“Your dad owned a great restaurant and he let you eat these?” Neil waved his around, dropping relish and sauerkraut on his jeans.
Laughing, Kev grabbed a napkin to wipe the mess off Neil. “He and Mom let us eat what we wanted, as long as we didn’t overdo it. Speaking of Dad…”
Neil slanted him a look. “Now we come to why we’re here?”
“Yes. He did as he promised and talked to one of his detective friends. The man came through in spades.”
“Meaning he found out who the two witnesses were who said they saw you go into the hallway?”
“He did. A guy named Paul Barnes, and…” Kev paused to take a bite of his second hotdog.
“Don’t stop now,” Neil grumbled.
“And, Jan.”
“You have got to be kidding!’
“Nope. Remember she wasn’t at the table when everyone was telling me what they wanted to drink?”
“I do. We figured she went to the ladies’ room.” Neil finished his first hotdog while he thought about the timeframe. “Maybe…She and Greg almost got into an argument about Zeke before they danced. Maybe she was upset enough she wanted to…I don’t know. Get Zeke out of the picture because Greg was so jealous? Killing him seems a bit extreme but if she didn’t want whatever might have gone on with them, back in college, to end her marriage—and they do have kids she obviously adores—she might have decided it was the only thing she could do.”
“So she hurries to the restroom, texts Zeke to meet her in the storage room, and when he does…Well, who knows what was said but she’s not having any of it and bashes his head in.”
“Then she comes back to the table after you went to get the drinks. Maybe she saw you starting toward the hallway and decided, if anyone like the cops asked, to make it sound like you went all the way there.”
“Yeah. She barely knows me so it’s no skin off her nose if the cops think I killed Zeke. Do you know Paul Barnes?”
Neil shook his head. “But then I didn’t know everyone in my class, or even most of them. Theater people tend to be cliquish. It’s possible he though that’s where you were headed and took it a step farther to impress the detective.”
“Yeah, some people are like that,” Kev agreed, shaking his head.
“It pisses me off that Jan lied to the cops. If she did kill Zeke, she was home free because as far as we know, no one said they saw her by the storage room. Right?”
“Probably.” Kev smiled dryly. “The detectives didn’t choose to tell me if someone had, but they sure let me know there were witnesses to my going to, or into, the hallway. I did tell you I went by the Student Union on Tuesday, didn’t I?”
“Um, no. Why?”
“I wanted to see if someone, meaning Mrs. Hale, could have gotten into the building without Zeke knowing she was there. The outside door wasn’t locked, probably for safety reasons, and doesn’t have a panic bar, just a doorknob.”
“Okay. She remains on our suspect list, too.”
“I agree. Since she’d got black hair, although I couldn’t find out if it’s long or not, she might be the woman I saw by the ladies’ room.”
“Now if we were hackers,” Neil said, “we could get into Detective Payne’s files and see if she’s got an alibi.”
“But we aren’t, so that’s out.” Kev finished his hotdog, washing it down with soda then chuckled. “As PIs we suck. Let’s not give up our day jobs.”
“And here I was thinking we could throw in together to open ‘Deering and Stafford, Private Dicks’. Our slogan would be ‘Professional Dicks for All Your Needs’.” He doubled over, laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe.
Kev was laughing, too, but still managed to pound Neil’s back until he gasped for breath. “I think this whole thing is driving us around the bend,” he said when they sobered.
“No kidding.” Neil looked at him in concern. “What if they don’t find the real killer and decide it was you, even though they can’t prove it?”
“No proof, they can’t arrest me, end of story. Still, I’d rather not have their suspicions hanging over my head. I guess we have to trust they’re smart enough to figure things out on their own.”
“We should have told them about Jan and Greg.”
Kev nodded. “It’s probably too late by now.”
“Yeah. If either of us says anything they’ll think we’re trying to get the spotlight off you and ignore it.”
