Can't Buy Me Love

Chapter Four

The second day of the DUI School was about the legal system, if you fail this course of action it was all about what happened next. Which was mainly jail! Marina sat at the back and watched the interactions in the class, despite it all she was glad she wasn’t going to jail. Though this was as close to hell as she could imagine without being locked up.

In the car park after the class she saw Nathan lounging against his car, chatting into his phone; again anxiety seemed evident on his face. When he spotted her he ended the conversation.

                “You ok?” she asked, surprised to see him look so shaken.

Nathan nodded, “just family issues you know how it is!” He unlocked the car, “so what do you want to do now? I can chaperone you somewhere, but you know I can’t let you go alone...”

Marina sighed, not caring that she didn’t really believe him, “I actually want to go home, have a swim....”

Grinning, appreciating her acquiescence, he drove her straight there.

An hour later, changed into a bikini, she dived into the cool water. She swam several lengths of the small pool; she was an accomplished swimmer and managed to switch off her overactive mind whilst she was cutting through the water. Eventually she slowed and hung her arms over the side enjoying the feel of the sun on her shoulders.

                “Not joining me?” she called when she spotted Nathan come out of the house toward her.

He looked pale and preoccupied again, “as appetising as it is, I can’t. Something’s cropped up, and I need you to behave for two hours?”

Shrugging she turned and dived back into the water and covered another few lengths.

As Nathan drove out of Beverly Hills he wondered if this was a good idea, he didn’t need her playing up again. Maybe today’s amicable behaviour was a front to lead him into a false sense of security. Things were so complex, so precarious at the moment, but he had to go and bail his sister out, not that she’d ever know it was him, the slightest hint that he was ‘interfering’ in her mess of a life would be like a spark to the driest kindling. She’d be wild with anger.  It was a reasonable drive to his main headquarters in Culver City, and once there he dumped the car and almost ran to his office. Paula was his full time assistant, helping him keep on track of so many things. As he marched into the office she matched his pace reeling off information to which he grunted an acknowledgement.

                “She’s being held at a station in downtown Las Vegas, she was caught with a large amount of crystal meth, enough that they suspect she’s a supplier.” Grunt. “I’ve called them and told them you’ll meet her bond, but without seeing her I can’t see what you can do. She seems to be off the rails.” He grunted again.

                “Cal an old Marine buddy lives in Nevada somewhere, I’ll call him, see what he can do. Any news on Beaufort?”

Paula consulted her file, “he’s booked on a flight home tomorrow.”

Nathan nodded then reached for the phone, after a fifteen minute call to his buddy, Cal had secured a deal for his sister, rehab under yet another government programme, it was all he could hope for. Pausing to curse his drug addict father and prostitute mother he wondered how his sister had got into such a bad place, but then it was for the exact same reason that he’d joined the military at sixteen, he’d had a route out, she hadn’t. She had no options growing up, and now she was a ruined mess.

He had a few other pertinent issues to deal with, before he made his way back to Beverly Hills.