What Hides Inside: Bay City Paranormal Investigations, Book 2

door open and slammed it shut behind him as he left. Dean stared after him, looking utterly stricken. “Oh God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset him.”
Sighing, David ruffled Dean’s hair. “Not your fault, Dean. Hey, why don’t we go to that new coffee shop down the street before we go to the library? We can grab some espresso and I’ll tell you the whole story of Oleander House.”
“Okay.” Dean bit his lip and rose to go with David. He looked very young and uncertain at that moment, and Sam’s heart went out to him. Incorrigible flirt though he may be, Dean clearly had a great deal of empathy for others and wanted to help whenever he could. It must kill him to think himself the cause of someone else’s pain.
Acting on impulse, Sam reached out and grabbed Dean’s hand as he went by. Dean blinked down at him in surprise, and he smiled. “Don’t worry, Dean. Andre’s not mad at you, and he’ll be okay. This is just how he copes.”
Dean returned his smile. “Thanks, Sam. See you later.” Giving Sam’s fingers a light squeeze, Dean let go and followed David out the front door.
For a minute, no one said anything. Then Cecile shuffled over and dropped into Dean’s chair. “Well. Must be Monday.”
Sam sighed. “With a vengeance. Want to help me review videos?”
“Why not?” Twirling the chair around, Cecile nudged Bo’s leg with her foot. “Hey, would you grab me some headphones, please? Andre’s got an extra pair in his desk drawer.”
Bo stared blankly at her for a second, then lowered himself into Andre’s chair. Opening the drawer, he found the headphones and handed them to Cecile without a word.
Cecile exchanged a worried look with Sam before reaching out to brush her fingers against Bo’s arm. “Bo, are you okay? You’re not yourself this morning.”
Bo’s gaze locked with Sam’s for the space of a breath, and Sam’s insides twisted. He had a feeling he knew what Bo was going to say.
“I had a talk with Janine yesterday.” Bo looked away, one hand fiddling absently with a lock of hair trailing over his shoulder. “It wasn’t pretty.”
The sorrow in Bo’s eyes made Sam ache for him. Sam longed to wrap Bo in his arms and just hold him, touch him and kiss him and let him know he was loved. But Sam didn’t think Bo would accept comfort from him, even if they were alone. Not after Saturday. That hurt more than anything else.
Cecile took Bo’s hand and pressed it between hers. “I’m sorry, Bo. Is there anything we can do?”
“No. But thanks.” The corners of Bo’s mouth lifted in a wan smile. “Let’s get some of this video knocked out. I’d like to get through as much as we can before David and Dean get back.”
“You think Andre’s coming back today?” Sam told himself he wasn’t just talking so Bo would look at him. He wasn’t sure he believed it.
Bo shrugged. “I don’t know. If he doesn’t, we’ll manage. I don’t want to push him.”
“Yeah.” Shaking her head, Cecile turned back to the computer. “Poor Andre. I wish I could help him.”
“So do I.”
Bo’s voice was soft and sad. Sam knew how he felt. Not a day went by that he didn’t wish he had the power to take away Andre’s pain. Staring at Bo’s profile, Sam fought to maintain his composure as a familiar wave of guilt washed over him. I’ve ruined both of their lives. Andre and Bo. How can they stand to look at me?
The logical part of Sam’s mind knew he was being overly dramatic. Andre had suffered a terrible loss, but he was dealing with it. Bo was coming to terms with something he should’ve faced decades ago. Sam’s words had been hurtful, but essentially true. Surely Bo would come to realize that eventually.
Sam knew blaming himself was counterproductive. If only his emotions were so easy to convince.
Whirling his chair around, Sam started his video again. Beside him, Cecile did the same. The tapping of keys behind Sam was followed by a faint static hiss as Bo started the video Andre had abandoned.
Although he wouldn’t have called the silence between them comforting, Sam preferred it to stumbling his way through a conversation at that point. The things he felt were far too close to the surface, and he didn’t trust himself to speak without breaking down, falling at Bo’s feet and confessing his love and begging Bo’s forgiveness. He didn’t think Bo would appreciate that, especially now.
Get it together, Sam, he ordered himself. You’ve got work to do. Forcing his