Chapter 3 - Raymond Came to Brooklyn
The hospital wanted to keep me overnight.
I wanted to disappear.
Again.
“I can go to Philadelphia.”
Angela stared at me.
“You have seventy-three dollars until payday.”
“I'll figure something out.”
Vincent stood by the door.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“That wasn't a question.”
“It wasn't an answer either.”
“I'm leaving.”
“Fine.”
He opened the door.
“My driver will take you.”
“I don't need your driver.”
“Then Angela will.”
Angela nodded.
“Absolutely.”
I sighed.
Vincent almost smiled.
Almost.
Then Paul appeared.
“Problem.”
Vincent's expression changed instantly.
“What?”
“Fletcher knows she works at Calder's.”
Silence.
“How?”
“He showed her photograph to a bartender two blocks away.”
I felt sick.
“When?”
“Last night.”
Angela whispered, “Before Derek attacked her.”
Vincent and Paul exchanged a look.
I noticed.
“What?”
Neither answered.
“What aren't you telling me?”
Paul looked at Vincent.
Vincent nodded.
Paul continued.
“Derek Lawson knows Fletcher.”
My skin went cold.
“No.”
“They were seen together yesterday.”
I stared at him.
“You think Derek came into the diner because of Raymond?”
“We don't know.”
“But you're thinking it.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Did Derek ever say your name?”
I thought back.
“No.”
“Anything about Albany?”
“No.”
“Did he try to get you outside?”
I remembered his hand around my wrist.
Your number.
Then the anger when I refused.
“I don't know.”
Vincent looked at Paul.
“Talk to Derek.”
“No.”
Both men looked at me.
“I want to hear it.”
Vincent shook his head.
“You need rest.”
“I've spent two years running from Raymond because everyone kept telling me what was best for me.”
I pushed the blanket away.
“I'm done.”
Vincent studied me.
“Emma.”
“If Derek came because of Raymond, I deserve to know.”
Ten seconds passed.
“Fine,” Vincent said.
---
Derek sat in the diner's back office two hours later.
Nobody had hurt him.
But fear had done enough.
His face changed when I entered.
“You.”
Vincent closed the door behind us.
Derek immediately looked away.
I remained standing.
“Did Raymond Fletcher send you?”
Derek said nothing.
Vincent spoke.
“Answer her.”
Derek swallowed.
“He told me to find you.”
My knees nearly weakened.
I refused to let them.
“Why?”
“He wanted to know if you'd changed.”
“Changed what?”
“Your name. Your appearance. Whatever.”
“And the punch?”
Derek looked ashamed.
“That wasn't supposed to happen.”
“You knocked me unconscious.”
“You embarrassed me.”
Vincent stepped forward.
I lifted my hand.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
I looked at Derek.
“What did Raymond promise you?”
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Five grand.”
“For finding me?”
“For confirming where you worked.”
My heart pounded.
“Where is Raymond now?”
Derek looked toward Vincent.
“Answer.”
“A motel near Queens Boulevard.”
Vincent opened the door.
“Paul.”
Paul entered.
“Call Detective Brennan.”
Derek's head snapped up.
“Police?”
Vincent looked at him.
“You assaulted one of my employees and admitted you were paid to stalk her.”
“You can't—”
“I can.”
Derek stared.
“I thought you people handled things yourselves.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“You watch too many movies.”
Despite everything, Angela made a strange choking sound behind me that might have been a laugh.
Vincent continued.
“You're going to tell Detective Brennan exactly what you told us.”
Derek shook his head.
“Raymond will kill me.”
“No,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
I stepped closer.
“That's how he controls people. He makes you believe he's bigger than everybody else.”
Derek looked terrified.
I knew that look.
I'd worn it myself.
“Tell the truth,” I said. “Then stop running.”
Derek stared at me.
Finally, he nodded.
But before anyone could speak, Paul's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Vincent.
“Raymond checked out twenty minutes ago.”
“Where's he going?”
“We don't know.”
The diner's front bell rang.
Everyone froze.
A waitress hurried into the hallway.
“Mr. Calder?”
Vincent turned.
“What?”
She looked pale.
May you like
“There's a man outside asking for Emma.”
---
