REM

by Valentine, J. D.

  "I think I know that boy," Franchesca said.

  Danny and Eric’s eyes shot to her.

  "What?" Danny said in disbelief.

  The screaming erupted from the screen again, but was quickly silenced as Eric muted it. Franchesca looked at Danny and Eric.

  "How do you know him?" Danny said.

  "I...uh...." She looked at Chad who looked at her.

  "Tell them," Chad said.

  Franchesca looked at Chad. "You said he’s a cop---"

  Danny stood. "I don’t give a shit about any of that right now." He pulled up his phone and got a picture of Kevin as he walked up to her. He held it out to her. "Is this him?"

  She studied it. "Yes, I know him for sure."

  "How? How do you know him?" Danny said.

  "Take it easy, Dan," Chad said, taking a step forward.

  "Look, I don’t give a shit what you’ve done, okay? How do you know him?"

  Franchesca stuttered as she looked back at Chad.

  "Just tell him," Chad said softly.

  "I...I bought some coke from him, but that’s all."

  Coke. Kevin? What the hell?

  "Where? That kid is fucking dead now! Where did you get it?" Danny yelled pushing closer making her cower in his shadow.

  Tell me!

  She started to cry now. "I--uh---I don’t know somewhere in Santa Ana."

  "Dan," Eric said, pulling him back. He pushed himself in between everyone. "I think we need to all just sit down and cool off for a minute."

  Franchesca fell into Chad’s arms crying.

  Danny paced back and forth now as he tried to piece things together.

  Dealer? That kid was doing this shit right under my nose? How? Why?

  "Dan, I think you should take some time and cool off," Eric said. "I’ll get the rest from her alright?"

  Shit! Shit.

  Danny looked at Franchesca. "Franchesca, I’m----"

  "Dan, it’s enough, alright?" Chad said, holding her.

  Eric grabbed Danny’s shoulder and started walking him down the stairs toward the front door. "Just take a day alright. We will meet up tomorrow and sort through everything."

  "Shit," Danny said. "I didn’t mean to get into her face like that."

  "If anything you did her a favor," Eric smiled as he held the door open. "You working tomorrow?"

  "No, I got the next two days off."

  Eric looked up the stairs and walked outside closing the door. "Let’s meet up tomorrow, and I’ll go over with you any details I can get from Franchesca."

  "Sounds good," Danny nodded. He stuck his hand out. "I’m sorry man."

  Eric shook his head. "Don’t be sorry. It’s all good alright." He shook his hand. "You have a good one."

  "You too, brother."

  They both shook hands and Eric disappeared back inside of the house. A gust of wind hit Danny’s face.

  Let’s see if that car is still there.

  Danny walked out into the main street. The same sedan sat on the side of the street. The windshield was dark, but he could see two people staring at him. Danny took a step forward, but the car was thrown into drive, and it drove off casually right past him.

  I see you bastards.

  ***

  Danny sighed as the gate shut behind him.

  God I fix that thi---

  "How---"

  "Jesus Ken," Danny said, nearly tripping over the small pot next to him. "You gotta give me a bit of a warning there."

  "I’m sorry my friend," Ken said laughing. "I just wanted to thank you for hanging out yesterday."

  "Yeah, I had a hell of a time."

  "You and me both, my friend. That beer hit me hard."

  Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well you were out like a light."

  "No kidding, haven’t slept that good since my wedding night. Hey, Ishita and the kids are on their way home. Apparently, there were some riots...I don’t know."

  "No kidding," Danny said as he leaned on the door. "Seems like things are getting a little crazy everywhere."

  Ken laughed. "You could say that. Had to shell out some serious money to get them back, but I can’t stand to worry."

  "I would’ve done the same thing."

  Ken smiled at Danny. "Before you go, I just want you to know that I appreciate you being my friend. It’s hard coming to a new place and having people like you to bring me in."

  Oh no, he is getting all sentimental.

  "Well the feeling is mutual, Ken," Danny said.

  Ken tapped the side of the fence still smiling. "That means a lot Mr. Danny. Anyway, I will let you be as they say in America."

