David held a firm conviction that Damian was the mastermind behind it all, the cause of his father's current hospitalization. He was so angry that all he thought about was getting back at Damian. At that point, he could do something really crazy if he set his eyes on Damian. He was only waiting for Phil's return, who had accompanied Jane and her father. Once Phil was back, he planned to leave the hospital and set his sights on Damian, so he waited with a patience both tense and restless.
In the midst of his agitation, Joan remained by his side, without saying a word, he appeared so enraged that no one could easily talk to him.
He had a sneaking suspicion that Phil had told Joan about the incident and asked her to come stay with him and watch him. He didn't really care and just wanted to find Damian that moment.
Finally, an hour later, Phil came back.
"They're already on their way home," Phil informed, responding to the unspoken inquiry etched upon David's face.
David was relieved to hear that Jane had left Sydney, away from potential dangers she might face around him.
"I'll be back soon. Stay here," David announced as he stormed out of the hospital building.
Phil trailed after him, a shadow of worry cast over him.
"Where are you going?" Phil's voice trembled with a sense of foreboding, as if he knew David's plans to go against his cousin Damian all too well.
"It's none of your business Phil," David's reply was curt, his path leading him swiftly to the parking lot where his car was.
"Don't even try to do anything crazy" Phil said as he stood in front of David's car door blocking his path, in an effort to stop David's hasty actions.
"What else am I supposed to do? Just stand by?" The emotions that surged through David were obvious in the way his voice trembled. Phil could see his vulnerability, read it in the quiver of his tone and felt really sad, he hated seeing David that way.
"You have no evidence that he did it" Phil cautioned
"I am certain, Phil. I know it's him, it can only be him"
"I'll go with you," Phil offered.
David's response was a silent nod, his attention shifting toward the door as Phil moved away from the path. He slid behind the wheel and Phil quickly occupied the passenger's side. With swift speed, David drove off where he expected Damian to be.
On getting to his uncle, Mr. Vincent's house, they discovered Damian was no longer residing there. David's knowledge of his cousin Damian was mostly bound to the past, particularly after Damian had traveled to the States and since his return, the threads of his whereabouts was never really relevant.
A flash of memory popped into David's head after a moment of standing and thinking of what to do, "The woman he was with the other day." The only lead he could come up with to track Damian's course.
What lady?" Phil inquired curiously.
"A tall lady, with blonde hair," David disclosed
"You mean his manager?" Phil confirmed.
"He has a manager?" David's voice held a note of surprise, his gaze fixed on Phil.
Phil's arched eyebrow silently questioned David's lack of awareness "her name's Diana" Phil shook his head.
"Let's go," David declared and hastened towards his car, Phil following quickly after him without questioning.
He drove to the tech store of his friend Jeremy, where they solicited the help of his tech-savvy friend to find out information about Damian's manager, Diana. They were able to learn the necessary information about her and they turned their attention to her home after getting the information.
Diana's house was nestled in a quiet neighborhood. All around, there were other houses, each with its own unique look. Some were tall and made of brick, while others were smaller with colorful paint. The streets were calm and peaceful, with hardly any noise.
They looked at the details David's friend had printed out and located Diana's home, the bungalow had a brown door with flowers in the front yard. The windows had pretty curtains, and the walls were painted a warm, inviting grey color.
David's impatient knock on the door rang out. The door opened, revealing Diana's presence.
"Where is he?" David blurted
Diana's expression bore a veneer of confusion, her questioning gaze directed at David. "What? Who?"
"Damian." David's voice was sharp.
From within, Damian's voice cut through the tension "Who's there, babe?"
With a forceful push, David forced the door wide open, stepping into the threshold. "Damian!" he barked, with rage in his voice.
"What in the world is going on?" Diana who looked perplexed screamed "Can you guys just leave?"
"What's going on?" Damian said standing up "David?" he questioned, surprised seeing David walking into his hideaway.
Rushing towards Damian, David's fist connected with Damian's form, as blood surged from Damian's nose.
"David" Phil called out rushing towards him
"Hey! What is wrong with you?" Diana cried out "Let go of him!"
David grabbed Damian by the collar and pushed him up against the wall, refusing to budge.
