Dangerous to Know & Love (57 page)

“It looks like there’s been a riot here,” whispered Rodney.

Lisanne didn’t know what to say. The police had done a very thorough job of searching the place – and then it had been trashed by people who were looking for something, anything to sell for their next fix.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” said Rodney. “We’ll get some food and go back to your place, Lis, then decide what to do. Okay?”

Lisanne nodded. Any plan that involved getting the hell away sounded good to her.

“Wait for me outside,” said Daniel, quietly.

Back in the fresh air, Lisanne felt a loosening of the claustrophobia that had choked her inside the devastated house, but her head had started to throb and she felt nauseous.

A few minutes later, Daniel followed them out. He was carrying a plastic bag with some of his clothes but very little else.

“They took my guitar,” he said in a hollow voice. “And I checked the garage – Sirona’s gone. Fuck. The place has been left wide open – everything’s gone.”

“Who’s Sirona?” whispered Rodney.

“His Harley.”

Daniel bent down and picked up a half-full bottle of vodka that was lying at his feet.

Lisanne was about to tell him not to drink it when he shoved some sheets of newspaper into the neck and pulled out his lighter.

Flames licked up the paper and Daniel aimed the missile at his home.

“No!” shouted Lisanne, and jogged his arm so he missed his target, and it smashed onto the bonfire, exploding harmlessly.

Rodney looked shocked and completely out of his depth.

“What are you doing?” yelled Lisanne, pulling Daniel around to face her.

“Torching the shithole,” he replied in a dull monotone.

“I think we’d better get him out of here,” Rodney said in a hushed voice.

Lisanne led Daniel to the back of Rodney’s car and pushed him inside. She slid in next to him, holding his hand, staring anxiously at his face. He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.

Keeping her voice quiet out of some sort of atavistic belief that it would calm the wounded in spirit, Lisanne gave Rodney directions to the dorm rooms. They stopped briefly to pick up food, but Daniel didn’t speak again.

Once they arrived, she told Rodney to wait by the fire exit with Daniel, until she could let them in without being seen.

The dorms were quiet and seemingly deserted, but from somewhere, music floated through the empty corridors – happy, upbeat music – the kind you listened to when you hadn’t a care in the world. Lisanne tried to work out where the music was coming from and which rooms might be occupied, but everywhere appeared empty.

She opened the fire exit and motioned Rodney to enter. He pulled a zombie-like Daniel behind him.

Once in her room, Daniel slumped onto her bed and Rodney gazed around him.

“Not bad. Could do with a private bathroom though.”

“Yeah, they’re putting that in all the girls’ dorm rooms for next year. If it wasn’t a requirement for out-of-towners to live on campus for the first year, I think they’d have a lot of empty rooms.”

She looked at Daniel. “Are you hungry?” She walked toward him and tapped his arm. “Are you hungry?”

He shook his head. “Tired.”

“You should sleep. Do you want to get a shower first? There’s hardly anyone around – I could wait outside, make sure no one walks in on you.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Lisanne poked her head around the door and escorted him to the women’s showers. Her eyes drifted down his body as he undressed, and she saw that his bruises had turned yellow and were beginning to fade. That was something. But he looked so tired.

His shower was brief, probably because he’d have fallen asleep if he’d stayed any longer. He dried himself with Lisanne’s towel and pulled on his jeans. He grimaced at the grubby t-shirt and walked back to her room barefoot and bare chested.

Rodney had made inroads on the food, but she saw him trying not to stare as they walked back in. Lisanne threw him a look, and his eyes dropped to his egg roll.

Daniel seemed marginally more awake and accepted some of the food, but his eyelids were drooping. Lisanne knew he needed to sleep but she
had
to ask.

“What happened?”

Daniel sighed and pushed his food away. Lisanne immediately felt guilty.

“I got back from your place. I hadn’t got any money for a cab so I’d walked from the bridge. I’d just pulled out my door key when the cops showed up. I got arrested and spent two days in a police cell before I got bail.”

Lisanne gasped. “What were you arrested for? You hadn’t even been there!”

His head dropped. “Zef’s going down. They wouldn’t even give him bail. It’s a felony – intent to distribute.” His voice was hollow as he recited the bare facts. “He could get up to 10 years.”