  Danny jingled his keys in his hand. "You have a good night, Ken. Please, tell Ishita I said hello."

  "I will, Dan. Take care."

  Ken’s face disappeared behind the fence.

  Oh Kenny.

  Danny opened his door and stepped inside. He stood there for a moment, looking at the emptiness that was his home. The place vaguely seemed like a home without the kids there. It felt out of place, almost foreign to him as he dropped his bag next to the coffee table. He fell onto the couch and sat there quietly, listening to the clock ticking away on the wall.

  Who was that earlier? Was it the DEA?

  His eyes shifted to the black bear that sat on the table, staring back at him. Danny stared back with his head half-cocked at Jazzy Bear.

  "Glad you are here to keep me company," Danny said to the bear.

  It seemed even quieter than before, which made the ticking of the clock seem like a slow jackhammer. Danny leaned forward and grabbed the remote. His hand patted the bear gently as he leaned back into the sofa.

  "The murder occurred on Lake Forest Drive, just a few blocks from the local police station," the news anchor said.

  Danny leaned forward in his seat. The picture of a woman with cuts all over her face popped up on the screen.

  "It was at 7 p.m. yesterday evening where Betsy Kershaw had made her appointment with Dr. Julie Baker---"

  "What the hell?" Danny yelled as he turned the volume up on the television.

  "The receptionist, Carol Woodrow, reported hearing shouting from Dr. Baker's office. She immediately called security, thinking it was an unruly patient that Dr. Baker was seeing. Carol then reported that the screaming grew louder. She immediately rushed into Dr. Baker's office to find Betsey Kershaw, repeatedly stabbing Dr. Baker with a pair of scissors."

  The video cut to an older woman that Danny recognized as the receptionist from yesterday, she was crying as they tried to interview her. Danny quickly turned the television off, leaving the room to fall into darkness.

  Jesus Christ! This can’t be happening.

  Danny scrambled to grab his phone. He thumbed through his contacts till Julie’s name appeared. He hit the call button.

  "Hi, this is Julie Baker. I am not ava---" The call went dead as Danny clicked the phone off.

  This is real. How is this real?

  "My god," Danny said as he ran his hands through his hair. He exhaled heavily. "What is going on here?"

  Danny's phone lit up as it vibrated on the coffee table. An unknown number appeared on the screen.

  "Is this Dan Etter?" A man's voice asked over the phone.

  "This is him," Danny said quietly.

  "Mr. Etter, this is Anthony."

  "Anthony, as in Special Agent Anthony?"

  "That's right, but I'm calling you privately, so it's just Anthony."

  Danny rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well, what can I do for you, Anthony?"

  "I thought I'd give you a call and let you know that the DEA is closing Kevin's case."

  "It has been a day what is going on here?"

  A door shut on the other line. Anthony spoke in a hushed tone. "Look, my department is pulling the plug on the investigation because we just don't have the manpower to handle all of them."

  "So, we are just shit out of luck?" Danny said.

  "Dan, I am just doing
my job here is all. I didn’t want to close this, but you know how the government is."

  Danny leaned forward. "Is there anything you guys had that you could let me look into?"

  "Look Dan, from the leads we gathered I suggest you let this one be. This is a tree you do not want to be shaking, trust me."

  Danny’s face felt hot now as he shook his head. "So you’re basically just letting this go cold?"

  "Like I said, Dan, it's the government."

  Danny could feel the pressure start to build inside him. He wanted to scream, lash out, tell Anthony to go screw himself.

  Just relax. One door closes, another opens.

  "You still there Dan?"

  "Uh yeah, before you go," Danny said. "What do you know about the Julie Baker case?"

  "You mean the schizo that stabbed the therapist?"

  Danny grinded his teeth. "Yeah, is that related to what's going on?"

  Anthony laughed on the phone. "Maybe, but honestly, Dan we are up to our necks in shit, so even if it was, it’ll just get added to the waiting list. Hey listen, I gotta get going, but remember what I said. Leave it alone. Stick to those AA meetings."

