Work Text:
“Breathe in. One, two, three, four. Now breathe out. One, two, three, four.”
Jeongguk focused on the soothing voice in his ears, filling his lungs with oxygen, and willing his heart to stop racing. He hated hosting dinners and resented his agent for basically forcing him to host this event at his beach house. He used the oceanfront home as a sanctuary, a place to rest and recharge from the chaos of his life in the Big Apple. Somehow, Barry had also talked Jeongguk into allowing him to come up with the guest list. Now, he was facing an evening with people he didn’t know and probably didn’t like, with just a couple of his friends to help balance things out.
He completed the guided meditation with difficulty, finding it difficult to ease his overactive and anxious brain. He decided to dress casually. There was no way he was going to endure a night feeling uncomfortable. Black jeans and a burgundy V-neck pullover sweater would be just fine. He glanced in the mirror and groaned at the circles under his eyes. Fuck it. He’s a writer, not a model. He decided to leave his hair wild and shaggy, thinking it would add to the stereotype of an eccentric hermit.
Downstairs, Barry was supervising a crew of workers he’d hired to set up and serve. Jeongguk flinched as he heard the way his agent addressed the employees - so rude and condescending. He sighed and prayed that he’d survive the night.
“There you are, JK!” Barry yelled as Jeongguk reached the bottom of the stairs.
“What’s up?” he asked, fighting to keep a neutral expression. “It looks like you have everything in order.”
Barry combed his fingers through his chin-length sandy blonde hair and wrinkled his freckled nose. He pointed at two people struggling to carry a heavy box.
“You! Don’t drop that box! Put it here.” He motioned to a table in the foyer. “Stack the books here. And make it look pretty! I don’t want to see a half-ass stacking job.”
He turned back to Jeongguk.
“I think I have it under control. The caterers are in the kitchen. The table is set and placecards are on all the plates. Oh - take a look and tell me whether I spelled your friends’ names correctly. It’s difficult for me to remember foreign names.”
Jeongguk rolled his eyes internally, then wandered into the dining room. The table, which he’d never used, was set for twenty people. The floor-to-ceiling windows had been slid open, offering an easy path to the beach. Someone had lit tiki torches on his patio and in a line heading to the water’s edge. Pots of exotic flowers flanked the patio, their fragrance carried into the room on a subtle breeze.
He walked around the table, glancing at names on the plates, noting how many were unfamiliar. He noticed he was at the head of the long table, with Barry at the other end. His agent (in his kindness?) had placed his friends on either side of him. He gave silent thanks that Taehyung, Jimin, Yoongi, and Hobi had agreed to come, and hoped they’d present enough of a buffer to help him survive the ordeal. He pulled out his phone and texted their group chat.
JK (to Dinner Gang):
When are you arriving? I need you here!!
Dinner Gang:
We’re nearly there. Hobi took a wrong turn when we got off the Parkway,
but we’re on the right track and about two minutes away.
JK
Thank you so much! I’ll have drinks waiting!
Jeongguk smiled and took another look at the name cards. To his relief, Barry had spelled his friends’ names correctly. He walked over to the bar and ordered drinks for his friends, then wandered back to the front door to wait for them. The two workers Barry had yelled at were busy stacking copies of Jeongguk’s new novel. He guessed they were doing it arfully - he had no clue what that meant.
“Yo!” Hobi’s voice floated through the open door, followed by his four friends. They grinned and teased him about having a fancy party, wondering if they were dressy enough. All four wore black jeans, like Jeongguk, with varying styles of shirts. Hobi wore a yellow Hawaiian shirt matching his sunny vibe. Yoongi dressed all in black, his usual color combination, while Jimin looked ethereal in a peach chiffon blouse. Jeongguk’s eyes rested the longest on Taehyung, admiring the form-fitting forest green button-down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to show his forearms and bracelets. Jeongguk lifted his eyes from Taehyung’s forearms to his face and found his best friend gazing at him.
“Burgundy suits you,” Taehyung said, his voice deep and warm.
Heat rose up Jeongguk’s neck, and he looked away as he murmured, “That green looks good on you.”
“Where are the drinks you promised us?” Hobi demanded, breaking the tension.
Jeongguk led the way to the bar and hung out with them, chatting, until Barry reappeared.
“Hey guys!” he waved. “JK, I need you in the entry to help welcome your guests.”
With a grimace, Jeongguk complied.
******
Thirty minutes later, the table was filled, and Jeongguk was having trouble figuring out who everyone was. They’d introduced themselves, but he was too overwhelmed to remember. He knew a couple of people by sight and recognized Stacy Hart, an up-and-coming novelist who also had Barry as an agent. Yoongi was chatting with a thin man with white-blonde dreads wearing a gold lame top and black leather pants. His name card identified him as “Dr. V. - DJ,” and he realized Yoongi probably knew him because they ran in the same DJ circles. Hobi and Jimin were having an animated conversation with two stunning women, both stick-thin and dressed to the nines. The namecard in front of the blonde woman identified her as “Kiki - model,” while the woman with short-cropped purple hair was singer Julie Jams.
Taehyung squeezed his knee under the table.
“You okay?”
Jeongguk rolled his neck, trying to release the tension that had built up.
“I just want this night to be over.”
Taehyung smiled sympathetically.
“I’ll stay right here with you.”
