Psychedelic Hollow 4

itsmeocean@hotmail.com

"Thanks, Frank." Conrad Daye muttered after Frank handed him the envelope with the money to post bail for his kid brother, Justin. "I know you're busy and all. It's very much appreciated and you know me- I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it. Go do what you have to do. I'm just sorry it took so long. The queue at the bank was pretty long and there were quite a bit of shares and bonds to cash in."

"Yah. Thanks. You didn't have to but you did." Conrad smiled at Frank jadedly before following an officer to fulfill the transaction. Joe jerked his head at his brother when Frank turned around, deep in his thoughts.

"Hey, bro. There's a seat next to me." Joe indicated at a plastic, black chair against the wall and Frank stared at it contemplatively for a moment before sticking his tongue in his right cheek.

"It's all right. The chair has no mouth to swallow you with…" Speaking in a soothing voice, Joe beckoned Frank closer, "The only thing here you have to worry about is Justin running away before his trial…"

"I'm not worried about that. Conrad's a responsible guy." Frank let out sigh before sitting down next to Joe, holding up his fringe with his hand, "Anyway, when you lend money out, you must be prepared to forfeit it."

"Are you?"

"I am, but after I handed him the envelope, I'm not sure if Callie minded. I mean, we're going to be married and all so what's mine is hers and what's hers is mine. And we're kinda counting on a substantial portion of that to pay for the wedding." Frank wrinkled his nose and stared a random spot in face briefly before shaking his head. "Too late for thinking about that."

"You feel good about helping Conrad?"

"Yup."

Joe stretched his arm across his brother's shoulders. "Well, then so be it. What Callie doesn't know won't hurt her. You can always tell her the stock market crash or something… girls don't know these things. And I have some savings… I don't mind chipping in to help you out… if you need it."

Throwing him a grateful look as a slow smile crept up the sides of Frank's lips, Frank ruffled his hair and twisted his neck a little, cracking the tense muscles. "So, how's your date with Nancy?"

"It wasn't a date. Just caught up with her. Seems like she's on a case which is tied to Conrad's brother. The Feds are looking for the main suppliers of a drug called Rofomyn- heard of it?"

"Yup- the newest date rape drug. Two girls are suspected to be gang raped after their drinks are spiked by it. And there's another girl who was tested for some venereal disease but she's insistent that she's a virgin… subsequent checks proved that she's no longer.  I know Rofomyn isn't traceable after the effects wore off and neither does it show on those drug strip coasters…"

"They traced this one- Justin Daye's girlfriend had a bad reaction to it and died. The drug wasn't flushed out of her system soon enough. The police are suspecting that Justin drugged Kimberly Crawell with the intention to have sex with her and may charge him with manslaughter, outrage of modesty and attempted rape. Very heavy charges. Nancy's hoping Justin can lead her into the secret world of Rofomyn production and sales. She's not the only FBI agent looking into this… they needed corresponding evidence as well. So while her partner's in Chicago checking it out, she's here in Bayport after a fruitless investigation in New York City."

Frank scratched the back of his neck, muttering dryly,"No wonder Conrad is flustered. Justin's in hot, boiling soup."

"Make that hot, boiling larva." Joe opined, growing silent for a moment with the gravity of a young man's apparent fate in prison. "Nancy had a suspicion that Justin wasn't responsible. But he was on drugs as well- they found Ecstasy in his blood. He's too distraught to talk and Nancy didn't get anything out from him. However, she guessed Justin brought Kimberly to a club when it was having a drug rave party- you know, where there's drugs sampling and sales- stuff like that and maybe more. Rofomyn is hard to get, and that contributed to its exclusive pricing besides its effectiveness. Most likely, the person who organized the party has some pretty amazing connections. Or a few party-goers did. Nancy wants to know who Justin's pusher is- or who the person who spiked Kimberly's drink is."

"You know, there's a high possibility that there are people, girls as well as guys, who are raped out there and the saddest thing is they may not even know a thing about it….This world is getting dangerous."

