Deadly Night by Aiden James Read Free Book Online Page B

can’t remember if you like your burgers well done or with a little pink in them.”
    “ Either way is fine,” said Fiona, usually agreeable unless a burger bore burnt edges.
    “ Nothing that looks like shoe leather,” I said, not so agreeable when it comes to the version of roasted cow I prefer.
    “ Did you remember Fiona’s dessert pizza?” he asked, nudging his glasses toward the bridge of his nose with his grilling mitt. “You can’t enter the back yard without it!”
    Despite the glare from several tiki torches reflecting off his wired lenses, I caught a glint of amusement, his eyes twinkling for a nanosecond.
    “ I almost forgot,” I said, nudging Fiona to go on without me while I went back to the car for our contribution to tonight’s grill potluck.
    A recipe of my mom’s, the pizza is a concoction of fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches, kiwi, and banana slices laid out on a pastry crust and covered with a light cream-cheese icing. I have to say it’s a hell of lot better tasting than it may sound, and something easy to put together on short notice. Perfect for tonight’s get together after Tom called this afternoon with the news he’d finished developing the video and still-frame shots from last night’s investigation.
    “ Umm that looks really yummy!” said Angie, once I rejoined the females gathered just inside the back gate.
    She’d never had the pleasure of sampling the dessert dish before. Fiona hadn’t made it since last summer. If not for Tom asking for it today, we probably would’ve picked up a pecan pie from Kroger on the way.
    “ It tastes awesome!” I told her, sliding by on my way to a long redwood picnic table. Yeah, I guess I’m a little proud of Mom and Fiona’s party delicacy. “The only thing sounding better than this right now is an ice cold brew!”
    “ Think fast, Rock Star!”
    I turned just in time to catch a Miller Lite can flying through the air toward me, while Tom and the girls held their collective breath. Justin high-fived Tony, so I knew one of them threw it. I think if I’d failed to catch the damned thing, Tom would’ve had a massive coronary on the spot.
    “ Do you mind acting a little older than high school, you two!” he scolded them, his normally deep voice carrying a shrill edge. “I doubt either of you make enough in a month to pay for a window if that had ricocheted through Jimmy’s grasp!”
    He pointed to the ornate stained glass panels on either side of the backdoor, while both Tony and Justin shrugged and quietly mouthed ‘sorry’. Such feigned remorse, though they both had an ‘oops’ look on their faces. They turned their attention to the cooler, reaching in to grab a pair of longnecks.
    I can see why he’s protective of his place. The property reminds me of a park setting, with lots of trees and such. And the house…it’s really nice. Built in the late 1920s, it looks like the Craftsman homes you sometimes see in movies, with lots of handcrafted oak paneling and millwork throughout. Frigging beautiful work, man. Of course, as my wife points out, it’s why they call this type of home a ‘Craftsman’ in the first place. Named after some home builder magazine from yesteryear.
    “ What? Better not be any Heinekens in there,” I said, feigning irritation. “Hording the good stuff is so unacceptable, you guys!”
    I hoped it’d take the edge off the morgue-feel suddenly permeating the air around us, since I could tell Tom was still fuming a bit. I’m not one for dull parties, and I definitely can’t tolerate a sour-puss gathering. The hell with that shit, I’d be just as happy getting an early start on rehearsal before the wounded puppies and Foghorn Leghorn turned tonight’s paranormal review into a pissing contest.
    “ Hell, I’ll take a Heiney if there’s some in there,” said Angie, sauntering over to where the guys stood guarding their treasure chest.
    Like a pair of tin soldiers from Candy Land, they stepped