Rust On the Razor by Mark Richard Zubro Page A

minutes of freedom. We stood in the parking lot.
    â€œWhat do I do now?” I asked.
    â€œI’m not sure. You’re still in danger, and not just because of the murder. You’ve got more to worry about being prominently gay. Most people in the South are reasonable. However, as anywhere does, we have our share of lunatics. Try not to be in the countryside alone after dark. Carrying a gun is iffy. Do you have one?”
    â€œNo. Scott’s family might, out at the farm.”
    â€œToo long of a wait for a permit for you to carry one. And if you did, it could be an invitation to a nut to open fire—or it could protect you. Course, if they caught you with one without a permit, they could lock you up for that. Try to be with a crowd at all times. You might think of hiring a private detective.”

    â€œA local investigator? You’re seriously suggesting I trust somebody in this town? Other than you and Scott, there’s isn’t anybody in hundreds of miles that I would trust.”
    Beau sighed. “I wish you could leave.”
    â€œI wouldn’t want to go with Scott’s dad being ill.”
    â€œYour lover is also in more danger now.”
    â€œBut we haven’t done anything.”
    â€œYou’re a living, breathing, openly gay man, and this is the rural South.”
    Cody the cop walked out of the station with Violet, who certainly looked like she knew how to get a straight male’s testosterone flowing. She stood close to him, her thigh only a small shaft of daylight away from his crotch. She ran a fingernail down his chest and only stopped when it reached his belt buckle. He grinned and she giggled.
    â€œTouching scene,” Beau said.
    â€œYou stared at him after we came downstairs.”
    â€œAny gay man would, but it wasn’t just because of that. Either his exact twin or as ‘Stud Likely’ that man dances every first and third Saturday night at a very exclusive gay men’s club in Atlanta. Mr. Likely ends up wearing only a fishnet G-string when he’s done stripping.”
    â€œHe’d make a great Stud Likely.”
    â€œI’d say so. I heard Mr. Likely had some mysterious background from a few of my friends who could afford his after-hours services.”
    â€œI don’t think I’ll ask him.”
    â€œYou might. Somebody had to commit this murder. One handy way of getting yourself off the hook would be finding out who did it. People with secrets are a good place to start.”
    â€œNobody in this town is going to talk to me.”
    He thought a minute. “I’m afraid you’re right.”
    Violet leaned close to Cody and their lips met. She grinned at him as he swung into a squad car and drove off.
Violet casually gazed around the parking lot, at the windows of the police station, and then sashayed over to a white Cadillac parked three cars from where we stood.
    â€œThat’s either salvation or deep trouble,” Beau said. “Who is she?”
    â€œScott’s girlfriend from high school.”
    He shook his head. “I’ll take you back to the hospital and I’ll talk to Scott, but I can’t stay. I’ll try and get you a reliable lawyer from in town. Doubt if I’ll find you a gay one. Until you discover the real killer, you’re in deep trouble. More publicity could simply bring out more maniacs from the deep woods, but then a town crawling with reporters makes it tougher to gun you down.”
    â€œYou think it would come to that?”
    â€œI don’t want to think that. I just want you to be prepared and be careful.”
    Â 
    Beau walked into the hospital with me. Outside the CCU lounge Scott swept me into his arms in front of Hiram, Nathan, Shannon, and two nurses. Scott’s mom and his cousin Sally were in with his dad, who was resting comfortably. In the hallway, away from the family, I told Scott the whole story.
    â€œI shouldn’t have brought