* * *
18
Yan had a sour expression. He stepped into the office. “I know this guy. He’s a drug dealer. The only reason people like him learn to fight is so they can hurt others.” His voice was harsh and filled with anger.
Max remained calm. “And how do you know him, Yan?” His voice was very soft? I hoped that he wouldn’t say the wrong thing and blow Tony’s cover.
Yan was still angry. “He went to my school. He sold drugs to kids who didn’t know better. His own cousin detested him. Do you know what he did to his own cousin? He constantly beat him up, shoved him into lockers, and almost drown him by shoving his head into a toilet.”
I saw Tony start to grin and jabbed him in the side. I turned to Yan. “And he used to do that at Hamilton, too. But he’s changed. I’ve seen it.”
Yan scowled. “People like him don’t change. He’s no different than the guys who busted up Philip. How could you even think of going out with him? Don’t you know what guys like him do? They kill people for the fun of it! Look at what happened to Max because of him.”
Max pushed out of his chair. Both Tony and I instinctively reached for him. He grabbed Tony’s hand and faced Yan. “There is anger in your heart. You need to let that go. Anger prevents the mind from thinking clearly. Do you understand why the men who attacked us were angry? Because Tony changed. He didn’t want to get involved with their drugs anymore. That tells me a lot about this young man. I believe Erin is right. I believe training could benefit him, just as it has all of the students, including yourself.”
Yan glared at Tony, who was looking down. I could see his face trembling. Tony shook his head. “I shouldn’t be here. I don’t want to cause trouble. I just want Erin to be safe. With all of you here, she should be.”
Max didn’t let go of his hand. “Erin, I’m going to need you to take over my classes today. Tony, I think I have a gee that will fit you. You will participate in my classes. I won’t ask any of the other Junior Masters to take on this responsibility if they don’t feel comfortable doing so.” Max bowed to Yan. “I believe you have a Karate class to attend to.”
Yan’s face was tight. He bowed stiffly but said nothing. He left the kitchen, still angry.
Tony frowned. “Max, I don’t want a cause a rift between you and your Junior Masters. I know why Yan hates me. From his perspective, it’s justified.”
Max shook his head. “That is not the behavior I expect from my Junior Masters. Yan is relatively new to this dojo. He came because of Philip and I accepted him because he was an eager student and progressed rapidly. But he’s got a hot temper. This will be an important lesson for him.” He opened a drawer and pulled out a gee. “This should fit you. Erin can show you where the locker room is. Erin, if you see Ryan and Linda, will you ask them to come in to the office, please? I need to shift some classes.”
I made sure Max was back in his chair before I left. Amy and Linda were coming down the hallway. They both stopped when they saw us. I pointed toward the locker room. “The men’s is to the left.” Tony looked uncomfortable but went in. I turned to the girls. “Linda, Max wants to see you in the office. Is Ryan here yet?”
Amy nodded “He’s talking to Steven by the front desk.” Her voice sounded odd. “Is that Tony Burns?”
I concentrated on the air moving in and out of my lungs for a moment. “Yes. He’ll be sitting in on classes today.”
Linda looked dazed. “Why?”
“Because Max asked him to.” I didn’t have a better answer to give them. I found Ryan and gave him Max’s message then went in to change. Linda and Amy were both talking quietly, wondering what Max was thinking. I didn’t say anything. I changed and found Tony in the hall trying to figure out how to tie the white belt that Max had given him. I helped him and led him to the classroom.
Tony looked apprehensive. “Erin, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve had self-defense but I never studied any of the actual martial arts. I don’t know any of those fancy moves.”
“Don’t worry. You are a beginner. You won’t be expected to know anything. Just keep an open mind and pay attention.”
Max came in. I took one look at him and wondered if he should be here at all. Tony grabbed a chair and brought it to him. Max grinned. “Thank you.” He focused on me. “You are the most advanced of all the Junior Masters. I trust you will be able to manage if I just sit and watch.”