Jeongguk shot him a grateful smile. The sound of yelling from the other end of the table jerked him out of his reverie. Two men were arguing with a woman with unruly brown hair. She was holding her phone up and saying something, but they talked over her.
“What the f–” Jeongguk muttered, and opened his mouth to speak when Barry jumped in.
“Now, now, everyone!” he chided loudly. “We didn’t invite you here to argue!”
One of the men - a bald, powerfully built man - pointed at the woman.
“This bitch is accusing Alex and me of using steroids!” he shouted.
The woman sniffed haughtily.
“I have proof - lab reports of both of you!” she smirked. “You can protest all you want. I’m running with this exclusive, and neither one of you can stop me.”
The baseball player threw up his hands.
“Who invited this bitch to this party?” he demanded.
Jeongguk glanced at Barry, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, and realized his agent must have known about the steroid story and invited the three to stir shit up. He shook his head and sighed. He caught his friends’ eyes and rolled his own. He knew Barry was a jerk - they’d told him over and over to fire him, but he’d dragged his feet.
“Eddie. Alex. Sit down and calm down,” he heard Barry say. “Let’s ignore this for now and enjoy this dinner.”
He stood and announced, “Thank you all for coming to this gathering celebrating my client, Jeongguk Jeon, on the publication of his twentieth novel, which is already at the top of the New York Times Bestseller List. Not many of you know his face, although you’ve all told me you enjoy his books.”
He motioned for Jeongguk to stand, and the guests applauded, some more enthusiastically than others. He waved half heartedly and said, “Thank you. Welcome to my home. This is Barry’s party, but I’m glad all of you are here.”
Jeongguk sat back down and looked around the table. Guests were chatting in groups of two and three. At the end of the table, the two athletes and the tabloid reporter continued to bicker in low, heated voices. As Barry opened his mouth to step in again, the man named Eddie stood and stalked away. The woman smirked while the other athlete glared at her. Jeongguk had an uneasy feeling this argument would not die down easily.
“Excuse me,” a young woman waved at Jeongguk. He nodded at her politely.
“I’m Vanessa,” she called out. “Vanessa Smythe. You might know me from Instagram and TikTok.”
He shook his head and shrugged.
“Sorry. I’m not familiar…”
She frowned and tossed her bubble-gum pink hair like a child. She wore a pink Barbie t-shirt that matched her hair color.
“Are you sure you don’t know me?. I only have 500,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. I ALWAYS talk about your books when they come out. I’m sure a lot of your sales numbers come from me,” she said, blinking her eyes and showing off her long, fake lashes.
Jeongguk exchanged glances with Taehyung, Jimin, and Yoongi.
“Thank you?” he said.
Barry laughed up the table.
“Yes, Vanessa gives us lots of free publicity, JK! I’ve been trying to get her to give Stacy over here the same treatment, but she, er, seems to have eyes only for you, so I invited her tonight.”
His voice drifted off. Between the uncomfortable look on his face and the entitled look on hers, Jeongguk didn’t have to guess that his agent had offered him up as some sort of prize. His stomach dropped, and sweat broke out along his brow. He could not handle that tonight. Taehyung squeezed his knee again, the touch grounding him. Meanwhile, Jimin picked up the conversation.
“Oh, thank you so much,” he said, in mock sweetness. “I’m sure Jeongguk would still be a starving writer had it not been for you.”
Vanessa smiled, then looked confused, not knowing whether Jimin was being sincere.
“Look at my Instagram. All of my posts have high engagement. I’m sure that once I pose a few selfies of JK and me, his popularity will shoot even higher!”
She stood and walked over to his end of the table, phone in hand.
“Would you pose with me in front of the ocean?” she asked coyly.
Taehyung gaped at her. Taehyung kept a steadying hand on his knee, while Jimin stood.
“I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but Jeongguk doesn’t need your help to succeed. He’s a damn good writer and storyteller. His books make him popular, not some video posted by a ditzy celeb wanna be looking for clicks.”
Vanessa’s mouth opened wide in shock.
“Are you gonna let this, this, whatever he is talk to me like that?” she demanded, glaring at Jeongguk, then down the table at Barry.
“Let’s everybody calm down,” Barry held his hands up, although he remained in his seat. “Vanessa, we can do this a little later, when JK does his book signing.”
“I’m signing books?” Jeongguk frowned at Barry.
Barry laughed, his voice hearty. “Well, of course you are! I didn’t lug all those copies down just for show!”
He swept his arm around the table.
“Everyone here will go home with a personally signed book.”
Jeongguk nodded, looking thoughtful. “Oh, okay.”
The tabloid reporter snorted.
“How much power do you have over this boy that you don’t even tell him what’s happening at his own party, Barry?” she mocked.
Barry continued smiling but his eyes turned cold.
“Okay, so I don’t tell JK everything. He doesn’t need to know everything, though, does he? He just needs to know what he needs to do.”
Jimin, Taehyung, and Yoongi exchanged shocked looks. Their concerns that Barry was using their friend seemed to be true. Meanwhile, Jeongguk sat glued to his seat. This dinner was quickly devolving from uncomfortable to unpleasant.
A middle-aged woman wearing several shawls and bells piped up.
“Jeongguk doesn’t need your help, dear,” she said to Vanessa. “The spirits say he’s been destined for fame and success. He manifested his talent at a young age. Your social media posts boost his popularity a minuscule bit.”
