CHAPTER 51

        "With me?" Kenny asked as if he hadn't heard the question right. She didn't answer but continued to observe him. Clearly there was something he had in his mind but either was afraid to talk about or didn't want to talk with her about it. The look in his eyes showed that the first one was more likely and she knew well that pressuring someone into talking never worked. So she didn't even try. "I'm as okay as I can be. The last time I checked you were the one surrounded by bunches of trouble and stalkers,how is that going by the way?"

                "I'm handling it."

                  "You are or are trying to?" Kenny asked but his voice was already becoming husky and he slurred from the alcohol. She turned to the bartender. 

                  "How much has he had to drink?" 

                   "Since he got here at around seven,"he shrugged. "Quite like someone who is trying to drown his sorrows with alcohol."

  She looked at both of them in disbelief but since the bartender was the sober one, she saw him as the rational one.

                  "And you just had to keep serving him?"

                   "What can I say, business is business. I need the money just as much as he needs the alcohol."

   Dylan didn't see the need to continue arguing with him so she stood up, paid for the drinks and ordered Kenny up. They had been friends for barely more than just a few days but she could already see that he was damaged. From someone who had experienced as much, she didn't fail to notice that.

                 "Keep the change. But next time if you see someone like this again,use your head and know that what they need is therapy not more drinks." She turned to Kenny,"Get up, I'm taking you home."

                 "So,you were only pretending not to like me," he said once they were inside the car. "I knew it."

    She breathed out heavily,"Jesus Watson,you are a mess. I need you to work with me and at least tell me where you are staying."

                  "I don't know."

                    "What do you mean you don't know?" She observed him as his eyes opened and closed in and out of sleep. She shook him."Hey man, you can't just black out in my car, which apartment should I look for?"

                     "I lost everything Dylan. My house,my job,my money in the bank to the last cent and everyone else. You are literally like my guardian angel right now,"he slurred.

  She looked at him in shock,"What are you talking about? What happened?"

                   "It was a disaster,I can't go back there...I can't." The next words that came from his mouth were nothing more of an inaudible stammer under his breath. The next second,he went silent entirely and started snoring.

   ‘What now?’ she thought silently and sat back leaning her head against her seat. Now she had a drunken guy beside her to take care of. Where was she supposed to take him now? Her apartment? She barely knew the guy. Even as much as she felt she could trust him, this wasn't the time to take in strays. There was still that part of her that was paranoid. But what about everything else he had said just before he blacked out? Maybe it was the alcohol but she had seen more than that in his eyes,he had seemed emotional about whatever thing he was talking about. She started the car and drove off. The next stop was outside a motel where there were affordable rooms for a night or two. She figured she could just book him in there for the night and talk to him the next day after he had sobered up. She turned to him.

      The problem came when she realized she would have to carry him or drag him inside. There was no way he could walk in there in his state. And in his state, even the manager of the motel wasn't likely to allow her to just dump him and leave. She hadn't looked at it that way. Like, what if something happened to him alone there? What if he slipped in the bathroom,hit his head or even died? It wouldn't be just the motel under investigation, she would be too. In the end,her humanity won over her fear. So, she reversed the car and headed home. 

                      ★★★

   Kenny stirred the moment her car hit a bump as she took a turn towards where she lived and opened his eyes half when she parked outside. 

                 "Where are we?"

                   "My place, can you walk?" She asked then got out of the car and opened his door. "Or would you rather spend the night in the car?" she went on raising an eyebrow when he didn't speak or move.

                  "You don't even know me. Why are you helping me?"

                 "I could just as well dump you in some bushes in the highway if that's what you would like."

                   "No, I'd rather take the couch." He turned and in the moment,he hit his head ."Ow!"

   She grinned,"Does that help bringing back your soberness even for a bit?"

  Kenny got out and stood but he couldn't maintain his balance. He staggered back but she caught him. She led the way to the entrance of the building then up the stairs which too several minutes longer than she was used to because now Kenny walked like he was an eighty year old. She was patient though until finally they got to her door. She used one hand to support him and the other to open the door. Thank God she was strong enough to support the pounds of a drunk guy. 

   He had barely sat down on her couch when he started to gag.

                   "The stairs,I don't feel so good."

    She didn't have to stand there and wait for an explanation to know what was about to come next. She picked up a container from a corner and held it up to his mouth seconds before he vomited. She turned away to try and avoid the foul smell.

                  "I certainly didn't sign up for this,"she said loudly. Several seconds more and he relaxed more. He took the container from her and she let him. "Do you need water?"

