The Paper Mirror Read Online Free PDF

up, Craig, Joshua, and Bunny were at the kitchen table having a bowl of cereal and a glass of milk.
    “Hi, Uncle Jonathan! Hi, Uncle Dick!” Joshua said happily in a stage whisper that made him sound as though he was coming down with some rare children’s ailment. But Craig looked up at us and grinned, then said to Joshua, “It’s okay, Joshua. We can stop playing now.”
    “Playing?” Jonathan asked.
    “Yes!” Joshua said brightly. “We’re playing ‘Whisper.’ I won, didn’t I, Craig?”
    “Yep,” Craig replied, his face solemn. “Fair and square.” Then he reached out, and grinning, tousled Joshua’s hair.
    “You want to come live with us?” Jonathan asked Craig, jokingly.
    I could hear Craig’s mental “Yes!” clear across the room; I don’t think Jonathan caught it.
    After Jonathan and I had our coffee and toast, Jonathan asked Craig if he’d like to go to the M.C.C. with him and Joshua, if his folks wouldn’t mind.
    “Sure!” Craig said. “That’s the gay church, isn’t it? I’ve always wanted to go, but didn’t have anybody to go with. My folks always go to St. Mark’s. Can I go call them and ask?”
    Without waiting for an answer, he got up and headed for the phone. I gave Jonathan a knowing smile and he looked totally puzzled. “What’s that for?” he asked, and I merely rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “Oh,” he said, finally making the connection. “Well, it’s okay if he comes with us, isn’t it?”
    “Of course it is!” I said. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”
    “Yeah,” Jonathan said, glancing from Joshua to me “I just hope he doesn’t enjoy it too much, if you know what I mean.”
    I knew. “Puppy love never killed anyone,” I said.
    “I love puppies too,” Joshua said. “Can I have a puppy?”
    *
    While the three of them were at church, I read the paper. There wasn’t anything in there about the death of Taylor Cates, though there was a small piece in the Arts and Leisure section on the opening of the Burrows—obviously written well in advance of the event in order to get it in Sunday’s paper. The “G” word wasn’t mentioned, but I was nonetheless pleased to see we’d reached the point where large gay events were even mentioned in other than the gay press. It was a very small article but it was a start.
    When the Three Musketeers returned from church, we took Craig with us for brunch at the Cove, a nice little family restaurant on the edge of The Central. Naturally, there was a large contingent of gays including one group of four obviously gay teenagers. Craig was immediately smitten by one of the group, and they spent most of brunch cruising one another despite Joshua’s persistent attempts to keep Craig’s attention focused on him.
    Ah, youth!
    *
    I checked Monday morning’s paper for any mention of Taylor Cates’ death at the opening of the Burrows, and found nothing at all except for an obituary:
    Taylor James Cates, 29, 2424 Beckham Place, died Saturday as a result of a fall. He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Yolanda Cates. Services will be at the McGraw Funeral Chapel on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
    I really hate obituaries. In Cates’ case, twenty-nine years of a human life were reduced to two short sentences. Well, life ain’t fair sometimes.
    May we quote you on that? a mind-voice asked.
    I got wrapped up in some paperwork on a just-completed case when the phone rang. I glanced at my watch and was surprised, yet again, to see it was 1:15 already. Why hadn’t my stomach let me know?
    “Hardesty Investigations,” I said, picking up on the…yeah, you know by now… second ring.
    “Dick,” Glen O’Banyon’s familiar voice said. “What’s your schedule tomorrow morning?”
    “Clear at the moment,” I said without having to check. “Something I can help you with?”
    There was only a slight pause, then, “There just might be,” he said. “Can you come by my office at, say, nine thirty?”
    “Sure,” I said. I