I bowed to him. “I’ll do my best. You’ll have to tell me what you want the class to focus on.” We spent the next few minutes going over his planned lesson.
The students began arriving. They were all older. Frank was in this class. He came in and grinned at me. “Didn’t you toss me enough times last week?”
I laughed and the tension drained out of me. I managed to make it through all of the afternoon classes. Max had Tony work near him where he could provide direct instruction. By the end of the afternoon, our lack of sleep the previous night was beginning to catch up with us. We helped Max to the library.
Susan had set out the dinner. I could see the worry in her face when she saw Max. He leaned heavily on Tony, who didn’t complain, only did his best to be as gentle as possible. Dinner was one of the quietest we’d ever had. Amy and Ryan exchanged a few soft comments about their classes but no one else said much, other than to compliment Susan on the dinner.
The evening classes were far more interesting for me. I had always been so busy with my own classes that I’d never seen the ones Max was teaching. The last one of the evening was the most challenging of all. Everyone in the class was very advanced. It was Kendo. Everyone had their own bokuto. Some of them looked hand carved and were beautifully polished. Max had me give Tony a lighter one made a balsa and allowed me to use his personal bokuto. I felt very honored. Tony did his best to keep up with the help of Max.
After class, an older man stopped next to them. “Max, you look a little under the weather.”
“I’m afraid I tried to imitate Humpy Dumpty.”
The elder chuckled. “Not a good thing to do. But you gave us an excellent substitute. Her forms are exceptional.” He looked at Tony. “And I see we have a new face in class. How long have you been practicing Kendo?”
Tony looked exhausted. “About an hour.”
The man was surprised. He looked at Max. “A fast learner under a good teacher. He will be ready for his first dan before you know it.” He bowed and went out.
Tony looked mystified. I came up and hugged him. “That’s quite a compliment.”
Max shook his head. “More than you realize. Mr. Tamagochi is eighth dan. He’s been studying Kendo over forty years. He comes for the company of others, not instruction.”
I was awed. “I’ve only met one other Kendo hanshi in my entire life. That’s really exceptional.” I couldn’t believe I’d been given such a compliment. I was only considered a third dan.
Max pushed out of the chair and Tony grabbed him. “I think it’s time for you to go home.”
Max chuckled. “You and Erin as well. You both look exhausted. I won’t have classes in the morning again so the dojo won’t be open until eleven.” He looked at Tony. “Will you be returning?”
Tony lowered Max into his chair in the office. “If it’s okay with you. I’d rather stay close to Erin.”
Max nodded. “You did well today. I was impressed. I look forward to seeing your continued progress.”
Tony and I went into the locker rooms to change. Linda was also changing. She watched me. “How did you ever end up with Tony Burns?”
“It’s a long story. I saw the situation he was trapped in and realized he needed help. I don’t judge people by what others say about them. I pay attention to their actions. He has to look tough because there are guys out there who want to kill him.” Between what I’d seen in school and what he’d told me, I figured that was accurate.
“But those guys attacked you last night because of him.”
I sat down on the bench next to her.
“Tony made a tough choice. He turned down the offer of a drug deal. That’s why those guys are after him. He did the right thing and it made them mad. And I protected him from a guy who was trying to stab him. And so they are mad at me.”
Linda gasped. “But where does it stop?”
I had no idea. “That’s the problem we face. Things escalate quickly but trying to stop something like this is a challenge. Somehow I have to find a way. But right now, Tony feels responsible for my safety. I’ve given up arguing with him. Besides, Max thinks this will do him good.”
I went out and found Tony talking to Susan. She put a hand on his arm. “Erin is a proficient fighter. I’m not worried about that. I’m far more worried about the other issues with her grandfather.”
Tony dropped his voice. “So am I, which is why I really don’t want to get too far from her right now. Diana is a good lawyer. She’s not going to give up until Erin is safe from that threat. I just don’t want to put her at a greater risk right now. There are too many crazy things going on around her. She can kick butt but I can call in the cavalry.”
Susan nodded and went in to see how Max was doing. I moved to Tony’s side. “You look as tired as I feel.”
