Page 75 (1/2)

But I couldn’t bring ht, to Charlie I wanted her to ly I didn’t want to force her I’ve never wanted to force her

I need to know that she chooses o, instead

And I did With my words, anyway In those few seconds, I wanted her to feel the pain that I was feeling

"Well, I’ured this out, but it sounds like she’s into sos it could be" The very thought of her fking another guy ut says that’s not it She’s not practiced enough to be doing that professionally If not that, what else? Theftextortiondrugs?

Shit

Drugs

"What?"

"Nothing" As I glance at Storh the corner of my eye, her wrinkled brow tells me she may have come to the same conclusion on her own Still, I won’t voice this out loud I can’t put Storm in that position I know her She’d tell Dan Not because she wants to get Charlie into trouble; she’d think she was helping But Stor the DEA involved without knowing exactly what’s happening could put Charlie’s life at risk I’ve seen this all before They’ll put her into a little room and drill her for information, and it will be up to her whether she wants to spend the next twenty-five years in jail or turn on whoever ismeans someone ant her dead

I need to find Charlie Now

Chapter thirty-eight

CHARLIE

I don’t bother to s car I don’t even think about it I don’t race to the cash drop location In fact, if the needle didn’t tellforty miles per hour, I’d believe my car was parked in the middle of the road

Jiht co stiffly to my Sorento When I’m safely inside it, with the doors locked and the key in the ignition, I have just enough tilove compartment before the entire contents ofwhen the burner phone starts ringing

"Hello" I hear the eood, little mouse?"

Did Sam know that Manny would be there? Did he do that to me on purpose, to scarefor? I’h it’s a burner phone and there can’t be any wiretaps yet Suddenly, I don’t care Of all the things I should be worried about, cops listening in on this conversation is not one of theht His naer but the chamber was empty Then he threatened to chop ators He said he was going to rob you" The sentences comes out choppy and without e and listen, until I hear a sharp inhale I picture Saar as he talks toelse went as planned?"

Sam doesn’t sound like he cares that soht But Sam is as hard to read as I aot yourthis anyainst the urge to backpedal

I’ plans for us I was going to surprise you with this but I’ve been holding a cut for you, cycling it through some real estate ventures One year with Manny and you’ll have more money than you could dream of"

"A year?" My voice explodes into a shrillness I’ve never heard in myself That I can’t control "I won’t last a year Didn’t you just hear what I said? Manny’s going to kill--"

Sa to be there He was just it, that’s all Do you really think I’d ever send you in soet hurt?"

"You already have" My cold whisper is soo

"That was a reat risk to otten?"