Garner working as a waiter at an upscale restaurant with a growing attraction to a man named Alonzo, who always asks to be put in his section for dinner. One night after work, the man is assaulted while trailing Garner. Garner goes to his aid, but is shot for his trouble.<br><br>Taking time off from work to recover, Garner is resting on a park bench when Alonzo suddenly appears at the other end of the bench. Garner never saw him approach. He asks why Alonzo is trailing him.<br><br>After some hesitation, Alonzo explains he wants to recruit Garner to help fight against others who systematically hunt people like himself. Garner isn’t inclined to get involved in anything dangerous, but he does finds Alonzo more and more attractive, so he agrees to consider the idea. As he learns more about Alonzo’s bizarre and dangerous subculture, what Garner really wants to know is whether Alonzo is romantically interested in him at all.

Call to Love

Garner sighed and lay back on the pillow. Then, in response to the pain in his arm, he took half a pill, and texted Vera, telling her the news. After this he lay back again, and pondered his situation. He didn’t know exactly what had been said by whom at the restaurant. Certainly, he didn’t think Sharon would have shared her suspicions about him to Mike. He sighed. It didn’t really matter. Last night had shown him that, for one reason or another, he was not fit to do his job properly. And when he thought of his colleagues having covered his mistakes, he cringed.


Gradually, the half-pill took effect, and Garner allowed himself to drift back to sleep.


When he woke again later, he saw that Vera had responded, suggesting they meet in the late afternoon. He stretched, gently with his left arm, and got up. After showering, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and noted a haunted expression.


Chapter 43