Band Of Brothers

By: Lara

“I am so looking forward to this vacation,” Howie said as they left the boardroom. “One week alone in the tropics.”

“When does your flight leave, D?” AJ asked.

“Early tomorrow morning. I still need to finish packing.”

“Kristin gets back tomorrow morning. I feel like we haven’t seen each other in FOREVER,” Kevin said, leaning against his car.

“No question about what you two will be doing this weekend, huh?” Nick teased.

Kevin’s eyes narrowed, as they always did when someone teased him about his marriage. “What do YOU have planned, Junior?”

“Uh, nothing,” Nick mumbled.

“Then shut up,” Kevin replied.

“I’m gonna party,” AJ announced. They stared at him. “Come on! Responsibly! I know better…trust me!”

“We do, Aje,” Brian said as he unlocked his car door. “But we worry.”

“Nothing to worry about, but thanks, B-Rok.”

“You could come back to Kentucky with us,” Brian suggested. “You too, Nick.”

“No thanks.” AJ wrinkled his nose. Brian punched him.

“Nick?”

“You sure she won’t mind?” Nick asked timidly. It was obvious he didn’t want to be alone, but he didn’t want to intrude on Brian and his wife.

“I don’t think so. And I don’t care if she does. You’re my best friend.”

“Thanks, Bri.” Nick smiled his sunny grin.

“Okay, kids…my suitcases are calling me.” Howie hugged everyone and climbed into his car.

“Have a safe trip, Howie,” Brian said.

“You bet. Have a nice week, everyone. I’ll call you all on Sunday.” Howie winked, then backed his car out of the parking space and zoomed out of the parking lot.

“Tall and tan and cool and lovely…the girl from Ipenema goes walking…” Howie sang quietly from his beach chair. He could hear the music playing from the bar, and he closed his eyes and sighed. This was what he should be doing ALL the time. Relaxing and watching tall, tan, cool, lovely ladies walk by him in illegal bathing suits. His pager suddenly went off and he groaned. He was hoping it would be out of range down here, but obviously the plan he had paid for was better than he thought. Howie picked the pager up to turn it off, then froze. It was Nick’s code “14-3”, for “N” and “C”, then the numbers “911.” Howie quickly grabbed his cellphone from his shorts and turned it on. He hit the speed dial for Nick’s number.

“Hello?”

“Nick? It’s Howie. What could be so wrong that you needed to nine one one me? I’ve only been gone a few hours!” Howie joked.

“Howie…” Nick broke down into sobs. Howie sat up on his chair.

“Jesus Christ, Nick, what’s going on?”

He heard someone grab the phone. “D…this is AJ.”

“What’s going on?”

“You need to come home. Brian’s already on his way…Kevin’s dead. Someone stabbed him.”

AJ met Howie at the airport. Reporters were everywhere, and they were grateful for the bodyguards, who quickly cleared their way.

“Tell me,” Howie said as soon as they got in the limo.

AJ’s face was pale. “Kristen found him. He never came to get her at the airport, and she got a cab. She came home and he was on the kitchen floor. He was stabbed over ten times.”

“God,” Howie whispered.

“It gets worse,” AJ said, wiping away a tear. “They’ve arrested her.”

“They WHAT?” Howie exclaimed.

“Her prints were all over the butcher knife. It was one of their knives, and it was next to Kevin on the floor. She says she was in shock when she found him, that she picked up the knife without thinking. But the police have found out that she and Kevin haven’t been getting along all that well lately. They brought her in with a lawyer, asked her some questions, and now she’s in custody.”

“Holy hell.” Howie stared at the setting sun. “Do you think she did it, Aje?”

“No…well, I hope not. She can be mean and hateful…but I don’t think she’s a killer.”

“I don’t either,” Howie agreed.

The limo pulled into Nick’s driveway. “Nick is a wreck. He’s taking this worse than Brian. Nick was supposed to fly to Kentucky tonight, but Brian and Leigh are on their way back already.”

Howie was shocked at how drunk Nick was. “Howie!” Nick threw his large body into Howie’s arms, and Howie struggled with the weight. “God…Howie.”

“Shh, Nick.” Howie led Nick to the sofa, and Nick sobbed in his arms. “You let him drink this much already?” Howie asked AJ.

