A Whole New Crowd(108)

He pressed something warm into my hand and patted my shoulder. “One thing at a time, kid. Everything is being handled and all your questions will be answered.” He nodded to me. A thread of respect was in his voice. “We got your friend. The one you went in for. He’s okay. He’s being treated by our doctors already.”

Thank god. I looked down, and a small laugh bubbled up.

He started to turn back, but gave me a quizzical look.

I held the thermos up to him. “You gave me hot chocolate.” He called me kid too.

He frowned.

Before I knew it, I felt a stupid smile stretch over my face. I couldn’t contain it or even dim it. I must’ve looked ridiculous. I didn’t care. For once, I didn’t feel any responsibility. Gray was alive. I was alive. Tray was alive. I didn’t have to save anyone or protect anyone, the cards would fall how they would fall. I turned to look for Tray and that relieved feeling plummeted.

He was in the other boat, sitting in the same seat I was, except the towels weren’t wrapped around him. He held them on his lap as if he didn’t realize they were there, and there was no hot chocolate given to him. As I watched now, an officer tried to hand him a thermos, but Tray didn’t acknowledge him.

He lost his father.

My responsibility was now Tray.

I watched him the entire time. He glanced at me once. The corners of his mouth lifted up in a brief smile and then he turned away again. As soon as the boats docked and we were allowed to leave, I broke through the crowd to get to him. People grabbed for me, but I evaded their hands. “Miss,” one called after me, “we need to question you.”

“Let her go.” I recognized that voice. Chance, Tray’s older brother, was there and he said further, “We’ll get their statements in a few hours. They’ve been through enough.”

I ducked around another officer and then was at Tray’s side. My hand slipped into his before I realized I was there and after a slight hesitation, he squeezed my hand and pulled me into his side. His arm wrapped around me, resting on my hip.

We were led to a black SUV and I sat next to Tray, scooting so close that my leg was pressed right next to his. Comforting someone wasn’t my thing. I didn’t like to be comforted and I felt awkward when I tried to comfort others. It was hard to search for words that would ease someone else’s pain and in this case, there were none. I only hoped my presence would help. When Tray rested his hand on my leg, rubbing it back and forth in an absent-minded motion, I knew he wasn’t going to push me away. I stuck to him like glue until the SUV came to a stop. As we got out, I paused.

Tray got out behind me, his hand came to rest on my hip again, and he turned to the side. “Your headquarters is my house?”

Chance flashed him a grin. His hand raised to the radio attached to his shoulder, and he pressed the side of it, saying, “We’ve arrived at home base.” He released the button and said to Tray, “Literally.”

Tray shook his head. “You’re still annoying.”

It was meant as a tease, but the hollow sound from him caught his brother’s attention. Chance frowned, studying his brother for a moment. Tray acted like he didn’t notice. A glazed look was in his eyes, and I knew he was remembering Galverson’s words from the tunnel. Then Chance caught my eye and raised an eyebrow in question. I looked away. It wasn’t my place to say anything.

“Well, okay then,” Chance mused. He pointed inside. “I had the guys stay out of Mom and Dad’s old room. I saw you two have been using it. Go ahead, shower, sleep, and eat. Do whatever you need to rest up.”

Tray nodded and started forward.

“Taryn,” Chance called me back.

Tray stopped and waited. I knew what his brother was going to ask so I waved him forward. “Go ahead. I’ll be right in.”

He nodded, but it was a half nod. As he left, his shoulders were still strong and straight, but there was a slight droop to them. No one noticed. His brother only caught it just now, but Tray was in pain, like the deep aching pain that buried deep inside a person and took root, never to leave. I understood because I felt it too. Mine was named Brian.

“What gives?” Chance interrupted my thoughts. He was frowning in the direction Tray had gone. “We have a lot of stuff to go over, but what happened up there?”

“The guy on the boat said you found Gray. He’s okay?” I was stalling. I wasn’t ashamed of that.

His frown deepened and he scratched his head. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

I hesitated and then said, “I would like an update on Gray.”

“Okay. Fine. Your friend was taken to a government medical facility. He was mainly dehydrated. He’ll stay there to recuperate. When he’s cleared by the doctors, he’s free to go.”