“I wonder if she and Greg have left town, now that the reunion is over.”
“I would have if I were them,” Neil replied. “The detectives have her statement. If they need anything else, I think they’d ask a local detective talk with them.” He balled up the hotdog containers, tossing them at a nearby trash can.
“Michael Jordan you ain’t,” Kev told him when he missed. “I take it you’re ready to head back.”
“I’m afraid so.” After he picked up his trash, Neil took Kev’s hand, holding it as they returned to the theater. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” he said when they got to Kev’s car.
“You know it. Do you want to eat at my place before the movie?”
“Depends. Can you cook?” When Kev snorted, Neil grinned, planted a kiss on his lips, then headed to back door of the theater. “Oh, what time?” he called when he got there. “I’m off at five.”
“Five-thirty. That’ll give us plenty of time before the movie starts.”
“Great. See you then.”
* * * *
“Something smells good,” Neil commented when Kev let him into the apartment Friday evening.
“That would be my aftershave.” Kev grinned.
“I meant…Never mind.” Neil rolled his eyes then said, “You go in for comfort over fancy décor, I take it.” An obvious statement since there was an older, over-sized sofa and a mismatched recliner facing a large TV. The wall behind the sofa was filled with bookshelves on both sides of the two windows. Off to one side of the room was a small dining table with two chairs.
“I do,” Kev agreed. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
The rest of the place consisted of a bedroom, with a queen-sized bed and a dresser, a bathroom, and the kitchen.
Neil made it a point to check out Kev’s collection of books, commenting, “Is there anything you don’t read?”
“Not that I can think of, although I only keep the books that resonate with me on some level.”
They returned to the kitchen, where, being nosy Neil lifted the lid off a pot on the stove. “This is not aftershave,” he commented, sniffing.
“Nope, Thai pineapple shrimp curry. Very spicy.” Kev stirred it. “It should be ready in ten minutes.”
“Show me where things are and I’ll set the table.”
Kev did and then brewed green tea to serve with the meal. When everything was ready, they sat down to eat.
“When you said spicy…” Neil took gulp of water.
“You can handle it.”
“I’ll sure try because it’s really good in spite of the burn.”
“Of course it is. I made it,” Kev replied, grinning. “If you’re a good boy and finish it, there’s dessert, too.”
“Oh boy!” Neil bounced in his chair like a kid, earning a laugh from Kev. “What kind of dessert.”
“Banana rice pudding. Also Thai.”
“I sense a theme here. Tomorrow would be what? Greek? French?”
“Probably burgers, or mac and cheese,” Kev replied. “I only go fancy when I have a special guest.”
Neil smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. “I like the idea I’m special.”
“You know you are. At least I hope you do,” Kev replied seriously.
Neil nodded. Then since it was a small table he leaned forward, tugging Kev’s hand. Kev got the message and their lips met in a lingering kiss. “Not to be a copycat,” Neil said when they straightened up again, “but you’re very special to me as well. Who knew, when we met, we’d end up together.”
>
“Not me. I guess dreams do come true, although—”
“It would have been nice if it didn’t take faking it first to make it real.” And Zeke’s murder, but I’m not going there.
“Exactly.” Kev lifted his cup of tea. “To reunions.”
“To reunions,” Neil replied, tapping his cup with Kev’s. After they both drank, he grinned. “My bowl is empty. Where’s dessert?”
“Coming right up.” Kev picked up the plates and bowls, took them to the kitchen, and returned with more bowls—this time filled with the banana rice pudding which, after tasting it, Neil deemed delicious.
When they finished, Neil insisted on doing the dishes. Then it was time to leave for the movie.
* * * *
“That was better than I expected,” Kev said when they left the movie theater.
“You chose it. Why did you, if you didn’t think you’d like it?”
“The star is sexy?” Kev grinned. “Not as sexy as you, but a close second.”
Neil snorted. “I should look half as good as him.”