“Like I could stop him. I’m surprised I haven’t had a drink myself yet,” AJ snapped. “He wanted to get high…you wouldn’t BELIEVE the coke this boy has upstairs,” AJ said in a low voice. Nick’s mother and brother were across the living room, as well as some people from management. “I talked him into liquor…I felt it was better for now.”

“I need something, Howie,” Nick said miserably. “I can’t deal with this.”

“Later, Nick, okay?” Howie said soothingly. “We’ll get nice and high later,” he lied. Nick nodded and collapsed against him.

The rest of the night was like an evil nightmare. People came and went, questions were asked, and Nick continued to curl up next to Howie. He saw Howie as some sort of security blanket, since his oldest brother was now gone. Howie was the oldest now.

Brian and Leighanne arrived at around three in the morning. They had had an impossible time getting a flight out of Kentucky. By the time they arrived, everyone had finally left Nick’s house.

“My aunt is coming in tomorrow morning,” Brian said wearily. He hugged Nick.

“Is he drunk?” Leighanne asked. Brian glared at her.

“Yes, he is. And he has every right to be.” Brian sat down with Nick. “Has anyone heard anything else about Kristen?”

“Just that she’s being held without bail,” AJ said. He sighed. “I need a drink.”

“Don’t do it, Aje,” Nick sniffled. “Don’t.”

“You have room to talk,” Leighanne murmured.

“Honey, this is a Backstreet thing. Why don’t you take one of Nick’s cars and go on home. I’ll call if we hear anything.”

Leighanne sighed and stood. “Whatever. Bye, Brian.” She stalked out of the room.

“She doesn’t understand,” Brian said apologetically. “She just doesn’t get how tight we are.”

“No one does.” Howie rubbed Nick’s back sympathetically. “Nick, why don’t you go up and take a shower.”

“I’m fine,” Nick said, then caught Howie’s gaze. “Okay, yeah. I think I will.” Nick plodded up the steps. AJ glared at Howie.

“He doesn’t need that right now.”

Howie rolled his eyes. “You have room to talk about getting wasted, AJ. He DOES need it. It’s how he copes. It’s how he’s been coping for months now.”

“He has not,” Brian snapped.

“Yes, he has,” Howie said. “Nick is in my club ALL the time. I know what goes on in the VIP rooms. Brian, you’ve been too busy being married, and AJ, you’ve been too busy being sober. Nick gets high on a regular basis. Mainly on cocaine.”

“Fuck,” AJ muttered. “I knew he fooled around with it…but I didn’t know it was becoming a habit.”

“I don’t know about that,” Howie said quickly. “But maybe you should talk to him, Aje. Get him to take a step back and think about it.”

“Maybe I should.”

“But right now, if it helps him…” Brian trailed off. “Nick and Kevin were pretty damn close. This is probably killing him.”

Kevin’s funeral was a surprisingly small affair. Fans were kept away from the church and away from the cemetery, though they lined the streets to watch the procession go by. Brian, Leighanne, Howie, Nick and AJ rode in a limousine together. AJ’s girlfriend Sarah and Nick’s on again off again girlfriend Kailey rode together in a separate car. They understood the need for the remaining four men to bond. Leighanne did not, and insisted on staying with Brian.

Another of Brian and Kevin’s cousins sang “Amazing Grace” at the service, and it brought everyone to tears, except Nick. His tears were done. He could only stare at the casket in front of them, his eyes wide and childlike. Brian pulled Howie aside before they got into the limo to head for the cemetery. “Tell me, Howie. What the hell have I been missing? What was going on between Nick and Kevin?”

“Nothing, Brian. Nothing that I’m aware of. It’s just…” Howie searched for the right words. “You know that Nick always looked up to Kevin, counted on him. Then for a while, he was becoming his own man, doing his own thing. But then he started falling back into that little boy persona. Whenever his mom would get on him about something, or he’d have a fight with Kailey, or the fans would say he was fat…he’d do one of two things. He’d either run to Kevin, or run to his coke.”

“Shit.” Brian ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this.”

“You were busy,” Howie said simply.

“That’s all gonna change. I’m gonna take care of my best friend,” Brian said firmly, and he went over to give Nick a hug.

The four remaining Backstreet Boys stood around the freshly covered grave. The bodyguards were standing at a respectable distance, and Sarah and Kailey had convinced Leighanne to sit in the car with them. Nick occasionally sniffled and wiped at his nose.

“He was a pain in the ass,” AJ said with a sigh.

“Don’t say that!” Nick snapped.

