The Artist and the Actor – 2

 

 

"Where's Kenny?" Jim asked, a few minutes after Colin came around to the back yard where everyone had gathered.

 

"Hell if I know. He called me, maybe twenty minutes ago, to tell me he had to make a stop but he was still planning on showing up," Colin replied.

 

Jim laughed. "Maybe he convinced one of his ladies to come with him and she's taking forever to get ready."

 

Given that his brother had the reputation as a player; Colin had no trouble believing that. In the previous three days he'd met two girls Kenny was dating, neither of whom, Kenny swore, knew about the other one.

 

When, an hour later, Kenny still hadn't arrived, Colin figured he'd changed his mind—or whichever girl he was with had changed it for him.

 

The barbecue broke up around eleven as most of the people there were locals who had to go to work Monday morning. Colin was back at his parent's by eleven fifteen. The house was dark, meaning they were already in bed, so he tiptoed quietly up to the guestroom, undressed, and after washing up, slipped under the covers and quickly fell asleep—helped by the few beers he'd had. Not enough to be drunk, but he wasn't sober, either.

 

He was awakened, he didn't know how much later, by the sound of the doorbell. He heard his father grumbling as he went downstairs to, Colin figured, read someone the riot act for being too stupid to realize they were at the wrong house. The sound of the front door opening was followed by a few indistinguishable words and then an "Oh, God, no!" from his father.

 

Colin jumped out of bed, pulled on his jeans, and went into the hallway. His mother was already halfway down the stairs and he followed her into the living room. Two police officers were there, one with his hand on David Ainsley's shoulder.

 

"David, what's wrong?" Colin's mother, Nan, asked as she hurried to her husband's side.  

 

"It's…it's Kenny," he replied in a choked voice. "He…" David looked the officers.

 

"Perhaps it would be best if you all sat down," the first officer suggested.

 

David put his arm around Nan's waist, leading her to the sofa, and the three of them sat, Colin at the far end from his parents.

 

One officer perched on the edge of the armchair opposite them, saying, "As we told you husband, your son Kenneth's car was found in a pull-off on Lookout Mountain, approximately two hours ago, by a Jeffco sheriff's officer. The driver's-side window was shattered, and when the officer approached, he saw someone slumped over the steering wheel. On closer examination, he discovered a body that was riddled with bullet-holes. He immediately called it in and—"

 

"Not Kenny!" Nan wailed. "Please tell me it wasn't him. Please."

 

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ainsley. It was," the officer replied quietly. "His wallet was in his pocket. It held a fair amount money. The only thing missing were his car keys. For the moment, because of the money, the sheriff is ruling out robbery as a motive, although that might change when he has more information."