“Doesn’t matter if he wants ya, he needs ya t’ come back. He’s a feckin’ mess without ya – out all night, tryin’ ta drinkin’ himself t’ death. He won’t listen ta me. He won’t listen to anyone.”
“Is Declan…” Tess paused. “Is he angry with me?”
I couldn’t lie and tell her everything was dandy. Declan was going to rip her to pieces once he got a hold of her, but he needed her all the same.
“Fumin’,” I replied matter-of-factly. “But I know him. Once he gets his head out his hole, he’ll come right. He’s mad about ya, anyone with eyes can see that, like.”
“He was the one who burnt my house down, wasn’t he?” she asked quietly, and this time I faltered, unsure what to say.
“I wasn’t with him, so I can’t say f’sure, now…” I hedged with a sigh. “But I believe he did, aye. He wouldn’t speak with me about it.”
“I’m scared, John-Francis. If he’s angry enough to fucking set fire to my house, what if he hurts me?” Tess whimpered.
She needed a hard dose of reality. Tess needed to know what was going to happen if she didn’t return to Declan. For the first time since she’d left, I gave words to the fear I’d held down inside.
“I can’t speak o’ that. He’s not in a good place, like. His head ain’t on right… but what I can promise ya, is if y’don’t come back ta him, Declan will end up doin’ himself in. He’s on a slippery slope t’ a dark place, Tess.”
I held my breath, waiting for her response.
C’mon, Tess. Don’t let us down, now. Declan needs ya. I need ya…
“I’ll head home. As soon as I can. I promise.”
I sighed heavily, relieved. “A’right, grand. Get back here as soon as y’can, now.”
“I will. Thank you, John-Francis.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. I’d be seein’ ya soon.”
We hung up and I punched the air before pushing my hair out of my face. I prayed with everything that was in me that Tess made it back in time before Declan did something stupid. I shoved the phone back in my jeans and strode from the riverbed. I needed to get back to the camp as soon as possible. Perhapsif I told Declan the good news, I could shake him from the nightmare he’d been steadily drowning himself in.
I was halfway back to camp when my phone – definitely mine this time – began to ring. It was Seamus.
“Howsagoin’?” I said, breathless from my brisk pace. “I’ve got some feckin’ grand news—”
“Aye, well it’d have t’ wait, like. Declan’s just been ‘round t’ me place, lookin’ t’ score some gear.”
Heroin. My heart began to pound, sweat beading on my brow. Declan and I were no strangers to recreational drugs, but even we never touched that shite. It wasn’t just a bit o’ fun, that was life-ruining levels of fucked up.
“Y’didn’t–?”
“‘Course I feckin’ didn’t!” Seamus snapped. “But y’think that feckin’ prick would take no f’an answer? He feckin’ pushed his way in ‘ere, bust up me feckin’ nose and raided me.”
My blood ran cold. “How much were y’holdin’?”
“Too much f’one person, that’s f’sure. He took it all, fella. If he uses it, it’ll kill him. No doubts ‘bout that.”
I broke into a jog. “Where is he now?”
“Back at his place, I think. I can’t go ‘round there alone. He’s feckin’ crazy. I’d be worried he’d kill me too, like.”
I knew what Seamus meant. I’d seen Declan off the deep end only once or twice before, but when he was this far gone… I knew he had it in him to kill a man if he got in his way.
“I’m on me way!” I gasped. “Stay put, we’ll go together, like.”
“Aye, grand. Oh, an’ what was y’good news?” Seamus snorted.
“Tess is on her way back ‘ere.”