She nodded at the influencer’s unconvinced look.
“Oh, it’s true,” the woman insisted. “Spirits are never wrong.”
The tabloid reporter snorted.
“I thought I recognized you, Sylvie. Are you still pretending to be psychic, even after I exposed you for the fraud you are?” she scoffed.
The woman named Syvlie scowled.
“You proved no such thing!” she seethed. “My clientele is stronger than ever. Meanwhile, your little poison pen stories are such fabrications, Genevieve.” She spoke the reporter’s name like a curse.
Genevieve chuckled humorlessly and pulled out her phone.
“I guess I’ll need to put your back in the spotlight and show everyone just how phony you are.”
Sylvie threw her napkin on her plate and stood. To Jeongguk, she asked, “Which way is the bathroom?” then marched off in the direction he pointed out.
Barry laughed again and grinned, looking around the table.
“Does anyone else here have beef with Genevieve here? Has she dug up dirt on every one of you?”
Genevieve chuckled as she took in the guests, all of whom looked unsettled.
“Well, not everyone, Barry, but I do have working stories on pretty much all of them. All except JK and his friends. Although… I probably could dig something up with a little time.”
Hobi looked nauseous. Jeongguk didn’t blame him. This woman was so unpleasant. He wondered about Barry’s real reason for inviting her to the dinner.
A bubbly woman sitting next to Barry grinned.
“This reminds me of a play I once did. Not on Broadway, it was off off Broadway, but it was fun and clever and the cast included a busybody who got into everyone’s business.”
A man with salt and pepper hair who sat on her other side said, “This reminds me of a precursor to an Agatha Christie mystery. Next, one of us will die, and it will be up to Hercule Poirot to figure out which one of us is the killer.”
Jeongguk shuddered. That was creepy. He waited for Barry to speak, but his agent seemed engrossed in his dessert, so he stood.
“If you’ve finished, I invite you out onto the patio for coffee or an after-dinner drink, which you can order at the bar in the corner.”
He pointed to the bartender. Around him, chairs pushed back, and guests took his suggestion. He exchanged glances with his friends.
‘Please stay with me,” he begged. “I don’t want to be alone with any of these people.”
Jimin snorted.
“I’m not gonna let you out of my sight. Especially near that hack of a journalist.”
They stood on the patio, chatting, other guests joining and leaving their conversation. The other athlete, Jeongguk learned, was a baseball player named Alex Strong. He played for one of the New York teams. He couldn’t remember because he didn’t follow sports. He seemed to have an eye on Kiki the model, as they gravitated toward each other. Julie the singer was chatting with Chrissy the Broadway actress, as an older guy with long gray hair and goatee listened. He later learned the man was a movie producer. Yoongi and Dr. V., the other DJ, were still chatting about music and various parts of the world they’d visited.
Stacy and Grett, another novelist, paused to chat with Jeongguk about their respective writing styles and to congratulate each other on their creative processes. They’d just walked away when the tabloid journalist slid into their circle.
“We’ve never met,” she said to Jeongguk. “I’m Genevieve Evans. I write for the Daily Scoop.”
Her gaze traveled from Jeongguk to Taehyung, Jimin, and Yoongi.
“I don’t know you all, but I’m sure you’ve got some secrets buried in your past. Or maybe your present.”
She pointed at Yoongi and Jimin.
“You two look familiar to me. I can’t quite place it, but I’m sure I will soon.”
She flounced away, leaving them speechless in her wake. Jimin glared after her.
“What a busybody,” he huffed. “Have you read the shit she writes?”
Everyone shook their heads, except Hobi, who nodded.
“Oh, yeah, I have. She’s nasty, but I think she’s factually correct because you really can’t get away with making shit up nowadays.”
He gazed at them.
“She has the power to ruin careers and reputations. I’d watch out if I were those two athletes.”
Jeongguk and Taehyung exchanged meaningful looks. They’d been keeping their relationship quiet, with only their closest friends in the know. It wouldn’t hurt him, as he was an author and no one cared about his sexuality. But Taehyung was a detective. And while police departments have recognized same sex couples, it wasn’t as open as people thought. Jeongguk had heard stories about cops who’d been bullied because of their sexuality - although the bullies acted slyly so nothing could be proven. He and Taehyung had been careful, or so he thought (hoped). Everyone knew they were best friends, but only their inner circle knew they’d taken the next step. Still, this Genevieve woman was astute. Hopefully, neither he nor Taehyung had done anything to raise her antennae.
Most of the guests wandered to the bar to refresh their drinks. Jeongguk stared out at the ocean, where others had gathered, admiring the sky. The sun was beginning to set and although they were facing the wrong way to see the sun (the water was to the east and the sun set in the west), the sky was awash with pastel pinks and oranges as it slowly transitioned from day to evening. Taehyung and Yoongi stood at the edge of the patio, chatting, while Jimin and Hobi were running barefoot along the waterline, dipping their toes into the water.
Barry stepped up beside him with a woman and two men by his side.
“JK, I wanted to introduce you to a coupla people. I think you know Stacy Hart. Her debut novel is set to come out any time now.”
Jeongguk nodded at the young woman. “Congratulations! Are you doing a book tour?”
She shook her head.
“No, just a few interviews and maybe a reading at a Barnes and Noble in the City,” she replied. “I don’t have the following you do,” she added, smiling.
Barry patted her on the shoulder.
