He was beginning to worry about how much Kiko ate. He hadn’t put it together until recently that Kiko often ate less than he did, sometimes skipping breakfast as he had a few days ago, sometimes saving a sandwich for later, but Dom never saw him then eat it. Leftovers lasted longer than they should if two people were eating them. Little things that were easy to overlook. He’d have to talk to Kiko about it after the holidays.
Devin was poking around the kitchen when he returned, and any hopes Dom had that his brother would go out drinking again crashed and burned.
“What are you doing?” he asked, but Devin waved him away and Dom saw he was on the phone. Dom flopped into the breakfast nook instead and opened his laptop. He didn’t remember leaving it here, but he normally looked at it in the morning.
“Yeah,” said Devin, then, “No. Uh huh. Look, he’s back, so I—yeah, I’ll ask. Love you. Bye.”
“Mom?” asked Dom, checking his email. Mount Angus Brewing Company Newsletter but nothing else. He should really think about getting a club card there. He bought enough of their beer for it.
“You should really put a password on that. You want those kids checking out your porn?”
“You were the one who moved my laptop,” said Dom, catching on immediately. He glared at Devin. “You went looking through my shit?”
Devin curled his lip at him.
“Don’t leave it out then. And you know you did wrong if you’re embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed,” said Dom, snapping the laptop closed. “You look like you are. And you sound like Mom.”
“She’s right about some things,” said Devin. Dom rolled his eyes.
“What did she want you to ask me?”
“She wanted to know if you’d come down for New Year’s. She misses you. We all do.”
Dom started laughing. He could have probably held it back, but he didn’t see any reason to, not while he and Devin were alone, not after last night. If Devin had been a little flushed before at the thought of Dom’s porn, he was now turning red in anger.
“It would be hard for you to believe. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
“Says the guy who was sent up here because he fucked up his relationship and got laid off.”
“Some of us are willing to forgive,” said Devin, fists clenched.
“Is Kiko invited?” asked Dom, standing and grabbing his laptop. Devin said nothing. “I didn’t think so. How can you all be so archaic? What’s wrong with him?”
When Devin didn’t respond Dom hauled his laptop upstairs. As much as he hated it, Devin was right about kids not getting their hands on some of the stuff he had on there. He glanced at the clock, nearly seven. He wasn’t sure when Gaby would be back, but he should get the tree stuff out of the garage and get something to eat before she showed up.
Devin followed him outside. Dom wanted to snap at him to leave him alone, but Devin seemed more uncomfortable at the moment than Dom was so he intended to draw that out. He poked around Kiko’s clearly labeled plastic totes, arranged alphabetically, and hauled down two large and one medium. Devin took the box Dom shoved at him without comment. They were back inside and taking their coats off before Devin spoke.
“Look, Dom,” he said, sounding like he was really struggling with what he was saying. “Last night, at the bar…I think we both said some things we shouldn’t have. I’m sorry if I upset you with my opinions. We should know by now we’re going to disagree on some things.”
“Is that supposed to be an apology?” asked Dom, finding he was now impressed with how Kiko reacted to his own grumpy vague apologies. He didn’t want to sound like his brother; he realized he should try a bit harder.
“I’m reaching out to you,” snapped Devin. “You think it’s easy?”
“I think you don’t do anything that isn’t easy,” said Dom. He moved to the cupboard. “Box mac and cheese?”
Devin said nothing, but Dom knew he’d eat if something was set in front of him. He got out a pot to cook the noodles. Kiko refused to eat things like this, but Dom bought a box now and then for himself. Devin watched him cook, actually muttering a thanks when Dom set a bowl down in front of him.
“Mom’s not going to take back the offer, just so you know,” said Devin. “It’s up to you.”
“It has to extend to Kiko, too,” said Dom, trying to channel some of Kiko’s calm. “Difference of opinion or not, I love him, and you have to accept that if you want me visiting.”
Devin didn’t even bother arguing with Dom about that.