He rubbed his head, tiredly.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Daniel shook his head. “I needed my phone call for the lawyer. I thought about asking her to get a message to you…”

“But…?”

“You don’t need to be involved in anymore of my shit, Lis.”

She groaned with frustration. That was
so
like him! By trying to protect her, he’d scared the shit out of her.

“What about your guitar?” she said in as calm a tone as she could muster. “What about Sirona? Will you report them stolen?”

“No point. They’ll be long gone.”

“You can claim on the insurance,” Rodney added helpfully.

Daniel just stared at him, and Rodney’s cheeks flushed.

“So that’s it?” said Lisanne. “They took everything?”

“Yeah, laptop, CDs – fuck even most of my clothes.”

“What about your schoolwork?”

He tapped his hip pocket. “Got that backed up on a flash drive. And my music.”

Rodney frowned but didn’t offer any more asinine advice.

“Baby doll, I know you’ve got more questions, but I really need to sleep now,” he said, staring longingly at Lisanne’s bed. “Can we talk in the morning?”

“Of course,” she said softly, moving the boxes of food so he could lie down.

He caught her hand and pulled her toward him.

“I’m so fucking happy you’re here,” he whispered. “It makes it hurt less.”

He leaned his head against her waist then stood up slowly. Giving her a small smile, he dropped his jeans and slid down between the sheets and rolled onto his side.

Lisanne bent down to kiss him, but he was already asleep.

Rodney motioned something, hissing in a stage whisper, and Lisanne raised her eyebrows. “He can’t hear you.”

“Oh, God, sorry. I keep forgetting. Jeez, all this makes my problems seem pretty damn pathetic.”

“I know what you mean.”

“I had no idea this thing with his brother was so serious. Sounds like he’ll do time.”

“Yes, I think so. Maybe it’s for the best.”

“At least he spoke up for Daniel.”

Lisanne’s reply was bitter. “That was the least he could do.”

Rodney chewed slowly. “What will Daniel do now?”

“I don’t know. Find somewhere to live. Try and go to school. He’s got a job lined up at an auto repair shop. I hope he doesn’t drop out because of all this. He’s really smart. He helps me with my math and everything.”

Rodney choked on his chow mein. “What?! I tried to do that for years and didn’t get anywhere. He must be good.”

“He’s great,” she said, sadly.

“Hot, too,” added Rodney.

Lisanne laughed a little. “Yeah, hot, too.”

“You know, except for the windows, it wouldn’t be too hard to fix up his place enough to make it livable. Your dad isn’t too bad at all that stuff. Do you think he’d help? We’ve got ten days.”

Lisanne suddenly felt energized. “God, I could kiss you!” she said, leaping to her feet. “I’m sure mom and dad would want to help. Harry, too.” Then her face fell. “But the windows still a problem. There’s no way Daniel would be able to pay for that and I can’t ask my parents…”

“We’ll figure something out. Look, phone your folks – tell them Daniel’s okay and we’ll sleep on it. Well, you go sleep with your fabulous, hot,
naked
boyfriend and I’ll tuck myself into this lonely little single all by my lonesome, and dream of tight butts and lickable biceps.”

“Oh my God,” said Lisanne, “you sound just like Kirsty. It must be that bed.”

She phoned her parents and although they were shocked by what she told them, they promised to be there by lunchtime the following day.

For the first time in several days, Lisanne allowed herself to hope as she curled up next to Daniel.

He slept for 14 hours, solidly. He’d been so still, Lisanne had even prodded him to make sure he was breathing. He’d sighed softly, which reassured her.

“He probably didn’t sleep much in the cop shop,” said Rodney. “I know I wouldn’t want to.” He shuddered.

“No, I guess not.” She chewed her lip for a moment then stood up. “I’m going to put some laundry in for him – not that he has much left in the way of clothes.”

“What was he saying about his guitar? I didn’t get that.”

Lisanne sighed. “He was a musician. Like me. He started losing his hearing when he was 14. And he wrote the most amazing music. I sing four of his songs in the band. It’s horrible, what’s happened to him.”

“Thank God he found you,” said Rodney, too quietly for Lisanne to hear.

Lisanne went to load Daniel’s laundry while Rodney stayed in the room. He was surprised when she stomped back, her face furious.