“Oh, he was, and you know it,” AJ told him. “Especially to you. It had to be perfect for Kevin…everything had to be perfect.”

“Well, you can’t get more perfect than heaven,” Brian commented. “God, I’m gonna miss you, Kev. You’re my cousin…but as close as a brother. I’m gonna miss you.” Brian kissed his fingertips, bent down and touched the grave, then went to the car.

“I’m gonna miss him, too,” AJ admitted. “He was a pain, but he was there if you needed him.” He smiled down at the grave. “Peace, Kev.” He walked up the hill to the limo.

Howie looked at Nick, who was staring at the grave. “I’m all alone now,” Nick whispered.

“No, you’re not, Nicky.” Howie rubbed his back. “You still have me and Bri and Aje. We’ll always be here for you.”

“Like Kevin is now?” Nick said bitterly. “I wish I could find who did this to him. I’d kill them with my bare hands!”

“Well, the police…”

“Kristen didn’t do this, Howie. She and Kevin loved each other…even though they fought a lot. She’s not a killer. I’m gonna find out who did it,” Nick said bravely, then seemed to lose his nerve. “I’m tired. I need…”

“I know what you need, Nick. We’ll make an appearance at the luncheon, then we’ll go back to your place, how does that sound?” Howie said, slapping Nick on the back.

“You’d do that for me?” Nick said. “I mean…with me?”

“I’m your big brother, now, Nick. Of course I will. God…I could use a few hours away from all this as well,” Howie said with a sigh. Nick hugged him.

“Thanks, Howie.”

“No problem, Nicky.”

They were stuck at the luncheon longer than expected. Everyone wanted to talk to them, wanted to talk about Kevin. And although not one of the four wanted to talk about it, they did anyway. They shared stories, tried to joke about the funny things Kevin had done, but it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t like he had died of cancer, or had been killed in an accident. Someone had brutally murdered Kevin…and that was not something that could be easily discussed.

It was almost six in the evening before Howie and Nick could slip away to Nick’s house. “I’m gonna take a shower,” Nick said. “If you wanna…um…it’s in my room, in the dresser.”

“No, I’ll wait.” Howie took off his dress coat and stretched out on the sofa. “Wake me when you’re ready.”

“Okay.” Nick plodded up the steps.

Howie realized later that he really needed to get Nick high more often. He was a lot of fun, and what he said actually made sense. Of course, maybe that was added to by the fact that HE was high as a kite, but it was still interesting. It was almost midnight by the time Howie decided he needed to sleep.

“Thanks…Nick…for sharing your stuff.” Howie yawned.

“I’m surprised you’re tired…I could go for hours!” Nick exclaimed. Howie laughed.

“You go ahead and do that, Nicky. I’ll be in the guestroom if you need me.”

“Okay. Thanks, Howie…” Nick struggled to his feet and hugged Howie. “Love you, man.”

“Love you, too, Nick. You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yeah. Everything will be better in the morning. We can’t bring Kevin back,” Nick said decidedly.

“You’re right.” Howie gave Nick another hug and went up to bed.

It was almost noon the next morning when Howie finally opened his eyes. He couldn’t believe Nick hadn’t been in there bouncing on his bed to waken him. He yawned, stretched, and padded out into the hallway, wearing only his boxers. “Nicky?” Howie called through Nick’s open bedroom door. “Nick?” He froze in the doorway. Nick was curled into a ball on the floor, a notebook by his head. “Nicky?” Howie walked over and bent down, picking up the notebook. “Miss Kevin. Sorry guys. Nick,” Howie read out loud. He reached over and touched Nick’s throat. No pulse. “Jesus Christ, Nick,” Howie whispered. He sat down hard, tears streaming down his face. “Holy fuck.” He went to the phone, and with shaking hands made the two calls that were necessary: calling the ambulance and calling Brian. He then sat down by Nick and just watched him until the paramedics came. But it was no use. Nick was dead of an apparent cocaine overdose.

Brian was inconsolable. Once the three remaining members of the Backstreet Boys gathered at the hospital, he spent the entire time on a chair, staring at the floor. “I should have seen this coming. Nick doesn’t have a coping mechanism. I should have seen it.”

“Brian, stop it.” Howie knelt by Brian’s chair. “No one could have seen it. Hell, I was right there with him and I didn’t see it.”

“Frack,” Brian said, and cried onto Howie’s shoulder. Howie looked up at AJ, who was amazingly pale.