  Anthony quickly hung up.

  How the hell does he know about my AA meetings?

  A chill ran down his spine. Danny walked over the window and pulled the curtains to the side. He looked out and could see that same older sedan sitting there waiting. Danny stepped outside and the door shut behind him.

  Hello, boys.

  He walked down the steps and right for the car. It was dark, but Danny could see the men moving inside.

  I want some answers.

  Danny started towards the car. He let his hand fall against his Kimber that was holstered under his shirt. The car’s engine turned on cascading high beams that blinded Danny. He could hear it being thrown into drive.

  "Hey!" Danny yelled, picking up into a trot.

  The car suddenly took off erupting Danny’s senses with the smell of burning rubber. He watched as the car made a hard left and sped right past him.

  "Hey!" Danny yelled.

  Lights turned on as people walked outside to see what all the commotion was. All Danny could see was fading tail lights.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  "ANNA!" DANNY YELLED as he pounded on the door.

  The windows were all black from the outside. Danny noticed her Ford Escape wasn’t parked in the driveway like it usually was, but still, it was almost dark.

  She should be home by now.

  His eyes caught a small scuff mark on the frame of the door.

  Hmm.

  Danny walked over to the side of the house. A hose was tangled up on a cracked brick walkway. A few bushes looked slightly overgrown. Nothing very eye-catching, as he looked a little closer now. At the base of one of the bushes a small pot was placed in the corner with a dying rose bush that was on its last leg.

  Maybe?

  He walked up to the pot and tipped it over. The dirt covered the brick in a pile. Danny felt around for something.

  Where are you?

  Cold metal grazed Danny’s fingertips as he pulled a rusted key from the dirt.

  Bingo.

  His boots echoed off the wood steps as Danny inserted the key into the deadbolt. It was a little janky, but with a little force, it slid in and turned the cylinder unlocking the door.

  It shouldn’t be that easy.

  Danny stepped into the dark house. Everything was grey and it looked just as it did when Kevin went crazy. He swallowed heavily as he walked deeper into the home.

  "Anna!" he called out.

  Nothing stirred except for the slight buzz from the refrigerator in the kitchen. The home was empty, but Danny still had that sense of fear lingering in his gut.

  She better be alive.

  He walked slowly up the stairs as horrible thoughts rushed through his head. Each picture on the wall showed a happy family. Of course, that was not the case. Kevin’s father died in a head-on collision when he was nine. The pictures with him in it were few and far between. When Danny reached the top he looked down at Kevin’s room. It was all taped over with caution tape, but Danny’s eyes couldn’t leave the doorknob.

  What happened that night Kev?

  Danny walked into the master bedroom, but all that was there was an unmade bed and a box of tissues.

  "Anna!" he called out once more, but nothing was there to greet him.

  Where is she?

  Danny walked back out of her room and stared down the hallway. He took a step forward, but something clattered under his boot.

  What?

  He took a step back, lifting his boot out of the way. A small brass casing twirled on the floor in semicircles. That chill started to creep up Danny’s spin, he bent down looking at the tiny bullet casing.

  Why would a----

  The front door suddenly opened.

  Shit.

  Danny quickly dashed into Anna’s room. The soft carpet masked his heavy boots as he cut right into a walk-in closet. He disappeared behind a row of dresses. The sound of multiple footsteps echoed from the hall. Danny could only see the entrance to the master bedroom as the mysterious visitors drew closer.

  "I can’t believe you didn’t lock the door," a man said.

  "I swear I did," another man said with a Boston accent.

  "Clearly you fucked that up, too."

  "Would you cool it? It should be here."

  "Why the hell should I help you? You are gonna fuck the whole team if this shit comes to the surface."

  "Would you please just shut the hell up?"

  The voice sighed as they got closer to the room. "You keep looking for this shit. I’m gonna check in the master bedroom."

  No!

  Danny pushed himself deeper into the closet. A white man wearing a ball cap walked in. He whistled as he scanned the carpet.

