ASBO: A Novel of Extreme Terror(30)

Andrew’s eyes saddened as they looked at him. He stood up and nodded. “Okay, son. It’s a shame because I thought better of you. Guess I had it wrong.”

Davie couldn’t understand why, but tears began to beat at the back of his eyelids. His head was spinning and his emotions were all messed up.

Must have something to do with this bloody concussion.

Andrew had been correct when he said knowing a victim makes things more real. It genuinely upset Davie to see the effects his brother’s behaviour had had on these people, but it was none of his business. Frankie was family. Frankie was his brother. This man in front of him was just a stranger.

Davie yanked open the door to the hallway and stepped outside, trying to control his breathing as it threatened to get out of control. He entered the porch and waited for Andrew to come and unlock the front door. It was not Andrew, however, that came to join him. It was Rebecca.

“Hi,” she said to him.

Davie gave a half-smile. “Hey,” he said back. “I’m sorry about all this shit my brother’s brought down on you, but it’s nothing to do with me.”

Rebecca smiled at him and nodded, then reached out a hand and touched his shoulder. “It’s okay. I know you can’t do anything about it. It was shitty of my dad to corner you like that, but he’s just trying to protect us, you know?”

Davie didn’t want to get into it anymore, he just wanted to leave. He found himself giving an answer, though. “I understand why he did it and I’m not going to tell anyone. Just let me out, okay?”

Rebecca obliged. She produced a key from her pocket and shimmied past him. Her body felt warm against his as she brushed past. Davie felt dizzy again. She unlocked the door for him and stood aside.

“Thanks,” he told her, taking one last look at her – sad that they would not speak again after this. Just as he stepped out onto the pathway, she put a hand out and stopped him. “It’s okay, you know?”

“What’s okay?”

“Being afraid of Frankie. I am too. I guess lots of people are.”

Davie smirked and puffed up his shoulders. “I’m not afraid of anybody. Especially not my own brother.”

Rebecca nodded and smiled at him. Davie thought the expression contained all the caring in the world, but also a great deal of pity. She asked him one last question before he went. “If you’re not afraid, why won’t you help us?”

Davie was thinking of an answer when he heard someone shout from behind him. It was his brother’s voice. Frankie was here.

“Davie? What the f*ck are you doing? Why the hell are you coming out of that f*cker’s house? I’m going to kill him!”





Chapter Ten


Andrew heard Bex scream and immediately panicked. His first thought was that he’d completely misjudged Davie and that the boy had done something to hurt her. He pushed past Pen and rushed into the hallway, heading directly for the porch. Bex was still crying when he got there but she didn’t seem to be hurt. In fact she was alone.

“Bex, what the hell is going on?”

She spun around. “It’s Frankie! He’s outside.”

Andrew stepped up to the front door and looked out into the night. Davie was halfway down the path. Frankie was with him and the two were arguing – both voices were heated and angry, but the sound of Davie’s voice seemed to be more pleading than aggressive.

“What the f*ck happened to you, bro?” Frankie demanded, pointing to the bandage on Davie’s head. “Did that f*ckin’ mug give you a kicking? He’s a dead man.”

“No,” said Davie. “I got hit by a car. The guy who lives here was just helping me. He took me to the hospital and drove me back.”

Frankie looked towards the house and spotted Andrew standing there. “Oh, did he? Is that what you do, old man? Give lifts to young boys? Fuckin’ perv.”

Andrew pushed Bex back and told her to go and join her mother in the living room. Then he looked back at Frankie. “He was injured. Would you have preferred I just left him there?”

Frankie didn’t say anything and Andrew hoped that he was getting through to him. When he eventually did say something, it was in a calmer tone than his usual aggressive slur. “No, course not, but how the hell did you happen to be there, anyway?”

“Right time, right place,” Davie quickly answered.

But Andrew owned up. Lying could make things worse. “Because it was me that hit him, Frankie. It was an accident. That’s why I made sure he got to the hospital.”