 He shook his head,"No, nothing. This just what I needed,my stomach feels better now,not bloated." He stood up. "But you could tell me where your bathroom is so I can clean this up."

                "Down that hall,on your right at the end."

       She didn't think she would get any sleep so she decided to try and work on something instead. She got an extra blanket she always reserved for Carl whenever he slept over and placed it on the couch. There was an extra bedroom in the apartment but she decided it would be better for her if he slept where she could see him. He returned a minute later and settled down.

                   "Feeling better?"

                  "Yeah, thanks for this Dylan. I really appreciate."

   She nodded and turned away. He was back to snoring within the next few minutes and that was when she finally managed to concentrate on what she was doing. 

She didn't know how long she had been studying a file when she remembered that her phone had died earlier. She got up and plugged it in before turning it on. There were no missed calls or messages except for those from Kenny earlier. She turned off the screen and we back to her file but now, her thoughts wandered. What Kenny had said to her about playing house with her ex's family was true. They might not be still together but spending time with them had felt very real,so good like they were actually one big family. She shook her head. She knew she was doing everything in her power not to show her obvious attachment to Carly. She didn't know why she was even doing it. Of all the things that happened in her life, love and death just put her in the worst situations. She loved Carly and not just in the friendship kind of way. Her attraction to her was still there,there was no way she could fight this forever. She knew she had stopped herself from kissing her multiple times when they had been really close. And the hand holding earlier that night,the reassurance, she had felt much deeper for her than she dared to admit. And then Carly had asked if they could still be friends. Even though she was reading her face and her emotions, and as much as she wanted to believe that Carly still felt the same for her, she didn't want to be disappointed. She had pulled away each time. She closed her eyes and saw her. Her soft eyes which always displayed the best side of her, the perfect smiled that always displayed her dimple and which always felt more like a blow to her heart and mind, leaving her light headed. Her curves which now displayed just how much she had grown. She was no longer the teenager she had first fallen in love with but that didn't reduce her feelings for her. In fact,it doubled them and it stung that she couldn't gather enough courage to tell her just that. One of these days, she would lose control and that,well, she had no idea how that would go.

               "You haven't gone to sleep yet?" She turned, startled by Kenny's voice. He was still laying on the couch but his eyes were completely open.

   She shook her head and decided not to lie to him,"I couldn't sleep." Then turned around in her chair and faced him,"Also,I was afraid that if I did,you might turn out to be an axe murderer and kill me in my sleep."

      Kenny got up and sat down,"Not funny Lewis." He then looked around him. "Have you seen the bag I was carrying when you found me?"

She pointed across the room. She already knew what was contained in there. First thing she had done after Kenny had passed out. He stood up and went to it. He opened the zipper then turned to her. "I'm guessing you have already gone through my things?"

                "Sorry, paranoia and all."

                 "It's okay, I get it but I can assure you I am no axe murderer." He pulled out another seat and placed a document on her desk. "You didn't open this though,did you?"

  She shook her head,"No,I didn't. What s it?"

                 "Open it," he encouraged her. She did and then looked at him in surprise.

                   "Is this an entire file on Kelley Smith?"

                   "Yes it is. Everything you need to know about her. Her past,that is some of the dark ones you had no idea of and much more. Family,the businesses she has been involved in and some of which she still is," he paused. "Basically everything I thought might help with your case. It took me some time,cost me a lot but it was worth it. I hope it will be of some help."

                  "I have  tried everything I could think of but haven't been successful." She said as she went through the file again. "This is amazing,at least I have a base to begin at now probably know who she might be working with even. That will be the most difficult part but at least I'm not at nothing now. Thank you very much."

                    "Did you say, working with? I thought Kelley was always the mastermind alone."

                "It's a long story but I'll tell you about it. I have a question though,why are you walking around without even an ID card or credit card?"

     He looked down,"That's why I was telling you that it cost me a lot."

                   "What happened?"

    He sighed,"I told you I was going to resign from secret service." She nodded. "I decided I could use the facilities at the offices to help you out. I got caught and so,I was fired before I could even quit. I don't know what sort of bad luck followed me but the moment I got home,I found my father waiting for me. I don't know how but he had found out that I am gay."

                 "Wait, what?"

                "Is that so hard to believe?"

                 "I mean, you are not as obvious as I am so yeah."

                "You should see me in a dress. I do all that,drag, make up,role play but in secret. At least I thought so until my father displayed these photos in front of my eyes." He went back into his bag and removed a bunch of photos from another folder. "Here."

   Dylan studied the photos then looked up in amusement,"These are pretty good. A queen? Man,I never would have guessed." She then went on,"So, what happened? He couldn't have possibly kicked you out of your own house."