Last Year's Model

Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1Ray Stonesifer was enjoying the walk. On this last Saturday in April the weather was spring-like. The sun was bright and a few puffy little clouds dotted the blue sky. It would have been a Hallmark day if it hadn’t been for the chilly breeze which reminded the residents of Colby County that snow in May wasn’t unheard of.

Although he ran as often as he could at a local gym, Ray didn’t often just go for a stroll. Nor was he doing so that morning. He had a mission, the result of a phone call he’d received from Brody Cox a couple of days before.

“Hi Brody.” Ray wondered why the man was calling. He knew Brody’s family owned flower shops in Colby and Higgins. His parents had used Petal Pushers for their flower needs all his life. He remembered Brody from high school, though Brody had been several years behind him. He knew Brody had been in the Marines and was now a student at Colby State. His partner, Dave Cromer, had been Ray’s classmate at Higgins High. But these days he didn’t feel he really knew either of them well.

“I hear you’re looking for an apartment,” Brody said.

He was, but after making the announcement to his parents earlier in the week that he was moving out, he’d told only his friend and former mentor, Jim Grant. But Jim could have told his partner Jake, and word does get around the gay community in Colby.

“Yeah, I am. Decided it was past time for me to get a place of my own.”

“I can understand that. And that’s the reason I’m calling. If you’re not looking for anything too fancy, I know of a place. Are you considering staying in Higgins?”

“I was leaning toward Colby, but Higgins is okay.”

“Well, the place where I used to live is available. And it’s cheap. Mrs. Brill, the landlady, doesn’t charge a lot of rent, and in return she expects her tenant to take out the trash, keep the sidewalks shoveled in the winter, and a few things like that. She’s a sweet old gal, she’s hard of hearing, so she never complains about noise, and she minds her own business.”

“Sounds interesting, Brody. Is the place furnished?”

“Well, I understand there’s some furniture in it, but you might want to buy your own as you get time. I bought second-hand stuff when I moved in there and left most of it when I moved out. Joe, have you met him? He’s the guy who moved in after me. He had to replace some of it—which he may have taken when he moved in with Micah. So you’d probably better plan on buying some things.”

“I think I can manage that, especially since you say the rent’s low.” Ray was thinking that with the salary increase that came along with his promotion to sergeant plus the money he’d been saving while living at home, he could afford to furnish an apartment. And he already had a recliner, a computer desk, PC, flat screen TV, and stereo he could bring from his parents’ place. “Want to give me the address?”

Brody told him where Mrs. Brill’s house was. It was on a street not too far from his parents’ home.

“Should I call for an appointment?”

“I don’t think you’ll need one. She’s almost always there. You might tell her I gave you her name. She’ll be impressed that you’re a cop, but there’s no harm in her knowing that I sent you.”

“Great! I’ll go over there Saturday morning and check it out.”

“Like I said, it’s nothing fancy. But it’s quiet and comfortable. And it has a nice view of her back yard.”

“Thanks for the tip. Say hi to Dave for me.”

“Will do.”

* * * *

It was just after ten o’clock when he arrived at the address he was seeking. The two-story house looked as if it might have been built in the 1920s, but it appeared to be well-maintained. The big old maple trees on either side of the front walk had baby leaves just beginning to show. A forsythia was radiantly yellow at one corner of the house, and a dogwood sparkled with white at the other. This was spring at its best, Ray decided.

He was halfway up the walk when the front door opened and a guy stepped out, pulling it shut behind him. He was about the same height as Ray, an inch over six feet, and thinnish. His shaggy dark-brown hair was clean, but it looked almost fashionably unkempt. He apparently hadn’t shaved for two or three days. As the two men came closer together, Ray saw that the other man had pale, grayish-blue eyes and high cheekbones. A blue bandanna folded into a strip about two inches wide was wrapped around his head. He wore a gray tee, faded jeans, sneakers, and an old blue hoodie which he was in the process of zipping when he looked up and saw Ray.

“Hi,” the guy said. “Can I help you?”

“I’m, um, here about the apartment?”

“Oh, sorry, buddy. It’s rented.” And the guy really did look sorry. “I’m the new tenant.”

“Oh, well.” Ray cast about in his mind for something else to say. “Um, thanks anyway.”

The stranger gave him a beautiful smile. God! He was gorgeous. Scruffy looking, but you just knew he’d clean up well.

There was an awkward moment when apparently neither could think of anything to say.

“I’m about to go for a run,” the stranger said, almost apologetically.

“Watch out for traffic,” Ray said. As a policeman, he’d too often seen what happened when a runner darted into a street without looking right and left.

“Yeah.” He gave Ray a graceful little wave and jogged away.

Ray watched the guy’s back for a moment. Then he turned and headed for home. He had made a list of rentals that had been advertised in the Colby Courier but he hadn’t brought it with him.

Oh, well, he thought, it would be more convenient to live in Colby since that’s where I work. It hasn’t been a long commute from Higgins, but gas prices being what they are, Colby would be better.

* * * *

When Ray got back to the house he’d lived in all his life, his mother said, “Where’ve you been, dear? I didn’t hear you go out.”