“You’ll get there, hon. You’ve got talent and you’ve got me. I’ll take you places!”
He winked at her and raised his eyebrows at Jeongguk. He wasn’t sure what the agent was implying but thought he could guess. He kept his face passive, though, and smiled politely. Barry gestured to two men.
“This is Greg G. Gregg - he writes spy novels. I think you’ve heard of him. And this gentleman is Harold Maudlin. He’s a big supporter of the arts and is looking for a way to support your work.”
Jeongguk nodded to both men, murmuring, “It’s nice to meet you.”
He didn’t reply to Barry’s comment about Harold wanting to support his work. He figured Barry would tell him more when he felt like it. He half-listened to the conversation between Barry and the two men while he glanced around the room. He noticed the two athletes standing in the foyer, talking in low tones. The psychic had joined Jimin and Hobi. They were snickering at whatever she was telling them. He made a mental note to ask them about it later.
Next to him, Barry groaned under his breath. Jeongguk followed his agent’s gaze and saw the tabloid reporter marching their way. Barry’s grimace transitioned into a warm smile as she walked up.
“Genevieve! Are you having a good time?” he asked in what Jeongguk knew to be a mock cheerful voice.
Genevieve smirked, flicking her eyes over Greg and Harold, before landing on Jeongguk.
“Are those your friends?” she asked, pointing at Taehyung and Yoongi on the patio, then Jimin and Hobi on the beach.
He nodded.
“Yeah. They’re my best friends since childhood.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You sure like to stick with your own kind, don’t you?”
Jeongguk frowned.
“What do you mean?”
She huffed.
“I mean, your best friends are all Asian. Don’t you have any best friends who aren’t Asian?”
Jeongguk straightened and stared coolly at the reporter.
“My friends are none of your concern,” he said, ice in his voice.
She shrugged.
“I mean, you could come off as anti-American.”
“I was born and raised here. So were they,” he spluttered, but she looked unconcerned.
“No one knows that. They just see you, an Asian man, surrounded by other Asian men. It’s like a little club that no one else can join.”
Jeongguk felt his temper rise and dug his nails into his palms to keep it in check. He glared at her, then glanced pointedly at Barry, who caught on quickly.
“JK has friends from all walks of life,” he cut in, breezily. “Like he said, these are childhood friends who could come tonight. His circle is much larger. There’s nothing to see here.”
Genevieve tapped her lip with a finger, then her gaze slid to Greg and Harold.
“Harold Maudlin. I didn’t think I’d see you here– or anywhere in public, for that matter. Or did you miss my piece in the Daily Scoop today?”
Harold’s ears turned red but his voice was calm when he spoke.
“I don’t pay attention to anything you write in that rag,” he replied. “Do your worst.”
Without waiting for her to answer, he walked away. She looked at the other author, smirked, then strolled toward the bar. Barry looked relieved to see the back of her. Greg looked as though he’d dodged a bullet. Jeongguk frowned at his agent.
“Why did you invite her tonight, Barry? Many people here seem to dislike her, and I haven’t seen any redeeming qualities, either.”
Barry chuckled nervously.
“Well, I originally thought she’d be an entertaining icebreaker. Now, I’m not so sure.”
He rubbed his chin, then spotted the two athletes, Alex and Eddie.
“Excuse me.”
He patted Jeongguk on the arm and hurried toward them. Jeongguk wandered out to the patio and joined Taehyung and Yoongi, who squeezed his shoulder.
“How are you holding up?” he asked.
Jeongguk rubbed his face wearily.
“I just want this to be over,” he complained. “I don’t know any of the people Barry invited, and it looks like he invited some people so he could watch them fight. That tabloid reporter isn’t making any friends, either.”
Taehyung gave him a sympathetic look.
“How much longer?” he asked.
Jeongguk shrugged.
“They’re clearing the table now, and then I think I’m supposed to read from my book and sign copies for the guests.”
He grimaced, wishing he could kick everyone out, build a fire in the fire pit, and unwind with Taehyung. He could tell his boyfriend wanted the same. He gave him a small smile and received one in return.
Jeongguk started walking toward the water so he could catch up with Jimin and Hobi, when a scream stopped him in his tracks. He stared wildly at Taehyung and Yoongi, then hurried into the house as another scream sounded. It came from the first-floor bathroom. Jeongguk rounded the corner and saw the young author, Stacy Hart, standing over a body on the floor.
Jeongguk ran up, put his arm around her, and gently pulled her away. He turned to see Yoongi and Taehyung behind him. Yoongi took the shaking author and gently led her away, as Jeongguk stepped aside, letting Taehyung pass him. He peered over Taehyung’s shoulder and gasped as he recognized the tabloid reporter lying on the bathroom floor, blood pooling around her head. Taehyung stepped up to her and crouched, reaching out to look for a pulse. He looked back at Jeongguk and shook his head grimly, but started CPR.
“Call 911, Gguk. Tell them that an NYPD detective is already on the scene doing CPR.”
Jeongguk took out his phone as Barry hurried up. Jeongguk blocked his way.
“Don’t go past me, Barry. You’ll contaminate the scene.”
“What scene?” Barry demanded. “What’s going on?”
Jeongguk shook his head.
“Let Taehyung do his job. I need to call 911.”
