Part 20 (1/2)
”He's very agitated. Has he had his medication?”
”No. I found his pills on the bathroom counter. He's been very good about taking them, but your mother has him so upset.”
”Yeah,” Daniel sighed. ”He seems more upset than usual.”
”I'll come and get him. Once he takes the medicine, he'll calm down.”
”Okay, Claude,” Daniel said. ”Drew can be a handful, but please be diligent about him taking his pills.”
”I will.”
Daniel hung up. ”He's on his way,” he told Drew.
Drew plucked at his jeans. ”H-h-he's gonna be mad. Call me stupid.”
”No, he...”
”I-I-I'm not stupid,” Drew shouted. ”I'm not and Mom can't make me go.”
Daniel squatted in front of Drew realizing just how much turmoil Drew was in. ”Look at me,” he said, and as Drew raised his head, Daniel saw his eyes were feverish. Hurry up, Claude. ”You're not stupid. You're special and I love you and I promise you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. But you have to take your medicine.”
Drew thought about it for a second. ”I-I-I want my medicine.”
”Claude will give it to you when he picks you up.”
”Okay. I-I-I want to stay in Dallas.”
”Okay, then.” Daniel patted his knee, realizing Drew was out of it.
Daniel glanced up and saw Sarah standing at the foot of the stairs. He caught his breath at her natural beauty. She had her jeans and T-s.h.i.+rt on and her feet were bare. Her red hair was in disarray and her features serene, but he focused on her eyes. Despite everything, she looked happy and he felt a moment of sheer joy.
”Buddy, I'd like you to meet someone,” Daniel said, getting to his feet, his eyes on Sarah.
”W-w-who, who, Danny, who?”
Daniel held out his hand and Sarah came to his side and gripped it tightly.
”This is Sarah Welch. And, Sarah, this is my brother, Drew.”
”Nice to meet you, Drew,” Sarah said.
”You're pretty,” Drew replied.
”Thank you.”
”A-a-are...are you Dan-ny's girlfriend?”
Daniel squeezed her hand. ”Yes, she is.”
”Danny's got a girlfriend.” Drew put a hand over his mouth and giggled.
The phone rang and Daniel went to answer it.
It was Russ again. ”There's a man outside your condo and he says he's there to pick up your brother.”
”It's Drew's caretaker. I'll send him out.”
”Daniel, I'm not quite sure how to say this since my social skills are lacking, but get your family the h.e.l.l out of this picture. Do they not comprehend what the h.e.l.l's going on?”
”They don't know what's going on,” Daniel replied, realizing things were getting more complicated with every interruption.
”Your security has been blown to h.e.l.l.”
”I'm not sure it makes a difference. Someone knows our every move anyway.”
”That sure gets to me, but maybe today we'll find some answers. I'm on my way to wake up Arnie Bishop and haul his a.s.s to the station for questioning. Do you want to be there?”
”Yes. I'll be there in about an hour. When I leave the condo, have the guard follow me.”
”So you're bringing Ms. Welch to the station, too?”
”You bet. I'm not letting her out of my sight.”
”This could be a problem.”
”It had better not be, Russ, because I honestly don't see any other way to do this. If anyone is dumb enough to come into the police station for her, they'll have an army to contend with.”
”Yep. You're right. I'll have Chad on hand if you need him.”
”Thanks.”
”I'll see you at the station for Bishop's questioning, then we'll go to Lieutenant Tolin's show-and-tell, which should be interesting.”
”Okay. Tell the guard that Drew's coming out.”
”Will do.”
Daniel hung up and heard Sarah talking to Drew. His face was animated as he watched her. Daniel noticed that he wasn't stuttering.
”Daniel catches lots of fish and we drink beer and do guy things. Daniel says we can only drink two beers. I want more and I sneak it when Daniel's not looking.”
”Why do you do that?” Sarah asked.
”Because everyone treats me like a baby and I'm not a baby. I'm a man and I can do what I want.”
”Does Daniel treat you like a baby?”
”Sometimes. He's my brother, my best friend, but he...”
”He what?”