Page 21 of Private Exhibit
Huh. Maybe that was why he'd never found the study files. If they were all on paper, then where were they, exactly?? Would he even be allowed to access them?
But that would have to wait.One thing at a time, Devon reminded himself. He eyed the doorway into the morgue, then took a deep breath and got to work.
Chapter 8
ANDY MUTTERED curses under his breath as he paced the empty morgue.
He'd gotten to work ridiculously early that morning, both hoping and dreading that Devon might actually show up. A part of him half-expected to come in and find Devon already on his slab. Andy wound up spending an hour scouring every surface in sight—surfaces that were already completely clean and sanitized—trying to drive away all thoughts of death.
Then he'd gone to the cold storage cabinets, looking for a new distraction. Sometimes, he found ghosts hiding out in there, fruitlessly trying to put themselves back into their bodies. But there was nobody there. Jess still hadn't reappeared. Nor had Junior, for that matter. And there had still been no sign of the mystery dead man.
So Andy had stormed into his office and tried resuming his search for that guy's identity. Andyhatedmysteries. Hated unanswered questions. They seemed to define his entire life.
He'd been so distracted that he hadn't even realized he was sitting there in the dark until Devon arrived.Gods. Seeing that blissful peace on the boy's face? And no wonder. For someone with heightened sensitivity, dark and quiet were blessings. Andy remembered several occasions on which Junior had to isolate himself in a dark room because his nervous system suddenly jumped to overdrive. Ashworth-Grahams was unpredictable likethat. It could either stop a signal entirely or cause it to go completely haywire.
And Junior hadn't even been on the spectrum like Devon apparently was.
Gods. Andy clenched his hands into fists, feeling his cock go hard just at a mere thought of the boy. Watching Devon stand there with his eyes closed, reveling in the silence of the room, had sparked something in Andy that he hadn't felt in years.
A desperate need to protect.
Not that he hadn't felt a need to protect his son, but this was different. More like what he'd felt for Lydia when they'd first met. Except better. More intense. Andy wanted to bundle Devon up and hide him away from the big, scary world. He wanted to have the boy all to himself. To be the center of his attention.
Even more so now that the boy had shattered all of Andy's expectations. He'd been fully prepared for a typical twenty-something. Someone who thought the bare minimum was acceptable. Someone who thought a paycheck was a right rather than a thing to be earned. Instead, Devon had not only arrived early but had already taken the initiative to make sure he was prepared for his first day. And if that hadn't blown Andy's mind, the boy's rapid acquisition of the mystery man's identity had left him completely stunned. He suspected that Devon's methods hadn't been entirely aboveboard, but Andy didn't care. The sheer competence was breathtaking. Besides an audience, nothing had ever turned Andy on so much as intelligence and ability. It was sexy as hell.
Fuck. Working with the little guy was going to be even more torture than he'd expected.
Andy put his hands on his hips and blew out a heavy breath. He'd just have to keep his distance. Stay in the morgue and find things to do while Devon worked in the office. Andy laughed bitterly and shook his head.Yeah, right.Like that's going towork. Until he got another dead body, he had nothing to do. And he was already trying to think up an excuse to go back into the office.
To have that riveted gaze on him again.
Andy bit off a curse and adjusted his cock in his pants.
Truthfully, what he really needed to do was go back in there, get the contact information for the dead man's parents, and make the necessary calls. The thought alone made him shudder. Parents were always the hardest.
Nobody should have to face outliving their child.
Andy squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Ooof. Bad time?
Andy gave a start and looked up. Across the room, he spotted Vorena, one of his regular visitors. At least, she had been one of his regulars. The young woman had wandered into the morgue one day, realized Andy could see her, and started dropping by just to hang out while Andy worked.
Hey, Andy said, wrestling his emotions under control.Been a while.
Yeah. Sorry about that. The ghost strode closer.My husband had a bit of a health scare. He's fine now, thank gods, but it was pretty nerve-wracking there for a while. Kept us really busy.
I bet, Andy replied with a nod. He knew all too well how utterly consuming a health issue could be.
Vorena nodded upwards.We just came in to see our grandson for a few minutes, so I thought I'd stop by here to see how you've been.
Andy winced.Your grandson is in the hospital?Before he could stop himself, he blurted out,Who's his pediatrician? What's the prognosis?
What? He's not– Oh!Vorena laughed.No, he's not a patient. He works here. Doctor Graeden Crawford.
Andy blinked, then muttered a curse.Crawford's your grandson?
Yeah. Well, not by birth. I died before I could have any kids of my own. He's my husband's grandson. So…my grandson-in-law? Although I think that term is technically an anachronism, considering you guys don't have any laws here anymore.Vorena hopped up onto one of the autopsy tables, alternately swinging her legs like a little kid.But how've you been? How's Junior? And what's up with the kid in your office?Vorena laughed again.Though he's really not a kid. Probably my age. Or, rather, the age I was when I died. Gods, that seems like forever ago. Sixty years or more now. But he's got one hell of a telekinetic barrier around his mind. Did you feel that? I've never seen anything like it. Not even the one on Graeden was that good.