  "What an asshole," the man said under his breath. He walked closer to the closet. "We should be watching that fucking cop, instead of covering our asses."

  Son of a bitch.

  "This place is a shithole," the man said lowly.

  He walked closer to the closet occasionally picking things up on the bathroom counter with a gloved hand and tossing them. Danny could feel his heart beating faster than it ever had before. He felt like he was almost about to pass out as his knee started to shake violently.

  Come on, just leave.

  The man walked in front of the closet door now. Danny could see his head reaching for a switch.

  No! NO!

  "Hey, Allen!" the other man said walking into the bedroom.

  The man with the ball cap looked back and turned. "You find it?"

  "You bet your ass I did," he said smiling. "Come on, let’s get out of here."

  "Yeah, yeah," the man with the ball cap said. "Make sure you lock the door this time."

  Danny heard boots rumble down the steps. The door whined shut and he could hear the deadbolt flick closed. Danny fell to the floor panting. He quickly stood up and ran to the toilet. A stream of vomit flew from his mouth.

  It’s real.

  All of it was right in front of him, glaring at him in the face.

  Anna. Oh God, Anna!

  Danny flushed the toilet and pulled the seat lid down. He sat on it leaning on his knees.

  ***

  "Dan!"

  Danny was suddenly pulled from his thoughts.

  "Etter," Eric said tapping him on the shoulder. "You alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

  "Yeah, just processing some shit. Am I up?" Danny asked, looking around the bowling alley. A crash of pins nearly made him jump.

  "You might want to hurry up or Chad is gonna just bowl for you."

  Danny looked over at Chad. "Franchesca alright?"

  "She is good, man," Chad said, waving him off. "Took her a moment to calm down, but she is good."

  "Good," Danny said as he stood grabbing a bowling ball.

  He reared back and launched it
down the lane. The pins crashed against one another leaving only one lone pin.

  "Had an old veteran lose it yesterday," Eric said smiling. "The guy gets a parking ticket and comes into the vet center all heated."

  "You should have called, I could’ve waved it," Danny said as he dabbed a fry in a pool of ketchup.

  "Yeah, well this guy lost it. Screamed about how this place is uninviting and that he made sacrifices no one else has. Then this fucking guy pulls out his colostomy bag."

  "No!"

  "Oh yeah. We called security to get his ass out of there."

  "People really are losing it," Danny said as he sent another bowl down the lane. The last pin took the hit head-on and disappeared out of view.

  "Oh spare me, you asshole," Eric yelled.

  An older woman next to them looked over in disgust.

  Eric scratched his balls. "Anyway, Franchesca told me about where she met Kevin. It was an old YMCA in Santa Ana."

  Danny took a seat. "And---"

  "She said he met her a block away from there. Apparently she said it’s where all the tweakers and weirdos go to juice up and have orgies."

  "And what about Kevin?"

  "Give me a sec," Eric stood picking up the heaviest ball on the rack.

  Danny’s patience was starting to wear thin. "Eric, get to the point here. I’m dying, man!"

  "Alright. Shit, you are getting angry in your old age," Eric got ready. "Watch this you old prick." He reared back and let it go. The ball glided down the lane making all the pins seem like they exploded as they all fell to the ground. "It’s all about the follow through, old man."

  "That’s what your mom keeps telling me," Danny said with a smirk.

  The woman stared them down for a moment.

  Eric took a seat next to him. "Anyway, Franchesca told me that Kevin was a big-time supplier on campus. He got his supply from a local gang in Santa Ana."

  How is that even possible?

  Danny’s eyes sank to the floor. "That little shit was dealing right under my nose."

  "I wouldn’t have seen that one coming either, but I think Kevin just tried some shit he wasn’t supposed to. End of story. But Franchesca was able to get ahold of one of her old dealers."

  "How many dealers does she got?"

  "Let’s just say she isn’t the type to bring home to Mommy and Daddy," Eric said laughing. "Anyway, this guy says that room 119 is usually where you go to get a quick fix, but lately a bunch of homeless have started squatting there making it a little difficult to do business."