He grinned at me. “You got that right. How do you do this every day?”
“I usually get more than four hours of sleep.” I noticed Steven coming down the hall and slipped my arm around Tony’s waist. He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward the door. It felt strangely comfortable. Steven didn’t say anything. He just watched us walk out.
Both of us were extra cautious as we moved toward the alley where his bike was parked. Tony made me hold back. He slipped a hand into his jacket and peered around the corner. “I don’t see anything.”
We got on his motorcycle and went back to his cover house. There was a small yellow sticky note on his door. I looked at it in the dim light. “There’s nothing on it.”
He grinned. “It means we check in at the main house.” He pulled me around the corner and went up to the side door. It was dark inside. He unlocked the door and opened it. Something began beeping. He tapped some numbers onto a touchpad on the wall and it stopped.
“They must not be here tonight. The alarm was set for away. That’s not good. Under the circumstances, I’d rather have them here.” He found a box on the counter. There was an envelope on top of it. He opened it, read a few lines, and handed me the box. “Merry Christmas.”
“Isn’t it a little early?” I looked in the box. It was my clothes. “I guess that means I’m staying for a few days.”
Tony finished reading the paper and crumpled it up. He tossed it into the trashcan. “Damn!”
“What’s wrong?”
“One of those guys made bail.” He rubbed his eyes. “Come on. We need to get some serious sleep.” He reset the alarm and locked up the main house. He took my hand and led me around the back of the building. “The fewer people that see us the better.”
We got inside and the old couch was looking mighty comfy. I started to sink into it but Tony put up his hand. He moved the coffee table and pulled the cushions off. The couch opened up into a bed. I studied the results. “Wow. You have all the latest wonders.”
He chuckled. “It’s a little easier to sleep on. I even have a couple of real pillows in the closet.”
I went into the bathroom to change and he put the bedding on. I crawled in bed while he went into the bathroom. He came back out wearing sweats. He got into the other side and turned out the light. I could feel him shifting around to get comfortable.
I had slept on a cot next to my mom as long as I could remember but this was different. I’d slept curled up next to him on the couch but now we were actually laying in the same bed. I thought about David’s fears of the fine line he was treading. This was definitely in that category. His breathing became regular. I listened to it, got comfortable with it, and was able to fall asleep.
I woke from a dream with a start. I don’t usually have vivid dreams that I remember but this one was the exception to the rule. My heart was racing. I felt Tony roll over. “Erin, are you okay?”
“Sorry. It was just a dream.”
His hand found mine. “You don’t have to be afraid. You’re safe here. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
I wondered if he realized how silly that sounded. I was far more worried about him getting hurt. I tried to fall back to sleep but my mind wouldn’t let go of the dream image. Tony’s breathing had gone back to a regular rhythm. I thought of Fusan and pulled up an image in my mind of one of my favorite paintings he’d done. Two dragons curled around each other. According to Japanese beliefs, these two intertwined dragons had created the world. They replaced the dream image and I slept.
When I woke again, dim light outlined the window blinds. I found my watch. It was after seven in the morning. That was much later than I usually slept but I was probably making up for missed sleep. Tony was still sound asleep.
I looked into the box of clothes and realized most of them were dirty. I’d seen a washer and dryer in the bathroom. I took the box into the smaller room. The washer was empty but the dryer had a few clothes in it. I started my clothes and began folding the others out of habit. I found an old faded shirt with blotchy stains of darker blue. I studied it, seeing the dragon emerge from the pattern.
I took the shirt back into the room where Tony was still asleep. I pulled out my backpack and found my materials. I sketched in the rough design then worked the details. The dragon’s face seemed to be looking out of the center of the chest with its body wrapped around the back. The right front leg appeared to be grabbing the shoulder and the other reached forward and seemed to be grabbing the waist.
I looked up to compare the dragon’s features with Tony and noticed that he was awake. He had a quizzical grin on his face. “Whacha doing?”
