With Caution

their house. He also hinted Remi and Billy were maybe more than friends, but he 140
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution
    wouldn’t come right out and say it. I got the impression Ikaz’s parents suspected it as well.”
    “Which adds validity to Remi’s dream.”
    “He also said no one questioned him or his parents about Billy’s whereabouts, possible enemies or anything. Said it sort of fizzled out and went cold, no investigation by the police whatsoever.” Rhys raised an eyebrow at Jake. “And Dirk was the one who told them Billy was dead.”
    “He told them himself?”
    Rhys nodded. “Ikaz said Dirk told them Billy was dead and Remi wasn’t going to make it. Ikaz remembers smelling alcohol on Lassiter’s breath. And get this…apparently after talking to Lassiter, the whole family got in the car and headed up to the hospital to see what was what, and not only had Billy’s body not been taken in, but Remi hadn’t arrived at the hospital either.”
    Fuck me. Jake sat there staring at Rhys, not believing what he was hearing. “You think he came from the scene? After he dumped them in the field?”
    Rhys shook his head. “Not sure. The report says he was the first on the scene and called it in.”
    The door opened and Remi’s scent assailed Jake’s nose, making him smile.
    Remi came to the office door and leaned against the doorway, looking dazed. “Hi.”
    What was he doing here? He seemed sort of down. His scent was off, not scared or mad but not exactly normal either. Jake stood, going to his mate. He caught Remi’s chin and kissed him. “Everything okay?”
    Remi nodded, then stopped and shook his head. His stare was unfocused. “No—no it’s not. Sterling told me he thinks he’s gay.” Remi raised his face, meeting Jake’s gaze almost pleadingly.
    Oh shit. Jake got a hollow feeling in his stomach. He drew Remi into his arms. “He won’t say anything, will he? He knows not to tell Dirk or your mother that, right?”
    “Where is he?” Rhys asked.
    Jake had forgotten all about Rhys.

    www.samhainpublishing.com 141
    J.L. Langley
    Pulling back, Remi peered over at Rhys. “At home with my mom.” Then he glanced up at Jake, his eyes almost blank. “Yeah, I told him not to let anyone know.”
    It was all Jake could do to keep from pulling Remi back to him. “We’ve got to hurry this up.”
    Remi was quiet for a few seconds. Then he swallowed audibly and nodded. “Yeah.
    I’ve got to remember. I wish I knew if that dream was real.”
    “I think it was,” Rhys said from his seat. “Both of you sit, we need to talk.”
    Rhys told Remi about his meeting with Billy’s brother and suggested Remi talk to the man. Hopefully Ikaz would tell Remi more than he had Rhys.
    After a few minutes Remi got up. Jake went to stand too, but Rhys caught his gaze and shook his head. Jake opened his mouth to tell his best friend to back off when Remi started pacing back and forth.
    “I heard you say Dirk was the first on the scene?” Remi asked Rhys.
    “That’s what the report says. And Ikaz talked today like Lassi—your father had come from the scene while the investigation was still going on to tell them Billy was dead.”
    Remi stopped pacing and looked at Jake. “He was off work that day.”
    “Are you sure? I thought you didn’t remember much about what led to the attack?”
    Jake asked.
    “I don’t, but it makes sense that he’d be off. Wouldn’t he?”
    Jake must have missed something because it didn’t make sense to him at all, but judging from the look on Remi’s face it made perfect sense to Remi. “Why, pup? Why does it make sense?”
    Remi stopped pacing, turning toward him and Rhys. “I think that was the day Sterling was born.”
    “What?” Rhys pinched the bridge of his nose.
    “And why would I go to a movie instead of going to the hospital? It was a weekday when Sterling was born, but…” Remi closed his eyes and planted his hands on the side of Rhys’ desk. “I was at school. There was a note when I got home telling me Mom and 142
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution
    Dirk were at the hospital and Dirk would be back around five o’clock to pick me up.” He opened his eyes, staring right at Jake, and bobbed his head. “I remember it. I remember the note, that’s why we…” He shot a glance at Rhys then back to Jake, his cheeks tinged red. “Well, I know what Dirk is like, I’d have never risked getting caught if I thought he’d be home