“Can you even imagine how much I need a drink right now?” AJ asked hoarsely.

“Can you even imagine how self-centered that just sounded?” Howie snapped.

“Don’t fight,” Brian said. “Please.”

“We’re not, Bri.” Howie put an arm around Brian.

“No, we’re not. The three of us need to stick together,” AJ said, kneeling on Brian’s other side.

“Where is he! Where’s my boy?” Jane Carter burst into the waiting room. Her eyes fell on Howie. “YOU! We sent him home with you…thinking he’d be okay. And you let him alone! You let him kill himself!”

“Stop it, Jane,” AJ said, standing up. “This isn’t Howie’s fault. It’s no one’s fault.”

“My boy,” Jane said, dissolving into tears. Her husband put an arm around her. BJ, Leslie, Aaron and Angel came in the door after a few minutes, and they immediately rushed to Brian’s side.

“Bri…why’d he do it?” Aaron asked. He saw Brian as another big brother, second only to Nick in his esteem.

“I don’t know, Aaron. I don’t know.” Brian wiped his face and tried to look brave for Nick’s siblings. “He just couldn’t handle losing Kevin.”

“I don’t think I can handle losing Nick, Brian!” Aaron started to sob.

“Don’t think that way, Aaron,” Howie said fiercely, grabbing Aaron by the shoulders. “What Nick did was cowardly. He should have come to one of us.”

“Don’t talk about him that way!” Aaron yelled.

“I’m sorry, Aaron…I just don’t want you thinking it’s the right thing to do when you lose someone,” Howie said more gently. Aaron nodded and Howie gave him a hug.

“Mr. Littrell, Mr. McLean, Mr. Dorough…can I speak with you for a moment?” A doctor came through the swinging doors.

“What about us?” Jane asked.

“In a moment, Mrs. Carter.” The doctor led the men into a small examination room. “Did Nick Carter do cocaine often?”

Brian and AJ looked at Howie. “Well…uh…lately, yes. And especially with the death of our friend…he needed to escape for a while.”

“We’ll need to do a few more test to make sure…but it wasn’t really an overdose that killed your friend.”

Brian’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“Apparently the cocaine in his system had been tampered with. It wasn’t just cocaine. There were some other substances in his blood…lethal substances.”

“Are you saying the drugs were bad and that’s what killed him?” AJ gasped.

“Doctor, I know I can say this in strict confidence…I did the same coke Nick did. I got it from the same bag. And I’m fine,” Howie pointed out.

“I’m just telling you what we’ve observed so far.”

“Jesus,” AJ whispered.

“So someone killed Kevin…and someone killed Nick,” Brian realized. He looked at the others. “Who’s next?”

Nick was cremated three days later. His mother wanted a fancy funeral, with a burial in the most expensive cemetery in town. Brian, Howie and AJ refused. They knew Nick’s final wishes, even without hearing the will. He wanted to be cremated, and then he wanted his ashes spread out over the ocean. It was a small group on his boat, just his family, Brian, Howie, AJ, Leighanne, Sarah and Kailey. Brian stood with Kailey, their arms around each other.

“I’m gonna miss him so much,” she whispered. “We didn’t always get along, but God, I loved him so much.”

“We all did,” Brian said, and he kissed her cheek.

“I forgot to tell you guys,” AJ said in a hushed tone as he stood with Howie, Brian and Kailey. “I got a call this morning. Apparently you two were on your way, or you woulda got it, too. Kristen’s been released.”

“Really?” Brian gasped. Howie nodded.

“The police have been looking into this thing with Nick…and they say it might all be connected. So since there was reasonable doubt about her guilt, they let her go.”

“That’s awesome,” Brian said, smiling for the first time in days. He looked at the water. “Too bad it was Nick’s death that set her free.”

“This is getting ridiculous,” Howie griped as he watched the security guards pile into a car to follow him.

“Sir, we want to take every precaution,” the guard closest to him said. “It’s for your own good.”

“Whatever. I can’t even go to the gym now without you guys following me?”

“Sir…please.” The guard gave him an icy stare.

“Fine.” Howie allowed the man to climb into the passenger seat of his car.

Security was now doubled around Brian, AJ and Howie. AJ and Howie were annoyed by it, though deep down inside they knew it was for their own good. Brian didn’t seem to notice. Brian didn’t seem to notice much of anything. He spent his time looking through old photo albums and watching old video footage. He had lost his cousin and his best friend. He wasn’t quite sure what to do next. Leighanne worried, but unfortunately she showed it by getting angry instead of giving Brian the support he needed.

