don't you see what you're finding? Who: Isobel & Rafe. What: Rafe capitalizes on a moment to ask Isobel about something she mentioned at his welcome home party. Where: Bradbury lobby, then Isobel's apartment. When: Midday, Feb. 4.
The hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles made Isobel glad to get away from the sidewalk and inside the Bradbury. It still felt strange, coming home to the five-story, red brick building instead of driving down to Newport and Pax. It was a good kind of strange, one that alleviated the panic that had started to slowly grow in the back of her mind regarding the former building and everything that had happened there. Panic she hadn't even been aware of. And if that was the case, she couldn't even imagine what others might have been feeling.
Pushing through the glass doors, she walked into the lobby area and stopped off to the side to check the Brandt mailbox. Seeing Obed's name as hers still sent chills up and down her spine, but she limited herself to a happy, slightly suppressed smile as she flipped through the few items and threw away those that were obviously junk. Her head turned when she heard another person coming in through the front, wondering who she might run into.
Rafael smiled as soon as he caught her eye. He was dressed more professionally than was typical; he cut a dashing figure in tailored jeans, a white button-up, and rather expensive-looking black boots. "Hello, Isobel," he said. His keys jingled in his hand as he fetched up alongside her, moving to the little post box he shared with Gabriel. "It's good to see you. I feel like everyone's been so busy since the move…"
He pulled out a stack of mail and shuffled through it, though his glances down at the little stack were only cursory. It was clear he had something else on his mind, something that would not be easily cast aside. But he focused on his friend, as was his wont, and willed himself to wait. "How are you settling in?"
"Very well," Isobel replied, grinning wide at the sight of Rafael's familiar face. "We still have a little unpacking to do, and some redecoration, but most things were set up before everyone started making the switch here. Are you liking it all right? Is Gabe?" Her questions were tinged with slight worry, as though someone would find the building or Obed's offer wanting. "You'd let me know if anything was off, right?"
"Of course, of course. But it's really… it's beautiful, Isobel. It even feels different. It's been a very good change for the both of us. We really appreciate what you and Obed have done here." He glanced around the lobby, though there was no reason to now; there was no Stephan to listen and leer, no tenants who had not experienced the same traumas he and his friend had.
"I'm very grateful," he began, his voice lower now in spite of their privacy. "And if you don't want to say more, you don't have to. But at the party… when you said not to worry about Abel anymore… what did you mean, exactly?"
Isobel startled, the question catching her off guard. She glanced around, as though there were someone hidden where they might hear his question and also wonder what she meant.
"Let's... Let's go upstairs." Her hand reached out briefly, as though she were going to take Rafe by the arm; but then it fluttered back to her side, her opposite hand rising to hold the mail between both appendages to keep them busy. "Would you like to see our apartment?" She smiled, as though nothing were amiss; but the expression did not quite meet her eyes.
Rafael nodded. He could read her signs well enough, and he followed her to the elevators without complaint. He motioned for her to enter the glass-and-iron car first, then followed close behind. He was sure they were not being eavesdropped upon—not here, in the building Isobel herself owned—but it still seemed best to make other conversation for the time being.
"I meant to tell you earlier, but the rooftop is really very nice. That's your doing, isn't it? The herb garden in particular is much appreciated."
Isobel immediately and visibly relaxed, flashing a wide smile in his direction. "Oh, really? I'm glad you had a chance to try it out. We're going to add some more chairs, try to... Just make it a nice little place for everyone to relax. It didn't feel like we really had that at Pax, did it?" Mention of the old building brought a tinge of worry back into her voice, but Isobel pushed it away completely as the elevator rose quickly. "If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I'd welcome them. I think... would Freyr like that, too?" The question seemed out of bounds, but with the discussion she'd had earlier with Obed, it didn't seem untoward to bring it up.
"I think he would," Rafe said, his smile bright and sincere.
The elevator arrived at the topmost floor, and Isobel led him onto the landing, toward her apartment door. She opened it, holding the door wide for him to enter the space. Wide and still mostly white, a scattering of boxes remained near the entryway, but furniture were in their assigned places—a dark colored couch, flanked by armchairs, over a warm yellow rug that held a bare wood coffee table. A desk looking out one window over the city's skyline was pushed off into one corner under a set of stairs that led to an upper area, presumably the bedroom. An open kitchen was on the opposite side, all stainless steel and white cabinetry giving it an airy feel.
