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He’s banking on me putting myself first.
He doesn’t realize I’m not that man anymore. Someone is more important to me than my own life, and I will fight to the death for her. To keep her safe.
All I have so far is a freaking toilet tablet. I don’t dare take the one from my toilet in this room, for fear they will check everything.
For now, I wait.
Hours pass before someone knocks on the door. I’m shocked that King is allowing me the benefit of a knock.
“Who is it?”
“Supper.”
The granola bars still sit on the table beside the bed. I’m not hungry, but I need to eat.
“Come on in.” Not like I have a choice.
The door opens. The same guy stands there, the driver. He carries a tray containing a plate covered with a silver dome. “Here you go.”
I take the tray from him. “Any good news?” I ask.
“Not that I could tell you.”
“What’s in this for you, man?”
“I’ve got a family to feed.”
“Do you? Because if you cross these guys, they won’t think twice about bringing your family in here to use.”
“You think I don’t know how it is?”
“I’m pretty sure you do know how it is. For example, you know there’s a woman in this house. A woman I care for. And the man you work for? He’s going to harm her to get to me.”
The driver says nothing.
“What’s your name, man?”
“Grunt number one.”
I scoff. “You think you’re number one?”
“I was kidding, dude. He doesn’t care what my name is. And neither do you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I do care. I’m not the guy King has told you I am.”
“We all know you are, man. And we all know why you’re here.”
“You think so?”
“Of course. We know why your woman’s here too.”
“And you’re okay with that? With letting an innocent woman be harmed because of something your boss thinks I did?”
“None of my business, dude.”
“Isn’t it? Look, I’ve been where you are. I was the driver once. I was grunt number 356 or whatever the fuck you are. I moved up. I moved up quickly.”
“Maybe that’s what I want.”
“Do you? Because I guarantee you it’s not. I thought it was what I wanted but turns out it wasn’t. It was the worst part of my life.”
“And yet…here you are. Back here.”
“You’re right. I’m back here because he threatened someone I love. I will gladly give my life for hers.”
“Here’s the thing you need to remember,” the guy says. “He doesn’t give a rat’s ass about her life. She’s here to control you. The life he gives the shit about…is yours.”
Not such a moron after all. This guy understands the stakes. “You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. I apologize.”
“No need to. I know what I’m doing. I’ve got a family to feed. I’m not sure if you know the situation here in LA, but life ain’t great.”
“There are jobs available.”
“There are. But I can’t support my family on fifteen bucks an hour. You know the cost of living here. I’m not qualified to do anything more than that.”
“Funny that you’re talking to me like this.” I cast my gaze around the room. “I don’t see any surveillance equipment. I’m shocked, to tell you the truth, that he’s not recording me. My every move.”
“Maybe he is.”
“And you’d be speaking so freely if he were?”
“Maybe I’m working from a script. There’s a lot you don’t know.”
This guy is smart. Really smart. No, he’s not working from a script. I know King’s MO well enough to know that. But damn, this kid is smart.
“Do yourself a favor,” I say. “Go get yourself one of those fifteen-dollar-an-hour jobs. You’ve got a brain in your head, man, and you’ll move up the ladder quickly if you do a good job.”
“What I’m lacking is patience. I need the money now for my family.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“I’m not doing anything differently than you did.”
“True enough. In fact, your motives are a lot purer than mine were. Hell, I didn’t need the money. I just wanted to stick it to my old man. Stick it to my way of life.”
“Oh?”
“How much do you know about me?”
“I only know what the boss tells me.”
“You and I both know that’s not true. You can find out about me from any news source.”
He says nothing.
“I’m willing to bet you know everything about me. At least everything that’s in the public eye.”
No reply.
Finally, he says, “I’ve got to get back.”
“Sure. I get it. Think about this, though. If you can get the woman out of here, I will owe you. I will owe you big.”
“I don’t think—”
“Before you go any further, listen to me, and listen good. My life isn’t worth shit. We both know that. But I have money, man. A trust fund. It’s yours. Half of it, anyway. You need to split it with her. It’ll take care of your family for years to come.”