I grinned back and turned the shirt around so he could see the design. “What do you think of Torinado?”
He gasped and pushed himself up against the back of the couch. “That is amazing!”
I felt it was done. I pulled the cardboard out and handed it to him. “I hope you don’t mind I used the shirt. I found it in the dryer.”
He traced the design with his fingers. “You took a shirt I was going to rip up for rags and turned it into a masterpiece.” He looked up at me. “You are absolutely incredible.”
The washing machine beeped. “I’m guessing that means the load is done. I’m going to toss it in the dryer. I have another shirt to finish.”
When I came back he disappeared into the bathroom to change. I got out Shelly’s shirt and went to work on the design. Tony moved around the room but I was focused on my work. He eventually tapped me on the shoulder. “Hey, break for station identification.” I looked up and he handed me a plate of food. “Remember, you need to eat.”
I put the shirt down and took the plate he offered me. It seemed overloaded. “This is a lot more than I usually eat.”
Tony sat down next to me with his own packed plate. “Considering the work you do, it’s no wonder you pass out if you don’t eat. A little extra won’t hurt you.”
We ate in silence. I finished about half of what he’d made. “This is all very good. The pancakes are really fluffy. But I just can’t finish it all.”
He took my plate. “That’s okay. Mr. Magoo will give you a wet sloppy kiss in thanks. He eats pretty much everything I don’t.”
I frowned. “Dare I ask?”
He scraped everything on one plate and headed for the door. “Come and see.”
I followed him outside. He whistled and a droopy looking Basset Hound appeared from around the corner of the house next door. His skin looked like it was oozing off of him. “Oh my. Do the neighbors know you’re feeding their dog?”
Tony chuckled. “You should see what the kids feed him. This dog even likes broccoli and Brussel sprouts.” He scraped the food into a heap and the dog buried his face in it.
I
couldn’t help it. I started laughing. “He makes the weirdest noises while he’s eating.”
Tony laughed with me. “He’s old and mostly blind but his hearing and his sense of smell still work. You should see him blundering around the yard. That’s why I call him Mr. Magoo.”
We went back inside and left the dog eating. The dryer beeped. “Sound like my clothes are done.” I retrieved them and changed into a clean set. When I came out, Tony was looked at the shirt I’d been working on. “What do you think?”
“I looks like her. What are you going to name this one?”
“I usually pick something that is close to the person’s name but sounds like a dragon. Maybe Shelia.” I studied it critically. “I want to work on a few more details.”
Tony hugged me. “Go ahead. Max said he wouldn’t be there until eleven. We have about an hour.”
I finished up the dragon while he washed the dishes and straightened up the room. I was satisfied with the image by the time we had to leave. I put it in my backpack and we headed out on the motorcycle for the dojo.
I taught all of Max’s classes again while he coached Tony from his chair. The last class of the evening was his advanced Taekwondo class. These were all advanced students, some of who were studying for their black belts. One of the students was older, probably in his late twenties. He didn’t look happy about having me teach the class instead of Max.
I taught the class as Max had described it to me after dinner. The kata we were working on was fairly complex. I hadn’t done it in almost a year. Max called out the moves as we progressed through the kata and I gradually remembered it. At the end of class, the man came up to Max. “I hope you’ll be better next week. I’d rather study under you than a Junior Master.”
Max frowned. “Erin is a competent instructor. She just hasn’t needed to teach that kata in a while.”
I felt uncomfortable. I didn’t consider myself a master by any means. The man didn’t look convinced. “How long has she been studying Taekwondo?”
Max looked at me. I had to think back. “Almost twelve years.”
The man gasped. “You don’t look old enough.”
I shrugged. “I started early.” I bowed to both of them and headed for the locker room.
Steven caught up with me in the hall. “I was watching your last class. That was a tough crowd.”
I paused at the door. “Do you ever had students question your ability when you teach an advanced kata?”
“It depends on the students. If they’re younger it isn’t much of a problem. It’s the older ones that give me trouble sometimes.”
“I know what you mean.”
