Recruiting

(JP: LaserSexPanther and Cindy)

(Takes place Sunday morning, after breakfast.)

With Melissa in the guest house being checked out by the nurse Courtney thought this was a good time to talk to Dante. So, she asked Matt to give her a few minutes and she'd meet him on the beach.

After Matt walked off Courtney turned to Dante. "Can we talk for a few minutes?" She wasn't sure if he'd be free but thought he might.

Dante nodded "Yeah of course." He said, he looked around for a moment. "Do we need to break off? Go somewhere private?" Dante asked.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea but I don't want to go far. I think we have plenty of places to talk." With the rich kids gone along with several other people; the beach was much less populated than it had been all weekend. Courtney looked around and then said. "Why don't we go over there?" Pointing to an area off to the side where there wasn't anyone.

"First, am I right that you've been trying to help Melissa? I mean before last night." Courtney asked him.

Dante shrugged "Seems like the right thing to do," He said "and Doug needs to learn that not everyone is afraid of him." Dante gave a little chuckle.

Courtney breathed a laugh at the last part. "Very true." She paused. "There is a small group of us also trying to help her. Myself, Conner, Matt, Dawn and Zander." She couldn't be sure how much of that he knew already but doubted he knew about Dawn and Zander. "Do you want to join us in helping her out? I just figured if we were all working together it might be better."

Dante gave her a nod. "Yeah." He said "I'll help." He looked at Courtney. "I might still try doing things my way, but I'm with you. Just know if he throws the first punch I'm laying him out." Dante told her. "Only reason it didn't happen already was Mel stopping it."

"Full disclosure. I know about that. When Melissa ran after Doug that night, I ran after Mel to make sure she was okay. When I got there I heard your voice and figured she was safe with you there. I couldn't leave because Doug would have seen me. So, I hid until I could leave." She commented. "Its fine if you do things your way. Actually, I was expecting that." She got more of her thoughts together and said. "So, I guess the next thing is to fill you in on what we know and what we suspect."

"I probably know more than you think I do. So maybe I share what I know and you can fill in the blanks." He said, "Firstly I don't know why he's got the power he does over her. I do know that he was up till last night 'smart' enough to bruise her in places he thought nobody would see. Secondly he's obviously got ears and eyes snitching to him, considering how good his timing is to get people away from her." He said "Third I know his anger blinds him and makes him sloppy."

Courtney nodded. "All of that seems accurate. The power part. I think he might be blackmailing her in someway. Zander said he would check into it on Monday and see if he's able to find out anything that Doug could have found out about her. He also said he would start looking more into Doug online. He has information, legally, about Doug most of the rest of us wouldn't." Courtney had been given permission by both Zander and Dawn to tell Dante what she needed to.

Courtney nodded. "Ok. That'll work." Her phone buzzed. She looked at it. "It's Mel. She's done getting checked out. I'll go get her. Could you help me get her onto the beach?" With Melissa being on crutches getting help would be good.

"Yeah I can help." Dante said, "Crutches are way easier than a wheelchair on sand though." he commented, "But I imagine she's likely never used them before."

"I don't think she has but she's not doing too bad on them." Courtney started walking towards the guest house.