Page 20 of Dead Serious: Case 3 Mr Bruce Reyes

“Wow, that’s an interesting shade of lobster,” Chan murmurs around a sip of her coffee. She watches Sam and Harrison over the rim of her mug like they are the most fascinating thing she’s seen all day.

Harrison throws a glare in her direction, no doubt for the lobster comment.

“I stopped by to check on you,” Sam tells Harrison and Harrison once again refuses to meet his gaze.

“I-I had to work,” he mutters uncomfortably.

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m here,” a loud, familiar voice rings out. “What did I miss?”

“Oh good, Dusty’s here too,” I mutter dryly to Danny as I lift my cup of tea.

“Sorry I’m late.” Dusty straightens the short, skin-tight Union Jack dress she’s wearing, which wouldn’t have looked out of place on Ginger Spice. “Bruce was feeling frisky.”

Sam snorts loudly and my gaze snaps to him.

“I knew it!” I burst out before I think about it. “You can see her!”

“See who?” Danny replies.

“Dusty.” My gaze is locked on Sam, who looks at me in amusement.

“Sam can see ghosts?” Danny exclaims in surprise. He looks to Harrison and notices the other man doesn’t seem particularly surprised by the information.

Sam also watches Harrison and I realise that I may have just outed him.

Guilt swamps me.

“I’m so sorry, Sam,” I apologise. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I know you can see them, and I’m guessing that now Danny knows you can too, so I might as well lay my cards on the table.” Sam shrugs. “Yes, I see the dead.”

“How?” I ask curiously.

“Near death experience.” His tone is casual. “You?”

“Choked to death on an ice cube,” I admit and when his brows rise, I shake my head and roll my eyes. “Don’t ask.”

“You seem awfully calm about all this.” Unlike Danny and me, Chan has been watching Harrison this whole time. Her words bring us back to our other guest.

Harrison shrugs. “I can see them too.”

“Did you have a near death experience too?” Danny’s question is laced with confusion.

“No…” Harrison frowns. “I’m a witch.”

“A…witch?” Danny repeats slowly. “I think I need something stronger than coffee.”

“Not with the pain relief you’re on, you don’t,” I murmur as I study Danny, chewing my lip in worry. I had kind of hoped to ease Danny into the wholeHarrison is a witch and witches are realthing, but the conversation is kind of getting out of hand. On the one hand, I’m relieved everyone is being so open because I hate secrets and I hate having to lie, but equally, I’m nervous. I know I need to tell Danny about the accidental body swap, but I’d rather not do it with an audience or by having someone let something slip.

“A witch,” Sam muses, his dark eyes lighting with interest. “So that’s it. I knew there was something about you, but I couldn’t quite place it.”

Harrison’s back stiffens. “I suppose you’re going to tell me magic isn’t real?”

“Not at all,” Sam says quietly as he studies the younger man’s face. “I’ve seen too many things in the last couple of years not to believe there’s something out there bigger than all of us. Just because we don’t understand something doesn’t make it any less real.”

Harrison stares at Sam and his eyes seem to almost soften before his defenses go back up.