Someone Like You by Kathryn Shay Page B

where your neighbor is?”
    “Why do you want to talk to him?”
    “That’s police business.”
    “No, I don’t know where Nick is.”
    The guy nodded and started to walk up the yard. Brie heard him say to his fellow officer, “They mayor isn’t gonna like that we can’t find him.”
    The other responded, “I don’t care. I didn’t want to arrest Coach Corelli anyway.”
    All of a sudden it hit Brie. She’d been responsible for this. Scaring Matt so much he’d run away. Reporting the situation to Dylan who called the mayor, who’d set the police on Nick. Would he lose his job? Would he be arrested for endangering the life of a child?
    She turned to Annie and said, “My God, what have I done?”
    o0o
    Before he moved, Nick’s gaze swept the room. A gun cabinet door hung open on the far wall. A fireplace next to it, with a picture on the mantel that smashed to smithereens. In front of one of the two couches facing each other sat Matt, slouched over. Chilled to the bone, Nick crept softly to the boy and hunched down in front of him. “Hey, buddy. How ‘bout taking that gun out of your mouth and giving it to me?”
    Matt shook his head.
    “Please, Matt, don’t do this.”
    Still no response—in words or movements.
    Cautiously, Nick sat on the floor opposite the boy. He couldn’t afford to let in the horror of the site in, so he focused on Matt’s eyes.
    “Come on, son, take the gun out of your mouth.” No answer. “For me,” he pleaded hoarsely.
    Matt watched him, his face full of utter despair.
    Nick kept his gaze locked with the boy’s.
    Slowly, Matt lowered the gun. To his stomach. Jesus.
    He also turned his head and noticed Dylan. His eyes widened.
    Nick said, “Mr. Kane came here with me because he cares, too, Matt.”
    “I do,” Dylan put in. “I care a lot. And I can help with any problems you have.”
    “Talk to us.”
    Just a blank stare again, as if Matt had retreated elsewhere. After a very long time, he said, “I’ll talk to you, Coach.”
    “Would you like me to leave?” Dylan asked.
    Matt nodded.
    “Then I’ll be on the porch.”
    Which was a damn shame. Nick was way out of his depth here, and as Dylan said, he’d had experience with suicidal teens. Hell, Nick had no idea what he was doing.
    o0o
    Brie jumped when her cell rang. She and Annie were still on the porch, just sitting there, waiting. “Nick?”
    “It’s Dylan. We found Matt. He’s alive but he’s not out of the woods yet. Nick’s inside the cabin with him, but Matt has a gun.”
    “He’s got a gun on Nick?”
    “No, on himself. He wanted to talk to Nick alone. I’m outside.”
    “How long has it been?”
    “They’ve been talking about a half-hour. I waited as long as I could to call you but I thought you’d want to know that for now, Matt’s alive.”
    Brie began to cry.
    Annie took the phone from her, listened, then said, “Yes, I know. It’s right that you called. You promised to stay in touch and we needed an update badly. Yes, I will. I love you.” When she finished, she joined Brie on the couch, took hold of her hand again.
    Brie said, “Our worst fear.”
    “No, our worst fear was that Matt might already be dead. I have confidence in Nick.”
    “I should have had more.”
    “Shh, you can work all that out later. Right now, let’s just be glad Matt’s still alive.”
    o0o
    “Does the Mayor know?”
    They’d been at this a while, but Nick’s gut told him to keep Matt talking. So far all he’d been able to do is assure the boy that people cared about him.
    “Yeah, kid, Mr. Kane called him in.”
    “He told you about the cabin?” Nick nodded. “Does he hate me now?”
    What should Nick say? Go with your gut. “I could lie to you, Matt, tell you he’s not mad, just worried. But he was pissed.”
    “He’s always pissed at me.”
    “For what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem to think you’re in danger, that’s why he didn’t come with us.”
    Matt snorted. “He probably went back