Chapter 7 - Uncle Victor Knows Too Much
Victor recovered fast.
“Daniel told me.”
Adrian looked at Daniel across the room.
Daniel did not move.
“Did you?” Adrian asked.
“No.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“This is ridiculous.”
Adrian set the watch on the table.
“You also thought Marcus was dead.”
Victor stared.
“I was told the driver hadn’t been recovered.”
“You said dead yesterday.”
Victor shrugged.
“Figure of speech.”
Ernesto walked in from the hallway.
Victor’s eyes went straight to him.
The boy stopped.
Adrian saw recognition.
Not curiosity.
Recognition.
Victor softened his expression.
“You must be Ernesto.”
Ernesto looked at Adrian.
Adrian said nothing.
Victor smiled.
“The boy who saved my nephew.”
“How do you know my name?” Ernesto asked.
Victor paused.
“News.”
“No news people came.”
Victor’s smile thinned.
Adrian almost admired the kid.
Victor changed direction.
“Marcus probably died downstream. We should focus on—”
“No, he didn’t,” Ernesto said.
Everyone turned.
Adrian stared.
“What?”
Ernesto swallowed.
“I saw him again this morning.”
Victor’s face drained.
Adrian saw it.
Daniel saw it.
Ernesto continued.
“Before the hospital. At the food place near Harrison.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Adrian asked.
“He told me not to.”
“What did he say?”
“That I had to wait until you knew who the bad man was.”
Victor laughed.
“This is a traumatized child inventing—”
Ernesto looked at him.
“He said you would say that.”
Victor stopped.
Adrian’s pulse jumped.
“What food place?”
“St. Mark’s outreach.”
Victor moved toward his phone.
Daniel stepped in front of it.
Victor looked up.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting Adrian.”
Victor’s eyes went cold.
“You had one job.”
Silence.
Adrian heard it.
Daniel did too.
Victor realized what he had said.
Adrian stepped closer.
“One job?”
Victor smiled.
“Keeping you alive.”
“Did he fail?”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“You’re concussed.”
Adrian almost laughed.
There it was.
Psychological leverage.
Maybe Daniel had been right about more than he knew.
Adrian took Ernesto and left through the private elevator.
Daniel stayed behind to delay Victor.
At St. Mark’s, the shelter director denied seeing Marcus.
Then Ernesto pointed at the kitchen.
“He’s lying.”
Adrian looked at the director.
The man sighed.
“Back room.”
Marcus stood when Adrian entered.
Bandage around his head.
Left arm in a sling.
Gun in his right hand.
He lowered it.
“Boss.”
Adrian crossed the room and hit him once in the shoulder.
Marcus winced.
“That for saving you?”
“That’s for disappearing.”
Marcus almost smiled.
Then his face turned serious.
“You brought the kid.”
“He brought me.”
Ernesto hugged Marcus around the waist.
Marcus closed his eyes.
Adrian waited.
Then:
“Tell me everything.”
Marcus pulled out a photograph.
Three people outside a warehouse office.
Victor.
Daniel.
Sofia.
Adrian stared.
Marcus said:
“Your missing witness was meeting both men.”
Ernesto looked at the photograph.
“That’s my mom.”
Adrian’s stomach tightened.
Marcus whispered:
May you like
“And the meeting happened the day before they tried to kill you.”
CUT.
