Page 53 of Beau and the Beast

"He's got a new gig," Noah said.

"What does that mean?"

"After he ran the errand that you were supposed to go with him on, they offered him a job."

"Why isn't he answering his phone, then? I mean, we left it on good terms. He even said we should have dinner together."

"It's not like that," Noah said. "He can't have a phone while he's on the job."

"What the fuck?"

Noah shrugged. "It's weird like that. I don't know. He called me and we only talked for like two minutes but he said he was going to be gone for a few weeks, that there wouldn't be a way to get in touch with him, and that he'd come home several million dollars richer."

"Whoa, hold up," Lincoln said, putting his hands up as if trying to ward off an attack. "That soundsincrediblyshady. Like some sex ring or—And you justagreedto go along with this?"

"There was nothing I could do about it, Lincoln," Noah said, feeling defensive. "He was rushing me through the whole conversation and it was clear he wanted to get off the phone ASAP."

"Uh, yeah, because someone was probably holding a goddamn gun to his head!" Lincoln said, exasperated.

"Jesus. I hadn't thought about that," Noah admitted.Maybe Beauhadn'tbeen staying of his own free will...

"Of course you didn't," Lincoln said, sounding disgusted. "I'm sure you heard the dollar figure and then you decided you weren't going to ask any questions."

"Hey, fuck you—"

"And meanwhile, you have no idea where Beau is, who he's with, what he'sactually doing—"

"He's an adult who can make his own choices," Noah said, even though a panic was growing in his chest at Lincoln's insinuations. "He asked me to trust him and, unlike you who thinks he knows better than his own boyfriend, I actuallydotrust him."

"I never said I don't trust Beau," Lincoln said, "but this doesn't sound right at all. I can't believe you just let him go like that."

"Maybe we wouldn't be in this fucked up situation if you hadn't no-showed him when he asked for your goddamn help," Noah slurred. He was angry enough that he knew his diction was suffering—but so fucking be it,he thought.

Lincoln frowned deeply at him. He reached into his jacket pocket and for a moment, Noah was struck by the odd fear that he was about to pull out a weapon. Instead, Lincoln produced a business card and a pen, scribbling something on the back of the card before flicking it across the table at Noah.

"There's my cell number," he said, sneering. "If Beau turns up, just let me know he's alive."

He stood and moved to the door to let himself out.

"You can stay here in your little hole waiting for him to come back safe," Lincoln said. "But I'm going to keep looking for him. I know he needs my help."

* * *

"I'd likeWolfram to join us for dinner tonight," Beau said. Violet and Song had been alone in the kitchen when Beau walked in, looking triumphant after his morning session with Wolfram.

"Uhh, good luck with that," Song said before leaving his spot at the bar and slinking out of the room.

"What?" Beau asked, giving Violet a plaintive look.

"Have you already asked him about it?" Violet asked.

"No, but I put it on the schedule I made for him and he didn't say no when he looked at it."

Violet couldn't have heard that right, she thought.

"You made him aschedule?"

Beau shrugged. "Yeah."

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