Tony came up behind me. Steven turned and looked at him. “So, what have you learned the past couple of days?” His tone was condescending.
Tony sighed. “That I’m not in as good of shape as I thought I was. I’m still amazed that you can go to school all day and still have the energy to come here every night. And do it mostly all day on the weekends. What’s you’re secret?”
“I’ve been doing it forever. I just don’t think about it.”
Steven was frowning. “So what are you going to do with all the techniques you’ve been learning?”
Tony headed toward the locker room. “Try to keep them all straight. I can’t pronounce half of them.”
I went into the women’s side and found Amy and Linda talking. They stopped and looked at me. Linda closed her gym bag. “You know, Tony is a lot different now than he was when he was going to Shoreview. He doesn’t seem like such a jerk anymore.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “He’s improved a lot since I met him.” I changed and went out.
Steven was still trying to push Tony’s buttons but Tony wasn’t breaking. He came up to me and put his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go home. I’m beat.”
I put my arm around his waist, waved to the others, and we went out the door. I pulled us to a stop at the corner of the building. “My turn to look.” I peered around the corner into the darkness, waiting for my eyes to fully adjust. Something caught my attention. “There’s someone at the end of the alley.”
Tony stiffened. He pulled me back and took a look. “I think I see him. He looks like a bum but I don’t want to take any chances. Stay here. I’ll get my bike and pick you up once I’m on the street.”
I watched him duck into the alley. He started the motorcycle and pulled out in my direction. The guy at the end of the alley pulled something out of his pocket. Tony stopped at the curb and motioned for me to jump on. I pulled on the helmet and he took off.
I felt better when we got back to his place. There were lights on in the main house. Tony parked his bike and took my hand. “Let’s go see who’s home.”
I could hear voices as we approached the back door. Tony opened it. David was talking to three older people. He turned and looked at us as we entered. “About time you showed up.”
Tony shrugged. “Erin had to be at work. I’ve been shadowing her.”
David looked uncertain. The older man in the group stepped forward and held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Ron Makenzie. This is Katie and Gloria. We’re with the Pierce County Narcotics Division.”
I shook his hand. “Erin Dawson. I’m just me.”
Tony chuckled. “Right. Hey Gloria, you should see what Erin had figured out about the drugs Dr. Marsh is cooking up.” He started explaining it and dragged me into the conversation.
I finally couldn’t stop a yawn from escaping. I glanced at Tony. “I hate to say it but gravity is pulling on my eyelids and winning.”
Gloria hugged me. “You sure know your chemistry. I’ve been in the narcotics division for fifteen years and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Tony playfully pulled me away from her. “Thanks, mom.” They all laughed. “We need to let this one get some sleep. We have class in the morning.” We started toward the door.
David cleared his throat. “Erin could stay here in the main house.”
Tony stopped and looked at him. “Gloria and I can do just fine looking after her. We’ll hit the panic button if there’s any trouble.”
Gloria picked up a duffle bag. “He’s right, Davy. Don’t want to blow anything if someone is watching the house.” She paused as her phone rang. “You two go ahead. I’ll be there in a moment.”
Tony pulled me out of the door. I felt uncomfortable. “Where does she sleep?”
“On the cot by the bathroom door. You probably didn’t recognize it as one because she has it buried in paperwork.”
The deep bark startled me. It became persistent. I stopped. “That’s odd. Mr. Magoo hasn’t barked at us before.”
Tony reached inside his coat and pulled out a gun. “Stay behind me.” He took the lead as we moved around the back of the building. He paused at the corner and leaned carefully beyond it.
I could see the squat basset hound down the fence line a ways. I leaned toward Tony’s ear. “He’s focused on something by your bike.”
The back door of the house closed and I could see the silhouette of Gloria in the dim light. Her attitude changed. She dropped her bag and moved quickly to my side. “What’s up?” I quietly filled her in. She put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “I’ll go around the other way. Wait for my move.” Tony nodded and she hurried away.
