Chapter 2 - The Name Todd Was Afraid Of
Todd stared at Dominic.
“You’re Dominic Vale?”
Dominic pulled several bills from his wallet and placed them beside his untouched dinner.
“I believe that’s what I said.”
Margaret leaned toward Jenna.
“Should I know that name?”
Jenna whispered, “I was about to ask you.”
Todd knew.
That was enough.
His fingers tightened around the recorder.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s an unusual thing to say to a customer.”
“I mean—”
“I know what you meant.”
Todd looked toward the six men scattered around the diner.
“Are they armed?”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“Put the recorder back.”
“Answer me.”
“No.”
Todd swallowed.
Dominic continued.
“Because what those men have in their pockets has nothing to do with the fact that you assaulted an employee and then removed potential evidence from a security system.”
Margaret smiled faintly.
“I like him.”
Todd looked toward the office.
Then the front door.
Then the rear hallway.
Dominic noticed everything.
“Interesting problem, isn't it?”
“What?”
“You can't put the recorder back without admitting why you took it.”
Todd said nothing.
“And you can't walk out carrying it without forty-seven people recording you.”
Several phones remained raised.
Todd finally turned and carried the recorder back into the office.
Dominic looked toward the bald man.
“Victor.”
The man at the counter stiffened.
Dominic sighed.
“You're terrible at pretending we don't know each other.”
Victor looked embarrassed.
“Sorry.”
Jenna stared at Dominic.
“So they are with you.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you lie?”
“Because I didn't want this becoming about me.”
She gestured around the diner.
“Three black SUVs made that difficult.”
“Fair criticism.”
Todd returned without the recorder.
Dominic checked the time.
7:31.
“Good.”
Todd pointed at him.
“You think your reputation scares me?”
“No.”
Dominic paused.
“Your face does.”
A few customers laughed.
Todd became furious.
“You don't know anything about me.”
“I know you struck Jenna.”
“She disrespected me!”
The room fell silent.
Todd realized what he had just admitted.
Margaret slowly lifted her phone higher.
“Thank you,” she said.
Todd stared at her.
“For what?”
“For finally telling the truth.”
Todd's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Then the diner door opened.
A heavyset man in a brown sport coat rushed inside.
Richard Bell.
The owner.
“Todd!”
Todd turned.
“Richard, thank God.”
Richard stopped when he saw the crowd.
“What happened?”
Todd immediately pointed at Jenna.
“She caused a scene.”
Jenna laughed in disbelief.
Dominic spoke from Booth Seven.
“He slapped her.”
Richard looked at him.
“And you are?”
“Dominic Vale.”
Richard's expression changed too.
Not fear exactly.
Recognition.
“You're a long way from Chicago.”
Dominic’s eyes sharpened.
“And you know more about me than your manager apparently thought you did.”
Richard turned on Todd.
“What did you do?”
“She was mouthing off.”
“You hit her?”
“It wasn't like that.”
Forty-seven people answered almost simultaneously.
“Yes, it was.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Jesus Christ.”
Jenna stepped forward.
“You've had complaints about him before.”
Richard looked at her.
“What?”
“Kayla complained.”
Kayla froze.
Todd turned toward her.
“You better think carefully.”
Dominic stood.
“Todd.”
Todd looked at him.
“That sentence sounded remarkably like intimidation.”
“I wasn't talking to you.”
“I know.”
Dominic turned toward Kayla.
“You don't have to say anything.”
Kayla's hands trembled.
Todd smiled.
“Exactly.”
Dominic continued.
“But if you choose to speak, nobody in this room gets to punish you for it tonight.”
Kayla looked at Richard.
Then Jenna.
Then Todd.
Finally, she placed the coffee pot down.
“He grabbed my wrist last month.”
Richard stared at her.
“What?”
“And he cut my Friday shifts after I complained.”
Todd shook his head.
“She’s lying.”
Another waitress spoke.
“He did it to me too.”
Todd spun around.
“Shut up, Melissa.”
Richard’s face changed.
“That's enough.”
Todd stared at his boss.
“You're believing them?”
“I’m hearing them.”
“After everything I've done for this place?”
Richard pointed toward the office.
“Show me the footage.”
Todd hesitated.
That hesitation told Richard everything.
“Now.”
They disappeared into the office.
Jenna looked at Dominic.
“You knew that would happen.”
“No.”
“You knew somebody else would speak.”
“I hoped.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked around the diner.
“Men like Todd survive because everyone believes they're the only victim.”
Jenna studied him.
“And what kind of men survive because three SUVs follow them everywhere?”
Victor coughed into his coffee.
Dominic gave him a look.
Jenna crossed her arms.
“Well?”
May you like
Dominic picked up his coffee.
“The complicated kind.”
