Chapter 14
HARM LOVED spending time with his dads. Joe helped him install the cameras at Derek’s when they arrived, and everything was working well.
It was all linked to Derek’s phone, so he could see what was going on around the house at any time.
Harm was also able to program some alerts into the system so that if someone tried to enter the backyard when Derek was at work or at night, he could get a message.
It was all pretty simple, but the last thing he wanted was for Derek to be in danger.
Over the past few weeks, Harm’s feelings had grown deeper, and he found he was more and more protective of Derek.
Sometimes he wondered if he was getting too much so.
A few times when he stopped into the library to return books and get new ones, he’d seen Derek with other patrons and found himself getting jealous.
Not that he thought anything was going on, but that they had Derek’s attention. It was stupid and he knew it.
A tap on the shoulder as he watched Derek behind the circulation desk pulled his attention.
“You really like him,” Belle signed, and Harm found himself blushing.
“You do,” she signed with a wicked grin.
They had ten minutes before their Tuesday night signing group.
“That’s really good.” She held his gaze.
“It can be hard sometimes for people to understand what it’s like to have limited ability to communicate.
Yet he seems to not only understand, but…
.” Her hands stilled, and Harm waited for her to continue.
“He takes it in stride like it’s nothing at all and fills any gaps without looking like he’s making an effort. ”
“I met his sister at the holiday, and I understand so much more about him now. He’s the younger brother, and his sister was born deaf, like you.
So he does it without thinking. Derek makes sure everyone gets included.
I think it’s his superpower.” He also explained as best he could how Derek set up a group chat for everyone.
“That’s brilliant,” she told him. “I’ll have to do that at Christmas.
It’s so easy to get left out.” Derek saw him and gave a little wave.
Harm smiled back, and then he and Belle went upstairs to the community room.
Derek had a conflict, so Belle led the group that week, reviewing what they went over last week, and then presented the lesson.
It was harder for Harm with her leading, because Derek spoke as well as did the signs, and he learned faster through hearing.
Belle could talk, but she was self-conscious about it and tended not to, especially in front of a larger group like this.
Derek joined them for the open discussion and social portion of the evening, where everyone just talked with each other, sitting next to him.
“I want you to sign as much as you can, so I’m going to join another group and let you swim on your own.
” He patted Harm’s shoulder and left him with a couple of the folks from work.
“He’s cute,” Rachel signed to him. “I’m jealous that you found him first.”
“Well, I guess I’m lucky that way.” He wasn’t going to get into the fact that Derek was gay. She was being kind, and there was nothing mean in her comment.
“It’s difficult here. The community is so small. If I want to date someone, I have to figure out a way to talk to them.”
“She likes Andy at work,” Carol said from next to her, and the ladies bumped shoulders and giggled in their own way. “He looks at her all the time but never makes a move.”
“Then you make one,” Harm said with a smile, pleased that he knew the signs to make. “You’re a strong woman. And Andy keeps watching you, so make your move.” He knew that Andy was pretty shy, and if Rachel was truly interested, then she was going to have to go for it.
“What are you talking about?” one of the women there with her husband asked as she joined the group.
“Rachel likes someone at work,” Carol filled her in. “He’s hearing, and she isn’t. Harm says she should go for it and ask him out.”
She bit her lower lip. “I’d like to think that when my Amy gets old enough, she would be confident enough and strong enough to do that. So yeah, go for it. What have you got to lose? And what could you gain if he says yes?” She smiled again. “Fear sucks, so don’t let it stop you.”
Rachel was nodding. “But how do I ask him?”
Harm shrugged, but Amy’s mom, he wasn’t sure of her name, smiled. “Write him a letter. Do it the old-fashioned way. Everything now is texting and social media, messenger apps, but there is something to be said for the old-fashioned way. If nothing else, you will be memorable.”
Rachel didn’t seem convinced. “What if he thinks I’m a dork?”
“What if he doesn’t?” Harm told her. “What if he thinks that it’s the most romantic thing he has ever seen?
