10
The house was empty when I left early to drive to the Olympic Pool. Gabe’s hours are insane – home late and start early. Oddly, they asked me to move in to protect me, yet they’ve hardly been here to watch over me. The entire situation makes me uneasy.
The crime scene has been removed from the parking space, and in its place are signs, cards, and flowers to commiserate his tragic death. I force myself to stop and read some signs and cards stating Coach will be missed, etc, in a fake turn of respect in case someone is watching.
Moving on, I enter the pool arena, immediately spotting Cormac's impressive frame standing by the side of the pool, wearing nothing but speedos. He’s speaking to a woman in dark blue sweats, who I assume is the replacement coach.
When he turns and I catch his eye, he waves, and I grin joyously, so pleased to see him. But as I turn into the locker rooms, I glance back again to find that severe gaze is watching me closely. He’s always had a penetrating stare with a shadow behind those eyes that is difficult to comprehend, but this time, it’s different—a flicker of malice. Or maybe I’m being paranoid, and he’s disgruntled with his new coach.
He’s the water performing those impressive arm strokes when I step to the poolside with my bathing suit, ready to burn off my malaise. I hope to catch his eye at one point to ask if he would like a coffee before class, so I stop at the end of each length to see him. Unfortunately, he’s too busy with his head in the water to see me.
My swim didn’t hit the mark as I had hoped, and I retreated into the locker rooms to shower, where I found two of Lucy’s teammates seated, whispering. As I approach, I’m tempted to ask how Lucy is and whether she’s out of the hospital yet, but their body language indicates that they don’t want to be interrupted, so I veer off to the showers instead.
When I finished, one of the girls from the swim team was alone, so I took the opportunity. “Hey, um, you’re on Lucy’s swim team, aren’t you?” playing dumb, even though I’m sure of it. She is one of the girls who called Coach an octopus because his hands are everywhere.
“Yeah?” narrowing her eyes as if she finds me familiar but can’t quite put her finger on it. “Do I know you?”
“I’m friends with Cormac. I went to the swim team dinner with him,” I reply.
“Oh, yes. You come here for swimming quite a lot, don’t you?” she points out to my disappointment because sometimes I wish I was invisible.
“That’s right. Anyway, Cormac is good friends with Josh, who’s also on the team, and Lucy, of course, so I’m curious if you know how she is after…you know?” I ask discreetly so it doesn’t seem like I’m prying. I’m not friendly enough with Lucy to have her contact details or stroll into her hospital ward.
She hesitates a few beats first, possibly deciphering how much she wants to tell me since I’m not part of their circle. “She’s doing okay and returning home to her parents tomorrow. They live out of state, so…I’ll miss her.”
“Good. I mean…I didn’t know her as well as you, but I’m glad she’s doing better,” I sigh in relief, pleased that she’s going home too, where she’s safe. She nods in reply, not adding to the conversation, so not wanting to overstep my mark, I say, “I’ll see you around.”
As I’m about to walk around the bend through the exit, she says loud enough for me to hear, “She’s happier now that the creep has gone.”
My feet freeze on the floor, and I glance back at her. “Creep?”
She waves her hand dismissively. “Oh, nothing.”
A small smile worms across my face, but I only allow myself to enjoy the gratification for a few seconds before wiping it clean again.
“Hey,” a familiar voice belonging to a tall, beautiful in nothing but black speedos, wet, messy hair, skin shimmering from water droplets. “Coffee?”
I laugh. “It’s become our ritual,” I reply happily.
“Indeed, it has,” he winks. “Give me ten minutes to shower and change, and I’ll meet you out here. We’ll go to our regular Kiosk.”
“Deal,” I answer gleefully, even though I’m supposed to be happy, considering that a terrible murder took place here only two days ago. But, you know, life goes on.
He’s suddenly right over me, taking me by surprise, and those lips find mine, kissing me on the mouth to let everyone watching know that he doesn’t care that Coach was murdered here only two days ago, either. A little pinch of my butt cheek as he seems to be getting off on me being fully clothed and him practically naked with only a tiny piece of waterproof fabric covering his genitalia.
“Whatever lights your wick,” I tease as he walks to the locker room, holding his little towel that barely wraps around his waist.
I meet Cormac at our usual coffee place on campus by the gardens, so we find a private spot under an oak. His brown hair is still wet and messy, but as usual, he’s cleanly shaven for a streamline in the water.
“I’m sorry I was being a dick two days when I didn’t show up for dinner after you made a special effort,” I start, finding it hard to apologize because I’m such a stubborn mule.
“Yeah, what happened there? You were normal one minute, and the next, you refused to socialize with us,” he says, watching me over his coffee cup as he takes a sip.
I exhale to relax as I decipher what to say. “Sometimes life gets too much, and my emotions and anxiety override my common sense. Does that make sense?”
“Did Blake say something to trigger you?” he asks as a bee buzzes around his hair, and he casually swipes it away.
“No…um, yes. He just asked about the photo with the men, and I prefer not to talk about it,” I reply as my phone beeps. I’m relieved about the diversion from this particular topic. The message was sent from Mom, and I’m tempted not to open it yet since it’s likely she wants to come over to Torres for a girls’ weekend, as I promised.
“I understand,” he answers. “I’m sure it opens old wounds you thought you healed.”
I’m impressed with his depth, but I don’t want to continue discussing this, so I use the message to distract my attention from the handsome man before me. My stomach turns as I open the message, and my mind is already thinking about why we can’t meet this weekend or the weekend after. Jeez, I’m an awful daughter.
