"They took him away," the officer says.
"What?" I ask, my heart slamming against my chest. "What do you mean they took him away?"
"The ambulance. Your friend's in the hospital. He was beat up pretty bad."
"Beat up?" I say, my throat going dry. "By who?"
"That's what we're trying to find out. So far it looks like a robbery that went bad. The guy probably thought nobody was home. When he saw your friend, he attacked him, then ran."
"What do you mean he attacked him?" I ask, my voice shaking. "What happened?"
Danny puts his arm around me, both of us staring at the officer.
"He was unconscious when we got here," the officer says. "Pretty serious head wounds. A lot of bleeding from the neck. Dislocated shoulder. I don't know what else, but he was in bad shape when they took him."
"Oh my God," I say, struggling to breathe. I turn to Danny. "We have to go. I have to see him."
"What hospital?" Danny asks the officer.
He gives us the name, then pulls out a small notepad. "Do you know if Mr. Sanders had any enemies?"
"No," Danny says, shaking his head. "He kept to himself. Didn't bother anyone."
"Do you know if he had anything of value that might make him a target?"
"Look at this place," Danny says with a huff. "You really think there's anything valuable in there?"
The officer's brows rise. "Any illegal substances your friend might've been in possession of?"
"Dean's not a drug dealer!" I yell at the cop, angry he'd even ask that.
"Dean wasn't into that shit." Danny pulls me into his side as he talks to the officer. "He didn't do anything illegal."
"Did anyone see anything?" I ask the officer. "Did they see who did it?"
"No. That's why I'm here talking to the neighbors. Earlier this morning, one of the neighbors called in complaining about a noise. Said it sounded like a man yelling and then something banging against a wall. We sent our officers out, thinking it was a domestic disturbance. When they got here, the back door was open and they saw blood in the kitchen. We assume it was from the young man, although we're running tests on it to make sure."
"There was blood?" I ask.
"What else did they find?" Danny asks the officer. "Did the guy take anything or did he just beat up Dean and go?"
"It's hard to say until we talk to your friend. The place has been torn up like the guy was looking for something but I can't say if anything was taken." He cocks his head. "You sure your friend didn't have any enemies?"
"His dad," I say, knowing it had to be him. I don't want to believe his father would do this but from what Dean's told me about him, I know he's capable of it.
"Did you say his dad?" the officer asks.
"Yes. Dean was worried he might show up here."
"He wouldn't do that," Danny says. "He's only got three years left. He's not gonna risk getting more time for doing something stupid."
"His father's incarcerated?" the officer asks.
"Yeah," Danny answers. "Been locked up for seven years."
"He was up for parole but didn't get it," I say. "Instead they gave him work release. It was supposed to start today. Check with the prison. See if he showed up to work today."
"What's his name?"
