Spring Break

Chapter 9

Neal's loft. Thursday night. March 31, 2005.

Neal Caffrey dropped his backpack on the floor just inside his loft when he got home. For his Computational Art class he had a heavy text book and his laptop to lug around, and it was a physical and mental relief to shed that burden.

"Hey, roomie!"

Neal blinked in surprise at the familiar voice. It was Henry Winslow — cousin, unofficial older brother, someone he'd described to Peter as a "force of chaos." Henry was sitting on the sofa, drinking a beer.

"Early flight?" Neal asked. "I thought you'd be landing about now."

"Decided to drive, instead. Easier to manage the luggage." He nodded toward three suitcases beside the fireplace.

Three suitcases? What was he planning to do for the next week? Move in?

"And June said she needed me for something on Friday, so I thought getting in earlier and catching a full night's sleep would be best."

Odd that June hadn't mentioned anything about that to Neal. On the other hand, she'd been busy recently, making plans for another remodeling project, and he'd been absorbed in projects of his own. In fact, it felt like he'd been running all day, right up until his class, and then had rushed home. He poured a glass of water for himself and then sat in the chair next to the sofa.

"Not wine?"

"Not tonight." Neal toed off his shoes, and then put his feet up on the coffee table. "So, umm, about the 'roomie' part... You don't have to sleep on my sofa, you know. June has a spare bedroom down the hall ready for you."

Henry nodded but then rambled on about their past adventures, those four years from the time Neal turned eighteen until he was twenty-two, when they'd roamed the country making their way as con artists and musicians. Sometimes they slept in Henry's car, but they got good at convincing hotels they had a reservation and sneaking a free night's stay. If the room only had one bed, a coin toss decided who had to sleep on the floor.

They'd had some fun along the way, but Neal was glad to have a steady job and a place of his own now. He glanced at his bed and yawned.

"Am I boring you?" Henry asked.

Neal shook his head. "Sorry. Haven't been sleeping well, lately."

"What's wrong?" Henry asked. He had a master's degree in psychology. Of course he jumped to the conclusion that stress or some other problem was giving Neal sleepless nights.

Neal shrugged. "I think something's up with the furnace. It's been too cold the last few nights, and I keep waking up. I'll grab an extra blanket tonight, and then tomorrow I'll mention it to June."

"Good idea." Henry stood and grabbed two of his suitcases. "Same guest room I used before?"

"Yeah." Neal picked up the third suitcase. "This way."

Friday morning. April 1, 2005.

June's chef set up a breakfast buffet in the dining room. Henry hid a yawn as he loaded his plate. He hadn't slept as well as he had on prior visits.

Neal savored a cup of coffee and asked his landlady, "Did you say the contractors will be here today?"

"That's right," she confirmed. "But it's just for the final measurements. They're finishing another project and won't start work here for another week."

"Do you think they could look at the vents in my loft? For some reason the bedroom area gets much colder than the rest of the space."

"Of course I can ask them to take a look. Why didn't you mention it earlier?"