“You okay?” I asked, not getting too close. A little boy wearing a blue sweater and red shorts came running past and started rifling through the books a few feet away.
Colleen seemed totally unaware of him. He found a book and ran off again as his exhausted mom walked past us, smiling a little until she saw Colleen’s face, then quickly looking away.
“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” I stepped closer. “You heard what he said.”
Her eyes flashed to mine. Rage was all over her face, rage and fear. “He wants to kill me,” she said. “He wants to blame that shooting on me. I’m his own damn niece.”
“I assume that’s why,” I said. “Killing his own niece would send a better message.”
She hissed and leaned forward. I thought she might be sick, so I walked to her side and put an arm over her shoulder.
“Let go of me,” she said.
I didn’t move. I pulled her closer and held her there. “It’s okay,” I said. “Just breathe. You’ll be okay.”
“He still has my father,” she said, panic replacing her anger. She looked into my eyes, shaking her head. “He’s going to kill my dad.”
“He won’t,” I said. “Your dad is his only card now. He won’t waste it just yet. He’s not as stupid as he looks.”
“Steven,” she whispered, then buried her face in my chest.
I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her close. I noticed a few parents were looking in our direction, and I knew it was time to go before someone said something to the staff.
“Come on,” I said, peeling her back. “We have to leave.”
She nodded, tears in her eyes, but she let me take her hand. She walked along with me, shuffling like she was barely aware of moving.
We rode the escalator back down, under the huge sale sign advertising young adult novels, and back out onto the street. Men wearing suits and young kids with backpacks hustled past as I turned right, walked past the back and the long line for the ATM, crossed the street, and found Dino’s SUV parked in a loading zone.
I got Colleen into the back then got up front.
“Take us home,” I said.
Dino nodded, saw the look on my face, and swallowed whatever he was going to say. We drove back to my place in silence.10ColleenWe didn’t talk on the ride back to his house. When Dino dropped us out front, I jumped out and hurried up his stoop. I tried to get in but the door was locked, and I banged my fist out of pure frustration and anger.
“I got it,” Steven said, his voice soft. I jumped a little as he got close. “Just me,” he said, and slipped a key from his pocket.
I stared at him, my eyes roaming down his perfect suit, and I wanted to scream. I felt so much anger and confusion deep inside of me, and I didn’t know what to do with it. He pushed open the door and I ran inside, not thinking at all. I angled for the steps, took them two at a time, and kept going until I burst out through the roof deck door.
I stepped out onto the roof, walked to the railing and stared out over the street. For a second, I thought I really might start screaming my head off, but I pushed that impulse back down instead.
My uncle wanted to kill me. He wanted to use me in a trade. He’d sacrifice me to avoid a war with Steven.
My own uncle didn’t give a damn about me.
He thought I had betrayed him, which I understood. But even still, he admitted he’d kill me regardless, since someone had to pay for those dead soldiers.
And I was worthless, but Steven had his own little army.
That bastard. Blood meant nothing to him. Mathis didn’t care that I was his niece, didn’t care that he had his own brother tied up in some basement somewhere. He only cared about his precious Celtic Club and about all the money flowing into his pocket. He’d do anything to keep that all going, anything to keep his precious gang happy and rich.
I stayed up on the roof deck alone for a long time. I don’t know how much time passed, but the sun slipped up into the sky and soon I could feel my pale skin beginning to burn. I forced myself to go back inside, out of the sun, and I stumbled down the steps lightheaded and thirsty. I staggered back down the steps, through the house and into the kitchen where I filled up a glass of water and drank it down.
As I finished the water, I turned my head and noticed that the basement door was open a crack. It was positioned to the left of the kitchen, right near the door to the back yard. I walked to it, a little curious, since I had never seen it open before. The lights were on down there, and as I lingered at the top, I heard something metal clank and a grunting sound.