Anonymous

Chapter 8

Chapter 8
Janet Gnabry slipped Ashley's picture towards the waiter, "Do you know this girl?"
With hope in her eyes, she watched the waiter study the picture with a frown, "She's dead for Christ's sake!"
Something flickered in her eyes that made him flinch, "I know that. I just want you to tell me what you know."
He kept the tray down and leaned on the table, "On the night she died, I remember she ate here with a friend, a male friend..."
"Would you recognise that male friend if you see him?" Janet inquired.
He gave a negative, "He had his face the other way all the time,  never saw him. They ate happily and left afterwards. Two hours later, she was dead."
Janet took the picture in her hands and faced him, "Any chance you know where they went?"
Another negative, "No possible chance. The dude she came with just drove her out and... That was it."
Janet nodded. There were only two explanations for this; either the male friend killed her or he knew who did. Or maybe he was killed before she was. Or even maybe he never knew.
She rested her head in her hands, this was hard. Glancing at Matthew standing with a cleaner,  she raised her chin. He shook his head, he had found nothing as well.
Janet faked a smile at the waiter, "Thanks."
Just when the man was about to get up, his phone rang;a number that read 'Alex boss'. He covered the screen and got up. Unknown to him, the sight had hit Janet's eyes. She smiled. Working for Alex huh? No ordinary waiter could have possessed that watch.
This was easy.
                    *                 *                      *
Daniella entered the dark room. It smelled of alcohol and... Boys. Andrew was not in it and she had the room all to herself; that is, if there was something to do with it. Why did he have to leave it so dark, draperies and curtains covered, windows shut, lights off. She parted the curtains and pushed the windows open.
Andrew got such a view from here, and some fresh air. She could also see her house.
Turning around, she screamed in fear when she noticed a figure. She was actually not alone. There was someone seated on the chair against the wall. That someone was... Andrew; blue-eyed, arrogant and breathtaking.
He gulped a mouthful of hennesy, "You're lucky you are you."
Daniella panted gradually to normal, then nodded. He was right. Not everyone would tolerate someone barging into their room and disrupting their peace and quiet,  especially not someone like Andrew Stephen who 'dwelled with darkness'.
He closed his eyes, "Your house. I looked out the window and found you letting Alex in, " he stated angrily, "I had to come."
Daniella rolled her eyes,"Yeah. And almost kill him."
A frown settled on his face as he got up angrily,  making Dani shiver.
Looking into her green eyes with caution, he stated, "I saw him make you cry Danielle, his killer hands were on you. And I do not think I liked that."
She sighed, trying to understand he was actually trying to protect her, "But don't you think you went beyond your limits?"
He frowned, a frown of humor,  "Look at me Danielle, do I look like someone who has limits to what I do? "
Good point, she thought and shrugged. Andrew turned away, opened his wardrobe and got out a box and a drug bottle.
Walking back to her, he opened the box, "Here,  for you. Went to this mall today and found it. Thought it would look amazing on you."
Daniella gasped as she stared at the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. Those pearls and diamonds were too beautiful to be fake, "Wow. No, I'm sorry Andrew. I can't take it."
Andrew threw it to his bed and said calmly,  "Well I wasn't asking, was I? You do what I want, and now, it's to keep the necklace."
Daniella swallowed, "But the diamonds, the pearls. They're real."
Andrew frowned, "I know that
Waiting for nothing more,he took the jewelry and put it round her neck.
Again, he turned away and poured the contents of the bottle on his palm. Daniella sighted a rainbow of pills, drugs that were  certainly not cure of ailment.
She shook her head. She felt this was the only problem she had with Andrew. She knew no matter how close she could get with him,  she might never completely stop him from doing drugs.
But she did not like the sight of him swallowing those things that were literally killing him, things that made him heartless, things that made her feel she  could lose him one day.
"Please can you stop that, " she  blurted out, covering her mouth immediately after her statement.
Andrew stared in disbelief, "What?"
She closed her eyes, gathering more bravery to speak, "The pills, the hemp, alcohol, tobacco, everything."
Andrew lowered the bottle and watched her with pleading eyes, "I'm surprised you could say that fearlessly. But, it's part of me now and I can't stay without them."
"You need to try. Who would think the great Andrew Stephen is motivated by some underrated drugs, " Dani spat.
Andrew faced her completely, "Come on Daniella try to understand. Do not use my vulnerability towards you to..."
"You bet I would, " she snapped.
She headed for the door when he stopped her, "Dani. Danielle. I..." He gave her a pleading look but she ignored him and pushed on.
Andrew blocked the door post, "I will try... I think. But at this time in my life, I need you. Don't go."
She sighed, "That is up to you to decide."
Then he dropped the tablets. Sincerity was in his eyes and she smiled at it.
Then she hugged him, the first innocent hug between them.
Hours later, they gathered a pile of drugs and burnt it at his backyard.
Andrew stared hard into the fire. His gaze seemed lost and a wave of emotions bubbled through him, "Daniella, " when she looked at him, he continued, "You were serious when you said you wouldn't leave me right?"
Dani nodded, "I'll try not to have to."
Then the fear returned. They would come for her next,  just as they came for Ashley, Eleanor and Jennifer, any companion who got into his life. The only sadists above him.