    wonder if Eddie was weakening, but maybe he didn’t really love him after all. Maybe he was just
    enamored of his first fuck.
    “Really? I don’t miss you. I’m glad you’re out of my life with your fantastic tales and your
    misguided so-called morals. I’ve got a lot to think about. Please go now.”
    “Be careful. Please be careful.” Fox reached out a hand to touch his cheek, but Eddie stepped
    back out of reach. Reluctantly Fox walked out into the dark corridor and made his way outside. He’d
    better get home to check on the twins. They’d be worried about him.
    Chapter Twelve
    When he visited the village of Mitton, Edward often saw himself living there again in a nice
    rambling cottage with roses climbing up the walls to the thatched roof, a couple of kids playing
    outside in a tree house he would build for them, and a lovely man in the kitchen making healthy meals
    for them all. Aunty Nik would drop by to visit the kids and probably sneak them off for clandestine
    piercings and tattoos. They would be an ideal family, quite similar to the one he’d grown up in. Even
    with his mother’s obsession with what the neighbors thought and his dad’s inability to give him a
    proper hug, he had always known he was lucky. The problem was he wanted Fox to be that man.
    I’d better get a contractor to build the tree house. If I did it, it would fall down the first time
    they put their little feet inside.
    “I’m so glad you came home today. It’s a lovely surprise, Edward.” His mum held a giant tray
    laden with tea things that she placed with care on the round wicker table.
    “Yes, lovely.” Dr. Atherton picked up a buttered scone and pushed the entire thing into his wide-
    open mouth.
    The minute Edward had walked through the front door, Annika had rushed to the kitchen to start
    baking. They sat now in the small conservatory to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Dr. Atherton
    swallowed his scone and took another.
    “Dear, please wait until the tea is served.”
    “Yes, sorry, dear.” He attempted to look chastened. “Is something on your mind, son?” Dr.
    Atherton didn’t look at Edward but at the scone in his hand. His father’s perception was something
    Edward had always appreciated. It saved a lot of time when he was unsure how to proceed. He could
    never understand how his dad knew when something was on his mind, but he always seemed to.
    “Yes. It’s Fox,” he said quietly.