by Sue Brown
“You two go away,” Damien said, making shooing motions at Toby and Gabriel. “Me and Sam here have important work to do. Someone’s got to feed the troops.”
“I’ll check on the site again. Then I’ll have a shower,” Gabriel said.
“Tell them to come here for a break,” Damien ordered.
“Okay.”
Gabriel disappeared out the kitchen, and Toby vanished back into the waiting room of the clinic.
Sam pasted on a smile, and looked at Damien. “Where do you want me to work?”
“You sit there.” Damien pointed at a bar stool opposite to where he was slicing the bread. “I don’t want you to fall over. Gabriel said you had a busy day yesterday.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Sam said drily. “I don’t remember anything about it except waking up naked in a strange man’s cottage.”
Damien chuckled. “Honey, you’ve just described my top fantasy. Unless the man was Gabriel of course, because eww.”
“He’s very handsome,” Sam said, rushing to defend Gabriel’s honour in his absence.
“If you like tall, dark, and moody,” Damien agreed. “But he’s like my brother.”
“Have you known Gabriel long?”
“About ten years. You know Toby was Jenny’s twin?” Damien’s expression grew sad and not for the first time, Sam realised how many lives had been shattered by Jenny and Michael’s deaths.
“Yes. I’m so sorry.”
Damien blinked rapidly. “Me too. Me too. But this won’t make the sandwiches.” He used the knife to point at the sliced bread on the board. “Start buttering.”
Sam did as he was told and worked his way through the loaf. Once Damien had finished slicing, he expertly loaded the buttered bread with various fillings and placed them on platters.
“You look like you’ve done this before,” Sam observed.
“That’s because I have,” Damien said. “I make and sell sandwiches and cakes to shops and offices. I’ve got a van.”
“This is a busman’s holiday for you, then.”
“I always provide food and drink if there’s an emergency. Can you take these out to the waiting room? I’ll fill up the flasks of tea and coffee for the guys working on the road. They always appreciate it.”
“Sure.”
Damien held open the door, and Sam brought in the trays to cheers from the muddy crowd.
“’Bout time,” one of the men grumbled.
“You be quiet, Petey,” the man next to him scolded. “You only help out for the free food and drink.”
Petey ignored him as he grabbed a handful of sandwiches.
Damien rolled his eyes at Sam, who held back a smile. Back in the kitchen with the door safely closed behind them, Damien said, “Petey used to run the local search and rescue until he was injured. Even now, he’s always first in line to volunteer.”
“He was hurt on a rescue?”
“He slipped down a cliff trying to find Jenny and Michael.”
One more life touched by their deaths.
Damien gave a sigh and seemed to shake himself. “Let’s go make more. It’s going to be a long afternoon.”
Sam followed him and started the buttering process over again. Although he had a headache, he was glad to be there, doing something useful.
Now they just needed to know about Bert and Elsie.
Chapter 7—Gabriel
THE ADRENALINE crash hit Gabriel the second they found out Bert and Elsie were safe and sound at their daughter’s house, several hundred miles away. A cheer went up from the volunteers as one of the women relayed the news from their daughter. Gabriel felt he could breathe for the first time since he’d arrived on the scene. Everyone was alive, and there were no injuries beyond cuts and bruises. Homes were damaged, and the road would take weeks to repair, but no one had died, no one was lost. Unlike before. Gabriel shuddered violently and clutched on to the kitchen counter because his legs were shaking so hard. He breathed in and out, trying to slow his pounding heart, thankful no one had noticed his meltdown, and looked around for Sam.
He found him talking to one of the elderly women displaced by the day’s events, who was waiting for her son to collect her. Sam had spent the afternoon working under Damien’s benevolent dictatorship, and then sat talking to people, offering comfort where he could. Gabriel had spent most of the afternoon by the slip, but every time he came in, Sam was engaged in conversation. Watching him talk gently to old Mrs Thomas, he’d never have known about the ordeal Sam had been through.
Gabriel turned away, took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders. He was fine. Everyone was safe. It wasn’t like Jenny and Michael.
