“Please.”
“I can’t get involved.”
“You don’t have to be involved, Imogen. I came to you for help because I trust you.”
Immie sighed. “You came to me because I have a bank account.”
“That’s not it. We have a connection.”
“Hello?”
“All those afternoons at my place. I didn’t ask for anything. You came there because you wanted to.”
“I haven’t been to your place for a week,” said Imogen to Scott.
“I miss you.”
“I’m not paying your debt.” Immie’s voice was firm.
“I just need a loan. To get by. Till these guys get off me.”
“It’s a bad idea,” said Imogen. “You should go to the bank. Or borrow against a credit card.”
“I don’t have a credit card. These guys are—they’re not messing around. They left notes inside my car. They—”
“You shouldn’t have been gambling,” snapped Immie. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Can’t you front me enough to get this debt paid off? Then you won’t have to see me again. I’ll pay you back and disappear, I promise.”
“A minute ago you were all about what a great connection we have. Now you’re promising to disappear?”
“I have nothing,” pleaded Scott. “There’s five bucks in my wallet right now.”
“Where’s your family?”
“My dad split a long time ago. My mom got cancer when I was seventeen,” said Scott.“I don’t have anybody.”
Immie was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.”
“Please, Immie. Cupcake.”
“Don’t start with that. Forrest is upstairs.”
“If you’ll just help me, I can leave quietly.”
“Is that a threat?”
“I’m asking for help from a friend to pay a debt, that’s all. Ten thousand dollars is nothing to someone like you.”
“Why do you owe the money? What did you bet on?”
Scott muttered his answer. “Dogfight.”
“No.” Immie sounded shocked.
“I had a good dog.”
“Dogfighting is a blood sport. That’s a felony.”
