Let me in - 27. Chapter 27

Louis and Cade looked down at the still body of Darrin. Someone had cut him down and he was now laid out in a pose of rest on the ground.

“What do we know?” Cade demanded, not caring who answered him.

“Not a lot, sir,” a young officer spoke up. “We’re still waiting for the coroner to pick up the body and give us a preliminary time of death.”

Cade nodded his thanks. What had he missed? He knew Darrin was sad, but this? There had to be something.

“You couldn’t have done anything,” Louis’ soft voice sounded in his mind and he felt a soft hand discreetly rubbing his lower back.

“I know that, but, I can’t help thinking I must have missed something. What if I had asked different questions? I knew he was fudging the truth, maybe I should have pushed harder.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the coroner.

After some uming and ahing, the coroner proclaimed that Darrin had been dead for about four hours and then he dropped a bombshell. “Of course, you all know this is murder, right?”

“WHAT!” Cade yelled, causing the poor man to flinch and try to scuttle backwards away from Cade like a crab.

“Who are you intimidating now, Cade?” came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Cade spun round and saw Jaydon and Craig. They stood side by side just inside the door, Jaydon frowned down at the body, while Craig looked anywhere so he didn’t have to look at Darrin’s still form.

“Jay, Craig, when did you guys get in?” Cade exclaimed, as he rose and embraced his friends. Louis hovered behind him until he pulled him forward.

“Hey, Louis,” Jaydon said, making sure to look at Louis.

Louis just waved his greeting.

“We are here to pick up our things and arrange for the rest to be sent to Chapmistres.” Jaydon said to Cade. “We have decided to move there and the twins have offered us Andrew’s old house. It’s on the edge of town and right near a forest. I’ll be able to relax and not worry about picking up stray thoughts all the time.

Now, what’s happening here? I heard about a dead elder when I popped into the office to hand in my resignation. I came straight here when I also heard that you have now been made senior elder.”

Cade grimaced. “Yep, I’m senior elder now. Why don’t you and Craig come home with us after I finish here? We can catch up on what’s been going on.”

After Jaydon nodded Cade turned back to the coroner. “I want the preliminary report sent to me as soon as it’s finished.” The man nodded respectfully. Cade turned to the young officer who’d spoke before. “I also want all the reports from who called this in, to what the first responders found when they got here. It all needs to be sent to me by morning, understood?”

“Yes, sir” the young man said standing to attention. Cade felt Louis’ amusement and sent a warning to his mate to behave.

***

The four friends sat round the kitchen table as Cade and Louis filled the other couple in on everything that had happened since their return.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Jaydon demanded when Cade had finished.

“You were cleaning up the mess left by Basil, and settling into your relationship with Craig. I didn’t want to trouble you. Do you know the last time you took any vacation time? It was over three years ago.”

Jaydon shook his head. “I would have been back here in a flash. And anyway it turns out this is relevant to the business with Basil.”

“Fine, I know when I’m beat.” Cade caved. “Next time I’m made senior elder and told about a plot to undermine the council, you’ll be the first person I call.” He glared at Jaydon, who just smirked. “Now, I think it’s time we all got some sleep. It’s 2am and I want to get to those reports as soon as I can when I get up.”

Cade and Louis led the way upstairs and showed Jaydon and Craig the guest bedroom. It was too late for the friends to get to Jaydon’s place and Cade had some clothes they could borrow, if needed, when they left.

Back in bed Cade sighed. “I will mark you soon my mate. I promise. You’re mine and you’d better not forget it,” he murmured in Louis’ mind as sleep took him.