A red tainted Silence (30 page)

“My suggestion is that your friends and family return to California. That you and Mr.

Kilmain let us set you up in a safe house here.”

“Imprison us, you mean?”

The detective shook his head. “No, of course not. But I want you here, if at all possible, for a little while. Work with us, Mr. Ashwood. That would be best done with you easily accessible. Now that you’ve recovered somewhat, I want you to go through everything we have on the case again.” He glanced at Nicholas. “And Mr. Kilmain, as well.” I stiffened. Nicholas looked up. “What?” he asked.

I smoothed his hair back, not taking my eyes off the detective. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“He could provide valuable insight. Important insight.” 172

Carolyn Gray

Nicholas pulled away from me and sat up, though he still leaned against my shoulder.

“I want to help. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Nick --”

But he cut me off. “No, Brandon. I’ll be fine. I want this guy caught before someone else gets hurt.” He worried his lip a moment, his eyes luminous as he looked at me. “Before you get hurt again. I think we should stay.”

I hesitated. “Are you sure? We damn well can do what we please, Nicholas. He can’t stop us.”

“I know. But I don’t want to be too far from Tommy until he can leave, too. I just want out of this hospital.”

“All right, Nicholas, if that’s what you want.”

He looked at me, determination flaring in his eyes. “It’s what I want.” Sam rose from the chair and stood next to us -- I’d stayed in the bed with Nicholas since Mutt’s unceremonious dumping of me next to him. Sam put his hand on my shoulder.

“I’m not leaving them, either. I’m not leaving Tommy. Sylvie will need all the help she can get.”

I covered Sam’s hand with my own and squeezed. He didn’t pull away. I can’t explain the incredible relief at that -- his acceptance of my role in Nick’s life meant the world to me.

Our first bandmates hadn’t been so accepting. It’d been no small satisfaction to me later when two of them came back to us, begging for another chance -- a chance at our millions, Nicholas said -- but by then we had Sam and Tommy, and of course Lee, who had come on shortly before we split with my brother, and for both me and Nicholas it was too late for apologies.

“Thanks, Sam. I know Tommy and Sylvie both wouldn’t have it any other way.” I looked at the detective. “Tommy’s fiancée is on her way here. My brother should arrive by tonight, and my other brother and his wife will be here as soon as they possibly can. She’s Tommy’s sister, and I know she’ll want to be here for him and for Sylvie.” The detective sighed in exasperation. “Mr. Ashwood, the more people you add to your entourage, the more difficult this will be.”

I nodded. “I understand, Detective. But they’re coming. I’d appreciate help in setting up a place for us all to live awhile, but once Tommy is able, we’re all leaving Durango.”

“You people are going to drive me nuts. All right, Mr. Ashwood. Fine. Bring the whole posse. I suggest you hire professional bodyguards, though. At least for you and Mr. Kilmain.”

“I want to hire Mutt and Jeff. They seem to care about us, and we both feel safer having them around.” Nicholas nodded into my shoulder at that. “Would that be possible?” I glanced at Mutt. He looked at me in surprise, for once breaking his stolid demeanor.

Detective Anderson sighed. “It’s not our usual procedure, but I’m sure something could be arranged ...”

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“I’ll pay them well for their trouble.” I glanced at Mutt again.

He nodded his agreement. “I think Jeff would be interested,” Mutt said. “I am.”

“You’d be stuck with us for a couple of months, it looks like. If not longer.”

“No problem.”

“Good. I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

The door opened and a uniformed officer came in. “Detective, the reporters are ready.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” The detective looked at his watch. “I’ll send one of my officers to advise you on finding an appropriate place to stay. You sure you don’t want to go to this with me?”

“I’m sure.” The thought of getting up in front of reporters right now made me sick. “I wouldn’t know what to say.”

He nodded. “I’ll just be giving a short statement. It’ll have to suffice for now. I won’t mention much past there was an explosion and Mr. Hubbard was injured, is in surgery, that neither of you were in any danger of being harmed.”

“Thanks.” I was glad he was handling the press conference, was willing to make our excuses. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry to put you to all this trouble on our account.” He grimaced. “I have a feeling it would’ve happened regardless of what Mr. Kilmain told anyone, Mr. Ashwood.”

I feared he was right about that.

We were left alone then, under Mutt’s watchful scrutiny. Sam sat down again, unseeing, staring at the bedrails. I shifted on the bed, laid my head back, and closed my eyes.

