Page 18 of Brush with Death
When she finally stopped crying, she turned to Cyril.“I don’t think it was an accident.”
Cyril agreed, but he felt he didn’t know enough details yet.“Why don’t you tell me what happened?”
“I don’tknowwhat happened.That’s the point.I wasn’t there with him, and the police said that it was an accident.”
“What did they say exactly?”Vale asked as he came back with a glass of water.Cyril didn’t miss the fact that he’d been in the kitchen much longer than it would have taken him to find a glass and fill it.Either he’d been giving Katie and Cyril time to talk, or he’d been snooping around.
He placed it on the coffee table and sat in the armchair in the corner, probably because it was clearly not used much.The pillows on it were plump, and the blanket draped over its back was neatly folded.
Katie stared at him with wide eyes, and Cyril realized that he hadn’t told her who Vale was.“This is Vale, my boyfriend,” he quickly explained.“I had a bit of an accident at work the other day, so he drove me here.”
“Are you okay?”Katie asked.
“I will be.”Or at least, Cyril prayed he would be.He didn’t know who he was without his ability, and he needed it back.
He didn’t want to disappoint Katie, but he also wasn’t in a hurry to try using his ability on Sam.He could help in a different way for now by being here for his friend.He hoped it would be enough, but he’d dealt with enough people who’d lost someone they loved to know it probably wouldn’t be.Katie would want him to do anything in his power to find out what had happened to Sam, including his gift.That was why she called him.
Cyril couldn’t say no, but right now, he couldn’t say yes, either.He wasn’t sure what he’d do when Katie asked for more, but he’d figure something out.If he couldn’t, Vale would.
“Can you tell us what the police told you?”Vale asked gently.
Katie sniffed a few times before she straightened her back.“They knocked on my door yesterday.They told me that Sam had an accident and that he drowned at the lake.I told them right away that it was impossible and that Sam was afraid of the water.He would never have gone into the lake.He couldn’t swim.They didn’t believe me.”
Cyril wasn’t surprised.The police seldom believed families when they said that they were sure it hadn’t been an accident.If Sam had died in a different way, Cyril probably would have believed it was an accident, but Sam drowning in the lake couldn’t be.Sam wouldn’t go anywhere near the lake.
“They said that I’ll get his body back soon, but he’s still with them,” Katie continued.“Please, Cyril.You have to help me.”
And there it was.Cyril had expected it, but that didn’t mean that he was happy about it.“I can’t make promises,” he warned.He didn’t want to tell Katie the extent of what had happened to him, but he also didn’t want to make promises he couldn’t keep.He didn’t know if he’d be able to help her, but he’d try.He’d do everything he could, including trying to use his ability, but first, he’d try everything else.He was sure Vale would support him.“But I’ll do what I can.”
“Thank you,” Katie murmured.“I just need to know what happened to him.I need to be sure.”
“I understand.”Cyril truly did, but he hoped he wouldn’t come out of this in more trouble than he was already in.
* * * *
VALE WASN’T HAPPY WITHthe way Cyril didn’t even hesitate when he agreed to help, but he didn’t say anything.Cyril knew what was at stake.He knew what he was doing.Vale could only sit back and give him his support when he ended up in trouble—and he would.He always did.
But that was what he had Vale for.Vale would support him and help him through all of this.Cyril might not have been as close to Sam as Katie, but he’d still lost a friend.He was always willing to help strangers, so someone he knew?Vale was surprised he wasn’t already on his way to the morgue.
He was glad that Cyril was being careful, considering what had happened to him.Vale hadn’t expected it.He wasn’t sure what he and Cyril could do to help, but they’d try.Hopefully, they’d find out this had been an accident, although it didn’t sound like it.Both Cyril and Katie seemed convinced that Sam wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the lake, so he couldn’t have drowned in it.
Vale disliked everything about this mess, but whatever Cyril needed, Vale would give him.If that meant hunting a possible killer, then he’d do his best to protect Cyril.Vale didn’t care about Sam or that he was dead.He did care about Cyril, though, and Cyril cared about Sam.
All of this would have been dangerous even if Cyril still had his ability.It would probably be even more so now that he didn’t.They’d have to find another way to get answers, and as far as Vale was aware, Cyril had no experience with this.
Vale wouldn’t be able to get Cyril to change his mind, though, so he wouldn’t even try.
He stayed silent as Cyril and Katie quietly talked.Katie kept bursting into tears, but Cyril never lost his patience with her.Eventually, they had to go home.Katie looked exhausted, and Vale stayed in the living room as Cyril took her to the bedroom so she could lay down for a bit.
He was still thinking about what had happened when Cyril came back.He was tired, too, and he didn’t resist when Vale pulled him into his arms and kissed his forehead.
“She fell asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow,” Cyril murmured.“I don’t think she slept last night.”
“I don’t think I would’ve slept either if I got the news she got yesterday.”
Cyril shivered.“Something’s wrong.Sam never would’ve gone to the lake on his own.Hell, Katie used to make fun of him because when they went, he wouldn’t go anywhere near the water.I think Katie’s right and that this wasn’t an accident.”
“What do you want to do about it?You can’t seriously be thinking about reanimating Sam.”
