Winter's Peril

Chapter 6

The following day, Louis was let out of the hospital. He knew that Harry would take him back to his home and he felt frightened. He didn't want to enter the house, the shock still lurked in his body. Louis stared out the window of Harry's car while they drove back to Mahone Bay. They were a long way from the town as the hospital was a couple of miles away. There was a slight awkwardness in the car as Louis stayed silent. Sometimes Harry's eyes would flick over to Louis to check on him.

"I'm sorry," Louis muttered, staring at his hands. Harry frowned and wondered what he could possibly be sorry for.

"Why?"

Louis took in a deep breath, looking forward to the endless road ahead of them. "For putting all of this onto you. You shouldn't have to deal with my problems."

Harry's head whipped over to look at him for a split second. "Louis, you have no reason to say that. Your husband was hurt and you needed help. Don't apologise for that."

Louis nodded before keeping silent again.

The rest of the journey was kept in a relatively awkward silence. It made Harry feel a little uncomfortable. Louis' quietness wasn't like how he usually was, well from the short time that he had known him for. However, Harry knew how hard it was when you lost someone close to you.

The familiar sign of Mahone Bay soon came into view. Five minutes later, they pulled up at Louis' house. A hoard of police cars surrounded the house and their lights painted the walls with a light blue and red colour. Louis remained reticent when he caught sight of the house.

A few officers glanced at the car parking behind the other vehicles. Harry finally switched the engine off, drenching them in silence. "Will you be okay by yourself?"

Louis' head quickly turned to him, looking slightly insecure. "Why aren't you coming with me?"

"They may not let me inside, it's not my house."

"Please come," Louis whispered and Harry nodded.

"Okay."

Together, they stepped out of the car and trod through the white snow. The snow had stopped now but the cold weather wouldn't melt it anytime soon.

As soon as they got close to the house, some officers spotted them. Harry noticed the two detectives from earlier talking to someone. It took them a few seconds to see them and immediately they stopped their conversation. Detective Malik stayed behind while Detective Payne came up to them.

Louis curled into himself when the detective approached. He glanced at the house behind him and he frowned to himself. Yellow tape surrounded the house and already it looked like they had put up tags in the house.

"Hello Mr Cecilio and Mr Styles, I presume you are here to collect your things. Only Mr Cecilio will be allowed in the house," he said, taking a look at Harry. "An officer will escort you while you go around the house. We can only let you into the bedroom because the house is currently a crime scene as you know," Detective Payne explained.

Louis nodded as he stared at the white snow on the ground. Mud from the officer's shoes smothered the ground. The once perfect snow was now dusted with imperfections.

"I'll see you in the car," Harry muttered and Louis nodded again, not looking up from his spot on the floor. Harry only twisted his mouth to the side before heading to his car.

Louis followed behind the detective until he got to the front door of his house. The sunlight shone through to give a little brightness. Even with the light, the house was still enclosed in darkness. He couldn't bear to walk into the house, the image of his husband on the floor still resonated in his head. Just stepping through the door made him feel miserable. The white tape on the floor had been imprinted on his mind.