* * * *
“Welcome home,” said Dom, greeting him at the door. Kiko set down Mother and tossed the mail on the table, unable to keep from smiling when Dom kissed him. Over his shoulder Kiko saw Devin make a disgusted face and take a swig from a steaming mug. Christmas music and excited chatter from Gaby and the kids flowed in from the living room. The house was warm and smelled like hot chocolate. Kiko felt good, happy. He wanted more holidays like this.
“As much as I like your lips, I smell hot chocolate,” said Kiko. Dom moved to get him a mug from the pot on the stove while Kiko took off his boots and coat.
“Gaby really makes good hot chocolate. Real milk. And there’s a little kick to it.”
“Cayenne,” said Kiko, gratefully accepting the mug. “No better way to warm up.”
“Devin even likes it.”
“Has he been behaving himself?” asked Kiko, noting how Dom’s brother barely even looked at him. He was on his laptop in a corner of the living room. Dom shrugged.
“As much as he can. I’ve been keeping an eye on him.”
Kiko nodded. Dom ran a hand through his hair as Kiko watched his niece and nephew from the doorway, the two of them bouncing around and diving through his collection of ornaments. Dom had brought out both the good box and the casual; Kiko kept silver and blue bulbs for when the kids weren’t showing up, and a random ornament assortment otherwise. Some of the blue and silver bulbs were already on the tree, but the children had given up on those fast.
“The tree went up fine,” said Dom. “Gaby picked out a good one. Rachel was very excited to water it. Nathan was trying to organize the ornaments for a while. And Devin stayed out of everyone’s way. Do you set your presents out under the tree right away or wait for Christmas Eve?”
“When the kids are here, Christmas Eve,” said Kiko, aware Dom was chatting more than usual. He couldn’t tell whether Dom looked pleased with the atmosphere or sad. Maybe it was a bit of both. With his family, Kiko didn’t want to know when the last time he’d had a decent holiday was.
But all that could change now. He snaked his free arm around Dom, pulled him closer in the doorway. Neither of them would have to be alone again this time of year. Even a quiet Christmas in with just Dom sounded like bliss to Kiko. Maybe that’s how they’d celebrate next year. Kiko could cook something special for the two of them, steak or shrimp maybe. And he’d love to stuff Dom’s stocking with something inappropriate…
But he was getting ahead of himself. Next year would come when it would come, and he hoped Dom would be there with him for it. At least, Kiko had no intentions of ending what they had.
“Right, Santa,” said Dom faintly. He jerked as Mother passed between his legs and waddled into the room, off to investigate all the shiny things strewn about the floor. “I’m shocked he doesn’t take a bite out of one of those kids.”
Rachel patted Mother roughly on the back, but the goose was too busy tapping at a plastic pizza slice with his beak.
Kiko smiled. “They’re good with Mother. He can tell if someone’s a threat. Besides, he’s used to kids.”
“More hot chocolate?” asked Dom, and Kiko followed him back into the kitchen. He was getting sleepy but he accepted the refill, yawning. “Long day?”
Kiko thought about his photo shoot, smiled, then dismissed the thought. Dom would find out what he’d been up to soon enough.
“I had to get your present,” he said, taking a sip of hot chocolat
e. “Then Chad fell off the ladder and sprained his ankle.”
“He just had a broken leg,” said Dom. Kiko shrugged.
“He seems injury-prone.”
“I bet his mom’s pissed about it. Did he ever come out to her?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” said Kiko, moving to the stack of mail at the breakfast nook and sitting down. “Will you grab the card collection I have going at the top of the microwave? I like hanging them all on a line by the fireplace.”
Dom did so, not complaining, while Kiko shuffled through the mail, smiling to himself. When he had gotten his own cards ready to send out earlier that month Dom had rolled his eyes, then whined when Kiko asked him to sign. He’d tried to get out of it by saying they hadn’t been together long enough, but after leaving the cards out for several days he finally obliged. Kiko found it cute the way he both resisted intimacy and craved it; Dom was soft but wary. Kiko liked being the one to pull him out of his armored shell.
“You get a lot of cards,” said Dom, sliding into the booth next to him.
“You have to send them to get them,” said Kiko, tearing one open.