"You don't need to tell me about it. I'm thinking of migrating with Hallie to some isolated island just hearing Nancy speaking about this Rofomyn…and date-rape. Can't believe there'll be people who are despicable enough to think it's okay to do such things against a person will, whether they are dating the victim or not." Joe bit his lower lip, retracting his hand from Frank's shoulders. It was getting late and he missed his daughter very much, having not been at home the entire day. Hallie was already placed in dire danger before and she had escaped physically unscathed but mentally and emotionally scarred. However, Joe knew that it wouldn't be the last time Hallie would be facing danger- the world was perilous and everyday was a day of confusing choices and morally-compromising situations in addition the shadows lurking behind every corner, determined to snare some unsuspecting innocent soul into a hellish existence. Suddenly, he was extremely worried for Hallie. His feet twitched- he just wanted to run home right then, hold her and know that she was safe in his arms.

"Well, I think it's better if you teach her about safety and self-love rather than sheltering her away from the world. She has a life to live, you know.  Look, they're out." Frank nodded at the corridor and Joe looked up just in time to see an angry Conrad shoving a lethargic, pale waif of a man in front of him. They were accompanied by a police officer and, just by the smoldering embers of rage in Conrad's eyes and his clenched, shaking fists lying straight down by his sides,  Joe knew that Justin was spared a pummeling by his brother by the mere virtue that they were in a police station. Justin was much younger than Conrad, six years in fact. Frank had told Joe about Conrad before during one of their cases years ago which saw Conrad being charged with assault and landing himself in prison for a year and a half before being released on parole. However, while Conrad seemed cleaned up somewhat, his kid brother seemed determine to follow his old footsteps but with a bigger shovel with which to dig a deeper grave.

If he wasn't lying in his own coffin already.

Say 'Thank you' to Frank." Conrad growled at Justin, pulling his head up by the hair as Frank and Joe stood up when they approached. "C'mon, you punk!  Say 'thanks!'" 

Snarling angrily, Conrad smacked the back of Justin's head tight when Justin remained taciturn, causing the younger man to stumble forward. He would have fallen had Frank not balanced him by the shoulders in time. Without a word of gratitude, Justin proceeded to squeeze past Conrad and Frank towards the entrance of the station and Conrad, agitated, whacked the same spot harder again- the sound of a furious palm against numbed skull sent shivers down Joe's spine. Was that how Conrad discipline Justin? Frank would never lay a hand on him like this.

Whack! " Where's your bloody manners? Cat got your tongue? Huh?" Whack!

"It's okay, Conrad. Let him go." Frank pulled Conrad back by the shoulders and the muscular man spun around, staring at Frank incredulously.

"Let him go? Let this jerkass go?!" He turned around and glowered at Justin who had stood still just a couple of steps behind the door with eyes gazing at a faraway place. He yanked his brother's head back painfully by the hair, screaming into his brother's scrunched up mien."He didn't even know what he did! What he had been doing with his damn. Screwed. Up. Life!"

"Hey, this is a police station. Stop that violence!" The police man who had returned to his position behind the counter after accompanying Justin and Conrad out stepped out of his station and glared at Conrad who grunted rebelliously. Frank laid a heavy hand on Conrad's shoulder, admonishing his friend.

"Conrad, I said it's all right! Let him go! You're hurting him!"

Conrad panted heavily, his eyes darting around. Joe shot Conrad a steely glare which voiced his acquiescence with Frank's demands. Finally, after a tense spell of silence, he let go of his hold on Justin with a hard shove.

"We're going home. And you are going to tell me everything damn thing you did!"

"I didn't do it… I didn't do it." Justin mumbled listlessly and staggered out of the police station like a drunk. Conrad walked closely beside his brother, reaching out a hand to steady Justin whenever Justin seemed like he was about to trip over on his own legs.

Joe and Frank followed behind the estranged brothers, afraid that Conrad would do something he might regret later, aggravating the tragedy. Yet, despite the rage, Joe could still recognize the brotherly love Conrad had for Justin which radiated out from every pore of the ex-gangster's skin. Nonetheless, it was a love marred by violence- Conrad seemed, from his display, more comfortable communicating with his fists than words of concern.

"Hey! Where are you going? Get in the car!" Conrad yelled after Justin who tottered aimlessly around the car park across the police station. He stalked ahead and grabbed hold of his brother's shoulder, brusquely spinning him around. "Where do you think you're going, huh? I'm going to chain you to your bed and make sure you reflect on what you did!"