“Let’s go home,” Sam murmured at his side.
Gabriel shivered. He hadn’t even realised Sam had approached him. He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“Sure you are,” Sam soothed, rubbing circles on Gabriel’s lower back.
Gabriel scowled at him. Maybe his meltdown hadn’t been as secret as he’d thought, but he didn’t need Sam patronising him.
“Gabriel?”
Great, now Toby was studying him.
“I’m fine,” Gabriel snapped.
His all-too-knowing brother-in-law gave him a look and turned to Sam. “Sam, take Gabriel home.”
Gabriel huffed. “I don’t need to go home.”
“And yet I don’t care,” Toby said. “Go and rest. I’ll be in to see you later.”
Gabriel scowled at Toby, who blandly ignored him. Sam said goodbye to Mrs Thomas, kissed her gently on her lined cheek, and joined Gabriel and Toby.
“I’m ready,” he said.
Gabriel opened his mouth to argue, but Toby pointed to the door. “Go.”
There was a short delay because people weren’t going to let Gabriel leave without hugging him and shaking his hand. They all knew the situation could have been far worse if he hadn’t been on the scene as soon as he had. Toby allowed it to go on for a while, but then he pushed Gabriel out the door, and Sam followed him.
“Gabe?”
Gabriel turned to see a couple and a little girl in the man’s arms.
The woman stepped forward. “Thank you for saving my little girl,” she sobbed as she flung herself into Gabriel’s arms. He looked a bit startled but gave her a gentle hug in return. Then it was Maisie’s turn to hug him, and finally the man, who shook his hand fiercely, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears.
“I can never repay you for saving my family.” The man paused. “We heard…. We’re so sorry.”
Gabriel nodded and said goodbye, needing to get away from everyone. Aware his hands were shaking from the adrenaline crash, Gabriel shoved them in his pockets as they walked back to his cottage. Sam walked quietly by his side. He seemed to be someone who didn’t need to talk, and Gabriel was thankful. He couldn’t have held a conversation if he tried.
As soon as they were back indoors, Gabriel rubbed his eyes and winced at the gritty feel. “I’m going for a shower. I need to decake.” He’d spent so much time going back to check for Bert and Elsie, he’d not managed to take a shower at Toby’s.
Sam nodded. He was looking tired too, his face pinched around the eyes and mouth.
“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked.
“My head’s aching. I’ll be glad to sit down,” he confessed.
“You relax. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Sam mumbled something, headed for the sofa, and closed his eyes before he’d even settled.
Gabriel checked he was all right and then headed into the bathroom. He stripped off his T-shirt and jeans, shedding dirt everywhere. Then he kicked the clothes into one corner, not wanting to dump a load of grit into the hamper.
The shower felt amazing, and he groaned with pleasure as the hot water streamed down his face and back, easing his aching muscles. He soaked up the heat for a few minutes before he squeezed shampoo into his palm and massaged it into his hair. It took two washes to get rid of the gritty feeling, and even then,
he was sure he’d be finding dirt for days.
When he got out of the shower, clean and warm, Gabriel realised he didn’t have any clean clothes to change into. Cursing under his breath, he wrapped a towel around his waist. Sam was bound to be asleep. He wouldn’t notice a seminaked dash to the bedroom. But when he opened the bathroom door, he let out an undignified yell. He was not going to term it a shriek. Men didn’t shriek. But he did yell when he discovered Sam just outside the door.
“What the hell?”
Sam stared at him. “I… uh, sorry. I just needed a cup of tea. I went to put the kettle on, but it needed water, and I thought it might affect the shower, so I decided to wait until you finished.”
“Didn’t you have enough tea at Toby’s?” he snapped. Then he realised he was being an arse again. He sighed and scrubbed through his damp hair. “I’m sorry. It’s been a stressful day.”
Sam gave a curt nod. “Yes, it has. Is it all right if I…?” He waved at the kitchen.
“Sure, sure. Could you make me a coffee? Black, no sugar.”
He felt the knot of the towel dislodge, but he grabbed at it before the situation became more uncomfortable than it already was.
