As Darcy listened, she couldn’t help but interpret the silence, the murmurings. She could clearly read what Logan was up to. He was kissing Willow, cuddling her, making the girl feel safe and secure. Darcy had heard rumors about Logan dealing, but this was going past dealing.
“I promise you, baby, you’ll feel euphoric. You know what that word means, right?”
A sharpness in Willow’s voice. “Of course I do!”
“Well, this will be euphoria like you’ve never imagined. You’ll get so high, and I’ll be right here holding you, and after a while, you’ll get relaxed, a little sleepy, it’s called ‘on the nod.’ ”
“Logan—”
“Okay, fine. I spent some money to get some really good, pure, sweet stuff for you, but I don’t want to force you.”
Thank God, Darcy thought, relaxing her shoulders.
“I’m sorry, Logan.”
“No worries. I kind of thought you were too young for me, anyway.”
The grass rustled. Logan was moving away from Willow.
“I’m not too young for you,” Willow protested. “I love you, Logan.”
“Well, I snort heroin and I kind of imagined us doing it together…and then doing it together.”
“Are you going to snort some now?”
“Not now. I wasn’t going to. I wanted to stay clear and watch you for your first time. See how you do. Look, see this packet? Look how small it is. I wouldn’t use more than half of it. I’d make a line of it on my hand, and you’d snort it—you’ve seen people snort heroin, haven’t you?”
“In movies.”
“I wish you trusted me.”
Another silence.
“All right,” Willow conceded in a small voice. “I’ll do it.”
“My baby. You won’t regret it. You know I love you, don’t you, Willow?”
“Do you? Really? You’ve never said that before.”
As Darcy listened to sounds of what was undoubtedly some major kissing, she stood up, hands clenched at her side, panicking. Willow’s parents weren’t home. She had her cell, she could call someone, she could call the police, but they couldn’t get here soon enough to prevent Willow from snorting the heroin. Willow was not her child, she, Darcy, was not responsible for Willow, she’d been told by Boyz to butt out of Willow’s life, but this, this…
“Okay now, see this nice straight line on my hand? Hold one nostril shut with your finger, put your nose down—”
“Don’t do it, Willow! I’m coming over there!”
Darcy sprinted through her yard, beneath the arbor, around and down the narrow path near the Brueckners’. She burst into the Szwedas’ backyard. Willow and Logan sat staring at her wide-eyed and openmouthed as if she’d landed from outer space. And she sort of felt like it, as adrenaline flooded her system. She was shaking, and she was red-hot mad.
“No, Willow, you are not snorting heroin.” Darcy kicked Logan’s hand, and the white powder flew into the grass.
“Hey!” Logan yelled. “Lady, that was a lot of money you just lost me.”
“Good!” Darcy eased her voice down from bellow to loud. She wanted to sound threatening but in control. “I live on the other side of the hedge, and I’ve heard every stupid word you’ve just said. You’re Logan Smith and I know your parents, and I’ve got a cellphone in my hand and if you don’t get your sleazy, sneaky drug-dealer ass out of here now, I’m calling the police.”
Logan looked at Willow. “Are you going to let this freak tell us what to do?”
Willow’s teeth were chattering so hard she couldn’t speak.
Darcy held up her cellphone and hit a button.
“Bitch,” Logan said. He stood, tall and so thin Darcy thought she could push him over with one hand. He glanced down at Willow. “Coming with me?”
Darcy stepped between Willow and Logan. “No. She’s not coming with you. She’s not coming with you ever again, especially after I tell her about the girls you’ve knocked up.”
Logan narrowed his eyes. “I’m gonna get—”
Darcy folded her arms over her chest. “Shut up, Logan. You would be extremely stupid to threaten me. Leave. Just leave.”
“Nasty old snake-face bitch.”
Darcy said nothing. She knew he would go more readily if she let him have the last word.
Logan turned and walked away, sauntering, so Willow knew he was no coward.
He disappeared from sight. A moment later, a truck door slammed and an engine roared and Logan laid some rubber. Then he was gone.
Darcy was trembling. She knew it was the adrenaline rush, but she wanted it to stop. She wanted to appear calm and sensible to Willow. She knew she’d frightened the girl. Hell, Darcy had frightened herself.