Page 98 of Ancient Obsession

“It, um, burned.”

“Holy shit, I bet that stunk.”

Oliver and Zenona both laughed, and Eileen cackled along with them.

Zenona patted his leg. “I’ll come back in a bit.”

“These things you get involved in,” Eileen said, shaking her head.

“I don’t always have a choice. This time it all just…happened. I never thought it would turn into, well, this.” He gestured toward the ruins of his and Dave’s wedding.

“However it happened, I’m glad you’re safe. If I lost you…”

Oliver took her hand in both of his. “You won’t. I promise.”

“You’re a good boy. And you’ve got a good man who loves you.”

“Calling me a boy and him a man makes it kind of icky.”

She smirked. “Smart ass cub reporter.”

He chuckled. “You are forbidden from spending any more time with Cody Bower.”

“His car is parked in my garage, how am I supposed to avoid him?”

“Just find a way, please, for my own mental well-being.”

Dave returned and sat on Oliver’s other side.

“How’s your family?” Oliver asked.

“Roman’s bitching up a storm about how much this is going to cost him, how much his suit cost, and that he’d better not miss his flight home,” Dave said.

“So, he’s fine.” Oliver said.

“He did check first to make sure you and I were all right.”

“A glimmer of hope for us all,” Oliver said in a dry voice.

Eileen and Dave chuckled.

“Sounds like Margie hurt her wrist,” Dave said. “But she assured me she’ll be okay.”

“It just gets better and better.” Oliver hung his head and took a few slow deep breaths. Everything felt far away and, somehow, much too close. The chatter of voices in the background was too loud, the air too damp and sticky.

“None of this is your fault,” Dave said. “None of it.”

He kept his eyes closed and breathed out but nodded to acknowledge he heard him.

Dave’s parents came over, and Oliver lifted his head. He somehow found a smile. Alice kept a hand on Dave’s shoulder, her fingers curled into the fabric.

“Was it an actual mummy?” Greg asked, voice lowered. “Like in the movies?”

“It was,” Oliver said. He noticed Carter leading Samira back from the area he had staked out for questioning. She hugged herself tight and dark circles ringed her eyes. He leaned in closer to Dave. “I’m going to talk with her.”

“Yeah, of course.” Dave gripped his hand a moment before letting go. “I’ll be right here.”

Samira sat at a table on her own. She was hunched forward a bit, staring at the stained and crooked tablecloth, hands clenched in her lap.