The living room Cyril peeked into was spacious and had large bay windows that allowed the sun to stream in.The sunlight was at odds with the heavy tension in the house and with the knowledge that there was a dead body somewhere.
“I know this is a hard time for you,” Robbie murmured.“But we’ll do everything we can to make it easy on you.I’m really sorry for the loss of your husband, Mrs.Maxwell.”
Mrs.Maxwell pressed a used tissue against her mouth.“Thank you.He’s in the bedroom.”
Cyril didn’t usually ask what had happened if the authorities hadn’t been called.It was none of his business, so he kept his questions to himself unless he had a good reason to believe that something illegal had happened.He was sure that Robbie had looked into it, anyway.
They followed Mrs.Maxwell down the hallway and up the stairs.Cyril could hear voices, so he knew Mrs.Maxwell wasn’t alone.He wasn’t surprised to see three people waiting in the bedroom.The two women were pressed together, holding hands, while the man had his arms crossed over his chest and was scowling.Cyril decided to stay away from him.He looked angry, and Cyril never knew what to do with angry people.
The bedroom was decorated in soothing tones of blue and white, which again were at odds with the deceased man on the king-sized bed.He lay on a soft-looking comforter and white pillows.The large ornate mirror in the corner reflected the sad scene.
The man on the bed appeared to be in his late sixties, maybe early seventies.He was still young, but then, that was usually the people Cyril was called to be reanimated.When people died in their eighties or later, they knew it was coming and got ready for it.
The scowl on the face of the man standing by the bed got worse, and Cyril hoped he wouldn’t have any trouble.He might have Robbie with him, but Robbie wasn’t exactly a fighter, and neither was Cyril.
Maybe he should have brought Vale alone, after all.
“This is my husband,” Mrs.Maxwell said.“Bobby.And these are my children, Robert Junior, Lisa, and Amanda.”
Robert Junior waspissed.He glared at Cyril as if Cyril was here to offend him.Maybe he didn’t want his father to be reanimated.Sometimes, families were torn over whether or not to use a necromancer.
Cyril smiled at every one of them, including Robert Junior.“I’m very sorry for your loss.”
He wasn’t sure which one of the women was Amanda and which one was Lisa, but the one closest to the bed let out a sob and pressed a hand against her eyes.Cyril looked away to give her privacy.
“Just get to the point,” Robert Junior snapped.
Robbie and Cyril exchanged a glance.Robbie looked annoyed, but he didn’t say anything.He pressed his lips together and nodded at Cyril.Robert Junior wasn’t the first angry family member Cyril had to deal with.He’d learned early on that it was best to ignore how rude they were.After all, they’d just lost someone they loved.People reacted differently to grief.Anger was probably how Robert Junior dealt with it.
Cyril quickly set up.There wasn’t much for him to do, but he had a ritual that helped him get into the right mind frame.He put down his bag and sat on the edge of the mattress next to Bobby.He heard Mrs.Maxwell suck in a breath, but he didn’t look back at her.His whole focus was on the deceased man.
Once he was ready, he delicately wrapped his fingers around Bobby’s wrist.He closed his eyes and pulled as soon as he felt Bobby’s soul.He came easily, as if he wanted to talk to his family.He probably did.
When Bobby opened his eyes, Mrs.Maxwell cried out.She stared at her husband with one hand raised as if she wasn’t sure whether or not she should touch him.Cyril kept in contact with the body.He could maintain the reanimation even when he wasn’t touching the bodies he was working on, but it was easier for him if he was.
“Bobby?”Mrs.Maxwell asked in a trembling voice.
“Oh, Margaret,” Bobby said.
He extended his free hand.His wife took it after hesitating only a moment.
Cyril understood.Mr.Maxwell was dead, yet here he was, talking and wanting to touch his wife.Some people were repulsed by the thought of touching a dead body, even if it was the body of a loved one.Mrs.Maxwell didn’t seem to be.She squeezed her husband’s hand and sobbed.
“Can we get to the point?”Robert Junior asked.“Where’s your will, Dad?”
Bobby reluctantly looked away from his wife.“With my lawyer.”
Robert Junior was already shaking his head.“That’s impossible.That will says that you left everything to Amanda and Lisa.I’m not even mentioned.”
“I know.I didn’t leave anything to you, Robert.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?Why wouldn’t you?”
Bobby glanced around the room.His gaze caught with Cyril’s, who smiled at him.Bobby looked down at where Cyril’s fingertips pressed into his skin.His expression was sad, and Cyril thought that he knew that whatever was going on, he’d have to deal with it in front of two strangers and was reluctant to do so.
“You know why,” Bobby said softly as he turned back to his son.
Cyril knew what would happen before it did.When Robert Junior jerked forward, Cyril had to let go of Bobby to get out of the way.Unfortunately, he wasn’t fast enough.Robert Junior pushed him hard enough that he fell sideways.His head hit the corner of the nightstand, and pain exploded in his temple.
