“No, they’re still drugged,” Enrique says. The Captain nods and then excuses himself to talk to his men. I stare at the group of people bundled in the corner waiting to give their statements. Scanning the faces – most of them unfamiliar to me – I wonder if one of them could be D?
I need to get away, to clear my head, so I walk back to the office where Mel and Kiara are sleeping. As I get to the door I hear Kiara’s voice and stop to listen. It is not my intention to eavesdrop, but I do it anyway.
“Mel … Mel, are you awake? Mel!”
“Mm, Kiara? My head hurts.” My heart flutters at hearing her voice, although it’s still sluggish. She’s going to be fine.
“Kiara … what happened to the clowns?”
“What? Bitch … we’re at the club, not the circus.” Kiara also sounds jibberish and still confused.
“But I saw clowns and worms.”
“Hell, I only saw frickin cats everywhere. It’s because you always riff about growing old as a virgin cat lady. I need to get you laid, cause those cats are seriously haunting me, girl.” I hold my laugh.
“Kiara?”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t move, I’m tired.”
“Me too.”
“Kiara.”
“Mm?”
“I’m never drinking a blue cocktail again!” I smile at their drunk conversation. At least it seems as if their hallucinations are a thing of the past.
They both groan as if in pain. I push open the door. Their eyes stretch wide and they look like kids caught smoking by their dad.
“How are you feeling?” Mel just stares at me as if I’m the ghost from Christmas past. I can see she’s still reacting to the drugs … her eyelids are heavy; her eyes bleak and her pupils are still heavily enlarged. She looks like a sleepy owl.
“Okay, I guess.” She sweeps a heavy hand through her hair. I notice Kiara dosing off again.
“Who did this?”
“A clown. There were clowns … ugly ones and some cute green worms.” She closes her eyes, then jerks awake, just to fall asleep again. Absentmindedly, my thumb traces over the contours of her face, and she moans softly – the sound pulling at the strings of my heart. I look at her torn shirt and pull in my breath.
I’m going to get this son of a bitch and strangle him. My subconscious thinks about what he might have done or was going to do. Fuck! I want to rip the fucking asshole’s head off and tear him apart piece by piece. It’s crazy to think what I would do for her … without batting an eye, and it scares the living daylights out of me.
“He said something about fucking me,” her voice is hoarse. Is she talking in her sleep? I almost lose it completely and need to bite my cheek so hard that the metallic taste of blood forms in my mouth.
“Damion,” she whispers softly, but I hear every word, “don’t leave me again.” I take a deep breath. Shit. How can I answer that? I don’t want to leave her … not ever … but it’s not that easy. I pull the blanket up and try to cover my emotions as best I can at this moment. Her breathing is natural, she fell asleep again and I walk away to find Ilkay with Axel at the bar.
“The window was open … and it gives access to the roof. Suppose he could’ve escaped that way, but it wouldn’t have been easy,” Axel explains. “And he has to be agile and athletic.”
“Not Harry then,” I state the obvious.
“Can you and Axel take the girls to your parents? I would feel better if there’s a doctor around tonight and I just got called in for an emergency.” Ilkay grabs my arm. I nod in agreement and Axel walks with me to get the girls.
He hands me a piece of paper.
“This was in Mel’s hand.” I read the message.
John Blackburn,
Meet me on 14 November at 11 pm at the end of Monarch Street, Alameda.
No police.
I push the paper into my back pocket as we enter the office. They’re both still sleeping.
We load the girls into my truck and I phone my dad, asking him to come over to my house.
“Okay, Dad, just stopping to buy some food,” I put down my phone and drive into the parking lot of a 24/7 store.
“I’ll be here,” Axel explains, leaning against the front of the truck.
“Do you need anything?” I ask him and he shakes his head.
“Maybe food.” I run into the store to get some energy drinks and end up buying chocolates, some crisps and sodas, pain pills, pies, and sandwiches. I don’t know what she wants, so I get a wide variety, hoping something will be to her liking.
A goofy smile crosses my face as I walk past an aisle containing underwear, and a packet of panties size small succumbs to the growing heap in the trolley. She can share with Kiara – I’m guessing they’re about the same size.
After paying for the stuff, Axel helps me load it into the back of my truck with an amused face.
“You sure you didn’t buy the whole store?” he chuckles, and I roll my eyes at him.
“The way Mel eats, this might not even be enough.” He shakes his head in agreement. If she hears me now I’m toast.
Dad is already waiting at the door for us, his face stern with worry.
“What happened?” We put the girls each on a sofa – they’re slightly aware of reality, but the drugs and the shock took their toll on Mel – she’s pale and tired, looking as if she might fall over any minute.
While my father attends to the two victims, Axel and I haul all the packages into the kitchen. I hand Axel some of the energy drinks and sandwiches, knowing his shift starts soon and he’s probably worn out and tired.
“I have to go. Shift starts in an hour.” Axel grabs two sandwiches, a chicken pie, and a Monster drink. “I’m taking your truck.” I throw him the keys.