A light came on next to the back porch of the neighbor’s house and an older man stepped out the door. “Basil! Where are you? What’s with all the ruckus?” The man flipped on a small flashlight and shone it around the yard. He walked toward the corner of the house. His light shone on the baying dog.
A shadow seemed to detach itself from the hedge that ran between the two driveways. It ran toward the street. I caught a glimpse of an outline from the light of a passing car. I gasped. “It was the guy from the alley.”
Tony looked at me. “Are you sure?”
“I recognized the shape of his coat. It’s a long one the goes down to his knees. And his hair was tied back in a ponytail
.”
The neighbor had pulled the unhappy basset into the house and the light went off. Gloria moved through the shadows and stopped at the door. “Would you grab my bag? It seems the dog did his job.”
I grabbed the duffel and followed Tony. He was chuckling. “Extra goodies for Mr. Magoo tomorrow.”
We all went inside. Gloria took her bag. “Better go check on your bike and make sure nothing was tampered with. I’ll stay with Erin.” Tony slipped back outside. Gloria surveyed the room. “Looks like Tony opened up the bed. You okay with that?”
I sat down on it. “I felt safe last night.”
She moved to her cot and dumped all the papers on the floor. “Tony’s done safe house duty before. I wasn’t worried about it. Not like Davy. It’s not good that he doesn’t trust his partner.”
I pulled the pajamas out of the box. “I think it’s because of the way thinks went at school. I didn’t know what was going on with them. Tony was hitting on me because he knew I didn’t like him and it kept another girl from bothering him. I only agreed to pretend to be his girlfriend because I thought it would help him look good with the guys.”
She laughed. “I used to have to do that. Don’t feel bad. Tony is a good guy. He’s got a soft heart. Sometimes I wonder how he stays sane in this business.”
I went into change. Tony had come back in by the time I came out of the bathroom. He pulled off his coat and massaged his shoulders. “Doesn’t look like any of the tamper seals were broken.” He groaned and looked at me. “How do you manage that every day? I feel like a bag of aches.”
“You have been working in the advanced classes the past couple of days. It’s no wonder you’re sore. Those are things you grow into over time.”
He grabbed his sweats and went to change. Gloria looked confused. “What did he do?”
I did my best to explain my job at the dojo. Tony came out and added a more colorful description. I had to laugh. “I’m not Bruce Lee.”
“No, but you could probably kick his ass.” He looked at his watch. “We gotta hit the hay. I should get you there early enough for breakfast. Don’t want to break too much of the pattern.”
I laid down and fell asleep. The dream returned to haunt me. I was trying to run from faceless shadows. When I tried to turn and fight, my blows went right through them. Something grabbed me in the dream. I woke with a start.
Tony was holding me. “Erin, it’s okay. Just breathe.” His soft whisper tickled my ear.
I forced myself to relax. Gloria was snoring on her cot. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
He smoothed the loose hair from my face. I was sweating. He kissed my forehead. “I had almost expected you to be hot as damp as you are. Are you all right?”
I was afraid to close my eyes again. I’ve never had a dream like that. It felt too real. “I’ll be okay.”
He held me close. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
I leaned into his chest. I felt safe. I could hear his heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of his chest. I closed my eyes.
Tony woke me gently. “Hey, sunshine. Time to rise and brighten the day.”
“Thanks.” Tony was already dressed. I rolled out of bed and grabbed a set of clothes from the box. Gloria was still asleep so I went into the bathroom as quietly as I could.
When I came out, Tony handed me my backpack. “I don’t want to rush you but my captain wants a short meeting before we get to school. We’ll meet him and Davy at the diner.”
I followed him out the door. “People there aren’t suspicious about things like that?”
Tony straddled his bike and kicked the engine over. “Nah. We show up there all the time. And they’ve seen you with me, too. They all think our captain is our outside source. That’s how it works in this game.”
I slipped into the helmet and got on behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and kept my face down. The wind was cold this morning. David was already there when we arrived. He watched us move toward the door then followed us in. Tony led me toward a booth and slid in next to me. David took the seat across from us. He was frowning. “Gloria told me what happened last night. Are you sure it was the same guy you saw at the dojo?”
