Brave Like You (Steve Harrington)

Thirty-Two.

Our cover for picking up Candy was simple enough. She was going to be staying at Robin's until their trailer was no longer considered an active crime scene, the authorities were also putting her Uncle Wayne up somewhere until then, as well. Her bags were packed and ready when we got there, and I could have sworn that I saw Nancy's car parked by Max's house, but I know it can't be her. She had no reason to be here.

I threw her bags into my trunk, and she was surprised to see Max and Dustin in the car. We explained everything to her on the way to Reefer Rick's. "I had a feeling he went to his dealers," she said, "I didn't tell the cops that though."

"Do you know who that girl was?" I asked, but then I added, "You know, the one that they found."

"Yeah," Candy sighed, "They asked me to identify her. It was Chrissy Cunningham. She asked me if I would set up a drug deal yesterday with Eddie, so I did. She said she just wanted some weed to help her relax. I told him you sell her weed and nothing stronger, and he said okay. Obviously he didn't listen, because why else did he bring her back to our trailer? He was going to give her something stronger and ruin her life."

I put my hand onto her knee, "Hey, you know Eddie. He probably thought he was helping her."

Dustin scoffed, "That's sure a change in tune from earlier."

I heard a smack, and I knew Robin had hit him upside his head, and she said, "Dude."

Candy looked at me, "What is he talking about?"

Dustin continued, "Steve thinks Eddie doesn't care about your feelings or what you want."

"Thank you, Dustin," I said, my tone obviously annoyed.

"Well, sometimes I feel that way, too," Candy admits, "But I know he doesn't do it on purpose. Sometimes he just doesn't think about the consequences of his actions. That's why he's a two time Super Senior."

"And why he dated Billy," Dustin said, "Yeah I know. Eddie told me a long time ago."

"Yeah," Candy agreed, "Exactly."

We drove the rest of the way there quietly. No one really wanted to talk. Henderson, that smart little shit, he was able to find Eddie. He was convinced that he knew where Eddie was, and that he was innocent in all of this. He was crazy. "Eddie! It's Dustin!" He called out, "Let me in! I just want to talk! No cops, I swear! We just want to help! Eddie!"

"Dude," I said, "Quit it."

I ended up kicking the door to the outside boat house in, and we poked around until I was grabbed by the throat and held against the wall. The others started protesting and yelling at Eddie to let me go, but he didn't. He held a broken beer bottle to my neck, ready to strike if he needed to.

"Eddie!" Dustin yelled, "It's me! It's Dustin. It's just Steve. He's not going to hurt you, right Steve?"

"Right," I managed to say.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, speaking through his teeth.

"We're looking for you," Dustin explained.

"We're here to help," Candy said. Eddie didn't look too convinced. She walked up to him, getting closer to him, she put a hand onto his shoulder, "Eddie, we don't believe you killed Chrissy. Just let my boyfriend go and we will explain everything."

"Eddie, we are your friends," Dustin said, "This is my friend Max, who never wants to play D&D, and I know you know everyone else." He sighed then, "Eddie, we're on your side. I swear on my mother. Right guys?"

"Yes," Max said, "We swear."

"On Dustin's mother," Robin said.

"Yeah, Dustin's mother," I said.