Slinging his arm around Neil’s shoulders, Kev replied, “Sexy isn’t only about looks. It’s about intelligence, and heart, and kindness, and well, everything. You’ve got all of that in spades.”
Neil felt his face heat up at Kev’s compliments. “I could say the same about you.”
“Could?”
Neil kissed his cheek. “Well, you’ve already listed everything, so it would be a bit repetitive, don’t you think.”
“Honestly, Neil. You know you are something else.” Kev stopped walking, turning to face Neil. “Something very special.”
“Please stop,” Neil said quietly, aware there were other people around. “I’m just an ordinary guy who had the luck to find a man, a real man, I could care about. Before you ask, that would be you.”
“I think we both got lucky,” Kev replied softly. He hesitated for a second before giving Neil a quick kiss.
Neil heard a small gasp and saw an older couple watching them. “We like each other,” he told them. “Is that a crime?”
The man looked as if he was going to reply that it was, but the woman answered first, saying, “No. My husband’s a bit of a prude. He’d have acted the same if it was a man and woman. I think it’s wonderful that you can show your affection when, well, the spirit moves you.” She patted Neil’s arm. “I know a lot of people wouldn’t agree with me, but screw them.”
Kev laughed. “Nicely put, and unexpected.”
“Because I’m old enough to be your grandmother?” she huffed.
“Honestly, yes.”
“There’s a very old saying, never judge a book by its cover. It applies to people as well.” She smiled at her husband, “I learned to swear from him. Right, dear?”
“Um, yes, although you’re not supposed to do it in public.”
“Why know the words if I can’t use them?”
Kev grinned at the man. “I think she’s got you on that one.”
The man chuckled. “She usually does get in the last word. By the way, I’m not as much of a prude as she implied. Honestly, I was startled is all.”
“No problem,” Kev replied.
The woman linked her arm with her husband’s, whispering something to him. He smiled in reply and they walked away.
“I’d give my eyeteeth to know what she said,” Neil commented.
“Me too, but I’m not going after them to find out. Do you want to stop for coffee before we head home?”
“No. Let’s go back to your place and make out.”
Kev threw his head back in laughter. “What am I going to do with you?”
“I just told you,” Neil replied, looking innocently at him.
“That you did, and it sounds like a great plan, however…”
Neil’s shoulders slumped. “It might lead to more and you’re not ready yet. I get why.”
“Do you?” Kev asked as they began walking to where they’d parked the car.
“Yes. You’re afraid the police will arrest you for Zeke’s murder. You don’t want us to start something if we can’t finish it.” Neil took his hand, holding it tightly. “We have to believe they’ll find the real killer.”
“I’m trying to.”
“We both are. Until then, we’ll hold off on anything beyond kissing and hugging. I don’t like it, but it is what it is and I’ll stop pushing for more.”
“Am I being stupid, wanting us to wait?”
Neil smiled. “No, you’re being you. You told me you were interested in me almost from day one, but you kept it to yourself.”
“I thought you’d be angry if I said anything, since I didn’t at the beginning.”
“I might have been,” Neil admitted. “I’d have gotten over it. Now we have a lifetime ahead of us. Waiting a few more days or weeks if it comes down to it? We can do it. Until then there’s always porn and our hands if we get too frustrated.”
Kev barked out a laugh. “There you go again. You look so innocent and then you come up with something like that.”
“But I am innocent.” Neil nodded hard.
“No, you’re not, thank God.”
They were at Neil’s car by then. As they got in, Neil said, “It’s hard to believe it’s only been a week since it happened.”
“The murder?” Kev asked with a frown.
“No. Since you admitted there’s more to you than I thought.” Before starting the car, he leaned over to kiss Kev. “If you hadn’t come up with your plan, I still wouldn’t know.”
“Probably not, because I was a coward, which I shouldn’t have been.” Kev smiled. “I’ll remember that, for next time.”
Neil harrumphed. “There hadn’t better be a next time, mister.”
