A Little Bit Married

Patterns

"I am sorry for your loss," the police man said. "Can I have a word with you?" He was talking to Gray now, while I slowly went to the floor, my face buried in my hands.

Sure enough, she had switched up that night and showed me a side of her that I never thought was there. She was different, and I hated her for simply using Gray to fend for her illegitimate son, but she still didn't deserve to die.

"Tell me," Gray said, and I swallowed, closing my eyes.

"They were a few problems with the fire, leading us to believe that it was arson above anything else. It is hard, and we are still on it, but according to the preliminary investigations and the only camera that made it, the deceased and some woman had an altercation exactly...."

"And you think this woman would want to kill her?" Gray asked, his voice low.

I knew he was having it hard, too, but he was Gray. He would probably break in two before emotions pour out of him, especially in front of a stranger.

"That was not the only indication. They had a very wild fight, and though nothing could be heard, they exchanged a few words. We also found a dress that had another person's DNA in it. There were also indications of a man in the house, from burnt clothes to shoes, yet there is no indication that he was in the fire or that he left."

"There was a man with Althea in that house?"

The cop nodded. "You don't have an idea who it could be?"

"I am her only grandson. Her son is dead. I certainly don't live with her."

"Why?"

"Because my living arrangements is up to me, fortunately. Is that a problem?"

The man nodded. "I am sorry. We will need you to come in as the case progresses."

Gray went silent for a long moment. "Was there anything else there, Miles?"

Miles went silent this time, and for a long tense moment, they stared each other down. They were about the same height anyway, and both looked as dominating as ever. Maybe a little more to Gray, despite the uniform Miles was wearing.

"It seems your son was collateral damage, and that is why I don't believe it was just an accident."

I immediately straightened. "What do you mean?"

"We have it on camera that the boy was dropped in front of the house instead of being taken in, and the deceased herself had been the one to bring him in."

Gray raised a brow. "Who... dropped him again?"

"We are not sure of that. We only caught the plate number of the car, and we are still on it."

Gray's brows furrowed, and he slowly nodded. "Let me give you my card."

"I have your number," Miles said. "The old woman's phone was barely burnt, and you were the last person she tried calling. It was also hanging on the window, so there is that."

Gray didn't say anything more and simply nodded. "Keep me posted."

Miles nodded and walked away with the two otber uniformed men, and I immediately turned to Gray.

"It doesn't make sense, Gray. Why would Sylvia do something like that?"

He was silent, and his eyes were focused, and the wheels were turning fast in his head. It didn't make much sense to me that Sylvia would even have the time to drop him off at Aunt Althea's place, especially with the two press conferences, the attack on Gray and the fact that she was dragged away for questioning.

Gray slowly turned to the door, his eyes fixed on the little glass window on the door. His fingers rested on the edge, and I saw his expression sober up, his eyes low.

"I am sorry," I said, resting my hand on his shoulder, my voice low.

He bit down on his lips slowly. "What if he doesn't make it?"

"Gray."

"That was me, you know. That was me once. The fire. The pain. And the only thing I could see at that point were my parents, who never made it out of the fire. What do you think he is thinking of?" He asked, his voice slightly shaky now. "He doesn't even know me. I don't think Sylvia..." his voice cracked, and I immediately pulled him to me, his head leaning into my shoulder, his eyes closed against my skin.

"I am sorrh," I whispered. "Fate won't be that cruel. You will have a chanxe, Gray. You were a victim, too. You did nothing wrong, too."

He didn't reply, and the wheels in my head started to turn. Those pictures with Gray's parents. Fire. Now, Aunt Althea, who used to have those pictures. Fire.

Is this some sort of sick pattern?