Howie worked out quietly for an hour, trying to ignore the stares he was receiving. Normally, it wouldn’t have bothered him. But he knew they were staring because two of his friends had been murdered and not because he was a Backstreet Boy. “Let’s go,” he finally said to his bodyguard. They went into the locker room, he quickly changed, and he headed back home. He was due at AJ’s for dinner with Brian and AJ in an hour.

“So…they’ll be reading the will tomorrow,” AJ said as he shoveled spaghetti into his mouth. Brian’s blue eyes were sad.

“I hate that we even need to go to this thing.”

“Nick wanted us to have some things, Brian. It’s for him that we’re going,” Howie reminded him gently. “He’s giving us ways to remember him.”

“I don’t want to remember him. I want him here!” Brian said angrily. He buried his face in his hands. “I so fucking hate this. I hate not being able to call Nick up and go play ball. I hate that Kevin just isn’t there for me anymore. I hate that someone did this to them!”

“We do, too, Rok,” AJ said, giving Brian a hug. He looked at Howie over Brian’s head and they both sighed.

“To Alexander James McLean, I leave all the cars in my possession, as well as my Harley Davidson motorcycle and the jet skis I keep down at the marina,” the lawyer said in a monotone. AJ’s jaw dropped.

“Holy hell. Are you sure it says all of them?”

“Yes, sir, it does. Is that a problem?” The lawyer looked over his glasses.

“Uh, well, no. I just…I thought…his family…”

“Mr. Carter made sure they were well taken care of,” the lawyer told AJ. “To Howard Dwaine Dorough, I leave all the musical equipment in my home, as well as the artwork on the walls of the study, and all the stock I hold in his club, Tabu.”

Howie smiled. “Figures…giving back what I gave him for free to begin with…” He had to chuckle. “Nicky…”

“To my best friend, Brian Thomas Littrell, I give my boat and all supplies that go with it.”

“Whoa,” AJ whispered. “Nick loved that damn boat.”

Brian smiled for the first time in days. “He was evil.”

“What do you mean?” Howie asked.

“Leigh’s gonna flip, and he knew that. She hates boats. She can’t swim.”

Howie dropped by AJ’s house a few days later. He had managed to evade the security guards for five minutes, and zoomed out of his driveway before they could stop him. AJ’s guards were in the house and didn’t see Howie arrive.

“Hey. Whatcha doing?” Howie asked as he walked up AJ’s driveway.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m washing Nick’s cars.” AJ picked up the hose. “Back up.” Howie moved away and AJ sprayed the black Porsche. “I thought about it, and as much as I love these babies…it’s stupid for me to keep them. I’m gonna sell all five and give the money to charities.”

“Nick would like that,” Howie replied. “Anything special you have in mind?”

“Some sort of save the ocean foundation, of course…and some to your foundation…and then probably to A.A. or some sort of public service announcement group that deals with drinking,” AJ said. He thought for a moment. “God…listen to me. I sound all responsible and everything…like B-Rok or Kevin.”

“Speaking of which, he’s taking Leigh out on the boat tomorrow,” Howie said. AJ groaned.

“He’ll get an earful, I’m sure. Why he puts up with her, I don’t know.”

“I wonder, myself. They were so sweet and perfect at the beginning…but she’s done this three-sixty now, I swear.”

“I know.” AJ picked up his sponge. “You gonna help me?”

“Do I have a choice?” Howie took off his shirt and picked up the bucket.

“So, I was thinking those black ones would rock with that Armani I got,” AJ said the next day as he came out of the shoe store. “I can’t believe I can even think about shopping.”

“You wouldn’t be AJ if you didn’t shop,” Howie told him. “I’m just sorry I didn’t come with you to see them.”

“No, you’re not. You hate shopping with me,” AJ reminded him. He took one look at his security guards and froze. “Howie, where are your guards?”

“Out front, I think, why?”

“Because my posse look like their dogs just got run over by a truck,” AJ said in a weak voice. “Hold on, D.” He put the phone down. “What is it?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. McLean. It’s your friend Mr. Littrell,” one of the guards said quietly. AJ brought the phone back up.