Rafael gave a low, appreciative whistle. "Very nice," he said. He lingered in the doorway, not wanting to intrude more than was necessary. Given time to think about this line of inquiry he was less sure, now, that it had been wise to bring up. But her comment had eaten at him more and more over time, and he knew he would not be satisfied until he knew what it meant. So he tried to make himself comfortable as best he could; he moved a bit further into the room, and set his mail down on a nearby countertop.
"I hope this kitchen means dinner parties are in our future. I'll gladly lend my services."
Isobel closed the door behind them, leaving it unlocked. Hanni barked from the hidden space, his nails clicking on the wood as he made his descent.
"Of course!" Isobel agreed, looking up at Hanni while agreeing to Rafe. She knelt down, scritching Hanni under the chin. "Hi, baby." She lingered only a moment, wary of ignoring her guest. Hanni followed at her heels as Isobel joined Rafe in the kitchen. She went to the fridge, pulling out a Brita filter pitcher of water. "Sorry to drag you all the way up here. I know I was... cryptic before, I didn't want to ruin the party or make anyone feel uncomfortable. Water?" She filled two glasses, leaving one for Rafe to take or leave as he wanted. Grabbing one herself, she drank and slowly let out a sigh, leaning back against a counter. Hanni moved toward Rafe, sniffing around his feet. Once the conversation proved that he would not receive any further attention, he trotted off toward a doggie bed near one of the windows, more interested in outside happenings.
"Obed and I looked through the tower before we left Pax. We...found some things."
Rafael took the glass gladly, more to busy his hands than out of any real thirst. His tongue passed over his suddenly parched lips. His gaze darted over her face, trying to read any details her expression might give up. His throat felt tight, the air too thick.
"Things?"
Isobel nodded, cupping the glass with her free hand even though the first's grip had not wavered.
"We still don't know exactly what he... the prior owner... was doing up there, but it involved everyone in the building. He was... It had something to do with the deities. I think he wanted to try and take them out? And... I think he had some success. With Abel." She had never known the man, but reading about the things he'd visited on Rafael, Isobel could not feel wholly upset at his eventual demise. Her eyes watched Rafe's face for his reaction, carefully marking her next step in their conversation.
He seemed relieved, first and foremost. The hard line of his shoulders began to ease. Then came the careful consideration. His gaze fell from hers as he thought back over what he had seen of Abel, the presence he had felt in him now and again. He remembered the stairwell, and how similar that beast had felt to the one at the party.
"The wolf," he mumbled. He shook his head, and looked up to meet Isobel's eyes. "So what… what does that mean? Is Abel…"
Rafe did not want to say dead; it was too final, and far too welcome a possibility. He did not dare hope. "Was that what made him so… uh… the way he was? If the wolf is gone…"
"I don't know," Isobel answered truthfully. "I'm not sure that's a question any of us are ready to answer. Just how much influence they have over us.
"But..." She paused, raising the glass of water to her lips and stopping halfway as though staving off the inevitable. "Obed and I found... Tools. They were bloody. I'm fairly certain Abel... He has to be dead, Rafe, I don't know how anyone could live through..." She shuddered, and refocused on the man near her. "And we haven't seen any sign of him for how long? He's gone, Rafe. I hope... I hope that helps you."
That he first felt happy at the thought immediately made him feel guilty. He stood stock still for a time, carefully processing everything that his frantic mind threw at him. Then he gingerly set his glass down on the counter, and swept Isobel up in a rib-squeezing hug. She froze for a moment, then quickly shoved her own glass down and returned the gesture, her hands soft on his shoulder blades.
"Thank you," he whispered. He was shaking, though he did not feel it, himself. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Deal with that. But I'm glad. He's dead. He's never coming back." He squeezed her again, then pulled away, blushing and more than a little embarrassed. At last the thought occurred to him that she might know the whole truth; if Abel's killer had left the tools of the murder lying about, surely he had left other things behind as well. His lips parted, but for a moment words failed him.
"Was there… um. Was there anything else? Or I guess… you probably called the police…"
She shook her head, the movement unfeigned by its quickness. "No, we... I don't know how you explain something like that. And no one knows... no one needs to know." She reached forward to gently take his hand, squeezing it. He breathed an audible sigh of relief.
"The man had files on all of us. Information about our pasts, and our movements in the building. The man... did you know Brent? He... he was another victim." She disliked leaving the label open for use toward Rafe's attacker, but she neither applied it to him. Rafe nodded, his face steadily draining of color. "I don't know if he had... If those files were also kept elsewhere, but we removed them and we have them. We're just... we're not sure what to do with it, yet."