He ushered Barry away, then spotted Jimin and Hobi. He waved them over and asked them to keep people from trying to get past. Then, he called 911 and explained the situation. The 911 operator told him she’d send an ambulance but all of the police officers were responding to an incident on the boardwalk, so it would be a while before they could leave. Taehyung could take control of the scene until officers arrived. Jeongguk hung up and relayed the news to Taehyung.
He nodded his understanding, pulled out his phone, and snapped photos from various viewpoints. Jeongguk stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Taehyung seemed to read his thoughts because he said, “You’re doing exactly what you need to be doing, Gguk. Don’t let anyone past here, but also, don’t let anyone leave.”
Jeongguk nodded and, reminding Jimin and Hobi to protect the scene, hurried out to the foyer, where all the guests were huddled. They turned to him.
“There’s been an unfortunate incident,” Jungkook explained. “Taehyung Kim is an NYPD detective and is overseeing the scene until local officers arrive. He would like you to please take a seat and wait. He’d like to speak with everyone.”
Guests muttered to each other but fell silent at the sound of a siren. An ambulance drove up, lights flashing. The doors opened, and two EMTs jumped out. Jeongguk met them at the entryway and led them to the bathroom, where Taehyung updated them as they took over CPR duties from him. They continued for several minutes with no response, and finally agreed to call the reporter dead at the scene. One EMT radioed with an update while the other stepped back into the hallway. The first EMT said a crime scene unit was on the way, but that Taehyung still controlled the scene. Jeongguk walked them to the door and waited for the crime scene team to arrive.
Barry hurried up to him, asking what he should do. Jeongguk told him to close the sliding glass windows in the dining room and have guests return to the table. He figured Barry would be able to control the guests since he’d been the one to invite them. He noticed Yoongi was still sitting with Stacy on a bench in the foyer, out of everyone’s way. He nodded at his friend and gave him a thumbs-up, then waited on the porch for the crime scene officers.
Taehyung left the bathroom when the crime scene unit arrived. He walked into the foyer, phone to his ear. He spoke for several minutes, then hung up and joined Jeongguk.
“The local cops are still busy on that call out at the boardwalk, so they asked me to take preliminary statements.”
He spotted Yoongi with Stacy and nodded in their direction.
“I’ll start with her, as she discovered the body.”
Jeongguk watched him sit next to the young woman and speak with her in a gentle tone. She trembled and answered his questions in a soft, teary voice. Yoongi went to the kitchen and brought her a glass of water. Taehyung thanked him, then asked him to continue sitting with Stacy so he could speak with the other guests.
He and Jeongguk walked into the dining room to find all the guests seated at their places during dinner. Genevieve, Stacy, and Yoongi’s chairs were empty. Jeongguk motioned for Taehyung to take his place at the head of the table, while he sat in Taehyung’s chair.
“Is someone going to tell us what’s going on?” the model, Kiki, demanded, her voice high-pitched and querulous.”
Several other voices murmured in agreement.
Taehyung held his hand up and waited for voices to die down before he spoke. Jeongguk closed his eyes at the deep, honeyed tone of his boyfriend’s voice.
“We kind of introduced ourselves at the start of dinner, but let me introduce myself again. I am Detective Taehyung Kim of the New York Police Department. I have been placed in charge of this scene while local officers respond to another emergency.”
He paused and let the words sink in before continuing, “A short time ago, the reporter, Genevieve Evans, was discovered unconscious on the floor of the first-floor bathroom. There was a pool of blood around her head. I started CPR until EMTs arrived, and they took over. Unfortunately, we were not able to revive her.”
Several voices made shocked noises. The soap opera actor, Mark Goring, asked, “What happened? Did she fall and hit her head?”
Taehyung met his gaze and slowly shook his head.
“No. This was no accident. Ms. Evans was struck in the head, hard enough to cause massive loss of blood. The crime scene unit is in there right now, taking photos of the scene. The medical examiner should be arriving soon to make a determination, then take Ms. Evans away. But it’s safe for me to say that someone attacked her. They may not have meant to kill her.”
“So, you think one of us attacked her??” A woman with pink hair piped up.
Taehyung looked at her.
“And you are?”
“Vanessa. Vanessa Smythe. Influencer,” she replied.
“Well, Ms. Smythe. As we are the only ones in this house and Ms. Evans was attacked in the first-floor bathroom, it’s safe to say one of the people here attacked her. Wouldn’t you say?”
She blushed, looking like a child who’d been publicly reprimanded.
“I mean, someone could have snuck in here. The dining room windows were wide open,” she began, then her voice tapered off. “I guess someone would have seen a stranger come in,” she finished lamely.
Taehyung didn’t reply, but his expression softened slightly.
“I am going to ask each of you to join me in the kitchen to talk about your knowledge of Ms. Evans, as well as your movements this evening.”
An older woman wearing many shawls stood and spoke.
“There’s no need to question anyone, officers. I know who attacked poor Ms. Evans,” she announced.
A collective gasp went up as everyone turned to stare at her.
Taehyung and Jeongguk looked at her, and Taehyung asked her name.
“I am Madame Sylvie. I am a clairvoyant and I commune with the dead.”
The gasps turned to snickers. Offended, she drew her shawls around her and sniffed.
“Spirit has never been wrong,” she stated.
Taehyung held up his hand to stop any further comments.
“You will have your turn to speak with me, er… Madame Sylvie,” he reassured.
Madame Sylvie would not be placated.
