Page 77 of Ashes to Ash’s

“What happens next?” I asked, squeezing Cal’s hand again, because the poor sweet man was staring at his lap in silence. Again, it looked like grief, but it could be anything.

“We’re actively investigating their claims, and continuing to study the evidence, but-”

“I think we’re done here,” Mr Sharp interrupted again. Apparently his entire philosophy was on keeping the cop off balance, and breaking the flow of this fucking discussion.

“If charges are made, we’ll keep you informed.”

“If?” Cal finally asked, ignoring my hand squeezing his in warning. Don’t push this shit, Cal. We’re almost out of here.

The cop consulted his file again and rested both hands on the desk.

“If we can make a case against them, despite their claims, which could be retracted later, or proven to be false, we may be able to pursue it. Three people died, but the sad reality is that their case may never be closed to any level of satisfaction that you, as their family, would be able to accept. We’ll do our best, but organisations like this are notoriously hard to prosecute, which is why they’re so willing to claim credit for such acts. If you have more information that we can-”

“Interview over. We’re leaving,” old Sharpie declared, tapping both of our shoulders as he spoke. We both lurched up from our seats, probably because we felt like we’d just been touched by a demon or the fucking lord of hell himself, and the cop nodded.

“I’m sorry again for your loss, Callum.”

He nodded. “It’s Cal, but thanks. I uh… I just want to get on with my life. I need to.”

Old Sharpie led us to our car and smoothed his dark suit jacket as he eyed both of us practically into puddles of fear.

“Do not speak with any law enforcement without my presence. If they get a chance to pin this on you, they will. Their conviction rates are appalling, and they need easy wins. Don’t be that for them. Go on with your lives, and stay off their radar. My card, use it if you need me.”

He held it out and we both stared at it in abject horror. We had to take it from him, but none of us moved for a second, and he sighed, resting it on the roof of the car.

“Go home.”

He turned and left, and only then did we feel like we could breathe properly. It felt like the shroud of his unholy presence had been siphoning the air from the damn atmosphere.

“Fuck me, he’s terrifying. Do you think he even has a soul?”

Cal laughed breathlessly, like he’d been running.

“Fuck me, he’s even scarier than your family!”

Pfft. My family weren’t the scary ones in life. Cal’s were worse. I reluctantly grabbed the business card and passed it to Cal with a smirk. Neither of us wanted it, but we had to keep it.

Cal got in the car, and as I walked around to the other side, I glanced up at the building we’d just left. That cop we’d just met with, he was standing at the window, watching us leave. Did he see us laughing? Did he think it was some sign of us being bad guys? Was he cataloguing our every move? Fuck.

I drove out of there like an old lady, but I wanted to slam my foot down, and get away fast. I felt like there was still an axe hovering over us, and it freaked me out.

At home, we found a note from Ren to say he was hanging at my family’s place with Pyro and Nix. Shit. Clearly my parents had collected him, but it made me edgy. I’d laughed it off when Cal had been worried about their influence on Ren, but secretly it bothered me too.

My so called ‘normie’ brothers might be the worst of all of us, and I didn’t want our son being caught in the hellfire, see what I did there? Still, it gave us a moment to reflect on that damn visit to the cop shop.

“He suspects us,” Cal said, grabbing a beer and passing it to me, before grabbing a second for himself. It was only lunchtime but why the hell not. Did my hand tremble as I popped the cap? Was it because of the threat of the law, or that creepy ass lawyer?

“I think he might be a vampire.”

Cal frowned. “The cop?”

Oh shit. That’s what we were talking about. “Sharpie. That guy makes my blood chill in my veins.”

Cal visibly shuddered. “That guy definitely lives in a crypt and eats people’s pets or something. Ugh. I feel like he’s still in the room with us. Who the fuck is he?!”

I leaned on the counter, trying to pretend I didn’t feel the exact same way, but damn that guy freaks me out.

“Dad Gray’s known him for decades. I have no idea how they met, but, shit. The first time I met him, I peed myself.”