Sam’s eyes stayed fixed on his. “Uh….”
Gabriel hurried away. Goddammit. Could this day get any worse? He shut the bedroom door behind him and leaned against it. Yes, it could have been a lot worse, he acknowledged. The village might be mourning the loss of many residents. He felt the towel slip, and it fell to the floor. Gabriel shook his head. He could also have flashed his guest, and he was damn glad that hadn’t happened.
By the time he had dressed and attempted to tame his unruly hair, Sam had made the drinks and was back on the sofa, eyes closed again. Gabriel pressed his lips together as he saw the red-and-white-striped mug on the coffee table in front of him. That had been Jenny’s special mug, a present from Michael for her birthday not long before she and Michael went missing. He clenched his fists, holding back the urge to shout at Sam for something he didn’t know. That was why he didn’t have people in the cottage. He couldn’t handle these situations.
Gabriel forced himself to join Sam and sat in his favourite chair. He picked up the mug of black coffee and sipped at it. It needed a little more sugar, but otherwise it was perfect. Sam didn’t move for a long while, and Gabriel wondered if he’d fallen asleep. Then he wondered if he ought to get Toby over to take a look at him. He still hadn’t gone to the hospital as they’d planned.
Eventually Sam opened his eyes and blinked owlishly at him. “I’m sorry. Did I fall asleep?”
“Just for a few minutes. Is your head still hurting?”
“It’s not as bad as it was.”
Sam sat up and reached for his tea.
Gabriel couldn’t take it. “Let me make you another cup of tea. That must be cold.”
Before Sam had a chance to object, he took the mug into the kitchen. As the kettle boiled, he emptied the mug down the sink and quickly washed and dried it. Then he put the mug at the back of a cupboard he barely used, well away from the others. He returned with a fresh mug of tea and a strip of paracetamol.
Sam took the new mug without comment and smiled gratefully for the pain relievers. “I’ll be glad when this headache goes for good.”
“Give it time,” Gabriel said. “You took a bad knock.”
His lips twitched. “Are you channelling Doctor Toby?”
Gabriel smirked at him. “Did it work?”
“He’s scarier than you are.”
Gabriel chuckled because Sam was spot on. Toby could be an arrogant sod when he chose to be. “Are you hungry?”
Sam nodded. “I shouldn’t be after all those sandwiches, but I am a little.”
“It’s times like this I wish we lived close to somewhere that delivered food.”
“No restaurants in the village?”
“There’s two. A fish and chip shop and a Chinese, run by the same family. But no delivery. Which would you prefer?”
Sam didn’t have to think about it for too long. “Fish and chips.”
“I’ll make the fire. Then I’ll go to the chippy.”
Gabriel needed a few minutes alone to think. He also wanted to spend some time on the clifftop.
“Do you think anyone is missing me?” Sam asked suddenly.
Gabriel frowned at the unexpected question. “I expect so.”
Sam bit his lip and stared down into his lap. “I hope someone is looking for me the way you look for your family.”
Gabriel swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. He would never stop looking for them, but Sam was equally lost, not knowing who he was or where he came from. Where were his family if his parents were dead? Did he have siblings? Did he have a wife or husband or a girlfriend or boyfriend? Too many questions and no answers. In a way Sam was like a blank canvas, waiting for the shading to take place, filling in the pieces to say who he was and where he came from. “I won’t stop looking until we find your family,” he promised.
Sam smiled at him a little sadly. “Thank you.”
He huffed and looked away. “I’ve had practice.”
The silence in the cottage was painful but not overwhelming. They were both hurting, and for once, Gabriel didn’t feel so alone. Someone else knew what it was like to hurt.
He sighed again and stood looking down at Sam. The lines of pain had eased, and his face didn’t look so pinched. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I think I might have another nap,” Sam murmured.
“You do that.”
On impulse, Gabriel gently ruffled Sam’s hair. Then he spent a few minutes laying the fire and getting it started. There was no real need for the fire, but it would ease the air of dampness left over from the storm. When he looked around again, Sam was curled up, asleep on the sofa, his hands tucked under his cheek.