I was uncertain about the tone of his voice. “I’m sure of it.”
He leaned back. “Great. But we don’t know where he fits. Is he with the No Names, the mafia, or the grandfather?”
Tony ordered coffee for him and David and a tea for me. “I don’t like unknowns anymore than you do. Right now we need to focus on connecting Marsh with Nurse Kern.”
Captain Pierson came in and sat down next to David. He glanced at me. “How are you doing this morning? I heard you had an eventful evening.”
“I’m getting used to it.”
Tony waited until the waitress had set everything down and walked away again. He leaned forward and dropped his voice. “So what are we going to need for a warrant to shut down this operation?”
The waitress returned and Captain Pierson ordered a coffee. He studied the others in the diner before turning his attention back to Tony. “The pictures certainly connect Dr. Marsh to the manufacturing but not to the distribution. We need solid evidence that proves that the school nurse is knowingly providing these drugs to students and that Dr. Marsh is supplying her with the drugs.”
Tony looked over at David. “Got any bright ideas?”
David stirred more sugar into his coffee. “I’m working on it.”
Tony looked at his watch. He finished his coffee. “You do that. I need to get Erin to school so she can get some breakfast.” He looked over at Captain Pierson. “Anything else?”
The captain got his coffee. Tony paid for what he’d ordered. The waitress moved off to another table. The Captain pointed at me. “She is in a tight spot. I know you’re already watching her close. Hagen has asked that since the two of you are already connected that you continue to protect her at school.”
Tony laughed. “I think you got it backwards. She’s the one doing the protecting. We’re just there to call in the mop up crew if needed.” He slid out of the seat and offered me a hand. “Shall we?”
I accepted it and looked over at David. “See you in school.” He nodded but didn’t say anything. I followed Tony out the door. He grabbed the helmets and passed one to me. I put it on. “Is David mad at me about something?”
Tony got on the bike and held out his hand to help me on. “He’s just sulking. I think Gloria chewed him out for something last night.”
We drove to school and Tony pulled into the lot behind the building. I’d never been back there before. There was a sizable lot for staff and student parking. We went in the back door and headed for the cafeteria. A flood of kids came down the hall and I recognized a few from the center. “The bus must have just gotten here.”
One of them detached from the crowd and ran up to me. It was Becca. She hugged me. “Girl, where you been? They came and took away your stuff.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. Tony put his arm around me. “Stupid state idiots. They screwed up the paperwork and kicked her out. But I took her in.”
Becca gasped. “You staying with Tony?”
That at least I could be honest about. “It’s not bad. And his mom is really nice.”
Tony chuckled. “I think she likes you.”
We got into the breakfast line together. Becca grabbed my arm. “There was some guy who came looking for you Sunday morning. He was pissed when Ms. Auger told him you was gone. He demanded to know where you was but she says she don’t know and don’t care.”
I felt weak. Tony grabbed me and held me close. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
I picked out a tray of food and we retreated to our corner. Tony watched me eat. I’d purposefully taken more than I really needed and gave him some of it. Shelly came into the cafeteria and found us. I finished my last bite as she walked up. She sat down next to me. “Did you get a chance to finish it?”
“I did.” I pulled the
shirt out of my backpack. “Meet Sharia.”
Shelly gasped. “Oh, she’s beautiful!” She held it up so she could admire it. “I have to go put her on right away!” She hugged me and dashed out of the room.
Tony chuckled. “Your work has quite an effect on people.”
I considered that. Maybe a dragon came out when a person needed it most. I thought about Rebecca. She’d changed since I’d given her Rubicon. She no longer seemed so timid in class. She was standing up for herself. Is that what the dragons had done for me?
Tony pulled me close. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“Just lost in thought.”
He gently pulled me to my feet. “I should get you to the library. You probably have a date with a stack of books.” He grinned. “Should I be jealous?”
