A red tainted Silence (81 page)

I glared at him and finished drying off, then tossed my towel at him when he tossed my boxers at me. I put them on and got myself decent just as Jenn walked in with a tray.

“Excellent timing,” she said, nodding toward my bed. “Hop in.”

“Two seconds earlier, you wouldn’t have said that,” Lee said, taking the tray from her.

“Miss something?” she teased.

“Not much.”

“Good thing you’re holding that tray,” I told Lee as I settled into bed. I lay against the pillows, feeling totally wiped out yet curiously lighter. “Thanks,” I said as Lee set the tray down. I took a deep breath. “What is it?”

“Chicken stew, and you will eat every bite,” Jenn said.

“Yes, Mom.” I took a bite and sighed. “Heavenly.” Even if it did have chicken in it.

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Jeff walked in and handed Lee a bowl. Lee nodded his thanks and sat on the chair next to the bed. “So,” he said, dipping his spoon into his bowl. “What did the cops say about the girl?”

I took another bite. “I don’t remember,” I said, realizing that was true. I didn’t remember.

“What girl?” Jeff said. I looked up at the edge in his voice.

“The girl who was with my captor one day ...” My voice trailed off as the fire lit in his eyes. I glanced at Lee.

He said, “Nick was telling me about when he was kidnapped, about the girl who came in and saw him.”

Jeff reached for the phone and began to dial. “You never told Detective Anderson about any girl, Nicholas.” I stared at him, then Lee and Jenn. Jeff held up on finger. “Kevin? Jeff here. I think you need to come over. Yes, right now.” Jeff glanced at me. “Nick’s remembered something about his captivity. Yes. There was a girl there. Yeah, it might have been her. No, he’s not going anywhere. Thanks.”

“Was that Detective Anderson?” Jenn asked. I hadn’t known his first name either.

My bodyguard nodded as he put down the phone, and though every muscle in his body was tense, he couldn’t hide the light of excitement in his eyes. I began to shake; I couldn’t help it. I stared at him in disbelief. Lee put his bowl down and sat next to me on the bed, put his arm around me.

I found my voice. “What are you saying? I didn’t tell him? I didn’t remember about her before now?” Oh, my God, how could I have forgotten that? Why hadn’t I remembered before now?

“No, this is the first we’ve heard about a female being there. Kevin interviewed a girl some said your captor had been seen with in town, but she claimed she didn’t know anything. Nicholas, I think you may just have given us what we need to find your captor’s patron. If we’re right, we could be one giant step closer to finding out who’s really behind this. This could be the step. We could be closer to helping Brandon.” Then my bodyguard did something he rarely did. He smiled.

480

Carolyn Gray

It was so hard to sleep that night. Or, at least, I thought it would be. After everyone but Lee left, he tucked me into bed, like I was a young boy again.

“Close your eyes, Nick.”

“I’m not sure I can.”

He chuckled. “Try. It’s going to be an early start tomorrow, so you’ll need your rest.

You’re beat.”

I hesitated. “I always am, Lee. Tired, I mean.”

“You’re just worn down ...”

I shook my head, then sighed, closing my eyes and pressing my face into my pillow. I was too tired to explain to him what kind of tired I was. A deep-seated, seemingly permanent tired. I’d called the hospital to check on Brandon, hoping he was awake, but had talked to Nurse Goodall instead. She told me Brandon was fine, had woken up for just a few minutes, and that his new bodyguard was in place. I’d frowned at that, but Mutt had felt sick after eating some hospital food, so he’d called in a replacement for the night and hadn’t left until the new guy had arrived. That made me feel a little better. I’d have to check on Mutt in the morning. It wasn’t like him to get sick.

Everyone else had left the hospital, too, including Brandon’s parents and his brother, who promised to be back early the next morning. I nodded at that. Good.

“Lie down with me, Lee.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Please?” I opened my eyes as he got into the bed. I turned onto my side.

“Don’t tell Brandon about this,” he warned.

“He wouldn’t mind. Now, if it were Jon --”

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“Jon has the hots for you?”

I eyed him. “You know perfectly well he does.”

Lee’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No, honestly. I didn’t know. He’s got Amanda -- He’s not bi, is he?”

