Murder on Rainbow Lane

Chapter 1-2

I worked the early news the morning of the Fourth, doing a location shoot on the city’s annual Fourth of July marathon, followed by a bad accident on the highway that sent several people to the hospital.

I got home by ten, showered, then donned jeans and a tank, because the day was sunny with a predicted high in the mid-eighties. After that, I set to work putting together my contribution to the barbecue—veggies and dips.

I arrived at the park right around eleven. David and Luke were already there, putting the finishing touches on the tables that they provided, along with chairs, dishes and silverware—paper and plastic, of course. Chase, who was in charge of the barbecue grills because he furnished the steaks, had them lit and heating up.

Setting my offerings down on the food table, I wandered back to the stream that separated the Rainbow Lane Park from the large expanse of open field and trees behind it. We might be living in the city, but from where I stood, it didn’t seem as if we were.

I heard the rustle of grass, then Jake came up beside me. “It’s a good day for a party,” he said.

“The weather’s perfect,” I agreed.

“The weather, the company.” He smiled at me.

I did my best to avoid the implication of his words, replying, “I agree. Good people live here.” Jake’s a nice man, but as I’d found out, not my type. He’s a bit too uptight. I think that comes from being a lawyer—everything is black and white.

“And I suppose we should join them,” Jake replied. “Maybe, later…?” He gave me a hopeful look.

“Maybe, now.” Again I ignored the implication behind his words. We’d spent one night together, soon after he moved here. We had officially met each other while I was filming an interview one of our reporters did with him, and discovered both of us lived on the Lane. So we agreed to meet for drinks that evening and after a few more dates, ended up at his place one evening. The s*x was decent, but by then I realized he wasn’t doing it for me. I stepped back, declining further dates, until he finally got the message. That didn’t stop him from hinting from time to time.

I turned, saw that several more people had arrived, and went to join them. Brent was there, setting foil-wrapped corn on the cob on the table between the grills. They’d go on at the same time Owen started cooking the burgers. How do I know? Because it happens every time, like clockwork. Brent grabbed a beer from the cooler under the table, then another one for me when I joined him. Jake was right behind me, so Brent handed him one, too, c*****g an eyebrow at me when Jake wasn’t looking. I shrugged, taking a swig of beer, glad when Jake went over to talk to Chase.

Ginger and Mick Nelson were just setting platters of deviled eggs on the food table. I snagged one, earning me a light smack on the hand from Ginger. She’s a sweet woman, most of the time, with an Irish temper to go with her—yes—ginger hair. When I snatched my hand back, she laughed. “Go for it. We have enough of them to feed the hordes, you included.”

I saw Paula Dunn coming across the lawn with a big bowl of what I knew was her famous potato salad. Keith, and much to my surprise, Neil, were tailing right behind her. Neil was even carrying a second bowl of salad, which he put down before moving away to stand under the tree a few yards from the grills.

Paula watched him go with a shake of her head, telling anyone who was listening, “I had hoped he’d join in, but…”

Reed had just put down a platter which, I presumed, held pulled pork sandwiches. Hard to tell, since it was covered with foil. He glanced at Neil, frowning, then much to my surprise walked over to the young man. I didn’t hear what he said, but it brought a small smile to Neil’s lips, and a reply that had Reed nodding as he put his hand on the tree trunk beside Neil’s head.

“Budding romance?” Brent whispered, putting his arm across my shoulder.

“I doubt it. I get the feeling Reed’s a bit shy, even if he did invite us to have iced tea last weekend. So he knows how Neil probably feels right now, since the kid almost never does anything like this with all of us.”

“Omit the almost,” Tyler said, joining us. “I’ve never seen him come to any of our parties, except the one for his mom’s birthday. And then he spent the whole night sitting in a corner of Dave’s living room, looking like he wished he was anywhere else but there.”

“Who?” Chase asked.

“Neil.”

“He’s here?” Brent pointed and Chase asked, “Who’s that with him?”

“Reed Fleming. He bought the shoebox house on the corner across from me,” I told him.

“Ah. I haven’t had a chance to meet him, yet.”

“Neither have we,” Mick Nelson said. “Ginger has been very remiss on her welcoming committee duties.”

“We have such a thing?” Tyler asked, not blinking an eye.

Ginger grinned. “We do now. You and me. So let’s do our duty and bring him back here so he can meet everyone else.”

“Me and my big mouth,” Tyler grumbled, following behind Ginger. They returned with Reed, and surprisingly, Neil. Ginger performed hostess duties, taking Reed around to meet everyone he hadn’t before.

By then, Chase had the steaks on his grill, Owen was cooking burgers, and Paula was unwrapping the various items on the food table that were still foil-covered. “Yes! Jake made pecan pies,” she exclaimed when she got to them.

“I baked cookies,” Tyler said, pouting. “Don’t they count?” Then he grinned. “Okay. More like I got them from Calhoun’s Bakery, if I’m going to be honest. Them and the rolls.”

“Festive ones,” Paula said, giving him a hug. “Red, white, and blue.”

“Well, it is the Fourth.”

“I know, dear.”

Soon everyone was gathering around the food table, filling their plates with appetizers and salad. Chase announced that anyone who wanted rare steak should grab one, and Owen said the first of the burgers were ready. From then on, things went as always, with everyone finding a seat at one of the tables or under a tree. Conversation and laughter ensued as we ate and drank. I went for seconds, as did almost everyone else, until most of the food was gone.

“That was great, and I ate too much,” Brent said, patting his stomach.

“When don’t you,” David asked, grinning.

“Um. Never?”

Everyone laughed before getting down to the business of cleaning up. When that was finished, we all grabbed more beers, or pops in a couple of cases, and found places to sit on the grass while our meal settled. General conversation ensued, as it always did at our barbecues. With the exception of Reed, who was new, we were all old friends by now. He sat on the grass with several of us, listening in apparent fascination as we chatted about things we were doing, books or movies we’d liked—or hated—and what we had planned for the rest of the summer.

“Having fun?” I asked Reed.

“Yes.” He smiled. “I’m even getting a handle on who’s who.” His glance went to Neil, who again was sitting by himself, on the edge of the crowd—if you can call fifteen people a crowd. “He should join in. I tried to get him to, but…” He shook his head.

“He feels out of place. Which isn’t too surprising,” Tyler said. “I’m impressed he’s stuck around as long as he has.”

As if saying that made it so, Neil got to his feet and walked away, heading back to his parent’s house. Paula started to get up, stopping when Keith put a hand on her arm. “He told me he was going to meet up with friends, to go watch the fireworks.”

“This early?” she replied.

Keith shrugged. “It gets him away from us old folks.”

“Old folks?” David said, looking horrified.

His husband, Luke, laughed. “From his point of view, even Brent and Chase are probably old men.”

Brent harrumphed, then lifted his beer. “To all us ancients. May we live long and…well you know.”

“Yes, Spock,” I said, patting his head as I got up. “I hate to eat and run, but I have to be back at the station at four. I’m working both the six and nine P.M. news.”

“Filming the fireworks?” Chase asked.

“Undoubtedly. That or some i***t who blows off a hand setting off illegal ones.”

“Let’s hope not,” Chase replied. “I go on duty at four. I do not want to deal with that.” He’s an ER doctor doing his residency, so I could understand his feelings.

I nodded in agreement; picked up the plate and bowls I’d brought with me to the barbecue, and went home to change for work.