“There won’t be, I promise. It’s you and only you from now on.”
Chapter 8
Saturday was spent as Saturdays almost always had been for the two men—before the reunion weekend and Kev’s opening up to Neil about his feelings. They did chores, Kev went to work at four—getting off after the restaurant closed at one—and Neil watched a TV movie, read when it was over, then went to bed.
He called Kev mid Sunday morning, when he knew he was probably up and moving, to suggest they do something together before Kev had to go to work.
“What did you have in mind?” Kev asked.
“It’s a nice day, so let’s not stay cooped up inside. There aren’t any fairs going on, so that’s out. We could pack a lunch and go for a drive in the country.”
“Sure. Why not? Your car or mine?”
“You drive, I’ll make the lunch.”
“Deal. I’ll be there in half an hour.”
Kev was. Neil tossed the small cooler with their lunch in the back seat and they took off after Kev asked, “North, south, east, or west?”
“South-east. There’s more country with farmland that way.”
“You want to see the cows and horsies?” Kev grinned when Neil gave him the finger.
There was plenty of farmland, and very few animals that they could see. They took one of the side roads, which meandered through trees and fields, until eventually they came to a narrow lane. Kev pulled onto it, despite Neil’s worrying it might be the drive to someone’s house. Half a mile farther they saw a turn-around with a large expanse of unmown grass they decided would be perfect for their picnic. Kev parked, then got an old blanket from the car trunk and spread it out.
Neil opened the cooler, removed two plates, glasses, and several wrapped sandwiches, as well as a thermos of iced tea.
“This is so peaceful,” Neil said when they’d made inroads into their meal. “I think I could happily live in an area like this, if I didn’t need to work.”
“After we retire,” Kev said. He ate the last of his sandwich, washing it down with tea. Tossing the wrapper in the cooler, he lay back with his hands behind his head.
“Fifty years from now,” Neil grumbled, finishing his sandwich then sprawling o
ut beside Kev.
“Yeah. At which point there won’t be any countryside. It’ll all be cities butting on cities with suburbs connecting them.”
“We’ll…buy a boat and live on a river, or the ocean.”
“That idea I could get behind. Footloose and fancy free.”
“If it was large enough, we could go down the Mississippi to New Orleans then take off along the coast all the way to the tip of South America, then back up to Alaska.”
“You have big dreams. I like that.”
Neil shrugged. “That’s all it is—a dream. Still it could be fun. Two old men and the sea.”
“We’ll put it on our to-do list.”
“We have one?”
Kev nodded. “We do, now.” He turned on his side, tracing circles on Neil’s arm. “Buying a house, when we can afford it. Something small with a yard, not too far from the theater or the restaurant. No long commutes, thank you.”
“I can live with that. Spending our vacations traveling to places we’ve always wanted to go.”
“That’s number three on the list, after the house.”
Neil knew what number one was, although neither of them was willing to say it aloud and ruin the day. Making certain Kev would be free to follow through on their plans. He cupped the back of Kev’s head, pulling him close enough to kiss. “I like that we’re thinking ahead.”
“It’s going to happen, too. Not tomorrow, but someday soon.”
“I know it is,” Neil replied fervently.
“Right now, though…” Kev sat up.
“We have to get back or you’ll be late for work.”
“Yeah.”
They gathered up everything and walked back to where they’d left the car. Neil had just put the cooler in the back seat when he heard something moving in the underbrush beside the lane. He glanced at Kev, who nodded that he’d heard it, too.
“Probably someone’s cat, or dog,” Kev whispered.
Neil cautiously walked to where he’d heard the sound. Kneeling, he parted the branches of a small bush. “Damn,” he said softly.
A black dog, hardly more than a puppy, looked fearfully back at him. There was a rope around its neck, and another one hobbling its rear feet together. The ends of both ropes were tied to branches on the bush.
The Reunion Page 8