It was getting late as Gabriel emerged from the cottage. He checked his watch. He just had time to spend a few minutes on the clifftop before he went to the fish and chip shop. He stood in his usual spot, watching the lazy waves break calmly against the beach. The air was still fresh, heavy with salt and ozone and the remains of the wild garlic growing on the cliff top. The only sign of the violence of the storm was the amount of debris washed up on the shoreline. Tomorrow he would go down to the beach and pick through it to see if there was anything from Jenny and Michael.
He wished them goodnight as he always did and jogged down the path towards the village. His stomach rumbled in anticipation of the fish and chips. Food hadn’t been a priority over the past year, but now he was hungry. That’s what running on adrenaline did for him.
The Chinese restaurant/takeaway and the chippie were nestled side-by-side. Run by the same Chinese family who’d been there for decades, they were well frequented by locals and tourists alike. Gabriel inhaled the greasy smell of fish and chips with pleasure as he pushed open the door. The young girl behind the counter called out someone’s order and handed over a large bag to a man Gabriel didn’t recognise. He was in his thirties and had the pale-and-red look of spending too much time in the sun. A tourist, then. They exchanged smiles, and Gabriel moved up to the counter.
The girl’s eyes widened. “Gabriel, it’s good to see you.”
It had been months since he’d come in for a takeaway. Gabriel smiled at her. “It’s good to see you too, Mei. How’s university?”
“I can’t wait to get back,” she muttered, shooting a quick glance at her aunt, who was frying fish.
Gabriel grinned sympathetically at her. “Not long now.”
“Not soon enough,” she snapped. “What can I get you?”
“Two haddock and chips. Both medium.”
“Two?” she asked doubtfully as she handed the order to her aunt. “Oh, the cutie you rescued. Everyone’s talking about him. How is he? Remembered anything yet?”
Gabriel refrained from rolling his eyes. News spread quickly through the village, especially after the day’s events. “N
ot since this afternoon,” he said cheerfully. “I’m sure it will be soon.”
“I wonder where he came from?”
To Gabriel’s great relief, another tourist came in and distracted her, and Gabriel made his escape to sit down on one of the chairs lining the small waiting area. He picked up one of the tabloids and scanned the headlines—politician caught in sex scandal, missing pop star, one of the royals pregnant again. Gabriel turned to the sports pages and read about the latest injury to a premiership footballer. He winced as he read about the tackle that had broken his leg and put him out for the rest of the season.
“Gabriel, it’s yours. On the house. We heard what you did this afternoon.”
The girl held up a bag. Gabriel thanked her and squeezed around a family who’d just entered. It was considerably darker as Gabriel picked his way along the path to his cottage, and there was no light from the windows. A stirring of unease made Gabriel hurry the last few hundred yards to the front door.
Inside, he flicked on the light and sighed with relief when he saw Sam, still asleep on the sofa. He chided himself for feeling so worried as he went into the kitchen to serve up the food.
“Sam, dinner,” he said, placing both plates on the coffee table.
By the time he returned with salt, pepper, and ketchup, Sam had sat up and was rubbing his eyes. “I feel like I’ve been asleep for hours.” The last words were swallowed by a yawn.
“Nearly an hour,” Gabriel said. “How’s your head?”
“Much better. This looks good.” He grinned at him. “I expected dinner wrapped in paper.”
“I would have, if it were just me,” Gabriel confessed. “I didn’t know if you’d object.”
“Paper’s fine,” Sam mumbled around a mouthful of chips.
“I’ll remember that for next time.”
Next time? Why would there be a next time? Sam would be gone as soon as they reached the police and found out who he was. From the tight look on Sam’s face, the same thought had occurred to him. Gabriel coughed and focused on his dinner.
The battered haddock and large chips were just what he needed, and he cleared his plate. Then he eyed Sam’s plate, but he was eating just as quickly. For such a slender man, he wasn’t afraid of piling away the food. There wasn’t a scrap left by the end of the meal, and they both sat back and sighed in satisfaction.