"Didn't do a thing… going to find her. She knows. I didn't do a thing…"

"Snap out of it! Snap the hell out of it!!!" Conrad screamed in frustration and slapped his brother on the cheeks repeatedly, harder and harder. "Shut up! We're going home!"

"Conrad, stop hitting him… he's in a terrible enough shape." Frank tried to pull Conrad away and Joe, Justin. But Conrad was too strong. He shook his shoulders in rage, flinging Frank's grip away. Justin appeared to be purposely galling his brother on as he broke free from Joe and hollered into Conrad's face.

"NO! I'm not going home with YOU! I'm going to find HER!"

Conrad landed a blow to Justin's cheek before the Hardys could stop him, sending the boy sprawling on the hard, granite ground with a loud, bone cracking thud. He was about to lunge for Justin again when Frank stood in front of Conrad and pushed him back.

"Knock it off! You owe me one and now, I'm calling the favor. Stop hitting your brother! Listen to him!"

"Listen to him? Do you even know what he's done? Finally he gets a decent girl who somehow saw something good in that piece of crap and he did these… these unspeakable acts to her! She's a good child, only seventeen! You know that, Justin? Kimberly's only seventeen! Her parents are crying, grieving for their only child! You kept telling me you love her! That she made you want to change for the better but you sneaked her into to a freaking pub where drugs are readily available without thinking for her safety! Worse! You took advantage of her trust in you in the very worst way! Now she's dead! Dead, you know that? A girl on her way to obtaining a college scholarship died in your beat-up, filthy sedan. She died naked and violated by you! It's forever! FOREVER! She isn't coming back, you piece of shit! She's not coming back! She's already buried six feet underground and you can call for her all you want but she's gone! GONE!"

"I DIDN'T DRUG HER, OKAY?" Justin cried out from where he was, still lying on the ground, refusing Joe's attempts to help him up. His eyes puffy and red, he sputtered through his tears as blood trickled down his split lips, "I DIDN'T DRUG HER! I DIDN'T SNEAK HER IN ANYWHERE! I ONLY BOUGHT HER A SODA! THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ALCOHOL! I WON'T LET HER TOUCH THOSE THINGS!"

"THEN WHY DID SHE DIE? IF YOU LOVE HER, IF YOU KNOW THE PLACE OFFERS DRUGS, IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, WHY DRAG HER THERE TO BE INFLUENCED?" Conrad shoved Frank out of the way and kicked his groveling brother. Justin clutched his ribs, rolling on the ground in pain.

"I don't know…she wanted to meet my friends. It's a cool place… many high school and college kids go there too so I thought it's okay. I just wanted to show her my side of town… let her know who I am so she can make a choice with eyes wide open… I wasn't planning on taking Ecstasy but someone passed it to me, free. Everyone was sampling some… I can't pass it up… I thought one wouldn't hurt… When I went back to her, I see her so… so free with her body. I can't control myself, bro. I was so high...and she was willing, making those moves on me… then she suddenly just blacked out and stopped breathing when we were in the car. I don't know… I really don't know…if I know, I wouldn't bring her there…"

"You brought her to a rave party, didn't you?" Conrad eyes flared with understanding. "Free drugs. YOU BROUGHT HER TO A FREAKING RAVE PARTY! A FREAKING RAVE PARTY WHERE YOU GO GET HIGH ON DRUGS! YOU!!!"

Hunching over, Conrad pressed his palms against his forehead, his breathing unnaturally even paced as if he was trying to inhale in some control. "Did I teach you that? Have I ever taught you anything like this?"

Joe felt almost sorry for Conrad who didn't sound like he was asking Justin for an answer. If anything, his questions were rhetoric and nakedly remorseful. Frank hovered around Conrad awkwardly, apparently uncomfortable and unsure of what he could do to help his friend ease the blatant pain.

"There were two sides…" Justin whimpered, his deadened eyes welling into pools of night's tears. "I left her at the side where there's only soda and great music. She was having fun, dancing away when I left her to find Colin. I don't know she took something. I really don't… bro… I really don't know…I don't KNOW! DON'T KNOW!"

