What Hides Inside: Bay City Paranormal Investigations, Book 2

found out anything?”
“Not yet. But I’ll keep trying.”
“Good. I’ll help you however I can.”
“Thanks.” By way of changing the subject, Sam gestured toward the computers. “Want to watch some more of the videos?”
“Sure. I’ve got nothing better to do.”
Without another word, Andre plugged the headphones back in and started his video. Sam sat staring blankly at the paused picture on his own monitor, wishing he had a pause button for his life. He’d give anything to avoid facing the coming week. He dreaded it all—the school and what they might find there, and especially the icy mask he knew Bo would hide behind after what had happened between them.
“Fuck,” he whispered with feeling.
Shaking off his rising trepidation as best he could, Sam focused on his computer screen and hit play.
Chapter Five
    On Monday morning, Sam arrived at the office early, hoping to talk to Bo before the others got there. Bo was nearly always the first person to arrive. Sam wanted to catch him alone and apologize for the things he’d said on Saturday. Bo might not listen, but Sam knew he had to try.
    To Sam’s surprise, the office was dark and empty when he got there. Fishing his key out of his jacket pocket, he unlocked the door and slipped inside.
    “Dammit, Bo,” he muttered, slamming the door shut and flipping the light switch with more force than was necessary. “Just when I really need you to be here. Fuck.”
    With a deep sigh, Sam booted up his computer then shuffled into the back room to start the laptop. He could transfer some of the video to his computer, he figured, and start going over it. Get some of the work out of the way, and keep his mind off Bo at the same time.
    He refused to acknowledge the niggling voice in the back of his brain reminding him that he hadn’t gone more than a few minutes without thinking of Bo since they’d first met.
    When the door squeaked open twenty minutes later, Sam paused the video he was watching and looked up eagerly. His shoulders sagged when he saw Dean standing there.
    “Morning, Sam.” Dean swayed over and sat in the chair next to Sam’s, bumping their knees together. “So what’re you looking so glum about?”
    One thing Sam definitely did not want to do was discuss his current relationship troubles with Dean. He plastered on a smile. “I’m not glum, just a little tired.”
    Dean arched an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, right. Your closet case boyfriend being difficult?”
It was uncomfortably close to the truth. Sam felt the heat rising in his cheeks and didn’t know how to stop it. “Can we not talk about this, please?”
Raising his hands palms-out in a gesture of surrender, Dean turned his attention to the computer in front of him. “Have you started on the video from Saturday yet?”
“Yes,” Sam said, relieved at the change of subject. “Andre and I watched one and seven yesterday.”
Dean glanced at Sam, eyebrows raised, as he booted up the computer. “I hope showing up on Sundays isn’t a requirement of the job.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not.”
“Good. I’d hate to think I had to stay home and behave on Saturday nights because I had to work Sundays.”
Sam laughed. “I was just restless at home yesterday. Guess Andre felt the same way.”
“Restless? Why?”
The question sounded innocent enough, but Sam knew better. He shook his head. “Dean, thank you for caring, really, but I don’t want to talk about…about him.”
A swift, sympathetic glance from Dean was enough to tell Sam that his voice had given away the extent of his suffering. Groaning, he rested his elbows on the desk and buried his face in his hands. “Shit.”
The chair creaked as Dean rolled closer, and Sam felt a warm hand grip his shoulder. “Sorry, Sam. You know they’ll leave you eventually, but it always hurts if you felt anything for ’em at all.”
Sam wanted to be irritated with Dean for thinking he and Bo had broken up, but he couldn’t. Dean couldn’t be expected to know the truth. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck where a tense ache had begun. “Yeah, it hurts. Can we drop it now?”
To his relief, Dean didn’t argue. “Sure. If you want to talk, you know where to find me.” Patting Sam’s shoulder, he rolled back to the other desk and busied himself with the computer.
Sam went back to the video with a sense of profound relief. “So. What are you doing here so early?”
“I just wanted to play with the hardware for a little while before