“Nobody writes as much as you did in theirs.”
Kiko opened his mouth to respond when he caught sight of a conspicuously blank envelope. He pushed the rest of the mail off of it, heart sinking. All the warmth from the hot chocolate seemed to seep out of him. There was no address, no stamp, no markings of any kind on the plain envelope. When he turned it over, the flap was tucked under instead of sealed.
“Is that…?” asked Dom, recognizing it, too. Silently, Kiko opened it and pulled out the paper. One line of type stared back at them.
“You’ve been warned,” read Kiko, then abruptly folded it back up and shoved it in the envelope. He didn’t want Gaby seeing it, or Dom’s brother for that matter.
“Kiko,” said Dom, but Kiko pushed him out of the breakfast nook and stood.
“I’m tired. I’m going to turn in early. Kiss me when you come up.”
He was relieved when Dom didn’t argue with him.
* * * *
Chapter 13
“Are you okay?” asked Kiko, pouring coffee the next morning. Dom opened his notebook and accepted the mug, hoping it would work fast enough to get him to think.
“Yeah.”
“You never wake up before me.” Kiko sat opposite him and nodded at the notebook. “It’s the mystery.”
“It’s never taken us this long to solve before,” said Dom. Kiko examined him, sipping his coffee. How he could drink it so hot Dom didn’t know. “This isn’t even a murder. Shouldn’t be difficult.”
“And now I’m clearly being threatened,” said Kiko. Dom didn’t look at him.
“You’re taking that note to Gordon.”
“I will, Dom, but there’s not much the police can do. If no one saw who put it in the box there’s nothing to go on.”
“Like Cat’s vandalism,” said Dom, nodding. Ben was looking better and better for this all the time. “Damn, he’s good.”
“It might not be Ben.”
“Oh, come on, Kiko.” Dom tried his coffee now; just barely drinkable. “He’s got the best motive. The paintball guns. Probably a way to get that key. Remember last time when it was exactly who I suspected?”
“Congrats on being able to spot a serial murderer. Again, we can’t tell Cat it’s Ben without proof.” Kiko paused, rubbed his forehead. “Though if it’s her, I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do. Report it to Catsville police?”
“It’s not her,” said Dom. Kiko had fallen in love with Dom’s conspiracy theories. “Don’t turn your back on your ‘most obvious person’ idea.”
Kiko smiled, yawned. He drained the last of his coffee and got himself seconds.
“I’m saying she might be the most obvious person.”
“I’m saying Ben is,” said Dom, about to list off the ways again. Kiko held up a hand.
“I know, I know. This entire thing has the flavor of a family issue, doesn’t it? Everyone’s pissed at everyone else, stepping on each other’s toes, wanting to see someone fail in order to make themselves feel better. Untangling who’s behind it is a challenge when they all have reason to be.”
Dom flipped the page and began writing out what they knew in a list, complete with times. Alibis were a good thing to have, also who would have access to a paintball gun and if any grocery store remembered someone buying cartons and cartons of eggs. Proof. What he needed was enough proof. If he had Ben buying eggs, Ben being spotted at Cats N Canvas, Ben without an alibi, that would be enough. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get that information.
“We’ll just have to go out interrogating people again,” said Dom, and Kiko winced.
“I’m not sure about interrogating…”
“Questioning, interviewing,” said Dom, squinting at his list. How much did he need? “Like old times. Tracking someone down and asking them questions until we get some information. How many things do you think we need to tie Ben to it before we can consider it case closed?”
“I’m more worried about finding the right perpetrator than tracking down enough coincidences to get a desired outcome,” said Kiko. Dom frowned.
“The sooner we figure this out, the sooner you stop getting those letters,” he said. To his surprise, Kiko smiled at that, softly. He stretched a hand out, warm from his coffee mug, and placed it on top of Dom’s.
“I’ll be careful, I promise. I know you’re worried, but not everything ends in murder. It looks like someone really wants us to stop digging into the vandalism. They’re trying to intimidate us. It makes sense—everything we’ve looked into before now has to do with death. It’s easy for someone to play on that fear.”
