Crossing Over

Chapter 12

As they pulled away from the house Andra's head was spinning with all the information Conrad had given them. Searching through his notes she could see that much of what was written here they had already discussed today. On the back, page was a description of the crime scene. She gave it a cursory glance her mind already somewhere else running through different possibilities and theories about Savannah's death.

As she prepared to move on her eyes were drawn to a line in the center of the page. She reread it twice to make sure she hadn't misunderstood. Her stomach clenched as the realization of it struck her.

Suddenly the inside of the car felt too small and claustrophobic. There just wasn't enough air in the tiny cramped space and she couldn't catch her breath. The world started to swim in shades of grey and she was afraid she was in real danger of passing out. She became aware of Cameron speaking to her. Trying desperately to stop the waves of dizziness that were washing over her she covered her eyes before answering.

"I need you to pull over. I think I'm going to be sick."

As Cameron pulled the car to the road's soft edge, Andra threw the door open and stumbled out into the cool, late afternoon air.

The first crickets were starting to chirp and frogs croaked loudly nearby as she dropped to her knees in the middle of the narrow dirt drive, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes as the first warm tears began to fall.

She heard the driver's door as he threw it open and then the sound of the gravel shifting and sliding under his weight as he approached. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees beside her pulling her into his arms. The fear and anxiety consumed her and she leaned against him and began to sob in earnest. He held her, smoothing her long hair as she cried herself out. They knelt like that together for several moments after she had begun to calm down. Cameron was the first to break the silence.

"Talk to me, An? What's going on?"

It wasn't cold, but she shivered as she pulled away from him. Wiping her eyes, she took a deep shaky breath before speaking.

"I've seen her." She answered flatly.

He stared at her for a long moment, not comprehending. "You've seen who?" He asked cautiously.

Her eyes met his but he didn't look away.

"I've seen Savannah."

She watched his face intently, trying her best to decipher what was going through his head but his expression betrayed nothing.

"What do you mean you've seen her?"

Without a word, she stood, dusting gravel from her jeans. Offering a hand to him he intertwined his fingers with hers and gave her a little smile before standing. He let her lead him to the open passenger door where she knelt to pick up the papers scattered across the floor of the Jeep.

Running on autopilot now Andra sifted through them quickly pulling the one she had been looking for and handing it to Cameron.

She watched in silence as his eyes danced across the page, already knowing exactly what it said. In a neat looping hand, Conrad had described the crime scene in exquisite detail. He had been very thorough even describing the clothing Savannah had been wearing when they found her body. It was this description that had caused her reaction.

Cameron looked up at her, his eyes searching her face.

"It says there that she was wearing a Hard Rock Cafe tee shirt and shorts when they found her body. It's what she was wearing when I saw her."

She studied his face closely not sure what he was thinking and desperately wishing he would say something. She was very aware of how insane it all sounded and she felt incredibly exposed having confided in him about it.

"When did you see this?" He asked quietly.

She recounted her nightmare from the night before only now, she was fairly sure it had been no dream. She told him about how her house had changed and about the strange bedroom she had seen. Last, she told him about the girl at the top of the stairs who she now knew to be Savannah Miles. He listened intently to it all, never interrupting.

When she finished, she was shaking and her palms felt slick. Rubbing them anxiously on her jeans she struggled to get her feelings in check. His expression was still indecipherable and she couldn't imagine what he must think of her.

When he finally spoke, there was tenderness in his voice.

"Andra, why didn't you tell me this was going on?"

"Let's see how should I start that conversation?" She said sarcastically. "Hi, Cameron, I really like you so I just thought you should know I'm seeing dead girls in my sleep. Hope it doesn't freak you out too much."

Sliding a finger under her chin, he tipped her face up to his. "Listen to me." He said quietly. "You are beautiful, intelligent, and funny. Maybe we haven't known each other that long but I've known you long enough to know I trust you. There's probably a reasonable explanation, but I don't think you imagined it and I don't think you're crazy."

A small sob escaped her throat at that as she tried to choke back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. She hadn't realized until that moment how afraid she had been that he wouldn't believe her.

"Whatever this is," he told her, "we will figure it out together, and I'll be right here with you every step of the way. We'll work this out. I promise."

She nodded as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her into him. He smelled of soap and something earthy that made her think of the woods she used to play in as a little girl. She buried her head in his chest letting the warmth of him soothe her as he pressed his lips to her hair. For the first time in days, she felt safe.

Standing like that, on the roadside with the sun just starting to sink below the horizon neither moved until the ringing of Andra's cell phone cut through the silence like a knife, causing both of them to jump.

"I had better get that. It's my mom." She said reluctantly, turning away from him to answer the familiar ringtone.

Denise was calling to find out if they were going to make it back for dinner. After checking the time, Andra assured her that they would be a few minutes late, but they would be there.

Hanging up the phone, she turned back to Cameron but whatever moment had passed between the two was over. The spell was broken.

"So, I guess we should get you back?"

"Probably so, if not my mom will have the local police starting a search party."

Climbing into the passenger seat, she began to gather together the mass of papers she had scattered so clumsily and slid them neatly back into her bag.  Cameron started the car and headed for Inglewood. Settling herself in for the ride she stared out the window into the coming night.  They rode back to town in complete silence, both of them lost in thought.