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“That drug dealer in Helding Heights,” I cover my mouth as I speak. “He’s targeting people who support you, Alex. Next, he’ll be targeting you!”
“And you think I don’t know that already?” he laughs nervously. “Why do you think every event I do there has police or security?”
“Please, don’t come here again, Alex…” I beg him.
“I can’t stop Liv…” he says, his voice despondent. “But tell you what: I will take private security with me next time, okay?”
“Okay, that’s marginally better…” I let out a sigh of relief.
“And you, what are you doing now?” he asks, interested in me again.
I don’t have the guts to tell him that I am in Helding Heights after asking him to not come here anymore, so I leave out that detail.
“We are just out and about interviewing people about what they think about housing projects like yours.”
“Oh, so the magazine bought the idea?” he asks, sounding pleased.
“Yeah, I presented it to one of the reporters, then we both pitched it to the editor,” I say.
Martha and Dennis start to walk again, and I, not wanting to leave their sights, pick up the pace and dart ahead, quickly telling Alex goodbye.
“I don’t think we have much left to do here. Not many are willing to talk,” Martha comments, looking disappointed.
“Go to another neighborhood?” I suggest.
“I can take you girls to a few people I know.” Dennis makes his own suggestion. “They’ll definitely won’t be scared of talking against Big Teddy.”
“Let’s not poke the bear—” I try, but Martha interrupts me.
“Worth a shot, Dennis!” she says, full of cheer. “Take us there!”
I tense up my shoulders and resign myself to following, walking in between Martha and Dennis. After a brief while, Martha looks back over her shoulder. “Know what? I wanna do a biography on this Big Teddy.”
“Um, careful, girl!” I say in tone of warning.
“He wouldlove it,I can tell you that…” Dennis says, only egging Martha on.
“What if we interview him?” she turns to us, wide-eyed.
“This is a bad idea, Martha!” I say, louder than I’d like to sound.
Dennis takes us to a barbershop full of elderly men, which grants us great interviews and great pictures, and to a grocery store where people are less willing to collaborate, but we still manage to get something out of it.
By lunchtime, we go back to the car, and I’m the only one who seems to notice something: there’s a white car following us.
“Dennis…” I walk up next to him and whisper, trying not to look at the car. “Why is that car going behind us very slowly?”
Dennis takes a quick look over his shoulder and comes back shaking his head. “Might be Teddy’s scouts. We better get out of here soon, but no, no, no! Don’t run!”
The man halts us on our steps, and Martha and I go through excruciating moments until we finally reach our car.
When Dennis starts the engine, the white car still follows us for a few blocks but gives up on the pursuit when they notice that our driver is only trying to lose them.
“Where to now, ladies?” Dennis says once the coast is clear, and I, sitting in the back seat, just stay quiet and thank my lucky stars that they gave up on the chase.
“Let’s go East…” Martha takes the command of the situation, “But if you find somewhere to eat before we get there, feel free to stop. Today lunch is on us, Dennis!”
“Alright!” Dennis says, and the two high-five.