Smashing his own forehead against the tarmac, Justin let out a sharp howl, berating himself as his face was smeared with blood. Joe grabbed Justin by the shoulders and tried to halt his destructive actions but, with surprising strength, Justin pushed him roughly away. Just as Joe and Frank were going to try together to stop the young man, Conrad approached his brother, his eyes smoldering with unspeakable emotions that even the shadowy night couldn't hide. Afraid of impending violence, Frank was about to lay his hands on Conrad again to calm him down when, to both their relief, Conrad simply knelt down and gently picked his brother up into a sitting position. Justin sobbed pitifully into Conrad chest as Conrad soothed his grimy hair, streams of saline trickling down those angry, dark eyes now burning with only love and concern for his kid brother.

"Bro, I'm so freaking sorry… I'm so sorry. I just want to die…She's not coming back! And it's all my fault…You're right… it's forever… it's freaking forever…"

"Shh….I'm sorry too, Justin. It's my fault as well. I wasn't a role model you can be proud of. Don't worry. You'll be fine. I'll see to it that you don't see dad. I believe you. You'll be fine." Conrad cooed, atypically loving, rocking his crying brother like he was calming a terrified baby who woke up alone in the dark to find monsters under his bed. Monsters now waging a war against two estranged brothers; monsters that Joe was glad he didn't need to see.

He turned away, eyes stinging with searing brine at the blatant display of a brother's love gone wrong somehow along the way and now, trying desperately to make amends. Swiping a stray tear away, he was gratified that it was sympathy he felt for the Daye brothers- yes, sympathy; not empathy.

***

"Nice place." Frank gave the small apartment situation in a decent, albeit less well-endowed, side of town, a quick once over. Conrad set two glasses of coke on the dining table and slumped down on a chair, exhausted.

"Best I can afford for the both of us. When I was out of prison, Justin had already gone astray. Only fifteen, he had tried all the drugs I did and more. Me? I got my high school diploma and there was a nice warden there- helped me land a good job. But I lost Justin to my old life…" He let out a self-derisive laughter, "Of all the people he could learn from- his gentle guardian, his upright teachers- he had to learn from me."

"But you cleaned up. He can learn that from you." Frank clapped Conrad's back encouragingly, "He can learn your willingness to admit your wrongs and strength to repent. He can learn your honor."

"I rather he not learned the bad things from me, so he doesn't have to learn whatever you just said."

"Everyone needs to know what I just said, no matter what situation they're in. You're not responsible for Justin's life, you know that. We can only be responsible for how we treat them, but we cannot be responsible for their successes or failures because if we are, then they will always be successful."

"You're right, Frank. I can only be responsible for how I treated him. But talk is cheap when my previous life had already been ingrained in his impressionable mind. Besides, I didn't treat him very good. You see how I was with him. Don't think I don't feel bad but at times, it seemed like the only way I can talk to him is knock some sense into his skull with my fists." Conrad slammed his right fist against his left hand, letting out a soft, frustrated growl. Frank could sympathize- there were times when Joe could irate him in the same manner as well. However, Conrad actually sunk down to violence, propagating the cycle of brutality his father started. For that, Conrad was responsible.

"Yah, you tend to use your fists too much. But we know how gentle you can be with him. I think he really needs that right now, rather than being kicked or punched… We need him to, well, talk. Not end up in the hospital, get what I mean?"

"If he doesn't talk, what can I do?" Conrad gestured at the door to the room where his brother was sleeping after cleaning up, lowering his voice next that it was almost inaudible.  "What are his chances?"

Frank pursed his lips- he couldn't lie to Conrad and it was better not to hold back too many punches, "As far as I know, he could be facing charges of manslaughter, attempted rape and outrage of modesty. Easily five years and above."

"Hah. He'll have a grand time with my old man down at Riker's, if he can recognize the jerk." Conrad voice dripped with bitterness and betrayal. Frank didn't probe. Harold Daye's abusive streak which was exacerbated by his abuse of alcohol and drugs had killed a man, drove his wife to her grave and ruined the lives of his two boys. Conrad was working hard to keep himself clean but Frank could see the tell-tale signs of defeats to temptations from the empty beer cans and empty minature hard liquor bottles left in the wastepaper basket. Rolled up cigarettes- definitely not containing the usual tobacco- were scattered on the coffee table as if forgotten in a rush to perform some other task and Frank raised a brow slightly at the sight.

