The Rainbow Man Page 7

  Ever since John was found.

  Some folk had even come into money directly. Sudden windfalls from the wills of relations they never even knew they had. Scratch card payouts; nothing massive, just enough to put great big smiles (like John’s own) on certain people’s faces. Or insurance policies paying out early, with bonuses. And that was before you got to the amount of fish that were all of a sudden being caught out at sea. Bucking the trend of the rest of the world at the moment, it seemed, Shorepoint was flying in the face of the recession and the mood had taken a definite upturn. Some were even heard to comment that maybe they really had found gold at the end of that rainbow, or the closest thing to it. A good luck charm that was seeing them through a worse storm than had raged a couple of weeks ago. John was even starting to get the nickname “The Rainbow Man” because of this.

  As that famous writer they’d studied in English had once said, “It was the best of times (for Shorepoint), it was the worst of times (for Daniel).”

  If pretty much everyone on the island hadn’t been invited before to the wedding, they were now. McLean had also benefited from a last minute influx of money, by being granted a promotion at work. Plus a lot of people were donating time, food, and money to the event: the big bash after the wedding itself.

  Daniel had tried to get out of going, but his mum had insisted this time, dragging John into the proceedings to back her up. She’d actually threatened to ground Daniel for a month if he didn’t come along. “And don’t think I don’t know about you bailing on school recently, mister. We still need to have words about that one.” He’d considered saying something about her bailing on work but thought better of it. Wasn’t the time or place to get into it. So he’d agreed. The thought of being in lock-down with John around was just too much to contemplate, so they’d all gone along together. Their “houseguest” accompanying Daniel’s mum, which he was less than pleased about; him and Mikey tagging along behind, although Mikey kept rushing forward to tug at John’s sleeve now.

  Daniel couldn’t help narrowing his eyes, and in a funny sort of way missed his brother doing that to him. Missed the attention he used to get from him, no matter how much of an annoyance it was at the time. But it wasn’t just that... the sleeve of the suit Mikey was tugging, the one John was wearing... it had belonged to his dad. He recognised it, though his mother hadn’t said a thing. It was part of a small collection of clothing she’d kept in the back of the wardrobe and didn’t think Daniel knew about; the only reason he hadn’t mentioned it to her. But he did know... and the thought of it was driving him crazy.

  The small church was packed out with people and Daniel sat, bored out of his skull, as the organ music played. He sat behind his mum and John, grinding his teeth every time the man said something to her, whispering in her ear. After only a few minutes of sitting there, Mikey chose to go and be with the pair in front too, having only said a handful of words to Daniel since they’d left the house. Daniel was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the way things were heading there.

  Then the wedding party had arrived, including Jill’s aunty and uncle, plus McLean with his best man: Yeats. Daniel tried to catch the sergeant’s eye, but he was having none of it, his mind fully on the task of sorting out the groom. The organist struck up with “Here comes the bride,” and not long after she did just that. Daniel had to admit, Lily looked fantastic. A vision in whites and creams, her brown locks done up in curls, held fast by a veil. Daniel hadn’t really noticed it before, but she looked a lot like an older version of Jill.

  Then came the real thing, walking behind and dressed in pink along with the other bridesmaids. His jaw dropped open: this was the first time he’d ever seen Jill in a dress, instead of the usual jeans and jumper, or T-shirt, and Daniel couldn’t believe how different she looked. Couldn’t believe how pretty… no, how beautiful she was.

  As the procession strode past, she turned and cast a glance in his direction. He shut his mouth quickly and attempted a smile. It was the most communication they’d had in almost a fortnight. It looked like Jill was going to smile but then her attention was drawn to something behind Daniel. He turned and saw that something... that someone was Greg, sitting with his own mum and dad. Jill did smile at him and he smiled back. Greg seemed oblivious even to Daniel’s presence.

  And suddenly the bride and bridesmaids were gone, off up the aisle to the front of the church. John turned around, briefly, to grin at Daniel.

  After the ceremony, which was just as boring (Daniel wondered why-ever people decided to get married at all if they had to go through that), the newlyweds had walked out again. They were followed by their entourage again, and even though Jill was facing him this time she barely glanced in Daniel’s direction.

  Next everyone filed out to greet the couple at the door. Daniel went on ahead, to wait outside. He had his camera with him and took a few shots of the church, though what he was really waiting for was John. Once his mother had wished the couple well, it was John’s turn and Daniel snapped off more pictures of the stranger talking to them, wishing them well:

  “I hope everything works out for you both,” he said. Not the most enthusiastic of offerings, thought Daniel. Then the man leaned in to whisper to them both. And something odd happened, which again apparently only Daniel witnessed. One second they were smiling happily, then a look of confusion, even sadness, washed over their faces. It was only there for a fraction of a second and only there after John had finished whispering, but Daniel saw it through the viewfinder as he kept snapping off photos. Then he looked around to see if anyone else had spotted this; no. And by the time he looked back again the silly smiles had returned and the newlyweds appeared happier than ever.

  But while Daniel didn’t have witnesses, the one thing he did have were his pictures.