“Text me today?” asked Dom before he caught himself. He couldn’t meet Kiko’s eyes. He cared too much. Admitting he loved Kiko was one thing. Admitting he’d be completely torn apart if anything happened was another.
Kiko removed his hand.
“Okay,” he said, and stood to rinse out his coffee mug and load it in the dishwasher. “And I’m all right with asking around more. This has been a while, and I’m sure Cat wants to know what’s going on before Christmas.”
“Good,” said Dom. “We’ll ask around at Gord’s Grocery to see who remembers someone coming in and buying up dozens of eggs.”
Kiko shook his head, began to knot his tie. It was green with little red reindeer prancing across it today. Dom watched his hands, wanted them on him. Sometimes the everyday grind of life seemed cruel, how it used up all their time and kept them apart.
“You probably won’t find anything.”
“But…” began Dom. He thought he was being clever.
“It’s a good idea,” said Kiko. “But buying from different cashiers over a matter of days would solve that. Or the culprit could have driven into Madison and picked up the eggs there. No one would remember at one of the big stores. If you want to try it, I’m not going to stop you, but I was thinking we’d try to talk to Ben’s kid instead.”
“Which one?” asked Dom, perking up at that. “The son was really shady, asking for money, but the daughter was also completely comfortable being a model for middle-aged men.”
“Son. He teaches the paintball classes.” Kiko disappeared from the kitchen and returned a few minutes later holding Mother. “You haven’t been overfeeding him recently?”
“No,” said Dom. He glanced away. “And I’m sorry about that.”
“We’re handling it. Meet me after work? I’ll have Katie and Chad cover.”
“Deal.”
* * * *
Something was wrong. Kiko could tell before he pulled in; Yolks on You looked different even from blocks away, but it wasn’t until he steered his truck into the lot that he saw it clearly. His headlights added to the two outdoor lights he had on the place, revealing a familiar image. Splatters in red, green, yellow, white. Kiko got out of the truck without turning it off, the vehicle beeping at him u
ntil he slammed the door shut.
Paintballed. Not all the way around the place, mostly on the front of the building with the most windows, a few splatters on the sides. No broken art mangled threateningly in front of his door, and the store didn’t look broken into. Not as bad as it could have been. Still, though, it disappointed him. He and Dom weren’t even close to solving Cat’s vandalism. But then, maybe just looking into it was enough.
He called the police non-emergency number and reported both the note and the paintballing, then took pictures with his phone while he waited for someone to show up and have a look. He texted one to Dom, figuring he was in the car on the way to work by now. He got back in his truck to wait out of the cold, trying to comfort an annoyed Mother.
“We can’t go in yet,” he said. The goose glared. Just when Kiko was getting wound up a police car pulled into the lot and Police Chief Gordon got out. As he hitched up his pants, Kiko got out of the truck.
“I know you,” said Gordon, slowly pulling out his notepad and pen.
“Enrique Cooper. Kiko. I own Yolks on You.”
Gordon nodded slowly.
“Spell that for me.”
Kiko held back a sigh and obliged, spelling his name twice for the older man. Police Chief Gordon looked like he should be long retired, thin and gaunt like an old farmer. Rows where he dragged his comb were visible in his thinning hair and his uniform hung on his frame. Kiko was certain Dom would laugh at him later for having the misfortune of being questioned by him and not some deputy.
“Tell me what happened,” said Gordon.
“I drove in to open up and found this.” Kiko indicated the building. “Oh, and someone put this in my mailbox yesterday. I didn’t find it until late last night.”
He explained again as Gordon scrawled everything down on his notepad. He eventually opened the note Kiko handed him and stared at it for at least five minutes. Kiko resisted the urge to glance back at Mother. He wanted Gordon gone before an early customer arrived. Bad enough that he’d been paintballed; no need to have half of Mount Angus show up to watch an exchange between him and a cop.
“Well,” said Gordon, pocketing the note and adjusting his belt. “There hasn’t been a murder ‘round here recently, so I can’t see why you’re getting targeted.”
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