Chapter 7 - THE BOY WHO TRUSTED NO ONE
Tommy Reyes trusted exactly four people.
His grandmother.
Maya.
His teacher, Ms. Patel.
And himself.
Luca had not made the list.
Not yet.
Tommy still believed rich men helped until helping became inconvenient.
But he also noticed things.
That was how he saw the black SUV.
It appeared near the school three afternoons in a row.
Same vehicle.
Different parking spots.
Same driver.
Tommy watched from behind the fence.
On Thursday, Maya walked toward him.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking.”
“At what?”
“That car.”
Maya glanced across the street.
“So?”
“So it’s been here three days.”
“Maybe somebody has a kid here.”
“Then why doesn’t anybody get out?”
Maya’s smile faded.
Tommy grabbed her backpack.
“Don’t go outside.”
“You’re not my boss.”
“I know.”
“You act like it.”
“I know.”
Maya looked again.
The driver was watching them.
She stepped backward.
Ms. Patel opened the school door.
“You two coming inside?”
Tommy raised his voice.
“That guy keeps watching Maya.”
Everything changed fast after that.
The school locked the doors.
Police were called.
Marco arrived in six minutes.
The SUV was gone.
But Tommy had memorized the license plate.
Of course he had.
Marco ran it.
The registration belonged to a company controlled by one of Sal Bellini’s nephews.
That night, Luca called Tommy into the study.
The boy stood in front of the desk with both hands in his pockets.
“You protected my daughter.”
Tommy shrugged.
“She’s my friend.”
“I owe you.”
“No.”
Luca raised an eyebrow.
“No?”
Tommy looked at him.
“I don’t want money.”
“I didn’t offer money.”
“You were going to.”
“I was considering it.”
“Same thing.”
Luca leaned back.
“What do you want?”
Tommy thought.
“Fix the lights at the park.”
“What park?”
“The one by our building.”
“Half the lights are broken.”
“People don’t take little kids there after dinner anymore.”
Luca looked at Marco.
Marco nodded.
“Done.”
Tommy frowned.
“That fast?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t even ask how much.”
“No.”
Tommy looked suspicious.
“Rich people are weird.”
“You’ll learn.”
“I hope not.”
Maya appeared at the door.
“Can we go play?”
“No,” Luca said.
Both children groaned.
Luca continued.
“You can use the game room.”
Maya smiled.
Tommy did not move.
He looked back at Luca.
“Can I ask something?”
“Yes.”
“Are you really her dad?”
“Yes.”
Tommy considered that.
“Then don’t disappear.”
The words were simple.
They hit Luca anyway.
“I won’t.”
Tommy studied him.
“You can’t promise that.”
Luca looked at the boy.
“No.”
“You’re right.”
Tommy nodded.
That answer seemed to satisfy him more.
After the children left, Marco placed a folder on Luca’s desk.
“The SUV driver talked.”
“That was fast.”
“He likes Sal.”
“He likes prison less.”
“What did he say?”
Marco opened the folder.
“He was told to watch Maya.”
“Not touch her.”
“Not approach her.”
“Just watch.”
“Why?”
“He doesn’t know.”
Luca did.
Fear worked best when it remained unfinished.
Marco continued.
“There’s one more thing.”
“He says Sal has been asking about your physical therapy.”
Luca glanced toward the certificate Maya had taped to the wall.
“Does he know I moved my foot?”
“We don’t think so.”
Luca looked out toward the dark lawn.
“Good.”
Marco understood.
“You want to keep it that way.”
“Yes.”
May you like
Luca turned.
“Let Sal believe I’m exactly as helpless as he left me.”