This bed really sucked. I promised myself I would buy Nicholas the most beautiful, comfortable bed in all of Durango as soon as I possibly could.

“I really don’t like that man,” Nicholas muttered, then yawned.

“He’s just doing his job, Nick.”

“I know, but I still don’t like him. He’s bossy.” I chuckled. “Go to sleep while you can. I promise I’ll wake you when there’s word, okay?”

“You need sleep too, Brandon. You look exhausted.”

“I am. I’ll try and sleep, too.”

“Good.” He closed his eyes, reaching for and finding my hand, curling his fingers around mine. I rubbed the back of his hand with my thumb. The scratches were almost all healed now, but I could still feel them. Still agonize over them. I wished the rest of his body would heal. It’d only been a week since we’d arrived at the hospital, but I thought he should’ve been better than he was by now. I had a feeling his doctor wouldn’t like it when I insisted we check out of the hospital as soon as possible. Before the weekend, I planned.

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Weariness tugged at me, but I pushed it back. I was afraid, though, that my eyelids were going to win the battle. Nicholas curled up closer to me, the warmth of his body reassuring and seductive. I wanted nothing more than to curl up with him and block my worries with sleep. The door opened again, and through slit eyes I watched as Nurse Goodall came in. She smiled tenderly at Nicholas, then took his arm -- he gave it willingly -- and slipped a blood-pressure cuff on. Once she had the reading, she looked at me. “Are you boys okay?” she said, encompassing Sam in her query.

He nodded. “As well as can be expected. We haven’t heard anything about Tommy, though.”

“Can you find out anything for us?” Nicholas asked.

She smiled at him, then brushed his hair back from his eyes. Ah, Nicholas, always the charmer. Without even trying, he made people love him. Most people, that is.

“I’ll go see what I can find out.”

“Thank you, Nurse Goodall,” he said, folding back against me.

I smiled gratefully over Nick’s head. “Thanks.”

“Try to get some rest. This could be a long wait.” Her eyes showed her worry to me. I nodded. Then we were left alone, just the three of us and Mutt. I closed my eyes, felt my weariness take over, and, unable to fight it anymore, let sleep take me into her arms.

* * * * *

“It’s about damn time you guys peeled yourselves apart. The pasta’s almost overcooked,” Jonathan said as Nicholas and I entered the kitchen. Jon stood at a red-topped table, setting it for four. Behind him, a pretty redhead turned around and smiled welcomingly at us both. She had skin as pale as Nick’s, but with a liberal smattering of freckles. She wore jeans and a blue t-shirt I recognized as one of Jonathan’s. With everyone borrowing his clothes, he must be almost out, I thought.

The girl good-naturedly popped Jonathan on the shoulder. “Hush, you. Now, didn’t I tell you to behave when they came inside?”

“Uh, sorry. Forgive?”

The redhead smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but smile nervously back. I glanced at a chagrined Jonathan in surprise as she wrapped her arm around him and kissed him on the cheek. I envied her ease with my brother. I wished I could be the same with Nicholas in front of other people. I stuffed my hands in my pockets, keenly aware of Nick’s presence right behind me.

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“Forgiven. This time.” She peeled herself from my brother and held out her hand, bright green eyes crinkled with good humor. “You must be Brandon. I’m Amanda Hubbard.” I took her hand, feeling awkward. “Hi.”

She laughed, then pulled me into a hug. I gave her an awkward hug back. “Relax. I won’t bite. Jonathan’s told me all about you. I’m so glad you’re here.” Then she turned to Nicholas. “And you must be Brandon’s boyfriend.”

“Nicholas,” he said, then grinned as she pulled him into a hug, too. But Nicholas being Nicholas, he wrapped her tight and squeezed, making her laugh. “Brandon’s boyfriend. I like that,” he said with a happy sigh, releasing her.

“Jonathan’s told me about you, too. He says you have a beautiful voice.” Nicholas looked down at his feet, then glanced coyly up at her. “Thanks. He shouldn’t have. But, yes, I do.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes. “Not very modest, is he?”

“I think he’s delightful,” Amanda said.

I shook my head at my brother, watching with some exasperation as Nicholas kissed Amanda on the cheek. “Not at all modest,” I said in answer to Jonathan’s question.

“Diva in training, definitely.”

“In training?” I said, grinning as Nicholas stuck his tongue out at me.

Amanda linked her arm through Nick’s and pulled him away from me. “Ignore them.