“I don’t need to wait to speak with you, officer.”
She pointed a finger at the baseball player, Alex Strong. “He attacked and killed Ms. Evans! Spirit saw him, plain as day!”
Jeongguk barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes and admired Taehyung for his ability to keep a straight face.
“As I said, you will have your opportunity to speak with me. But first, I would like to speak with Mr. O’Ryan.”
Barry stood and pointed to himself.
“M-me?”
Taehyung nodded.
“Yes, please follow me. Jeongguk, will you also come? I need someone to witness this.”
Jeongguk turned to Hobi and Jimin and asked them to keep order, following Taehyung when they nodded. He found Barry sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, Taehyung standing opposite him, his phone on the counter.
“I am going to record this conversation, so I may turn all of these over to the local police officers,” he said, not giving Barry the opportunity to say yes or no.
“Now please tell me how you know Ms. Evans.”
It turned out that Barry didn’t know Genevieve. He’d read some of her stories and invited several of her story subjects to the dinner to liven up the evening. Jeongguk frowned in disgust, but Taehyung maintained his stoic expression.
“How many of tonight’s guests have been the victim of Ms. Evan’s poison pen?”
Barry looked into the distance, thinking.
“Erm… Well, Alex Strong and Eddie Montoya, the baseball player and boxer. I overheard someone talking about how Genevieve had some kind of dirt on them using steroids or something.”
He paused.
“Oh, Harold Mauldin, the arts patron. There was some stuff about him. And also, Vanessa, the social media influencer, and Mark Goring, the soap opera actor. I think that’s it.”
“Jesus, Barry, what the hell were you looking to do tonight? Start world war 3 in my dining room?”
Barry gave a nervous laugh.
“Well, it would have been memorable,” he said.
Jeongguk glared.
“It certainly turned fucking memorable,” he snapped. “A guest - murdered in my bathroom. Thanks a fucking lot.”
Barry flushed and looked at the floor.
Taehyung wrapped up the questioning by asking Barry to write his contact info, then sent him back to the dining room, asking him to send Mark Goring back.
One by one, each guest came to the kitchen for questioning. The soap opera actor had endured a cheating scandal involving his wife and another woman, with his wife as the cheater. Genevieve had humiliated him in her story, accusing him of not being man enough for his wife, so she left him for another woman.
Vanessa had gotten into Genevieve’s crosshairs when it was discovered she’d faked some of her travel photos, photoshopping herself into several locations. She’d lost her biggest travel sponsor and several thousand followers as a result.
“That’s okay, though. I still have lots of sponsors and lots of followers. I didn’t have any reason to attack her,” she insisted.
Harold Maudlin was accused of using his philanthropic clout to launder money for the Russian mafia. There was no solid proof, but Genevieve wrote the story in a way to keep herself from being sued. Harold insisted the story did not hurt his reputation in any way. In fact, he told them the rumor made him seem tougher than he was, so he enjoyed the notoriety.
Both Alex and Eddie claimed the steroid reports Genevieve received were fakes. Other than that, each refused to talk without their lawyers.
The other guests: Kiki (the model), Stacy Hart, the woman who discovered the body, Julie Jams (the singer), Greg G. Gregg (the author), Chrissy Martin (the Broadway actress), Dr. V. (the DJ), Francis Stevens (the movie producer), and Madame Sylvie, denied knowing Genevieve. Madame Sylvie kept insisting that Alex and Eddie killed the tabloid reporter.
Finally, Taehyung called Jimin, Hobi, and Yoongi for questioning, and to keep things fair, questioned Jeongguk, too. Jimin knew who Genevieve was because he read her stories. “She’s so awful, I read to see who she’s stabbed with her poison pen on any given day,” he confessed. Taehyung rolled his eyes, causing Jimin to yelp, “What? So I like gossip! Sue me!”
Taehyung called the local police for an update on their staffing situation while Jeongguk made coffee for the guests. He pulled a box of truffles out of the fridge to serve with the coffee. He’d been saving it for Taehyung, Yoongi, Jimin, and Hobi to enjoy after the other guests left, but he figured the treats would be put to better use here.
Guests were cranky and several insisted on being allowed to leave. Jeongguk was about to insist they stay when Taehyung walked into the dining room.
“I just spoke with the local police. They’re sending officers over soon, but told me you can all leave if you’ve left me contact information. And I believe all of you gave me truthful info, right?”
He winked. No one smiled. Chairs scraped back from the table. As guests made their way to the front door, a loud rumbling came from the sky. A large, jagged bolt of lightning streaked across the horizon, and a sudden, heavy rainstorm rattled the windows.
The guests who’d been in a hurry to get to the front door returned to the table, grumbling about not wanting to drive in this sudden bad weather. Jeongguk invited them to stay as long as they wanted, and they broke into small groups to chat about the evening’s events. Jeongguk noticed Taehyung walking around the room, seemingly aimlessly. He could tell Taehyung was listening to every word being said. He didn’t know how the detective did it. Taehyung had always had the ability to listen to several conversations at once. It had driven them crazy when they were younger. They’d all learned not to speak about anything they wanted kept secret because Taehyung could even hear whispers.