I had to laugh. His expression was so comical. “You are something else.”
He winked and put his arm around me. “Just don’t tell my mother that.”
Everyone around us laughed. I let him lead me from the cafeteria but something worried me. Maybe it was my own feelings. I didn’t have a lot of experience with relationships. Tony’s arm around me felt too comfortable. David’s warnings kept rolling around in my mind. I cared about Tony. A lot. The last thing I wanted to do was get him in trouble. It was an emotional conflict of interest.
He pulled me to a stop by the library door. “Girlfriend, where are you?”
I glanced around. A couple of his boys had tagged along. I sighed and hugged him. “Thank you.” I wanted to say more but wasn’t sure how much the others could here.
Tony pulled back and looked at me. His expression grew concerned. “Erin, are you all right?”
“Just distracted.” I glanced back in the direction of the guys.
Tony frowned. He glanced back at them. “Could you give us some space?” They scampered away but not completely out of site. Tony enfolded me in his arms. His face was very close to mine. To anyone farther away, I’m sure it looked like we were kissing. Tony touched my face. “Tell me.”
His soft whisper made me tremble. How could I explain it all to him? I was confused by my own feelings. The sound of footsteps from the hallway distracted me. I glanced around and noticed a teacher coming down the hall.
Tony followed my gaze. He groaned. “Mr. Bradshaw. Yikes.” He pulled me even closer. “He’s supposed to be my first period teacher but I never really go to that class. I never cared much for shop. The boys and I usually hang out with the janitor down by the boiler room instead. He tells some really awesome stories.”
The teacher glanced at us as he walked by but didn’t stop. Tony was running his hands along my back in an imitation of a steamy hallway make-out. It was starting to have an effect on me. I looked at Tony’s eyes. The highlights in the irises seemed to glisten. “Do you have a life outside of this hell?”
He changed so abruptly that it startled me. He pulled me close and clung to me. I could feel the tremor shiver through his body. “Oh, Erin.” He rested his face on my shoulder. “This isn’t hell. Hell is beyond this place.”
His tone chilled me. I held him for a moment then pulled back. I watched him slide back into character. I was at a loss. “I should probably go study.”
He nodded and let me go. “I’ll see you at first bell.”
I went into the library but it took me a moment to stop shaking. I found a quiet corner and opened my books but it was hard for me to focus. My thoughts kept coming back to him. Somehow I managed to get the day’s assignments finished.
He showed up at first bell and walked me to class but he was distracted. The boys were all around us, laughing and joking. Tony touched his forehead to mine at the door of the classroom. “See you after class.” He slipped away with the pack.
I watched him go then went inside. Todd was already seated at his desk. He didn’t look at me as I sat down. “I saw Shelly wearing a dragon this morning.” His soft voice startled me.
I opened my textbook. “She needed one.”
Mr. Yenny came in pushing a cart and called everyone to the front of the room. Todd ended up on the other side of the group. I watched him during class, wondering what was going on with him. His expression was so odd.
At the end of class we pulled our books together. He glanced at me. “I don’t think I’m worthy of a dragon.”
The tone of his voice chilled me. I’d heard it before and the end results had been bad. The bell rang and I followed Todd to the door. I put a hand on his shoulder. “Todd? Are you okay?”
He paused and looked back at me. “What would you do if you knew that something you’d done was hurting someone else? I mean, if you didn’t even know until afterwards?”
The desperation in his tone startled me. “I’d find someone to trust and ask for help.”
Todd trembled. “Can I trust you?”
“Of course. What is it?”
He looked up. His expression changed to fear. “I have to go.” He hurried away.
I felt Tony’s arms around me. I sighed. “They say timing is everything.”
“Oh. Did I fumble?”
“Sort of.” I let him guide me out into the chaotic swarm of bodies. “Next time, if you see me talking to Todd, don’t rush in.”
We stopped at his locker. “Should I be jealous?”
I faced him. “You shouldn’t be.” His expression looked odd. “Tony, I…” I saw the motion and the reflection of the light on metal.