” He met her gaze. “And what if he writes you back?” He snickered but didn’t know how to sign what he needed to, so he wrote what he wanted to say on a text screen and showed it to her.
“You can write the letter, don’t sign it, and put it in his locker at work.
You can ask that he respond by putting the note somewhere you can get it.
Then see if he responds. You don’t need to say who you are until you find out if he’s really interested.
A little intrigue will pique his interest.”
That got him a smile. “Okay.”
“You can have him slip the note in my locker,” Belle offered. “Just say that I’m acting as an intermediary. If he asks who you are, I’ll say nothing unless you tell me to.”
Rachel really liked that idea and began composing the letter, with Belle and the others looking over her shoulder.
“What’s going on over here?” Derek signed as he came over.
“Romantic advice.” Harm managed to get the point across, sharing a grin with Amy’s mom.
“Are they writing a love letter?” Derek asked, and both of them nodded. “I guess sometimes the oldest ways are the best.” They each shared a high five and let the teenagers compose their letter.
By the time the evening was over, Harm was excited and he’d learned a great deal.
He had already worked his way through the class materials and had taken out all the reference books on ASL from the library.
When he was on break at work, he studied them to try to learn as much as he could as quickly as possible.
“Will you offer a more advanced class later?” Harm asked Derek
“I hope to. The board is pleased with the turnout, and it’s apparently getting us noticed.
I’ve fielded calls from other libraries in the area.
They have gotten calls with interest, and they asked if we would be continuing.
I have told them that we will offer the beginning class again in the spring, and if I can get more advanced materials, then this group could continue forward.
” He practically skipped, he was so excited.
“This is turning out better than I hoped it would.” They turned the corner, and Derek pulled out his phone to check the cameras.
“What is it?” Harm signed.
Derek looked over the feeds and then relaxed. “It’s okay. I don’t see anything. I’ve checked every now and then during the day and everything has been quiet.”
Harm took his hand, and they walked to Harm’s truck. The winter wind tried to get to them, but Derek was warm. Harm smiled as they walked, happy just being with him.
“Did Larry and Joe get home okay?” Derek asked as they drove home.
Harm nodded. They had been delayed in Kansas City because of weather and ended up staying the night, but they finally made it out the next morning, and he’d gotten a message a few hours ago that they were indeed home.
He stopped outside the house and parked.
Something wasn’t quite right. He checked the front door, and it was still locked.
Harm motioned for Derek to go to the neighbor’s and went through the passage between the buildings to the backyard.
He checked the gate. It was also locked.
Then he peered over it. No one was there, but something still tickled the back of his mind.
He unlocked the gate and went through, checking the backyard and looking through the windows into the house, but nothing was out of the ordinary.
He turned toward the garage, about to tell Derek to come over, when he saw it.
As he approached, the smell nearly bowled him over.
The very back of the yard resembled an abattoir, with the carcasses of a deer, dogs, and even a few cats all flung over the back fence.
Harm went back the way he came and checked near the front of the house, finding bits of animals in the small garden area between the house and the sidewalk.
“What is it?” Derek asked as he crossed the street.
“Call police,” he signed, and Derek did as he asked. Harm stayed with him until the police arrived, and then Harm showed all of them what he’d found. Carter and Red took more statements and called in a second unit that bagged up most of the mess and carted it away as evidence.
“Do you think you’ll get anything you can use?” Derek asked.
“We don’t know, but there are enough pieces that we need to make sure none of it is human.” It was one hell of a messy job, but at least he and Derek weren’t going to have to do it.
“I have cameras and I didn’t see anything, but I can go through the feed.
” Derek pulled it up on his phone and went through the history.
Someone approached the house a few hours earlier and appeared to drop something.
That must have been what they found in the garden.
In back, the camera angle was such that they didn’t get anything that far back in the yard.
Derek groaned, but at least they had something.
Derek was able to download the portion of the feed from the front and sent a link to it to Red. Too bad they couldn’t see who it was, but Carter said that he might be able to enhance it.