Jeongguk watched his boyfriend prowl the room, admiring his long legs, outlined so enticingly in the black jeans he wore. The forest green button-up shirt hugged his figure. Jeongguk tried not to think too much about how badly he wanted to wrap his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and rest his chin on Taehyung’s shoulder. As if hearing his thoughts, Taehyung turned to stare at him, his eyes saying he wanted the same thing Jeongguk did. Jeongguk’s ears turned red, and he did his best to look natural as he looked away. Hobi caught him, though, and grinned cheekily.
The rain didn’t let up. Neither did the thunder and lightning. Several times, electricity in the house flickered, but didn’t go out. After nearly forty-five more minutes, the doorbell sounded, and Jeongguk opened the door to find three uniformed police officers standing there. He invited them in and motioned to Taehyung. The detective showed the officers the bathroom, which had been tagged. The body had been taken away, but Taehyung showed the officers his photos, reassuring them that the crime scene unit also took photos.
One officer shook Taehyung’s hand, saying, “I know of you and your reputation for closing cases. We’re glad you’re here and want to hear any thoughts you have.”
Taehyung flipped his pocket notebook open and said, “Thank you for your vote of confidence. And as it happens, I have a strong suspect.”
He’d spoken those words loudly, then pulled the officers to an alcove and lowered his voice. Jeongguk cursed himself for having ordinary hearing and not being able to hear any of their conversation. He felt morbid about doing this, but he’d taken notes all evening, thinking he might write a variation of what happened as the plot for one of his future novels.
Taehyung stopped speaking, and the three local officers nodded in unison. Jeongguk followed them into the dining room, where Taehyung introduced the officers to the guests.
“Umm…” Vanessa twirled a lock of pink hair. “I heard you say you have a suspect. I know it’s not me so can I go home now?”
Taehyung exchanged looks with the local officers, who nodded at him to indicate he was still in charge. He turned to the social media influencer.
“It is true that I believe I know who attacked Ms. Evans. However, I would like everyone to remain.”
He glanced around the table.
“Four of you have had stories written about you. She was about to publish a story about two of you. The rest of the guests say they either didn’t know her or have any kind of interaction with her.”
He slowly walked the length of the table.
“I wandered around tonight as you had your little conversations, and I heard some very interesting things.”
He looked at the DJ.
“Dr. V. - Ms. Evans didn’t mention you by name, but she recently published a story about a world-famous DJ who was also a deadbeat dad to not one, but three children from two different women. When I looked into your background, I learned you are married to your third wife and have children from two previous relationships.”
“She wasn’t talking about me!” the DJ insisted.
“Maybe not,” Taehyung replied smoothly, but many readers in the comments thought it was you, and one former fan vowed to launch a boycott of your music. That would have damaged your reputation, no?”
The DJ sat and fumed.
“Kiki - I overheard you tell Ms. Jams that Genevieve had threatened to expose the job you had before becoming a model, as well as how and where you were discovered.”
The model’s eyes grew wide and fearful.
“Please don’t say what that is,” she whispered.
He smiled gently.
“That’s all I will say. But you should have been honest when you spoke with me.”
Kiki nodded, tears in her eyes.
Taehyung stopped walking and gave the guests his full attention.
“I’m not going to draw this out,” he began, when Madam Sylvie interrupted.
‘I told you, Detective, Alex and Eddie attacked her!”
The local officers looked startled. They looked at Taehyung, who shook his head.
“Madame Sylvie, I’m sure – err – spirit means well, but I prefer to investigate crimes the old-fashioned way - by looking at evidence.”
She huffed and pouted, drawing her shawls around her bony shoulders. Taehyung continued, as though he hadn’t been interrupted.
“The six people who definitely had dealings with Ms. Evans – she treated you very unkindly. In fact, she was downright cruel. All of you said her stories didn’t affect you that badly, but I know they did. And in one case, whether her story was true or false, she put you in a dangerous situation.”
He walked slowly to the chair where Harold Maudlin sat. Jeongguk noticed the man was trembling slightly, unable to look Taehyung in the eye.
“Mr. Maudlin. You told me the story Ms. Evans wrote about you didn’t affect you negatively - that in fact, it made you notorious.”
Harold Maudlin didn’t reply. He just sat, trembling, looking at the floor.
Taehyung squatted.
“Mr. Maudlin,” he said softly, “How long has the Russian mafia been threatening you?”
Harold flinched, and a tear slipped down his face.
“Genevieve heard a rumor,” he whispered. “It wasn’t true. At a party, someone had playfully accused me of laundering money for the Russian mob. He was drunk, and we all laughed it off. No one took it seriously.”
He took a shaky breath.
“But someone told her, and she didn’t investigate it. She didn’t even ask me about it. She just ran with the rumor, insinuating that I skimmed money off the top to keep my accounts full. She claimed she had ‘well placed sources’ within the community who corroborated the rumor.”
He looked up at Taehyung, his eyes bleak.
“It was all a lie. I’ve never laundered money for anyone, and not especially the Russian mob! They didn’t believe me, though. Two warring gangs thought I was laundering money for the other. They threatened me daily, made me empty out my bank account. Each gang is now pressuring me to actually launder their money.”
A sob escaped his throat.
“I just didn’t know what to do. When I saw that… that vulture tonight, I lost it. She’d been spouting off to me about her hack job. Then I saw her arguing with the two athletes (he nodded toward Alex and Eddie) in the foyer and then walk down a hall. I followed her to a bathroom and confronted her, begging her to retract the story. She refused. I grabbed a - I think it was some type of award - and hit her in the head twice. She fell and hit her head on the floor. I took the award and threw it out the back door. I wanted to give myself time to get away.”