“No, I don’t think so. He just adores me, that’s all. Always has.” I grinned sappily at Lee, but sobered again. He turned onto his side, propped his head on his hand, reached out, and touched my nose.

“You are adorable. But what’s wrong, Nick? You should be excited about this breakthrough, but you look ... sad.”

“I am sad.” I sighed. “And tired. And weak. I’m so damn weak. I worry that ...” I paused. I was talking about Lee’s life here, too. “I worry I won’t be able to come back after this. Not like I was before. I’m worried I can’t handle being on the road anymore.” He gave me a quirky grin, then rolled onto his back and reached for the remote and turned off the lights. He turned to face me. The night was clear, and the moon shined on us through the window, watching over me. I love the moon. Ever since I was a little boy, as long as the moon was out I felt safe, even in the dark.

I’d go outside at night, when the whole house was asleep, and look up at her, shining down on me, and thank her for taking care of me. During my captivity, nighttime was the only time I dared move my blindfold. The single window into my prison let her in for a brief time each night, but her beams never quite reached my crate. Still, I’d felt comfort from her presence, and on those nights she kept me company, I felt a little deeper sense of hope.

I am a moonchild, Brandon a child of the sun. That’s what one article about us had claimed. We’d laughed, but really it was pretty damn accurate. But it’d been a long, long time since he’d felt his sun’s warmth, and it frightened me that he might never again. There was so much going on in that head of his that could hurt him, and I didn’t know how to fight it. I feared I wasn’t strong enough.

I feared he wasn’t strong enough.

“Ever thought that’s okay, Nicholas? It’s a new chapter for you both. You had Dream.

You had -- have -- a successful solo career. And now Brandon is back, you guys can dictate what the future will be. You know you could even quit --” I gasped at that, knowing he’d expect that. “Blasphemy, Lee!” His laugh shook the bed. “I know you won’t quit. You just need time to recover, Nicholas. But it can be different now. After all, you are getting older--”

“Said the man still in his twenties.”

“Barely,” he said wryly. “But you know whatever happens, I’ll be there for you. If you do choose to quit, I don’t want you worrying about the rest of us.” 482

Carolyn Gray

“I’ll always worry about you guys. And I won’t quit, Lee. It’ll just be different. I can’t tour like that anymore. I can’t -- I can’t ask Brandon to, either. I don’t think he could handle it.”

“If that turns out to be the case, then you’ll figure out what to do. I think you’ve got many years of music left in you. I sure hope so, anyway.” He paused. “You know, Nick, I never told you this, but its been a true honor to be your bassist all these years. You’ve made my life richer than I ever thought it could be, and no, I’m not talking about money, either.

For a kid whose dad feared I’d be dead before I hit thirty, I’ve done pretty good. Because of you. Thank you.”

I smiled in the dark. I didn’t know what to say, but sometimes, I think, the simplest response is the best. “You’re welcome, Lee.”

“We’d best get some rest. I’ll watch over you until you’re asleep.” I closed my eyes and smiled again. “You always have.”

“And I always will. Watch over the both of you.” If I thought sleep would elude me, I was wrong. Bathed by the moon’s loving beams, and Lee’s friendship, I drifted into my dreams.

* * * * *

“Nervous?” Lee asked as Mutt parked the SUV. Lee and Jon sat in the back, Lee having decided to come with us. “Just in case,” he’d said when we left the house. Just in case of what, I didn’t want to imagine. I was just grateful he was there. Strength.

I nodded as I looked at the police station and undid my seat belt. The clear night had given way to snow flurries and it was cold. At least, I thought that’s why I was shivering.

Margaret had watched the weather forecast this morning and reported two to three feet of snow was expected before nightfall. Great for skiers, the pits for me and Brandon. I’d had a silly hope that he would get to come home today, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk him, if the roads got really bad.

“Yeah, I’m a little nervous. I had hoped not to have to see this again.”

“I’d hoped not to see it at all,” Jon said.

I glanced back at him as I opened my door. He looked pale. Very upset. He hadn’t slept much the night before, from what Amanda had told me. “I know, Jon. I’ll be with you.” He smiled wanly at me as we got out. It made me anxious, I guess, Jon not being his usual silly self. He’d been quiet at breakfast, barely answering his mom’s questions as to what we were doing that morning. We hadn’t told her yet, Jon wishing she’d never have to know he had to look at the video, too. It’d been hard, when she learned about it. I wish I’d been the one to tell her, tell her what had happened to her son.

