Cole walked numbly next to Chase back to his SUV. He could sense the commotion that still bustled around him. He sat in the leather passenger seat and watched as Chase climbed into the driver's seat. Chase held out his hand for the keys. Cole handed them over without comment. Chase buckled his seatbelt and stared at Cole. "Buckle up."
Cole complied and stared out the window; thankfully Chase had not insisted on talking while they walked to his car. Chase was a good man, but this was something no one would understand. Not even Alex. Chase put the keys in the ignition, and the SUV purred to life. He fumbled with buttons and instruments on the dash to turn on the control for Cole's part of the heated seat.
"Thanks, Chase."
Maybe some would have said he was over-reacting to the circumstances he found himself in. A woman he didn't really know was dead, a tragedy, for sure, but it was life. It was not that simple for him. She had been a woman who attracted him because of her zeal for simply being alive and how she made him feel when she had touched him. It was like trying to explain Michelangelo or da Vinci to someone who had never seen their art. At some point, it all just became pretty words—words that could never properly describe the closeness they had shared during their communion.
Now he had seen her spirit and had not been afraid. Hell, he had to force himself not to fear these visitations, but she hadn't wanted to evoke any such reaction by her visitation. A spirit had never asked him for his help—not only to help her but to help her family! How? How was he even to go about doing such a thing?
"I'm only going to say one thing," Chase whispered. "You're in pain, I know. I'm sensitive enough to know if you wish to talk about it, you will. I will not ask personal questions, how you're feeling, why you feel as you do, or any such nonsense. Just know I am here for you. I consider you a brother. I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone."
"Thanks." Cole nodded slightly. He knew Chase well enough to know he was being honest. He didn't need to sense anything from him to know his words were true. The last thing he wanted to do was feel emotions from anyone, including himself. He knew everyone would be worried.
Alex was going to be a wreck. Seamus was upset, but not at him, which was a bit of a surprise. He had been sleeping with his niece, then had a one-night stand with another girl, who turned out to be the chief of police's daughter, who was now dead.
It was just too much, too quickly. Seamus seemed insistent that he felt that the local authorities might try to do something to him, which in the land of the good ole boys was possible. But why? Because they had been together? It seemed a hardcore response to the situation.
Calling Alex was something he didn't want to do, despite Seamus's instructions. He didn't want to talk or text; he wanted to be alone. He relaxed against the gentle heat of the seat and would have dozed, but each time he closed his eyes, he saw Rowan, their night together morphing with her lakeside image.
Chase didn't speak or have the radio on, so the sound of the car's wheels rolling down the highway pressed against his senses dully. His phone vibrated on the console.
"You want me to answer it for you?" Chase asked him gently. Cole nodded. He reached for the phone and glided his finger across the screen to accept the incoming call. "Cole Constantine's phone, Chase Smith speaking."
"Chase? Where's my brother? Brady called me." Alex's distraught voice echoed through the SUV.
"He's with me. I'm taking him home."
"Let me speak to him."
Cole shook his head.
"He's had a bad day," Chase said soothingly. "I'm taking him home now. He doesn't really want to talk right now."
"Tell him I will meet him there."
Cole nodded his head.
"He said okay, you can meet him."
"Chase," Alex said, her voice breaking, "take care of my brother for me until I see him, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Neither of them spoke about Alex's obvious concern. Chase knew he had heard every word of the conversation. He slid the phone back into its space on the console. Cole's phone vibrated again a few moments later. Chase held the screen out so Cole could see the caller ID.
"Go ahead," Cole whispered.
"Cole Constantine's phone, this is Chase."
"Put him on the phone, Chase." Amber's no-nonsense tone reverberated in his ear.
"It's not the best time," Chase explained softly.
"Put him on the goddamn phone." Amber emphasized each word as she spoke.
Cole held out his hand, and Chase laid the phone in his palm. "Hey." His voice was hollow.
"Oh, my sweetling… my poor little lamb, Seamus told me what has happened. I'm on my way over. I've talked to Brady, and he will be here in a few hours."
"Thanks," he said. The care in her voice made tears sting his eyes. It was obvious how much she cared for him or even loved him in her own way.
"Cole, I know there is nothing I can say to make this easier; just know I'm here for you. You can scream, yell, or you don't have to say anything at all. I would just like to be close to you right now. Is that okay? Please." Her last words came out as a soft plea.
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll see you when you get home."
"Thank you." Cole hung up the phone. Chase looked at him. His mouth gaped open, and looked from Cole to the phone. He took the phone from Cole's hand and put it back in place. "Go on," Cole told him, "Say whatever it is you want to say."
"I'm a man of my word, Constantine," Chase said with a smirk. "Just know I will say nothing to the others."
"I appreciate it," Cole said honestly.