  And he was going to use them to prove that something was definitely wrong with John Dee, the so-called Rainbow Man.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  LOOKING BACK ON THINGS, that evening was definitely the turning point—in more ways than one. Just not in the way Daniel thought it would be.

  At the reception afterwards he’d tried to talk to the couple about what John might have said, but they were too busy to listen to a “kid.” Plus which they’d spoken to a lot of people that day, so many wishing them all the best in their new married life together.

  After the speeches and cutting of the cake was over, and the newlyweds had smooched to their first dance, there had come more dancing. First to a band made up of pretty decent amateurs, with Lily’s little brother, Gary—one of the cool people, or at least he thought he was—on lead guitar and vocals. Gary never went anywhere without his sunglasses on, obviously practising for the rock star lifestyle he thought he was going to end up living. Then came the disco and a free for all, including embarrassing members of both sets of wedding families. Jill’s mother had even taken to the floor and kicked up her heels to “I Will Survive.” Daniel thought she was going to have a heart attack at one point.

  Thankfully his mum and John had remained where they were for most of the evening, sitting at a table having a few drinks. Mikey was clinging to them, though Susan was nearby on the next table with her family in case they needed help with the youngster. Daniel had moped about on his own, stumbling upon Jill by accident as she came out of the toilets. It was about the only time since the wedding itself she hadn’t had Greg with her.

  “Daniel,” she said: the first part in a sort of excited voice, but tailing off towards the end. Like she was happy to see him, then remembered she really shouldn’t be.

  “Jill,” he said, attempting another smile—which probably came out worse than one of John’s. “You look really nice.”

  She glanced down at herself, then back up, shaking her head. “I hate it. I think I look like a big blancmange.”

  He couldn’t help laughing at that, and she laughed with him. It reminded Daniel of the fun they’d used to have together. God, was it only a couple of weeks ago? Felt
like years. It reminded Daniel of the fun all three of them had had together.

  When the laughter died down there was an uncomfortable silence, and he hadn’t expected what came next. “Daniel… I really miss you. Miss seeing you, I mean. I miss how we used to be together.” Then she added, as he’d done mentally just seconds earlier: “How we all used to be together, you know?”

  He nodded, because he did, his face falling.

  “What’s happened to us, Daniel?” she said, moving forward and placing a hand on his arm. “We all used to be the best of friends.”

  “You and Greg still are,” he commented, trying not to make it sound like an accusation. Luckily, she didn’t take it as one.

  “It’s not the same,” Jill told him. But he didn’t know whether she was talking about when it had been the three of them together, or being around Greg wasn’t the same as being around Daniel. “What happened?” she asked again.

  “John happened,” Daniel said simply.

  Jill sighed. “That again. Daniel, he’s a really nice guy. Honestly.”

  “That’s what everyone says, but they’re wrong. He’s really not. If you’d spent any time alone with him—”

  “I have,” Jill said.

  “No, I mean really alone with him. Not with Greg there, too.”

  “What, has he threatened you or something?”

  Daniel hesitated before answering. “No, not in so many words.”

  “Then what?”

  “There’s just something about him.”

  “Tell me,” said Jill, pulling him to one side to let some of the partygoers walk by.

  “I can’t. You’ll think I’m being stupid. But… but I can show you,” said Daniel.

  He got out his camera and flicked back through the photos on it, showing her the pictures of John making his rounds of the town, zooming in where he wanted her to see a particular expression.

  “So what? John’s being going around asking if anyone needed any odd jobs or work doing. Everyone knows about that. He’s even been to our house. To Lily’s. He’s just trying to fit in here, Daniel. That’s all.”

  “No, but look at his eyes.” Daniel zoomed in on one particular shot. The hint of orange was tiny, but it was still there. He showed her another, this time where John’s eyes were flashing purple. Just a spark, but Daniel could see it. Jill, however, wasn’t convinced.

  “So, there was glare on the lens. We once took a whole bunch of pictures at a Christening where the baby’s eyes were bright red, like a demon or something. Didn’t make him Damien, Daniel.”

  “Okay, look at this.” He showed her the pictures of McLean and Lily now, of John talking to them outside the church. “See how their expressions change when he whispers to them. They go from really happy to—”

  “You can’t expect them to be smiling all day, it’s impossible.”

  “But look at their expressions, they look shocked… frightened, even. And they can’t even remember what he said to them.” He pointed at the screen. “Oh, and look—the eyes again, they’re—”

  “I’ve heard enough of this, Daniel. It isn’t one of our pretend adventures, or one of Greg’s horror films that he watches. This is real life. I don’t even know what you’re trying to say to me.”

  Daniel bowed his head, then lifted it again, looking her in the eye. Maybe trying to do what he knew John had done to so many people. “He’s managed to convince you, perhaps even hypnotised you all, into thinking he’s such a great guy. But he’s really, really not. I can feel it, Jill. And I’m the only one who can.” Daniel was close to tears, but sniffed them back. “That day when I found him, his eyes flashed different colours then as well. Like that rainbow we saw. And I could have sworn he was dead, Jill. He wasn’t even breathing. I don’t care what Mum says about the cold in the sea: one minute he wasn’t alive, the next he was. And his eyes were… It was like he’d absorbed the power of that rainbow somehow. I don’t know.”

