The X-Philes

Chapter 2

Dan flipped his work cellphone closed and placed it back in his belt.

"What did they say?"

"They're sending local detectives and a crime scene unit to sweep the property."

"And?"

"As punishment for my little stunt, I'm stuck on this case until it's solved."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Phil asked.

"I don't know."

Dan turned away and Phil walked around to the front yard to wait for the police to arrive.

Phil felt his eyes welling up with tears and unabashedly blinked to let them spill. He had known Martyn was dead. He had known. But somehow, he had hoped that his "gift" was wrong. That he was mistaken. It didn't really feel like a gift right now. It felt like a curse.

Phil's family had known from a young age that Phil was different- something that he didn't seem to share with anyone else in his family. He'd always felt lucky that his family believed him, especially Martyn.

And what was Martyn talking about in his letter? Martyn worked as a lawyer, and Phil knew that some cases Martyn took on could be potentially dangerous, but dangerous enough to get him killed? What had Martyn stepped into while Phil was away? Or, actually, according to Martyn's letter, this had been going on since before the brothers parted ways. Phil didn't understand.

Dan walked around to the front of the house as well.

Phil was glad he wasn't alone in this, but he didn't know Dan at all. There were so many other people he'd rather be caught up in this with, all of them not strangers he'd met only hours before.

Phil didn't understand.

Dan didn't speak.

When the Massachusetts State Police arrived Phil followed Dan to introduce himself and speak to the lead detective.

"We'll take a look around, but it doesn't seem as if we'll find anything."

"Thank you, sir," Dan replied.

"Tell me about this letter you found."

Dan showed him the letter.

"The address on there is my mother's, sir."

The lead detective looked at him deep in thought.

"You know I'm going to have to bring you boys in if we do find something."

"I understand that, sir. But please, if you clear us, I'd like to follow up on this lead."

"You know that's not up to me."

"I know sir, but I was hoping you'd be able to put a word in when you call- if you find anything."

The lead detective placed a hand on Dan's shoulder and moved past him to check in with his other detectives and crime scene crew.

"What does he mean?" Phil asked, using the sleeve of his sweatshirt to wipe the tears from his face.

"If they find that this is in fact an active crime scene, then this note becomes evidence, and since this note contains an address in a different state, that makes it federal jurisdiction."

"What, like the FBI?" Phil asked, shocked.

"Yeah," Dan nodded.

"So if it's in their hands, then you don't have a right to the case?"

"Mhm."

"But sometimes they use the help of local detectives right? So maybe you can stay on as a consultant or something?"