Read Online Hair in All The Wrong Places by Andrew Buckley - Free Book Online Page B

hadn’t realized that he’d started drifting from Becca who was following the light from her flashlight. The grass was long and spotted with spiny shrubs, but Colin could make everything out just fine.
    â€œI have good night vision?”
    â€œYou have amazing night vision. Can you see the forest?”
    To Colin’s surprise, he could. The far edge of the field they had entered ended in a bank of trees that stretched off in either direction. “Yes, it’s at the end of this field.”
    â€œThat’s amazing. Have you always been able to do that?”
    â€œUh, no … well, yeah.”
    â€œI love a straight answer, Colin.”
    As they made their way across the field, Colin weaved easily to avoid shrubs, and Becca carefully picked her way through and still occasionally got tangled. Colin could make something out toward the west. He could just see an open area at the edge of the forest, surrounded by four large yet dark floodlights.
    â€œLook over there.”
    â€œColin, I can barely see my hand in front of my face.”
    â€œIt’s the crime scene. Come on.”
    Colin grabbed Becca’s hand and led her through the field in the right direction. Reaching the caution tape, Colin hesitated. He’d seen cop shows; you weren’t supposed to do this. It was wrong. It was illegal. The tape was bright yellow with big words that read
caution
for a good reason.
    Becca ducked under the tape and began scanning the area with her flashlight.
    Maybe she doesn’t watch TV?
    Colin threw caution to the wind and entered the crime scene. It was weird to think he was standing close to where someone he knew, or at least someone who had beaten him up, had died.
    The fog was very light in the clearing, almost nonexistent. The clouds began to break, and Colin could see the moon. The same uncomfortable sensation that had preceded his earlier migraines began to creep up his spine.
Oh no. Not now!
    His body no longer fit easily inside his skin, and his muscles began to tense. Until … it stopped.
    The crime scene exploded in a wave of clarity as Colin breathed deeply through his nose. He could pinpoint the location of the attack, easily picking out where all the blood spatters converged in one place. There was a trail of blood where Sam must have been dragged into the trees. Colin could literally see the blood … or smell it? He couldn’t decide. All he knew was that he could perceive everything in bright vibrant washes of color, in the dark without a flashlight.
    The world wasn’t dark to him. He could see Becca examining the area with a flashlight. She looked beautiful. Colin could hear her heart beating like a drum. And he could smell her, her happiness at being out at night and doing something she probably shouldn’t be.
    Faintly, Colin caught a whiff of something else. Another smell. Familiar, but … not good. Something dangerous.
    â€œIt looks like they cleaned everything up. I don’t see anything,” said Becca. “How about you? Picking anything up with your super night vision?” She smiled and shone the flashlight directly into his face. She looked surprised. “Colin, what’s wrong with your eyes? They’re—”
    â€œBecca Emerson and Colin Strauss. What are you two doing here?” Colin and Becca jumped as Gareth Dugan marched out of the forest carrying a flashlight. Colin could smell waves of anger coming from him.
    â€œGareth, what are you doing here?” said Becca.
    â€œInteresting pairing. Would never have guessed you were into the dark and brooding type, Colin. But then I wouldn’t have though that you’d be into the weak loser type either, Becca.”
    â€œGareth, you’re an idiot,” said Becca.
    â€œThat’s your opinion. And it’s wrong.”
    Something about Gareth was off. Way off. He didn’t smell completely human, although Colin couldn’t necessarily tell what human