“I was checking out an apartment a couple of blocks over, but it’s already rented.”

“You know, sweetheart, there’s no reason to move out. I thought you were comfortable here.”

When he was at the police academy, his parents had converted the third floor for him. If you didn’t mind sloped ceilings and dormers, it had a lot of space. There was a bath but no kitchen. He made do with a microwave and a mini-fridge. And he’d lived there from the time he’d come back to Colby County as a cop.

Finally, though, the lack of privacy had become too much. His parents were comfortable with his being gay. He’d come out to them when he was a teen, and they’d always been supportive. But since there was no separate entrance to his living space, they, especially his mother, always kept track of his coming and going. And, despite their accepting attitude, he’d never been comfortable bringing guys back to his place, having to run the gauntlet, introducing his potential f**k partner to his folks.

When he received his promotion to sergeant, he’d told his folks that he was going to look for a place of his own. His mother had been unhappy about it. But later that evening, his father had said, “It’s about time, Ray.”

“What, Pops, you want me out of here? Why didn’t you say so?”

“Oh, no, son! I’ve just thought for a long time that you needed your own space. Any young man does. I’ve often wondered…well, let’s not go there. But I’m happy with your decision. And I’ll help your mother come to terms with it.”

So Ray grabbed the list he’d copied from the newspaper, made a few calls to line up some inspections, got in the SUV he’d recently made the final payment on, and headed for Colby.

* * * *

He found something suitable in Colby that afternoon. It was one of two upstairs apartments in a four-unit building in an area some distance from the CSU campus. The owner, who wouldn’t rent to university students, was happy to find that his new tenant was a policeman.

After work that week he bought a king-size bed with matching dresser and night stand. He also bought a sofa and matching chair, a couple of end tables, and a coffee table for the living area. There was an eating area between the living room and kitchen, but he decided that temporarily at least he would eat at the bar, for which a couple of stools had been left by the last tenant—or he could eat off the coffee table and watch TV.

It wasn’t deluxe, but it was his.

There was still the stuff to move out of his parents’ house. He’d need some help with that. One of his work buddies might be willing. Then he thought of Blake Bellamy.

He wasn’t sure how to get in touch with him. He’d heard Blake had moved in with Adam Craig, so he looked in the CSU directory he kept by his phone and punched in the professor’s number. It was a weekday evening, so he should be at home.

“Adam Craig.”

“Dr. Craig, this is Ray Stonesifer. How are you, sir?”

“I’m fine, Ray, thank you. And I should say sergeant. Congratulations.”

“You heard about my promotion?”

“Word gets around quickly.”

“Thanks for the good wishes.”

“You’re most welcome. So what can I do for you?”

“Actually, sir, I’d like to speak with Blake if he’s there.”

“Sergeant, I’m not one of your superiors. You and I know each other through Tom and Adrian’s group as social friends. Please call me Adam.”

“Oh, right. Adam.”

He heard a chuckle on the other end.

“Here’s Blake.”

“Congratulations, sarge!” Blake said.

“Thanks, man. How have you been? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Good, good. And you’re right. Last time I saw you was when you helped me pull that stunt on Adam on New Year’s.”

“It must have worked. I’m glad you two are together.”

“He says he’d already figured out how he felt about me, but I think seeing you and me together, especially when we came in with your arm around me—well, that was just the nudge he needed. I owe you!”

Ray heard Adam saying something in the background, but he couldn’t make out what it was.

“So, Ray, what’s up?”

“I’m calling to ask a favor.”

“What do you need?”

“I’ve finally found an apartment, and I was wondering if you could help me with the move.”

“Sure, dude. Glad to. When?”

“Are you free this Saturday?”

There was a pause at the other end. Blake was apparently conferring with Adam.

“No problem. Adam wants to know if he can help, too.”

“Tell him thanks, but there’s not really all that much to do. I’ve got a TV, a recliner, my computer, the computer desk, my clothes, and some boxes of books and DVDs and stuff.”

“Let’s see, you live in Higgins, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but you don’t need to drive out here. I’ll come and get you if you’ll give me your address.”

Blake supplied the information. Ray thanked him. And they hung up.

* * *

It took three trips in the SUV to move the big stuff, the things Ray needed help with. As he told Blake, he could always stop by his folks’ place and take the boxes as he had time.

“Let me spring for lunch,” he’d said.

“Okay,” Blake said, fishing his cell phone out of his jeans pocket. “Just let me call Adam.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“A burger would be fine.”

So they went through the drive-up line at BK and took the food to Ray’s new place. They sat on the stools and had burgers, fries, and sodas at the kitchen counter.

Ray raised his cup of cola and said, “Thanks for the help. And thanks for being the first person to share a meal with me in my new digs.”

“I hope you’ll be happy here, dude. And that you find a good man to share it.”

“Thanks, Blake.”

They talked a while, catching up. Blake told Ray the story about the inscription on the flyleaf of the old book Adam had bought and about their trip to New York to meet the man who’d written it. Ray was impressed with Adam’s detective work in identifying Sonny Boy, who’d written the note in the book.