They’re just jealous. Jonathan sounds like a frog when he sings. Brandon probably does, too.”

“Hey,” I protested. “No, I don’t.”

“No, he sounds like a goat,” Jonathan said.

Amanda popped him so I didn’t have to. Then she turned back to a still-grinning Nicholas. I was glad neither Amanda nor Jonathan had commented on his tear-puffed eyes and reddened cheeks. But he had cheered considerably since coming inside. I watched him gaze adoringly at Amanda and wondered if I should be jealous.

She touched him on the cheek. “I look forward to hearing you sing. But that can wait.

You boys hungry?”

“Yes, I’m starved,” Nicholas said as he looked down at the stove. “Smells wonderful.

What’s cooking?”

“Fresh bread, and I’ve got a big salad. And, of course, pasta.” Amanda joined him.

“Want to stir that sauce for me?”

He peered into one of the pots. “There’s two -- oh! No meat in this one!”

“Nope, I’m a vegetarian --”

Nicholas squealed, giving her a quick hug of delight. “Get out of here! So am I!” Amanda laughed, touching his arm with instant affection as he released her. “How long?”

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“Just about two years. Decided one day I was tired of eating things that used to walk.” Amanda laughed at that. “Just a year for me. My brother and I both are, and that drives our parents nuts. I’m still learning how to cook so it tastes good.”

“I have some killer recipes, you know. I miss cooking so much. I could show them to you, if you’d like.”

“Would you? I’d love to learn how to cook something vegan this guy would actually eat.”

Jonathan looked at me, pouting. “But I like meat!”

“I like it, too,” I agreed, then blushed at Nick’s way-too-obvious wicked smirk.

Damn perceptive brother of mine burst out laughing. “Yeah, I know whose meat you like.”

“Fuck you, Jonathan,” I said, horrified.

He skittered out of reach as I tried to grab him around the neck and pummel him.

“Can’t catch me,” he said, escaping around the table and heading for the door. “You’re so easy, Brandon. I love that about you. Come on, let’s leave the girls to talk and go lift some boulders and slaughter some wildlife or something.” I glanced at Nicholas, hoping he wasn’t offended by Jonathan, but he waved a spoon good-naturedly at me, shimmied his butt, and laughed. “Go on, boys. We’ll holler when it’s ready. Go do your manly-man stuff, and then wash your hands. We’ll be fine.” I heard Amanda say as we left, “Jon tells me Brandon loves chocolate,” followed by another squeal of delight from Nicholas.

“He does? You know what they say about --”

“I was afraid of this,” Jonathan said as we headed outside.

“Afraid of what?”

“Nicholas and Amanda.”

“I like her, Jonathan.”

“Good thing. I doubt she’d let me leave her now, now that she’s fallen for Nicholas.” I looked askance at him, and he laughed. “Don’t worry. I think Nick’s already fallen for you.” Stunned, I followed after Jonathan. “Fallen for me? Really?” The thought made me grin.

Jonathan noticed and laughed, chucking me on the cheek. “Little brother, of course he has. He’s told you, hasn’t he?”

“Well, sort of, I guess. Not in so many words. It’s only been a week since we met, you know.” I’d had much longer to fall in love with Nicholas. But then, of course, I remembered -- I’d left that high school play in love with the guy. I grinned broader.

“Actions speak louder, so there you go, then. Come on, let’s have a smoke first before we move your junk in.”

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Jonathan grabbed a pack of cigarettes from the desk next to the door and handed me one. I took it gratefully, if a little surprised. He lit his, then handed me a lighter. “Corrupting a minor again, I know,” he said.

“I’m not a minor anymore.”

He snorted. “Sure you are. Always will be to me. Take a seat. We’ll empty your car in a sec.”

I lit my cigarette and inhaled, closing my eyes gratefully. “That’s heaven,” I said, savoring the nicotine rush. “I haven’t had one since before I got sick.”

“You really shouldn’t smoke, but I’m not your dad, so lecture over. Be wicked. See if I stop you.”

I grimaced and joined Jonathan as he sat on the bottom step. “Well, Dad’s not claiming me now anyway, so I guess I’m on my own.”

“He’ll come around. Don’t worry.”

“I don’t know, Jonathan,” I said softly. “This is probably it for me. I’ve fucked up my life now, as far as he’s concerned. I might as well dig ditches for a living and die by thirty.” I took another drag on the cigarette.