CHAPTER 19: Something to say...

Rayne finished his phone call with Shannon and turned to study his sister with the detachment of a scientist. Appearance wise she seemed like Wynter but the fey have always been the masters of disguise...She had answered all his code questions correctly; answers only his sister could know and therefore proved herself to be Wynter yet there was something different about her.
“You wants a DNA sample?”
“What?” asked Rayne in bafflement.
“You’re staring at me...figured I’d offer a DNA sample to help ease yer mind is all” she said with a jerk of her shoulder.
“When were mom and dad taken?”He heard himself asking the question but it was not what he had meant to say but was curious for the answer all the same.
Wynter sighed and rolled her eyes at him “Twenty years ago and a few months-that accurate enough for you?” She was trying really hard to understand her brothers need for reassurance but she was near the end of her patience for it. Two hours had already lapsed and she didn’t want to waste any more time. Three days had passed while she had been at the fairy court. “If you’re done playing twenty questions can we please figure out what the fuck we’re gonna do now?”
“The date; give me the date” he demanded.
Wynter lifted her chin defiantly “February fifteenth...I was home with Nan because I had the flu. I was sleeping on the couch while you and Autumn were outside playing...you disappeared into the woods. You watched them die. Autumn and I saw it through your eyes...I woke up screaming. Poor Nan; she didn’t know what to do...She couldn’t tell anybody the truth; so she told the cops that they left for a ski doo ride and never came back...”
“That’s enough” said Rayne as he turned away from her so that she couldn’t see him wipe the tears from his eyes. “I never knew that you and Autumn saw...”
“We decided not to tell you...it was bad enough that you felt guilty for what the fairies had done to mum and dad; we didn’t want you to think it was your fault that we saw it too...”said Wynter quietly.
“Made for a shitty birthday I can tell ya” he said turning back to face her.
“So does this mean you finally believe me? That I’m not some changeling?” asked Wynter with a quirk of her eyebrow.
“Yes; I believes you. I just dunno how we’re gonna explain two missing cops....”said Rayne looking at her with no sign of his break down other than a slight redness to his eyes.
“Yeah...”agreed Wynter as she gazed at the unusually tidy apartment. It seemed so empty without Tanner inside it. She hadn’t realized how much his death was affecting her until she felt a burning lump form in her throat at the thought of him never returning. Shoving that thought from her mind she tried to refocus before she had her own break down.
The lump remained as she limped across the room in a feeble attempt to oust her emotions. Rayne meanwhile was lost in his own thoughts and failed to force her to sit down and tend to her injured ankle. Instead he began to inspect Tanners belongings. “What are you doing?” asked Wynter sharply as he quickly flipped through the pages of a book before tossing it aside and taking another.
“Looking” he replied as he continued his search.
“I can see that! What are you looking for?” She asked as she limped over to him to save the next book from being tossed to the floor next to the others that were quickly piling up.
“Get off that leg of yours before you hurts yourself even more then youse already have” said Rayne glancing at her before returning to the books “I’m looking to see what Tanner could have wanted to show you if he had come to your place...”
“What?” said Wynter in confusion “That made no sense at all”.
Rayne sighed as he impatiently shoved more books aside. “You said that you had shown him that friggin fairy contract or whatever it is and he said he wanted to come here to get something-I figures that we should look for it”.
“Ok but Rayne how do you expect to find something when you have no idea what it is that you’re looking for?” she asked as he flung yet another book onto the floor.
“You an’ Autumn might be able to see stuff but I gots gifts too”
“Like what?” demanded Wynter doubtfully but before Rayne could answer they heard a knock at the door. Exchanging a look and a silent agreement Wynter went to answer the door while Rayne followed behind her his gun drawn just in case.
Peeking through the peep hole she shook her head at Rayne and motioned for him to put the gun away. Squaring her shoulders she opened it a crack “Yes?”
“Oh! Wynter! Never thought I’d be seeing you here; this here is Tanner’s place ain’t it?” asked Mrs. Young trying to see past Wynter and into the apartment.
“It is but Tanner’s sleeping right now...we have some kind of virus...” she gave a fake cough for effect “Not sure if it’s that Swine flu but I tells ya it sure ain’t fun...between you an’ me” she leaned forward to whisper at the elderly woman who had done her best to politely step back from her “I’ve spent more time wit the toilet then I have him”.
“Well that’s...I was just wondering where he was is all. Tell him that I said to feel better and I’ll see him at the mail boxes soon” said the woman as she eagerly made her escape. Wynter watched her go before stepping back inside and firmly closing the door.
“You are some bad liar Wynter Woods” said Rayne with a smile.
“Yeah well I bought us some time I suppose...though I expect if Mrs. Young got curious enough to visit Tanner up on the fifth floor when she lives down on the first we need to think of something to tell people fast....being sick ain’t gonna cut it.” Frowning she wandered past her brother and into the living room area. What was she going to do? A moment later a knock came at the door. “Oh; for fuck sakes! Nosey ol’ biddy! I swears...” she grumbled and was prepared to give Mrs. Young a piece of her mind as she flung open the door. “Look here...Oh! Shannon! What are you doing here?” said Wynter going from surprise to worry as she pulled her friend into the apartment. Looking around to make sure no one saw her she shut the door.
“That hurt!” exclaimed Shannon as she rubbed her elbow.
Rayne frowned “I thought I tole you to stay at the house that I would be by after”.
Shannon flicked her hair in annoyance “Well I wanted to see Wynter! And besides I came over to tell you that they found another body over at the marsh...”
As if on cue Rayne’s phone began to ring. “Yeah; be right there” he said gave the two women a look and hung up. “I think we all should leave here...I’ll go down the stairs while you two leave together on the elevator. I’ll see you at the house when I’m done.” Holding the door open he waited for them to exit before locking it, giving them no time to argue with him or even to protest.
“See ya” said Shannon with an indignant sniff.
“Be careful” said Wynter.
“You too” he answered looking at his sister then at Shannon who in turn looked away from him. Sighing silently he left.
“Come on” said Wynter as she limped towards the elevator.
“What happened?” asked Shannon.
Wynter pushed the down button and said nothing. She knew it wasn’t her injury that Shannon was inquiring about. “I’ll tell you when we gets to the house” she said finally.
Shannon shook her head but didn’t insist on pushing the matter further. Something in her friends tone told her it was bad. She wondered what happened to Tanner and why he left Wynter devastated. Devastated is what Wynter was even if she didn’t recognize it yet. Anger for her friend swelled, it had been a long time since she had seen her look this way and the last man who had done this had disappeared as well...
“You ok?” she asked as they got to their cars.
“I’m...fine” lied Wynter opening her car door and climbing inside “I’ll follow you” she said in dismissal.
Certain her first wrinkle was going to be in tribute to her friendship Shannon got into her car and drove to Wynters.
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