"Burn mine," Rafe said, his voice breaking on just that small whisper. "Please, Isobel, just get rid of it. Quickly. I can't&mdash" His eyes were wet, though to his credit, he let not a single tear fall. "I just started getting all this, myself, together. I can't… I don't want that coming back up. Any of it. Please. Or give it to me and I'll do it."
"If that's what you want," Isobel said, nodding. "We didn't go through everything—there was too much—are you sure you wouldn't want... You wouldn't at least want to look?" Her brow furrowed, watching Rafe's face.
"No." But he paused, then; a thought occurred to him, one he could not shake in spite of his initial aversion to it. He bit his tongue nearly to bleeding to stop himself saying it. When that didn't work, he took up the glass of water once more, silencing himself with a long, steady draught.
"Well…" he said at last, sighing even as he did. "Do you… what if I just took it. I could let Gabe read it. He'd know if there's anything I need to know, right? Not that any of it is anything I could tell my therapist, but maybe it would be good for someone to know. And he should… he should probably know, too. Do you think?"
Isobel started to nod, and then ended with a slight shrug. "I'd certainly talk to him about it, just so he knows... it can be...graphic. But I think if there's anyone who'd be willing to do that, it would be him. I just, I don't want to destroy something that, I don't know, you might want later, or has something in it you need, you know? I haven't gone through it, just through mine. It... It had stuff in it that I'd forgotten, and other things I wish had been left forgotten. They're amazingly thorough. It's creepy how he had so much access to our lives."
She shivered, leaning back on the cupboard as she crossed her arms over her chest. The same small tremor coursed quickly through him. "Whatever you want to do, Rafe. I just wanted you to know, and I'm sorry I was so weird about it." The side of her mouth curved wryly. "I mean, I wasn't exactly sure how to approach this."
Rafael shook his head. "Who could," he said. He huffed a small breath. Setting the glass aside, he threaded his fingers together before him, twisting his hands together again and again. A tangle of thoughts, conflicting almost to the point of causing physical pain, roiled in his head. He shifted on his feet, still mindlessly wringing his hands.
"I… OK. Can I have it? I just want to think about it. And I kind of… I want to know I have it. It's not that I don't trust you, or Obed, but I… I'd just feel better if it was with me. If that's all right."
"No, no, that's perfectly fine," Isobel said. "I don't have the files; they're all digital, but I'll talk to Obed about making you a copy and destroying the original. Like I said, we don't know if they're hosted somewhere else, but... The tower seemed like a very self-contained environment so. I hope they weren't." It wasn't much of a promise, but it was better than a lie that would reassure him all was well, only to have something surface in the future.
"I hope this doesn't put us on poor footing here, in the new building," Isobel said, straightening from the counter. "I just, I wanted to be honest. I don't know how we're going to tell the others—not everyone was around long enough to have something happen to them, but I don't want to discount them either. And we wanted everyone to settle into the new place first before... before we started dredging up everything that happened at Pax."
He stayed still and silent for a moment, as though the torrent information was still sinking in. Then he nodded, passing his tongue over the seam of his lips. "It's not… I don't think you should worry about that, Isobel. I'm glad you told me. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I do appreciate it. And I think… I think this will help me get a better start here. In the new place. I can't just pretend none of that happened. So this could be… I don't know. Closure." His smile was sheepish. "As my therapist would say."
Isobel nodded semi-frantically, the head bobs short and checked. "No, I... I completely understand. My... my ex wouldn't leave me alone while we were at Pax. You met him, briefly. I would want to know if he's still out there or not. But I want the Bradbury to be a good place for everyone, and that means not pretending that we don't know there's bad things going on out there." One hand settled on the counter, rapping nails as she sensed the topic drawing to a close. Rafael nodded, his smile brighter this time, and wholly sincere.
"Anyway, happier things—can I invite you and Gabe over for dinner, maybe next weekend? Obed and I can host."
"I'd like that," Rafe said, quick to latch onto this change of topic. He remembered her ex all too well, and the danger that had come with his foolish naivete. Like so much else that had happened during their time at Pax, it was something he wished he had handled quite differently. But with both of them wanting to put that subject to rest, he only reached out and took her hand, giving it a brief, tight squeeze he hoped would express his understanding, and his sympathies.
"Let us bring something though. Maybe dessert? I've never been particularly good at desserts, but I've been trying some new things..."
Isobel smiled as she shook her head. "Of course you can bring something. Store bought is fine, too, but you're such a wizard in the kitchen that I can't believe you can't make a dessert. Let me talk to Obed and figure out when would work best." The invite left her feeling worlds lighter, especially after such a dark conversation. It felt like things were really, truly, going to go right this time around.