AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I can see some cases where it might be necessary,” I said, still picking my words cautiously. I wasn’t sure where even my father stood on this subject. “The criminal world is a violent place. Anyone who gets all that involved must know that’s a risk they’re taking.”
Clint nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. Although there is some debate about which approach actually puts more strain on the taxpayer.”
“And the problems of false convictions,” Gary pointed out. “Can’t come back from a lethal injection if new evidence comes up later.”
“Well, you know that doesn’t happen very often.”
I cleared my throat, feeling the need to add a little of my own perspective… especially because in their eyes, my men and I were probably among the kind of criminals they’d imagine would get a sentence that severe. “I do think the evidence should be clear. And also the person’s motives need to be taken into consideration. Why they did what they did. What the consequences were.”
Gary hummed to himself, and I couldn’t tell whether it was approving or skeptical. His tone didn’t give much away. “You’re thinking of those hypothetical ‘stealing bread for the starving family’ situations.”
Well, no, I’d been thinking about the very non-hypothetical “assassins who take out fellow criminals” situation, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.
Before I could figure out how to answer, Damien set his hand on the back of my chair again. He’d been watching the whole conversation thoughtfully, and his gaze lingered on my face for a moment before he spoke, as if he was evaluating what he’d seen from me so far. A nervous twitch ran down my back.
But all he said was, “Let’s not heap too much shop talk on Rachel all at once. She’s here to meet you as friends, not to have her political stances dissected.”
“What good are friends if you can’t talk politics, huh?” Clint winked at both of us. “I’m sure you must at least share your father’s stance on cracking down hard on the criminal element, especially after what you’ve experienced.”
Did Damien’s gaze get even more intent as he waited for my answer? My throat constricted just for a second. I did feel put on the spot now, and he wasn’t rescuing me this time.
“I’d definitely want to see the people who kidnapped me punished with the full force of the law,” I said. My law, delivered by my hands. “No one should steal a child from their home. It’s unforgiveable.”
Gary chuckled. “Only bread thieves can get off.”
I shifted in my chair, trying not to outright squirm. “I don’t know. I just think it depends on the crime and the reasons for it. Isn’t there a saying about how the punishment should fit the crime? It’s hard to make a blanket statement about all of it.”
But it did seem like my father believed you could. He wanted every criminal treated more harshly. I wasn’t sure he’d ever understand my perspective. Crimes had two sides, and I didn’t think Damien Malik had ever been put in the position to see the side opposite his own.
But then, after losing me the way he had for so long, maybe his vehemence was understandable.
“Absolutely,” he said now. “The trouble is that the laws have been too lenient across the board. The people who get away with too much vastly outnumber the few who were truly acting with what they thought were good intentions. Take theft—of anything, not specifically bread. Did you know that people don’t usually get more than five to ten years in jail for that crime? They’re taking away someone’s livelihood or rightfully earned belongings, and that’s all they face. I’m pushing for double that at least.”
I swallowed hard, thinking of the car I’d stolen—and then crashed—as I fled the household that first night. The one I’d grabbed in his own neighborhood to reach the crew in time to help defend them from the surprise attack? Would he have spoken that firmly if he’d known his daughter was a thief too?
Probably. He’d have excused my crime away thinking I’d needed to do it to save my life and those I cared about, that I was one of those rare exceptions. It was everything else I’d done in my life that he wouldn’t be able to explain away.
Trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy him and hopefully end this line of conversation, I thought of the criminals I’d encountered over the past few weeks. The drug dealers who’d eagerly been packaging their product for the addicts they’d hooked. The movie-making gangsters who’d talked gleefully about murdering some guy for his camera equipment. The attackers who’d tried to kill the crew more than once, as recently as last week…
The man next to me couldn’t have hired paid killers, could he? Not with attitudes like the ones he was expressing now. It didn’t make any sense.
But why would someone else have wanted to murder the men of the Chaos Crew but not “the daughter”?
I shook those thoughts away and focused on my frustration with the underworld we’d come up against. “There are definitely a lot of people getting away with more than they should. I’d like to see a world where fewer innocent people get hurt.”
That response seemed to please Damien. His smile grew, and he nodded emphatically. “Exactly. I knew you’d understand.”
Just then, the server arrived with the appetizers we’d ordered. I couldn’t have been more grateful for the excuse to focus on doing something with my mouth other than hashing out the flaws of the justice system.
Thankfully, my father and his friends veered into other topics during the rest of the meal. Clint and Gary inquired about everything from my sports interests to how much of the city I’d seen, offering tips of landmarks to check out when I admitted I’d barely explored DC. “Don’t let them keep you holed up in your father’s hometown,” Clint said with a wave of his fork. “You’ve got the chance to see the world now.”
If only he knew how many countries I’d already visited. I’d probably been more places before I’d turned eighteen than he had in his entire life.
When all the food had been polished off and the check paid, we waved goodbye to the two men and I summoned an Uber, the nearest one a few minutes away. My father sat on a bench outside in the warm evening air to wait with me for it. He crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned back, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him all evening.
“You did great in there,” he said as he gazed at the passing cars. “I know they can be a bit overwhelming. I hope you didn’t feel cornered at any point.”
I shrugged. If I had, it was for reasons he couldn’t have predicted and I couldn’t admit. “They weren’t that bad.”