Harold was fully sobbing now.
“I didn’t know what else to do. I can’t continue living this way!”
He dropped his face into his hands and cried.
Taehyung looked at the local officers and said, “Can you take him for the night and don’t register him under his actual name? I’ll talk to our organized crime unit and tell them what happened. They and the FBI will probably want to take over the case.”
The officers nodded. One helped Harold stand. He and a second officer flanked Harold as the third officer led the way out to the patrol car. Taehyung looked around at the remaining guests, thanked them for their patience, and asked them to leave. Barry was one of the first ones out the door. He didn’t want to face the others who’d had run-ins with the tabloid reporter, and admit he’d invited them to the dinner party to watch them fight with each other. He shouted that he’d call Jeongguk during the week. He didn’t mention the piles of books on the table in the foyer. Neither did Jeongguk.
Finally, only Taehyung, Jimin, Hobi, and Yoongi remained. They helped clean up, then grabbed beers and went out on the patio to hang out. Jeongguk and Taehyung sat close together, Jeongguk’s head on Tae’s shoulder.
“What a fucking night!” Yoongi breathed.
Jeongguk remembered Yoongi spending time with the rattled author who discovered Genevieve’s body, and thanked him for sitting with her.
“It was nothing,” he replied gruffly. “She’s a nice kid, and once the shock wears off, I’m sure she’ll find a way to include it in an upcoming novel.”
“Not before I do,” Jeongguk declared, and they all laughed.
Jeongguk stopped himself and apologized for being morbid. Taehyung kissed him on the temple and said, “What you’re doing is called gallows humor. We do it at the precinct all the time. It’s one of the only ways to help us stay sane. Otherwise, we’d drown under the pressure.”
Jeongguk sighed with relief. Looking at his friends, he said, “She tried to stir up trouble for us tonight,” and told them about her accusations that he and his friends are anti-American because they were all Asians.
“Barry shot her down, but I wasn’t too sure she would have dropped it. She might have gone digging for dirt on all of us.”
“Bitch,” Jimin said. “I’m sure she would have found some kind of dirt on each of us, although none of it is truly bad. I’m sure she could have twisted it in a way to make us look bad.”
He shrugged and looked at Hobi.
“I guess you and I might have run into trouble with our respective dance groups. The American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe do not like scandals.”
Hobi grinned.
“No, they don’t. But the worst thing she could have gotten on me is that I cheated on my last girlfriend. Well. I was still technically dating her when I met the love of my life.”
He smiled at Jimin and kissed his nose. Yoongi pretended to barf.
“By the way,” Yoongi said to Taehyung, “that DJ story was not about Dr. V. It was about this other guy out of California. His dad is some billionaire and funds all of his parties. He’s got five kids from four different women, I’ve heard, and he doesn’t take care of any of them.”
They grimaced. Taehyung promised to apologize to Dr. V. for jumping to conclusions. Jeongguk squeezed his hand.
“I was afraid that she’d find out about Tae and me dating,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me but it would have caused problems for Tae at the NYPD.”
He leaned into Taehyung.
“It was so tough to stay away from you tonight. I was so afraid she’d pick up on something.”
He glanced around at his friends and lowered his voice.
“Am I mean to say I’m kinda glad she’s gone?”
Taehyung pulled him close and kissed his cheek.
“You have nothing to worry about, baby. We’ll be okay. I’ll be okay.”
“I don’t know…” Jeongguk answered timidly. “I’ve heard some terrible stories about gay cops being bullied, even now.”
“Let them try,” Taehyung growled, then laughed, stopping at the worried expression on Jeongguk’s face.
He turned toward his boyfriend and smoothed the creases out of forehead.
“Stop frowning, babe. You’re going to get wrinkles. I promise we’re going to be all right.”
Jeongguk sighed and snuggled closer to his boyfriend. He turned sleepy eyes on his friends and invited all of them to stay the night. His house had four bedrooms, although Jimin and Hobi would share, and Taehyung would stay with him.
They picked up their bottles and went inside, locking doors and windows, closing curtains, and making their way upstairs. Jeongguk and Taehyung brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and got ready for bed. They climbed under the covers and gravitated to the middle of the bed until they lay facing each other.
“Your brain is so hot,” Jeongguk murmured. “Watching you solve that case was totally hot.”
Taehyung waggled his eyebrows.
“That’s why they pay me the big bucks,” he joked.
He brushed hair out of Jeongguk’s face, then kissed him tenderly.
“I’m so sorry that something this horrible happened inside your retreat. I hope you can put it behind you and start enjoying this home as the safe space you meant for it to be.”
Jeongguk sighed sadly.
“I learned my lesson about letting Barry talk me into crazy ideas like tonight’s dinner - at my sanctuary of all places! Tomorrow, I’m going to perform a cleansing ritual on the entire house.”
Taehyung chuckled.
“I’d like to see that! What does it entail?”
Jeongguk shrugged.
“I don’t know. It just sounds like a cool thing to do.”
He yawned.
“First, I need to regenerate with sleep.”
Taehyung cradled Jeongguk in his arms, rubbing circles in his back.
“Sleep. I’ll protect you from the bogeyman.”
“My hero,” Jeongguk whispered, closing his eyes and surrendering to the Sandman.