“It’s Rok, D…”

“There’s been an accident on the boat. Mr. Littrell and his wife took the boat out early this morning…and their bodies were found a few minutes ago in the water. Apparently Mrs. Littrell slipped and went overboard, and Mr. Littrell went in to save her. Something happened…and they drowned. I’m sorry, Mr. McLean.”

Howie could hear AJ’s anguished scream through the cellphone.

AJ and Howie didn’t go to the funeral. They couldn’t, for many reasons. Although they could find no evidence of foul play, the police still had not ruled out the idea that Brian and Leighanne’s deaths had not been accidental. So they felt that AJ and Howie might still be in danger. They were ordered to stay home and not leave the house without a minimum of four security guards. AJ thought it was ridiculous, but then again, AJ wasn’t exactly in his right mind of late.

The other reason they didn’t go was because they couldn’t. They just couldn’t attend another funeral, watch another one of their brothers slip into the ground. “Our band of brothers is falling apart, Aje,” Howie said the day of the funeral. He had come over to AJ’s house to hang out and try not to think about the service that was going on back in Kentucky.

“I know. God…” AJ lit yet another cigarette and took a nervous drag off of it. “And now we’re prisoners in our own fucking houses.” He looked at Howie. “Got any of that coke left from Nick’s?”

“AJ!” Howie sounded shocked.

“Not to kill myself, to forget for a while. God, Howie, relax.” AJ gave him that feline smile. “I’m not out to off myself…there’s still too much to do.”

“Be careful, Aje,” Howie warned. “We don’t know who’s out there that has it in for us.”

“You’re absolutely right,” AJ agreed. He inhaled again on the cigarette. “And if I ever find out, the son of a bitch will pay. With his or her life.”

Eventually the drama died down and after a few months, AJ and Howie talked their way into two security guards apiece instead of four. Howie was given the go-ahead to hang out at his club more often, and AJ started shopping. It was almost normal…except for the fact that AJ frequented Howie’s club every night. And AJ wasn’t drinking water.

“Aje, haven’t you had enough?” Howie asked gently one night after the bartender tried to cut AJ off.

“Howie, fuck off. I’m not driving, okay? Leave me alone.” AJ lit a cigarette.

“I hope you’re not looking to get laid tonight, AJ. You look like shit,” Howie said in a low voice. His plan of insulting AJ’s vanity worked.

“Fuck you.” AJ got up off his barstool and stalked out of the bar. Howie grinned and turned to say hello to another customer.

Two nights later, AJ was back in the bar. A girl was on his arm, and it wasn’t his girlfriend. “Who’s this?” Howie asked.

“Lynelle. Ain’t she cute?” AJ gave the girl a kiss on the cheek and downed his shot of Jack Daniels. “Another,” he told the bartender.

“Where’s Sarah?”

“Fuck her. She’s always on my case, telling me not to drink.” AJ looked up at Howie, his dark eyes sad. “Did she miss the fact that three of my best friends are fucking DEAD?”

“I know, Aje, but we worry about you, too. You’re drinking yourself to death.”

“God, you sound like my mother,” AJ said angrily.

“AJ, I love you like a brother. I don’t want to see you end up like…the others,” Howie said quietly. AJ looked at the girl next to him, then shoved her away.

“Well, maybe they’re better off. I’m leaving.”

“AJ…did you drive?” Howie yelled, but AJ was already out of earshot.

“What the fuck?” Howie mumbled as his phone rang. He opened one eye. It was six in the morning, and he had only gotten in a few hours earlier. “What do you want?”

“Mr. Dorough, this is Lieutenant Sparks of the Orlando Police Department.”

Howie sat up, suddenly awake. “What?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dorough, but there’s been an accident. Your friend, AJ McLean. He was driving while intoxicated this morning…and he lost control of his car out on the highway.”

“Let me take that for you, Mr. Dorough.” The bodyguard easily picked up Howie’s two suitcases.

“Thanks, Derek.” Howie turned around and looked at his house. It was empty now; he had sold most of his furniture and packed up the important belongings. Where he was going, he wouldn’t need furniture. He sighed as he looked at the bare walls. He hated to leave this place, but he knew it was the safest thing to do.

“I know that your friend died because of the car accident,” Lieutenant Sparks had said to Howie on the day of AJ’s funeral. “But I still think you should find someplace safe to go for a while. Someplace that no one would think to look for you. We’ll be in touch when we know anything.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Howie had said, though it saddened him to leave Orlando.