  Jill gave him a sideways look. “You are aware of how ridiculous that sounds?”

  Daniel nodded slowly. “But trust me, I realise it’s not pretend. This is real life, but it’s still happening, Jill.” He put his hand on her arm this time. “I’m scared. Scared something bad is going to happen. I don’t believe in any of this good luck, I think it’s all just a smokescreen.”

  “Daniel.”

  “That’s he’s going to—”

  “Daniel, that’s enough now.” Jill made to move away, but he grabbed her just above the elbow. “Daniel, let go…”

  “You heard her,” came a voice from behind them. “She said let go.”

  Daniel turned, and in the process did let go of Jill. But he was grabbed then, rough and hard by Greg. Daniel attempted to move, but couldn’t. Suddenly, he was being pushed to the ground, landing on his back, all the air thudding out of him. His camera had slipped out of his grasp and he was vaguely aware of the clatter as it hit the concrete. Then Greg was on top on him, fist raised. It was only Jill holding him back that prevented the punch.

  “No, Greg. Stop!”

  Greg was breathing hard, but climbed up, away from Daniel to stand by Jill. She was looking at him with concern in her eyes. “Come on,” he said, “let’s leave this loser to it.” Jill went, but kept looking back at Daniel on the floor, who was sitting up now and wincing.

  “Watch out for yourself,” Daniel just about managed to call. “And watch those eyes!” Jill turned back and disappeared into the main throng again. Daniel climbed to his feet, ignoring the people who’d emerged from the toilet and were gaping at him. He retrieved his camera. The latch was broken for the batteries, but when he held it shut it came on again.

  All the photos were gone now, though—the screen blank when he tried to access them. “No!” The one piece of electrical equipment that he hadn’t broken himself and now that wasn’t working, either. But what kind of evidence had the photos been anyway? They hadn’t managed to convince Jill. Probably wouldn’t convince Yeats either, especially after John’s visits to him.

  Daniel returned to the party, to find a slow number playing. His mum and John were on the dance floor finally; he was holding her close and she had her head on the man’s shoulder. They swayed in time to the soft music, the singer warbling words of love. Daniel thought he was going to vomit. Especially when he saw Greg and Jill getting up as well.

  Could the evening get any worse?

  And again, he was apparently the only one who saw it, but John kept looking over at Susan, now sitting with Mikey. Looking over, grinning; and Susan was grinning back.

  Daniel slipped away, found somewhere quiet, out in the garden behind some bushes. It was then, and only then, that he began to sob.

  He slunk down to his knees, weeping—and praying that someone out there might see what he saw.

  Might help him to expose John, and send him back to wherever he’d come from.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  HOWEVER HARD HE’D PRAYED THAT NIGHT, he hadn’t prayed for what followed. And if he’d known the repercussions, Daniel might well have thought twice about casting his wishes to the wind.

  After sitting there crying for a while, he’d decided to head home. It wasn’t as if anyone would miss him at the reception. He walked through the streets of Shorepoint under a starry sky, looking up occasionally through eyes that were still wet with tears, but slowly drying in the cool night air.

  When he opened the door and stepped inside, he was greeted again by the sight of Mikey’s model. The one John had been helping him with over the past couple of weeks. The one Daniel had refused to help with, but wished now he had.

  It was strange looking at the place he knew so well—the place he’d just been walking around outside—depicted here in miniature. Made him feel like a giant towering above it. And there, on the far side, were the Clown’s Feet. The stretch of beach on which they’d... he’d discovered John. All that was missing was the rainbow, and the little figures sitting there. And Vincent. Vincent, who
also knew what John was, even as he was becoming whatever he was becoming, using the power of the rainbow to do something…

  Daniel shook his head. There was no point thinking about it. Especially as there were only two living things in Shorepoint that apparently knew John wasn’t what he appeared to be. Daniel could understand the dog. Animals could sense things humans couldn’t, on a different level. But why was he himself immune to John’s charms, he wondered. Something about being the first person to find him, seeing him in a vulnerable state? Not for the first time, Daniel also wondered where John had been before he washed up on their shores. To fight an enemy, you had to know an enemy… and Daniel didn’t have the first inkling about what was living in his house.

  He tossed his smashed camera onto a nearby chair and wandered into the kitchen. On his way in, he noticed the empty bottles on the worktop. Not wine this time, but harder stuff, spirits. Vodka mainly, but some gin and rum as well, used in one of his mother and John’s late night sessions. Before he had come along, she’d dipped into the wine a bit, sure. More often if it was a bad time, like around his dad’s birthday, or their wedding anniversary. But now… If there were any more proof needed of John’s bad influence, it was this.

  Daniel went across to the fridge to dig out a can of coke, then paused, his hand on the fridge door. He opened it, swinging the door wide and letting the little light inside shine on him. Then he looked over at the doorway.

  He had a sudden vision of that first time John had been in the house, when Daniel and his mother had been rowing in the kitchen and the man had appeared there in that space, assuring them if there was any problem he’d leave.