Frozen Read Online Free PDF

had seen each other. Gabriel cast an apathetic eye in his direction. Adam grimaced his sympathy and murmured, “If there's anything I can do...” Gabriel's gaze returned to the floor, his face expressionless.
    “Harry?” Adam sounded as though he was talking to someone else, someone far distant. “ Harry ?”
    I looked up tiredly. His face was etched with concern. “What next?” It came out like a conspiratorial whisper; he did not want to disturb Gabriel.
    “Car,” Gabriel croaked.
    I had forgotten about that already. Reminded, I groaned. It seemed so cruel to have things to do . I was so weary. All I wanted was silence, and a featureless piece of floor to stare at. “Car,” I echoed. Adam waited while I gathered myself, showing none of the exasperation I am sure I would have felt in his position. Finally I explained that we had to collect Verity's car from the pound.
    “Okay. I'll drive you down there, Gabriel.”
    “Gabriel can't drive,” I muttered sullenly.
    “Well, I'll drive it, then, and you can take the BMW. We'll go in convoy. Where am I taking it?”
    I looked to Gabriel for an answer, but he was lost somewhere. I sighed again. “Best get it to London. Deal with it later.”
    Gabriel showed no reaction at all.
    A new awareness pressed down on me: I was going to have to do everything. Gabriel was all but paralysed, and if he wasn't capable of sorting out Verity's life, then who else was going to do it but me? He was her family, all of it, and although she had countless friends, not many were truly close; most were more like partners in fun, and not one had known her anywhere near as long as I had. And the practicalities: the rent to be settled, her tenancy cancelled; bills and contracts to be dealt with, services to be cut off; her possessions… what to do with her possessions? The burden was inevitably mine, just as the horror was, and the grief that I knew would eventually come.
    Adam came across and sat next to me, surveyed the patch of floor I was staring at, put a hand on my shoulder. “I'll do it,” he said quietly.
    “It's not just the car, Ads—” My voice cracked.
    He squeezed my shoulder. “I didn't mean just the car, Harry.” There was nothing to say. Instead, I concentrated on not crying. He sensed my difficulty, slapped my shoulder and stood briskly. “I hate to say it, though, but the car does still need fetching.” He was right, of course. Time to be responsible. I stood, heavily, and drew myself up as tall as I felt able.
    Adam smiled at me, and then grimaced and gestured at Gabriel with his eyes. It took me a moment to understand what he meant. Gabriel was the real problem. He was still staring at the floor. His lips were working, as though he was trying to find words to whisper to himself.
    “Gabriel?” I said. He didn't look up. “Gabriel? Will you be all right?”
    He blinked hard and looked up at me. His expression seemed carved into his skin: soulful, wise, careworn. His deep-set eyes held no clue to his thoughts. “You're a good man, Harry,” he said. “Verity was fond of you.” He stared at me for a moment, and then drifted away again. Adam spread his arms helplessly.
    “Gabriel?” I urged. “Go home for a few days. The hospital will let you know what's going on. I will; I'll call you. You need some rest. There's nothing you can do.”
    “Harry's right, Gabriel,” Adam said.
    “I'll give you money for the train,” I added. “Will you go back to Oxford? Go and get a few nights' sleep. You need it.”
    Suddenly, he stood. Then, painfully, he straightened himself. His gaze glittered. “Don't patronise me, Harry.” His voice was cold, and addressed solely to me. His eyes glowed darkly, and his face tightened; I could see the blood pulsing in his neck and jaw. “I'm no use here. I'll go. I don't need money.” Verity had told me that he had a fierce temper, but I had never seen it before. It was a little scary. His posture relaxed slightly, and he smiled