So, now he stood in front of his house, looking up at the place that his hard work had earned him. He sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and headed for the limo.

Two days later he was finally settled in. “Will there be anything else, Senor Dorough?” The maid asked.

“No, Emilia. And please, call me Howie.” Howie smiled at the young Brazilian woman. She blushed and giggled.

“Okay, Senor Howie.” She curtsied and went out of the room. Howie sighed and picked up his lemonade. He took a sip and sighed. Perfect. Not too sour, not too sweet. He walked out onto his balcony and looked out at the beach.

Howie smiled and toasted the water. This is what he deserved. Peace and quiet and respect. Peace and quiet to enjoy the fruit of his labors. Respect for everything he had gone through. And he deserved that respect. No one knew what he had gone through at the hands of Nick, Kevin, Brian and AJ. Howie had always been the “ugly” one. Or the “sweet” one. Always the one in the shadows. He finally couldn’t take it anymore.

Kevin was first. Kevin HAD to be first. Kevin would have figured everything out, otherwise. He was always in everyone’s business, poking his nose where it didn’t belong. So Howie had started there. Kevin had left him into the house when he told Kevin he wanted to talk to him about something. They stayed in the kitchen and talked for a while, then Howie made his move. Kevin hardly knew what hit him as the knife plunged into his broad chest. Howie watched Kevin sink to the floor, then he carefully cleaned up after himself. It was okay if his fingerprints were around the house; they were at each other’s homes constantly. But he couldn’t have himself connected to the bloody kitchen in any way. Kristen finding the body had been an added plus. Nothing drew attention away from a killer better then the wife who wasn’t getting along with her husband.

Nick. Nicky. The golden boy. The one in the limelight. The stupid one who made them all look like shallow dickheads. How easy it had been to get Nick hooked on cocaine. How easy it was to supply Nick with all the booze and drugs and women he wanted whenever he came into Howie’s club. Howie hated Nick with a passion. He hated that Nick got everything he wanted, and he hated how Nick constantly made fun of him. Howie hadn’t been lying to the doctor when he told him that the drugs HE had done that night had come from the same bag as Nick’s drugs. Howie had simply taken the cocaine out and separated it before adding the special ingredient to Nick’s pile of white powder.

Brian had taken something that Howie had wanted a long time ago. Howie had been interested in Leighanne since the first day of shooting for their video. She had smiled at him and spoken with him politely, but then Brian turned the blue eyes on her and the rest was history. Sure, she ended up morphing into this total bitch that no one liked, but the fact of the matter was that Brian had stolen her right out from under Howie. Then there was the whole sweet Christian boy attitude that annoyed Howie to no end. He hadn’t really come up with a plan for Brian, but then the little accident on the boat happened and Howie was saved all the trouble. That truly had been an accident…it was just fortunate that Mrs. Littrell couldn’t swim and that Brian had jumped in after her.

AJ had also helped him along. AJ had fallen back to the bottle quicker than even Howie had expected. He had thought that his supposed best friend was stronger than that. It was AJ’s weakness with alcohol that had disgusted Howie in the first place. That and the way that he just expected everyone to forgive him and move on. Howie hadn’t forgiven AJ…or forgotten. But he had thought that AJ might have fought the urge a little harder, held out a little longer. AJ had wrecked his car while intoxicated. That was totally true. But since his blood alcohol content had been so high, no one had thought to really inspect the car. They would have noticed that someone had tampered with a few things. Someone whom Howie had hired.

Howie sat down and closed his eyes, enjoying the Brazilian sun on his face. When the police had suggested that Howie slip away into obscurity, Howie had loved the idea. He had planned on doing that anyway. His money wouldn’t run out anytime soon. After Brian’s sudden death, AJ and Howie had made a pact. They rewrote their wills, putting each other as the sole beneficiary of everything. It had been Howie’s idea. It was just too freaky, the way they were being picked off one by one. Hopefully one of them would survive, and if he did, it was only right that he be the one to take care of everything the Backstreet Boys had worked so hard for. So, not only did Howie have his own money…he had AJ’s as well.

His band of so-called brothers was gone. Howie was now in control. He was the one everyone looked to for advice. He was the handsome Backstreet Boy. He was the sweet one who had to go on without his brothers. And he was the one that would be partying every night on the streets of Rio and throughout the rest of South America. He toasted the waves once more, and settled down for his nap.

The End

Please tell Lara what you thought of this story!