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I tried not to sound desperate. I needed that money right away, so that I wouldn’t have to check Mom out of the hospital today. The thought of asking Marco to settle her bill, since he was the one who had put her in there, was mortifying.
“I said I would get it to you,” he said. “I need a few more days.”
“It better be only a few more days, Toby. You know why I need that money.”
“I said you would get it,” he snapped. “But you can’t stay with DeAngelis. You might slip up, and I’m not having him coming after me because of your stupidity.”
“I know I can’t stay.” I rubbed my temples. My head was throbbing. I had to leave this place today, but where would I go?
The thought of going back home to my apartment with Mom horrified me after being attacked there.
I still didn’t know who those men had been. It hadn’t been Jonathan. My blood chilled as I realised the two thugs couldn’t have been connected with Jonathan because otherwise they wouldn’t have been asking who had killed Dolly.
My head throbbed harder. Now that Jonathan was in jail, would the thugs still be after me? And what would happen when Jonathan got out of jail, if the police didn’t keep him there for Dolly’s murder? Because they certainly hadn’t believed anything I had told them.
A small sound had come out of my throat. I hadn’t meant for it to, but Toby heard it.
“Ha. You’re scared. You should be. I’m glad to see you’re starting to see sense. DeAngelis is a thug and a killer, and if you stay with him, sooner or later he will find out what you’ve done.”
“Where am I going to go?” I muttered, more to myself than to him. I placed my hand over my belly. Where werewegoing to go?
He sighed. “You can stay at mine if you’ve got nowhere else.”
“No.”
“Don’t be stupid. You can’t go back to your apartment. DeAngelis will know where you live, and he’ll come to get you. The guy is clearly besotted.”
I shook my head, though he couldn’t see it. Besotted? I didn’t think so. In lust? Maybe. The thought he might come after me was strangely intoxicating. I couldn’t trust myself with it.
I was loathe to go to Toby’s now I knew what he really was. But at least if I was at Toby’s, Marco would have no clue where I was. And I could keep an eye on Toby, make him pay what he had promised. Maybe even get his phone and delete that video myself.
“Okay, fine,” I muttered.
“Good. I’ll expect you today.”
After I hung up, I rang Bernie. Told her I would come to see Mom at the hospital later today, and that we might need to check her out of there soon.
“Oh?” said Bernie, sounding concerned. “And here was me thinking I might need to start looking for a new job soon,” she added jokingly.
“No, of course not. It’s just that I can’t rely on Marco to pay for Mom, and I can’t afford to pay for the hospital myself, so I thought I should let you know.”
I rubbed my eyes. They felt gritty. I had hardly any savings. With my monthly outgoings for our apartment, and Bernie’s salary, the money I’d get for my last pay cheque would run out quick. Heaven knew how much the hospital fees already came to, and I already knew begging Nina would not get me my job back at Bordello.
Where the heck was I going to get another job that paid enough?
Fear squeezed my chest tight in a way it had not for many years. The old fear from when everything had been so out of control.
I was holding my belly. I didn’t realise I was breathing hard until Bernie said, “Beth, what is it, child?”
“Nothing,” I said brightly. “Everything is fine.”
“That man of yours isn’t trouble, is he?” She sounded disappointed. “He was all your mama could talk about yesterday. I thought you had found a good one.”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted in a small voice.
“Has he done something?” She was beginning to sound alarmed.
“No. He’s taken really good care of me,” I admitted.