“What’s up now?”

“I found this!” she said, tossing a piece of paper onto Kirsty’s bed.

Rodney picked it up. “Huh. A woman’s phone number. Lis, he must get given things like this all the time.”

“But why did he keep it?” she seethed.

“He has been rather preoccupied,” said Rodney, raising his eyebrows. “But if you’re that worried about it you can ask him when he wakes up.”

Lisanne huffed but didn’t argue. She stomped back out of the room and came back 40 minutes later with Daniel’s clean clothes.

“Still no sign of life,” said Rodney, affably. “But I think you’d better wake him up so we can meet your folks at his place.”

Lisanne stroked Daniel’s cheek and watched his eyelids flutter open.

“Hey, baby doll,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I was dreaming about you.”

Behind her, she heard Rodney’s theatrical sigh.

“Nice dream?”

“Fucking amazing,” he said with a smile. “If it had been anyone else but you who woke up me, I’d have been pissed.”

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Oh, hey, Rodney. Forgot you were there, man.”

“It happens a lot,” Rodney replied, waspishly.

Daniel grinned.

“Better put some clothes on,” Lisanne reminded him, and tossed him his clean jeans and t-shirt.

“Fuck, you are an amazing woman,” said Daniel, gratefully.

Rodney averted his eyes while Daniel swung out of bed and pulled on his jeans, tucking his semi inside.

“We’re really going to have to get you some underwear,” commented Lisanne.

“Spoilsport,” Rodney muttered to himself.

“Is there any of that Chinese left?” asked Daniel as he stretched, dragging on his t-shirt.

“Some. Or we could go out for breakfast.”

“I’ll take whatever’s left,” said Daniel, eyeing the food hungrily.

He started eating with a vengeance while Lisanne explained to him about her parents coming to help. He stopped with the chopsticks half way to his mouth.

“They’re coming here?”

“Of course,” said Lisanne. “They want to help.”

“Why?” Daniel was genuinely puzzled.

“Because they
care
about you, you dope!”

“Oh,” said Daniel, still unsure. “Okay, thanks.”

“Um, there’s something else,” said Lisanne, fingering the note she’d found in Daniel’s jeans. “What’s this?”

He frowned and then his face cleared. “Oh yeah. Some chick I met at the hearing clinic. She’d just had the CI. Wanted to swap notes.” He rolled his eyes.

Rodney winked at Lisanne, a relieved smile on his face.

Daniel carried on eating.

“You never said why they arrested you.”

Rodney groaned audibly as Daniel sighed, and dropped the chopsticks.

“I had nearly an ounce of dope in my room. They were trying to say it was possession with intent to distribute, but my lawyer bargained it down to personal use. That’s a misdemeanor – incarceration for up to a year.”

He looked at Lisanne and shrugged, which fired both her anxiety and irritation.

“Why did you have the drugs, Daniel? I mean, I’ve never seen you… not with me…”

He gave her a small smile. “Zef brought it to hospital – sort of a ‘get well soon and get your lazy ass out of here’ present. I shoved it under my bed and forgot about it.” He shrugged. “Zef told the cops the same thing, so my lawyer says I could get off.”

His casual tone pushed Lisanne over the edge of her carefully sewn together composure.

“What the hell, Daniel? We’re supposed to be together, and you keep all of this from me? Zef gave it to you while you were
in hospital!
That was two weeks ago! And you never mentioned it! What does that say about our relationship?”

She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Rodney turned his gaze on Daniel, who looked equally furious.

“I’m protecting her from all this shit!” Daniel spat out.

“She doesn’t want to be protected – she wants to
help
you.”

“She can’t.”

“She can help if you share how you’re feeling. Jeez, Daniel!”

“All the shit she’s been through because of me. I don’t even know why she’s still here.”

Rodney sighed in exasperation. “Because she loves you, you asshole!”

Daniel’s eyes widened slightly and he sat back silently.

“And I think you love her.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “She’s everything.”

“Then
tell
her. Jeez, you two… I don’t know which one of you is worse. Damn it, I’ve been
out
for precisely two days and you’ve got me doing a Dr. Phil or Ricki Lake or something. Give me a break!” He twitched his shoulders in an impatient gesture.

Daniel grinned. “Ricki Lake?”