“How’s everyone doing?”
“Liam and Char are sleeping. Alara is right here with me.”
“Okay. Well, turns out these geniuses were carrying the password around in their damn wallets.”
“What did Zeno find?”
“Blackmail, technically. But it’s worse than that. Robin was a neighbor to the two fucks tonight. Used to hang out with them growing up. Seems like maybe her own household was not a happy one.”
Beside me, Alara sighed.
“I don’t like where my mind is going,” she said.
“It’s unfortunately, probably in the right direction. Turns out she was being abused by their dad. And, later, them too. And she had no one to tell. Seems like she maybe tried to move on with her life when she was old enough. Until she found CSAM online.”
“CSAM?” I repeated.
“Child sexual abuse material,” Alara supplied.
“Of herself,” Lorenzo added.
“Christ,” I hissed.
“Not bad enough they abused her, but they had to share it for other disgusting perverts to watch too. I guess she found a way into their place or their old man’s place and she stole one of their flash drives.”
“It’s enough to kill someone over,” I said. “Prison doesn’t like men who touch kids.”
“Is the dad still alive?” Alara asked.
“He is. As soon as the bodies are fully disposed of, Zeno is going to talk to one of our contacts on the force. See if they can do something about the bastard. Robin deserves that.”
“If they won’t,” Alara said, choosing her words carefully, “maybe Brio can.”
There was a pause from Lorenzo. “I’d be good with that. We all got kids in this city.”
“Can we… can we pay for Robin’s funeral? She never got any dignity in life. Maybe we can give it to her in death.”
“Yeah, babe, we’ll do that,” Lorenzo assured her. “I’ll let you guys know when we have any updates.”
“Thanks, man,” I said. “You okay?” I asked when I set the phone down.
“I mean, I know Robin was already dead, but this is just… so much sadder than I anticipated.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Ugly fucking world to be raising kids in.”
“Char and Liam are going to bring more good into it.”
“Yeah, they are.”
“Christopher?”
“Yeah?”
“I almost died tonight.”
“I know,” I agreed, squeezing her. “Don’t remind me.”
“So, I think maybe that’s what’s making me admit this already,” she said, pressing her head against my chest. “But, um, I think I might be a little bit in love with you.”
