Surface

Chapter 26 - We May Die But Everyone Does

To say Pete was in distress was a major understatement. I held the phone about an inch away from my ear to spare myself from the volume of his voice.

"You were almost murdered and you decide to let me know days after the fact! Of course I'm pissed!"

"There was nothing you could do about it. The police came and Detective Carson is looking into it himself." And Theo. He was apparently laying low in town. I only knew this because of a loud mouthed officer who didn't get the memo that the particular detective had run a failed undercover mission that had yet to blow over.

Detective Carson didn't make an effort to address me about it and I figured it was best not to bring it up either. The last thing I needed was to somehow give them more reason to believe the girls and I feel guilty. Although they were probably linking the reported attmepted murder to Victoria's murder.

Detective Brooks, however, was apparently treading thin ice. I was beginning to believe Theo was sent in to replace her in a way. It seemed like her confident and aggressive investigation manners weren't appreciated by anyone.

"You?" she said looking unimpressed. "Someone attacked you? Why do I feel like your at the center of all the towns drama? Someone should write a book about you."

"Detective," Carson warned standing in between us. "Why don't you see what forensics got?"

"They got nothing. This attacker of yours conveniently touched nothing while entering or exiting."

Standing there in my PJ's, hair wet and frazzled, I felt my patience slipping. I wanted her and her stupid royal blue blazer out of my house.

"The attacker had gloves on." I braced myself.

"How convenient."

I inwardly groaned.

Oh, how much easier it would be if we could work together with them. Yet with no tangible evidence, turning to them could result in accidentally turning ourselves in.

My gran was more flustered than ever. She was even talking about moving or the possibility of dorming at a college far away from this 'god-forsaken town'.

"But the police aren't watching over you now are they?" I could imagine the veins on his forehead practically bursting. "You live alone with your grandmother who barely even remembers to lock the doors!"

It was true.

"How would you know that?"

"Well . . . I assume. Anyways, what I'm saying is I could have been hanging out with you and in turn been some extra muscle in case someone tried to hurt you again."

"Wait," I said, cutting him off. I appreciated his concern -I really did - but all the lecturing about my safety was not only tiring but something I wasn't used to. My grandmother no longer had the energy to and my parents weren't around long enough to do so. "This is not the reason I called -"

Something in his voice shifted drastically. "Did I cause this?"

"What?" Taking a break from my pacing, I sunk into my bean bag chair. "Caused what?"

"You almost drowning. Victoria died in a similar way and I'm starting to think that maybe I'm a constant in all of this mess for a reason. Maybe I'm bad luck or -"

"Pete, there is no such thing as bad luck. If there was you'd be luckier than a four leaf clover." I felt my cheeks redden at the spontaneous compliment. "At least . . . I mean . . . I feel lucky to have you around."

Across from me, Helen faked a gag while Norah giggled. I had forgotten they were there.

"I'm sorry but that was kinda gross. More emotionally open than I've been with a guy!" Helen shrugged apologetically while Norah swatted at her.