Objects of Virtue

Chapter 02

"Louis? Louis! Are you listening to me, man? I think you should call Simon? He'd be able to help you figure this out, mate" Liam said as he shook at Louis' shoulder to get his attention.

"What – Simon, yes – right. I think I'll give him a call," Louis said as he stumbled to his feet blinded by the tears that stung at his eyes.

"Louis. Mate. It's alright to cry." Whispered Liam as Louis turned around to pick up his phone.

"Men don't cry Liam, don't you know that by now?"

28th of May, 2021 – Oval Road, London, England.

It was a warm 19℃ outside. Harry and Niall stood outside The Ink Gallery. News vans were parked on the curb and journalists were pressing against the barriers to get some inside scope. At the back of the gallery, the forensics team was busy at work, probing the scene carefully looking for the littlest of clues. From what Harry and Niall could see, Mr. Tomlinson's death was much more complicated than met the eye. He looked somewhat peace – which seemed strange to Harry, lying in the alley that was swiftly warming up under the English sun. Not much more could be determined until the coroner's reports and findings came in. Now they stood outside waiting for Mr. Tomlinson's son, Louis – Harry thought his name was. He was taking longer than expected and Harry – to be honest was getting a little bit antsy. It was warm and the tie around his neck was beginning to itch. Niall was also starting to fidget with the end of his tie and click his heels against the concrete of the side walk.

Twenty minutes of sweating and incessant groaning from Niall later, Harry watched as a slick black Porsche pulled up to the curb and parked silently. Harry was on his last leg of patience as he watched the door open and Louis step out. And in that moment, just for a second – Harry forgot how to breath. Very few things shocked him now, he'd like to believe. He'd seen some pretty morbid things in his seven years in the forces, yet he would never have imagined that beauty would leave him this shell shocked. Because that is what Louis was. Beautiful. His auburn hair hung long against his neck, curling ever so slightly up by his ear. Strands of silken hair like gold wove in and out between the brown, shining and sparkling in the midmorning sun. His white shirt sat primly on his body, fitting him to a T, open just enough for Harry to catch a glimpse of the ink that marked his honeyed skin. But what caught Harry's attention above all else were his sea blue eyes. They really were like the Bahamas. Not that Harry had ever been – but he'd always imagined the ocean to be this exact shade of blue. He could see that the man had been crying, but his clenched jaws told him that he was trying his hardest to hide it. There was sadness in his sea blue eyes. A shadow of something that Harry could not quite explain. And as he approached it was as though time had slowed. Cliché? Even Harry thought so. He'd never been so instantaneously attracted to anyone before – and it showed. Niall was amused to say the least – he'd finally stopped his fidgeting and was engrossed in the little midmorning drama that was unfolding in front of him. A firm kick to Harry's shin finally brought him back down to earth – just in time – as Louis finally came to a halt in front of the two detectives.

Standing a step behind him was another man, taller than him, also clad in a white shirt and black suit. He too was a stunning example of human perfection – but nothing compared to the specimen now standing directly in front of Harry. He was making it difficult for Harry to form words and quite frankly -it was pissing him off. Harry liked to be in control of things – specially his bodily functions and now this man – thing was making it incredibly hard for him to get a grip on the situation. Niall snickering by his side was not helping and Harry was becoming increasingly agitated.

"Good morning – or should I say good afternoon Detectives? I'm Louis. I'm extremely sorry for the delay, didn't expect to have to tell the girls they'd lost their old man this morning but it is what it is," Louis said smiling faintly. Harry could see that the feeble attempts at humor were just his way of trying to cover over the tears that were threatening to fall.