"Listen, Frank, if it's not too much trouble, can you… well, look into this case for me? I know you're getting married and everything but you don't have to really go deep into it, just enough to proof that my brother is telling truth. … I… I believe Justin. I don't have much money, but I'll pay you… you know. I'll rent a smaller apartment… sell my Harley, cash in on my insurance…" Conrad clasped his hands in front of him on the table, his eyes flitting everywhere but Frank's direction. Frank knew how hard it was for Conrad to ask for help- especially from him. Though years could smooth the rough edges of cliffs, etched wrinkles onto the tough barks of trees and witness the rise and falls of great nations, some things would never change.

"Don't worry about payment. You can repay me back by going completely clean…" Frank nodded at the cigarettes lying on the coffee table. "If you want Justin to change, you have to show by example."

"I am. Those are not mine, those are his…I found them in his room and was going to throw them away when the police called. But yah, I drink too much. A bit of my old man in me. I know that. Going for AA meetings… it's helping but I'm not really that strong."

"As long as you have made the choice, Conrad, the rest of the journey will come naturally. Listen, Justin didn't really mention the pub he went to. Do you have any idea or something? And his friends- people he knows who move around in the drugs circle…he mentioned Colin? His friend?"

"I'm not privy to that knowledge but yah, I know a friend of his, some guy called Colin Brown from his school. Ordinary name but extraordinary resourceful when it comes to obtaining drugs. Justin could have graduated on time if only he…" Conrad squeezed his fingers tightly until his knuckles bled white. His breathing grew heavier and more menacing- whoever this Colin Brown was, Conrad Daye obviously did not like him much. "His school gave him too many chances. They are getting sick and tired of my pleading. I beat Colin up once for getting Justin hook to those 'fashion' drugs. But they are firm friends. He tells Colin more stuff than he tells me. As for the pubs' angle… maybe Justin didn't mention it because it was not a pub or a club. I have been to enough rave parties. They can be held anywhere as long as it's discreet- a lesser known pub, a warehouse, some abandoned house. You don't get invited to these, right?"

"No, I don't. It doesn't matter. I rather not, as well." Frank admitted stately, brushing it off. Rave parties were touted as 'fashionable' and 'posh', appealing to the individualistic non-conformist as it ran counter to the alcohol scene of profiteering mainstream pubs. But Frank knew it was a death trap owing to the buffet of drugs freely available and peer pressure, most potent in numbers, would probably had caused even him to succumb and be forever lost in some life-ebbing acid trip. "Colin Brown… that's a start. Where does he stay?"

"Brown Villa, atop Angela's Cliff."

"Angela's Cliff…" Frank mused, arching his left brow. He took the address down in his PDA and drank a little of the coke. "When Justin's feeling calmer, I'll talk to him again. Joe is just as adept as me in investigations, you can trust him too."

"I know. Just that… there's something about your kid brother that just annoys me the moment I see him. He messed up his life too, huh?"

"But he's carrying the consequences of his mistakes like a man should."

"At least he's a good father, going home to be with his daughter. Every parent should care about their children- it's only right. I used to hate you for having a good family. I can't deny I'm who I am because of my choices but they will have been vastly different had I a good father, like yours, you know, and if my mom was alive. I may not have to learn to be a human the hard way."

"I know. No one's judging you. Thanks for trusting me." Frank pocketed his PDA and stood up, ready to leave, "If Justin mentions anything that can help us along, do tell me too immediately. Ahm, here's my name card. Call me anytime." Drawing out his wallet, Frank retrieved a plainly decorated name card and passed it to Conrad who glanced at it before stuffing it inside his  breast pocket.

""No problemo. I'll be taking leave, making sure he don't skip town."

"You may lose your job if you take too much days' off" Frank cautioned gently, "I don't think he will run..."

Conrad shook his head dejectedly, cutting Frank off with a dismissive shake of his head. "My boss is a cool guy and besides, you dunno Justin like I do, Frank. Like you said, he can learn my honor."