“You okay? Do you need some pain relief?”
He quirked an eyebrow at me and then rolled his eyes. Rolling mine back, I followed him out of his room and onto his personal patio. But today he needed more visual stimulation so we both meandered down into the gardens.
The grounds were divided into six exclusive areas, each surrounded by either a wall, hedges, or trees. The privacy each of the several unique gardens supplied cost the company a small fortune to maintain. But they were an essential part of the healing process.
Leroy headed for the Japanese garden, one of my favourites, and the most secluded; towering trees and various clipped high hedges enclosing each small private spot within the oriental section. He led us to a bench that sat to one side of the fountain and was surrounded by a trickling stream, a tiny bridge, and numerous cherry blossom trees.
“I have to tell you something, Kloe.”
I nodded, shifting on the bench so I was looking at him and giving him my full attention. “Go on.”
Turning away from me, he concentrated on the fountain. I had a feeling he didn’t want to look at me and I prayed he was finally going to open up to me.
“I missed you. Frank is okay, but he isn’t the same.” Frank was the therapist who had filled in for me while I was gone. He was good at his job, but hearing that from Leroy gave me a sliver of pride in myself. “It made me realise that if I want to get better then there’s only you that can help me.”
“And you,” I told him. “Both of us can help you, Leroy.”
He shrugged, not sure if he believed in himself as much as I did. “Whatever, but…” He closed his eyes and swallowed. As I reached for him, he slid away from me and shook his head. “I need to do this; your compassion won’t help. Please don’t.”
“Okay.”
I placed my palms together and slid them between my thighs, showing him I had no intentions of touching him.
For a long time he just sat quietly, staring at the water that leapt from the mouth of the large fish in the fountain. I allowed him patience, and I sat as quiet as he did.
A cold shiver raced up my spine and the hairs at the back of my neck suddenly stood to attention. I swung round, searching the area for company but Leroy and I were alone. Putting it down to my pregnancy hormones, I turned back around and waited again.
And eventually, we had a breakthrough.
“I did a bad thing, Kloe.”
I slowly nodded, leaving my eyes fixed on the gardens. “You do know that whatever you tell me, Leroy, is completely between us? It doesn’t go in any record, only in my own head. I am not obliged to report any crime, and I won’t. This is between you and me.”
He nodded, gulping as he ran his tongue over his teeth. His face was pale and he looked like he was going to vomit.
“I hurt someone.” He threw it out so bluntly that I couldn’t help but flinch. That had not been what I expected.
“Okay. Was it an accident or planned?”
“Definitely planned.” He turned to me. “I’m a druggie, Kloe. I will do anything for a hit, you know that.”
“So you hurt someone to pay for drugs?”
He screwed up his face and wobbled his head in consideration to my question. “Kind of. I owe someone a lot of money. This was the only way I could clear my debt.”
“This?”
“This,” he repeated. There was a look in his eyes that made the blood in my veins chill.
When I sensed movement behind me, I closed my eyes and realised exactly what ‘this’ was.
“I’m so sorry, Kloe,” Leroy whispered before he stood up and walked away.
“Hello, Samantha.” The soft tone of Terry Asher’s voice whispered in my ear.
ROBBIE GRUNTED AS I HELPED him through my front door. He had one arm around my shoulders and a crutch tucked under his other arm. “Fucking hell,” he grumbled, the loss of independence grieving him more than the pain. “I’m already sick of this shit.”
I chuckled, kicking the pile of post that sat on the rug to one side so Robbie wouldn’t slip on it. “Give it time, man. It’s gonna take a while.”
He blew out a breath as I lowered him on to the sofa. “It’s already been three weeks; I should be healing by now.”
Anger made me clench my fists. “Don’t worry, Rob. You’ll get your retribution.”
He quirked a brow at that. “I thought Terry was yours.”
Laughing loudly, I nodded and headed into the kitchen to fix us a drink. “He is, but I’ll let you watch.”
“You’re so fucking generous,” he shouted after me.
“I am.”
After passing him his coffee I went to pick up the mail. Red came trotting down the stairs, finally sensing mine and Rob’s presence and deciding we were worth a look in. True to her form, perception one of her strongest points, she gently climbed onto the sofa beside Rob and proceeded to lick his ear.