"You had the guts to bring my dad into this" David scoffed "huh! Answer me" he shouted
"What? What do you mean?" Damian's response was marked by hesitation, his words stumbling in the face of David's ferocity.
Unyielding, David's grasp tightened, "Don't you dare lie to me" he said, his anger aflame. "Answer me!"
"David, you need to calm down," Phil's pleaded, in an attempt to calm David's unrestrained rage and sever David's grip from Damian's collar.
"I am the one you're fighting against, so man up and fight now" David screamed in his face
"I did nothing, you prick," Damian retorted, trying to pull away from David's grip.
David struck Damian's face once again, sending blood pouring from his nostrils. Without regard to the consequences, David was ready to keep striking Damian. Up until the arrival of the police, signaled by their screaming sirens.
Diana had called the cops out of fear as the conflict showed no signs of concluding anytime soon.
* * *
Detective Will, visibly agitated, raised his gaze to meet the furious expression on David's face.
"I realize this must have been an incredibly emotional and stressful ordeal for you, Mr. David. But resorting to physical violence against your cousin?" Detective Will inquired.
David remained silent, his emotions boiling within him.
"Answer me when I'm talking," the detective banged the table with frustration, as though harboring some unresolved grudge against David.
David shot him a warning glare, cautioning him to mind his tone. His eyes then swept the room, they had been taken to the police office, Phil sat beside him, his expression pleading for him to cooperate, while Damian and Diana were seated a short distance away.
"What occurred when you confronted Damian?" Detective Will asked looking at the papers in front of him.
"He barged into my apartment and started throwing punches at Damian" Diana interjected angrily
Detective Will turned to David who gave him no response "Alright, please tell us why you believed your cousin, Damian, was responsible for your father's shooting," he asked once more, but received no reply.
"Mr. David, you do know that assaulting someone without concrete evidence is a serious offense?" Detective Steve, the other detective who sat beside detective Will asked him "We will thoroughly investigate this matter to determine who actually shot your dad, but you cannot take matters into your own hands recklessly."
"Not all matters require police involvement," David retorted. "I'll handle things myself."
"Perhaps in your detention cell," Detective Will interjected angrily.
"Mr. David, I promise we will do our utmost to identify whoever is the culprit but you have to cooperate with us and provide any information, regardless of how insignificant it may seem," Detective Steve said calmly. "I regret to inform you that, for the time being, you will be detained due to your involvement in the assault on your cousin." He added politely
"I'm sorry sir, but he won't be detained," Joan interrupted as she gracefully walked toward them, placing a letter and some documents on the table.
The detectives exchanged glances with her, recognizing her as the daughter of the chief of police. They proceeded to read the letter and skimmed through the documents.
"But..." Detective Will attempted to protest but was cut off by detective Steve
"You're free to go, Mr. David," Detective Steve said, smiling as he stood. "We will look into the case." He gathered the files and departed.
"What? Are you people insane?" Diana exclaimed.
"What's going on here? He fucking assaulted me in my own home!" Damian asked in disbelief.
"And I'm not done yet," David warned.
"David, stop this and let's leave," Phil urged, guiding him out of the police office.
Puzzled, Diana and Damian stared at Joan, who gave them a sly grin before departing, following David and Phil.
They strode to the cark park and got into the car it was past 7pm already and the sky was gradually growing darker.
"The surgery was successful, and your father will pull through," Joan informed David with a slight smile on her face as Phil drove them back to the hospital. David sat at the back sit with Diana, looking really dejected.
"You shouldn't have left his side," David remarked, speaking so softly that it was almost impossible to hear him.
"Your grandmother is with him now; I left when she arrived," Joan replied
"How did you know that we had been arrested?" David asked
"You know, sometimes you can be quite predictable," Joan replied.
"Thank you," David said calmly, resting his head as he closes eyes.
"You owe me" She gave a slight smile "Please be careful. Getting entangled in conflicts can be perilous. I mean, what were you thinking?" Joan asked.
"I can handle things on my own," he stated, gazing out of the window to signal the end of the conversation.
Joan sighed and chose to remain silent understanding how he felt that moment.