What Hides Inside: Bay City Paranormal Investigations, Book 2

David and I head to the library.” Dean’s fingers flew over the keyboard. From the corner of his eye, Sam saw a black-and-green picture with the words “camera 3” come up on the screen. Dean laughed like a child. “Oh, man, this is great. Y’all have a terrific computer network here.”
“Thanks.” Sam looked away from his video to grin at Dean. “Andre and David had most of it in place before they hired me, but I’m the one who talked Bo into getting the laptop and the DV format cameras.”
“Excellent move,” Dean said, nodding. “I know most serious investigators like to use regular videotape, but the way it’s set up here is best. You get the digital file to work with, but you’ve got the tape as a backup.”
“Exactly what I told Bo.” Sam swallowed, fighting a sudden tightness in his chest. The memory of that afternoon, the way Bo’s body shook when he came in Sam’s hand, was as vivid as if it had just happened. Sam liked to think Bo had agreed to buy the new equipment because it was a good idea, not because Sam had made the suggestion in the post-orgasmic afterglow. “He agreed with me.”
Tucking one foot underneath him, Dean stopped his tape and gave Sam a long, considering look. For a moment, Sam was positive Dean was going to confront him with his all-too-obvious feelings for Bo. He schooled his face into a blank mask, his gaze fixed on the screen in front of him.
Eventually, Dean started his tape again. Sam was happy enough to watch the videos in silence.
    Andre came into the office at a few minutes after eight. With a grunt which Sam assumed was meant to be a greeting, he went directly to his desk and sat with his back to Sam and Dean.
    Dean glanced at Sam, a question in his eyes. Sam shrugged. He didn’t think Dean knew the whole story about Amy yet, and this sure as hell wasn’t the time to tell it. Dean accepted Sam’s reticence without comment, tossing one more concerned look at Andre before going back to his video.
    David and Cecile showed up at eighty-thirty on the dot, looking worried and uncomfortable. Bo trailed silently behind them. Pausing his tape, Sam stared at Bo, unable to help himself. The man seemed not merely tired, but exhausted. His dark eyes had lost the lively sparkle Sam loved, and his shoulders slumped. Even his hair seemed defeated somehow, the normally glossy locks tangled and dull. And unbraided, Sam noticed with a shock. He’d never seen Bo wear his hair down at work.
    “Hey y’all.” David’s cheeriness rang false, the tension pouring from him in waves. “Dean, the library opens in half an hour, we’ll head on out in a little bit.”
    “Okay.” Dean stopped his video, leaned back in his chair and gave David a cautious grin. His gaze followed Bo to the coffee maker in the corner, where Bo poured a mug and stood quietly sipping it. “I started reviewing the camera three video, I hope that’s okay. I know I’m supposed to be in training.”
    “No problem.” Giving Cecile a quick kiss, David wandered over to lean on the back of Dean’s chair. “Find anything yet?”
    “Not a thing.” Dean frowned. “In fact, it’s abnormally quiet. I swear, when I was in school, that tunnel crawled with bugs. It’s weird that they’re not there anymore.”
    Sam turned to look at Andre. He sat perfectly still, his back to the room. Cecile walked over and laid both hands on his shoulders. “Andre?”
    The big man sighed, then swiveled around to face the others. His expression was hard and resolute, but his eyes brimmed with grief. Sam knew he was thinking of Amy. “Cecile and I both felt something when we were pulling guard duty. It was very similar to what we sensed at Oleander House. Too similar not to be related.”
    A pregnant silence followed as David, Bo and Dean processed that information. Bo was the first to speak. “Andre, why didn’t either of you say anything before?”
    “I didn’t want to,” Andre answered. “I…I just needed time to think first.”
Bo nodded, his eyes softening with sympathy for his friend. David squeezed Andre’s shoulder. Glancing between his coworkers in evident confusion, Dean crossed his arms over his chest.
“Okay,” he said. “Is anyone ever going to tell me what this is about, or not?”
Sam shot a questioning look at Andre. Scowling, Andre jumped to his feet and stomped toward the door. “Tell him,” he growled. “Just somebody fucking tell him already. I’m going for a walk.”
He yanked the