Ray Elkins mystery - 02 - Color Tour by Aaron Stander Read Free Book Online

was the lead story on the six o’clock news. But you set the rules. We’d be happy not to mention it again and give you some rest. And, Ray, while you’re standing around, would you serve the wine? I’ve made a fresh pot of coffee, knowing you probably won’t have wine.”
    Ray poured two glasses from a bottle of Shiraz standing open on the worn marble counter and got himself a mug of coffee.
    Mark put steaming bowls of coq au vinat each place, and Lisa passed the ciabatta as they settled in. The table was covered with a bright yellow cloth of a Provencal design.
    “Sure you don’t want some, even half a glass?” asked Lisa.
    “Okay, a taste,” Ray said, “enough to bring up the flavor, not that this wonderful food needs enhancing.”
    Lisa poured a glass and handed it to Ray. He swirled the wine, inhaled the bouquet, and took a small sip.
    “Well?” asked Lisa.
    “So, you hold dinner for hours, put a wonderful meal before me, pour me some noble red that you’ve given an adequate time to breathe, and I show you my appreciation by telling you that the wine is corky. Sorry.”
    “He’s right,” said Marc after carefully sampling the wine.
    Marc opened another bottle, wrapped a towel around the label, and brought three clean glasses to the table. He poured a splash of wine in Ray’s glass. “How’s that?”
    Ray held the wine glass by the base and gently swirled the wine, observing its dark ruby color and near-perfect clarity; he sniffed it slowly, and then took a small sip. “Very nice.”
    “Is this the bottle you brought or one of mine?” Marc quizzed.
    “One of yours. The one I brought is a bit lighter.”
    Marc removed the towel, revealing the label, and filled Ray’s glass. “Good answer, but I thought I’d go easy on you. The rest of your day has provided enough challenges.”
    “Make sure I only have one glass,” said Ray. “It would be tempting to have more.”
    There was a lull in the conversation as they settled into the meal.
    Ray stopped eating and closely examined the coq au vin. “Wonderful sauce, it’s rich. And the color. What’s in here?”
    “Secret ingredient. This will be a real test of your nose, your taste buds, and your powers of detection.”
    “I’m afraid my powers of detection have already been overly taxed today.”
    “Sure you don’t want to guess?” pressed Marc.
    Ray carefully filled his spoon with the sauce. He focused on it through the bottom lens of his bifocal and set the spoon back in the bowl. He then moved forward and slowly inhaled.
    “Well, the wine was all red, you sometimes do a white and red combination. You’ve thickened the sauce a bit, probably with a little arrowroot; it has a lovely sheen. The mystery ingredient, or should I say ingredients?”
    “Ingredient. Give up?”
    “I have a sense of it, but I just can’t put my finger on… ”
    “Okay, enough pain,” said Marc. “Chocolate. Bitter chocolate. Recipe suggests one ounce, I liked it so much I put in two.”
    “Coq au vin with a Oaxacan twist. It’s wonderful.”
    He looked past Marc and Lisa, out toward the starry northern sky beyond the small-paned windows, and sighed at the emptiness of his own new house, which he’d built after his steady decided to move to Seattle to be nearer to her children. He understood, of course. That was what needed to happen. If he had children, and now perhaps grandchildren, he’d do the same. He’d do whatever it took to be part of their everyday lives. He thought back to the first woman he’d dreamed of having children with, a lovely graduate student with whom he had a brief summer romance. Ray wondered where she was tonight.
    Lisa looked over at Marc and winked. “He’s a culinary genius.” The couple smiled at each other fondly. Ray felt a bittersweet pang as he leaned back in his chair and observed his friends together, looking at each other with that brief, knowing glance that people in love share. A fond complicity. He smiled. He was