Mom: We’ve had some terrible news. Can you call me ASAP?
“Huh, that wasn’t what I was expecting,” I mumble, swiping to call her as a million scenarios of what ‘terrible news’ could be rotated in my mind. Has something happened to my brothers? Please, not Rory. Anyone but Rory. Or maybe Dad’s health isn’t good. He does partake in too many whiskeys and has a thing for fried chicken.
“Is everything okay?” Cormac enquires as panic coils through my body.
“Um, I just need to call my mom because she says something terrible has happened,” I tell him as my fingers tremble. “Mom is not the type of person to exaggerate, so…” I swipe her number and wait for her to pick up.
“Do you need privacy?” Cormac asks, but I’m too flustered to comprehend what he said. “I’ll fetch a couple of bagels from the kiosk so you can talk with your mom alone.”
He climbs to his feet just as Mom answers the phone, saying, " Thank goodness, Rae. We’re in quite a state. We don’t know if we’re coming or going.”
“Mom, what’s happened? Is it Dad?” I imagine Dad having a heart attack because Mom always warned him about it every time he ate something that wasn’t green.
“What?” he stalls in surprise. “No. Your father is fine. It’s…I don’t know if you remember him, but do you remember your brother’s business partner Gavin…” Every word spoken after ‘Gavin’ is drowned out by screaming in my head.
“Gavin?” I interrupt her as she goes off on a verbal rant, and I can’t keep up. “What has he done?” The tone of my voice is accusing because I expect nothing but deceiving and degrading behavior from that creep.
“Done?” she asks, horrified. “Done? He’s done nothing. He’s been…someone broke into his house and…” her voice drops to a whisper, and I can’t pick up the last word she spoke.
“What? Mom, who broke into his house?” Students walk past me chatting, and I’m close to yelling at them to shut up. My heart is pounding, my nerves swelling, and I catch the penetrating gaze of Cormac standing in the queue by the kiosk.
“Police think it was a random attack because items were stolen, but he was found in his bed,” she states, and the line falls dead. I’m stunned, struggling to find the words. “Rae? Are you there?”
I compose myself as the world seems to swirl about me. “Yes, I’m here. I’m struggling to understand what you’re saying here, Mom. D-did he die?”
“Yes,” she breathes. “Shot in the head. Your brother is in shock. We’re all in shock, actually. It’s such a peaceful town, but there have been a few break-ins recently, so it was only time before someone got really hurt…”
“Oh my god,” I cry out in confusion, but I likely sound horrified to my mom to add to the suspense. Some random burglar did my job, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I catch Cormac's gaze again, and something shifts in my body. “Mom, when did this happen?”
Mom answers, “I told you. Last night. We’re all devastated, and to add to that, your old coach also was killed. How awful is that? Did you hear, Rae? I’m sure you already know about that, and I was going to call you, but then this happened…gosh, what is the world coming to…Rae? Are you still there?”
“Ah, yes, I’m still here,” I answer as my eyes lock onto Cormac, now striding toward me carrying two brown paper bags. An explosion takes place inside my head. “Um, Mom, I’ll have to call you back, as I need to get to class.”
“Okay, I love you, Rae. Please take care,” she replies just before I swipe off.
“Is everything okay?” Cormac asks as he sits back on the grass and holds out a brown paper bag.
“Well…” checking there’s nobody around to listen before continuing, “I just had a very unusual phone call with my mom on the coast.”
“Cream cheese,” he informs me, pointing to the bagel. “I know you like that.”
“She says that a man was murdered in his bed last night,” I whisper accusingly.
“You don’t say,” Cormac croons, taking a bite of his bagel.
“Business partner to my brother,” I add, “and someone I used to know.”
“Really? How did you know him?” he asks in a friendly tone, making me even more suspicious.
“I don’t suppose you had anything to do with it,” I grill heatedly.
“I’m sorry, Rae, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, chewing his bagel slowly.
“Cormac Bernardi, where were you last night while I was home alone?” I pose sternly.
“All by yourself? That’s a terrible shame,” he mocks, holding his gaze.
“I notice you’re not answering my question, Cormac,” I flare my nostrils and steady my gaze unflinchingly.
“You’re a fucking sexy mama when you’re angry,” he hits flirtatiously.
“I’m not angry, merely trying to get to the bottom of this very intriguing mystery,” I argue carefully. “Let’s just say I’m perplexed-”
“Perplexed, you say?” he interrupts, and I try not to smile at his comical performance, which is unlike him. “Which part is perplexing for you? The fact that we left you alone in the house or the part that someone died?”
“Murdered, to be precise. In his bed. Break and entering, believed to be a robbery gone wrong. But we know that is a lie, don’t we, Cormac?” I muse to see how far he’ll go.
He shrugs those broad shoulders as a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, but he’s too good at being surly, and the smile is gone in a flash. “And what is your relationship with the deceased?”
“Business partners with my brother,” I reply flatly. “And you still haven’t answered my question. What were you and Blake doing last night?”
He rubs his clean-shaven chin with the back of his knuckles, trying to hide another smile from his kissable mouth. “A man must never share his secrets.”
“Oh, really?” I place my phone down on the grass, take my time, and roll onto my knees as he innocently continues to munch on his cream cheese bagel. Those eyes are narrowed and glued onto me as I discreetly move closer to his body lying on his side on the grass.
If he won’t tell me voluntarily, I’ll have to force the truth out of him using whatever means possible. It’s a pity I don’t have my Glock with me because I could use help to convince him to open up.