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What had happened to her son, over and over and over again.

But when I did talk to her about it, and told her how sorry I was, that I felt so guilty that I hadn’t known, she’d hugged me, fiercely, before releasing me and holding my face between her hands. “No, Nicholas. Never, ever blame yourself. Brandon’s always been good at hiding things. A master at it.” She’d smiled at me, the sadness in her eyes making me want to cry. So, I had, collapsing against her shoulder.

“But I should’ve known, should’ve done something about it sooner, should’ve insisted sooner --”

But she hadn’t let me finish. Just said, “You saved him. He’s safe now. That’s all that matters. I love you, Nicholas. If you hadn’t gone to him when you did, I’m not sure he’d be alive now. He’s safe, you understand?”

But, of course, he wasn’t safe.

“Come on, Nick.”

“I’m coming.” I followed after Lee and Jon into the police station, Jeff on my heels. He nodded to a couple of officers we passed, then, when we got inside the building, motioned for us to follow him.

This time, and feeling a bit foolish, we walked right through the reception area where last time I’d waited just like anyone else for my turn, and headed for the same room Katie and I had been in before. Detective Anderson was waiting for us and looked up from the file he was skimming at as we entered.

“We’ve located the woman.”

I gaped at him. “Already? That was fast.”

He grimaced and pulled out a picture from the file. He handed it to me. “Is that her?” I took the picture but shook my head. “I don’t know. I never actually saw her.” I stared at the photo, at the thin, smiling woman looking out at me. She had long blonde hair, dark eyes. Beaded earrings hung from her ear, which was triple pierced. She was pretty in a faded sort of way. I kept staring at her eyes. How could such nice eyes have seen what they’d seen, and not cared? Not tried to help the horror in front of her?

“What’s her name?” I asked, almost not wanting to know.

“Heather Garvey. She’s twenty-six, a veterinarian’s assistant. She dated your captor off and on for three years. Once tried to commit suicide because the bastard wouldn’t marry her.” He paused. “They have a son. He’s two.”

She had a son. And worked with animals.

And willingly left a naked man in a dog crate in his own filth in a cold, cold room, to possibly die. Or worse. I felt sick. Shoved the picture away. Detective Anderson took it. “I want to see her,” I said.

He hesitated, then nodded. “Seeing you might help. Are you up to it?” 484

Carolyn Gray

“I -- I think so.” Shit.

“Has she been arrested?” I asked lightly, while feeling the world crash down on me, hard. I couldn’t help myself -- I thought of her son, only two. His dad dead and a kidnapper, his mother in serious trouble. I had to wonder, what would happen to him now? All this made me so sick.

“Not yet. Just being brought in for routine questioning. At least, that’s what she’s been told. But we’ll have that hovering over her, that she could lose her son over this. She’ll know it’s a possibility.”

I shook my head, realized I was shaking. “I didn’t expect to have to do this, too. I don’t know if I can handle this.” Jeff gently eased me into a chair, and I rubbed my hand over my face. Lee and Jon sat down, too.

“You don’t have to watch this with me,” Jon said. “Don’t put yourself through this again.”

“No, I want to. I might see something I missed.” Jon sighed. “All right. I guess I’m --”

Someone knocked on the door. A uniformed cop poked his head in. “Detective?”

“Yes?”

The cop glanced at the rest of us. “We just brought her in. She’s in room two.”

“All right. Be right there.” He looked at me. “You coming?”

“Now?” I said. “But the tape --”

“This shouldn’t take too long. Not when she realizes how much trouble she’s in.” I winced. “All right. I’ll be right back, guys.”

“We’ll wait for you,” Jon said.

I nodded and followed Detective Anderson, Jeff on my heels. For some reason, between the two big men, I felt like I was the one whose life was on the line here, that I was the one in trouble, headed for my doom.

No matter how I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling.

“So, that’s her,” I whispered as I watched the woman sitting at the table. Just like on TV, we were watching her through a one-way mirror. The picture I’d seen of her was obviously of her better days. The woman I saw now looked thin, scared, and nervous. Far older than twenty-six. She kept messing with the chipped blue polish on her fingernails --