I needed to let her go.
I sat with Pa and Claudius around a table in the visitors’ lounge. There were guards everywhere.
Amelia was somewhere in the building waiting to see me next.
I was only allowed two visitors at a time. I guess it was good, though, to get to see her by herself. This would be the first time I got to speak to her in what seemed like forever.
I was so desperate to see her. Desperate to see how she was. I couldn’t believe I’d missed Raphael’s funeral. She had support, but I hadn’t been there. Everyone else had been there for her but me.
“Well, we can now update you on the diamonds.” Claudius straightened. “I handed them over to the Smithsonian Institute personally yesterday.”
I was proud to hear that. “Thank you.” Once upon a time neither of us would have thought to hand them over. We would have kept them.
“We just wanted them gone.” Pa huffed and frowned. “Caused a lot of trouble.”
“Didn’t they just.” I agreed.
“Too much, we can forget them now and start rebuilding.” Claudius added bringing his hands together.
I was happy to hear that too. “Rebuilding?” I looked from him to Pa.
“Well son, we can pretty much do whatever we wat from here onwards. For good or bad. Don’t expect us to become cops though.” Pa chuckled.
“Don’t even mention that cop word to me.” Claudius sneered. “Anyway, diamonds aside we have some news.”
“What kind of news?”
“Good and bad. Two good pieces of news, actually.”
I didn’t know what kind of news would be good for me here. “Let’s hear it.” I leaned forward onto the table.
“First piece of news is, Maria contacted us. She said she’s safe in Florida and sends her thanks.” Claudius quirked a brow. “Andher love. Didn’t know you two saw each other recently.”
“She helped me when I was looking for Victor.”
“That all she did?”
I frowned at him. “Fuck, Claudius, now’s not the time. I didn’t do anything with her. Those days are gone.”
“Good, that leads me to good news number two. We managed to reduce your sentence.”
All I could do was stare. “Jesus Christ, how?” Yes, how indeed. How in the world had they managed that?
Claudius leaned in closer and spoke in a low, even tone. “Your cop boys from LA got some dirt on the judge. They also threw in your good deeds from LA. Catching Demarco and all that stuff. However, the bad news is this. The sentence has been reduced to eight months with ten months community service, but on the basis of good behavior. That’s the best we could do to make it look legit. “
I ran my hand across my face. Sinclaire. He had done this. He and Max, most probably. This was what he’d been talking about. God. I’d never imagined him doing anything for me. That guy quite rightly hated my guts.
And… eight months with community service?
Eight months with community service. I would take that over three years.
Definitely, but…
It was still too long. It was still too long to have any expectation from Amelia. She shouldn’t have to wait, and I shouldn’t dare contemplate it. I was a criminal, and in true criminal style, I was in prison. Locked up and out of her world. She could do better than that. Even if her waiting for me really was a possibility, I didn’t know if I could commit wholly to the good behavior part. It wouldn’t be because I didn’t want to. The people here were all assholes. Staff and prisoners alike.
With the way how things were with me already banished to solitary confinement, I didn’t know what the next eight months would bring.
Amelia shouldn’t have to deal with that.
