“Online identity theft is one of the highest reported crimes in America and also one of the hardest to prosecute, so I’m guessing yes.” If anyone else said it the way Hudson did, I’d think they were calling me stupid with his tone of voice, but I’ve learned enough with Hudson over the few weeks to understand he’s stating facts. He likes facts.
“That’s him, right?” he says nodding his head toward the dark-haired guy as he enters the restaurant.
“Yes,” I say, my heart rate picking up as I tug on the hem of my shirt. I didn’t want to be anywhere in San Francisco with a possibility we could run into someone. It’d be hard to explain why I’d be with Drew without Clare, so Hudson and I set the meetup in Oakland. Drew was more than happy not to be meeting close as well.
He slides into our booth, a solemn expression on his face, and nods his head once in my direction as a form of greeting.
What do we do now? Is it my job to introduce everyone like we’re at a family gathering? No one else talks so I decide it’s up to me. “Drew this is Hudson. Hudson this is Drew, Clare and Grant’s roommate.”
“Yeah,” both men say at the same time and it could be funny if it wasn’t scary.
Drew sighs and leans back in the weathered diner booth. “I knew this day was coming. I want time to get my affairs in order before everyone finds out.” In the past, Drew’s been a laid-back and fun guy. Someone you could consider a best friend, but today on the other side of the booth, he sports a darker edge. He’s aged fifty years in the span of a few weeks.
I suck in a sharp breath with his words. The other thing Hudson and I had to discuss after I told him what happened was what we were going to do. I get Drew’s a criminal and I understand he did something wrong and is probably still doing bad things, but it’s Drew. I can’t be the one who gets him in trouble.
To say Hudson is not happy would be an understatement, but I don’t want to turn Drew in to the police and put him behind bars. I’d like to salvage of my friendship with Clare.
“Who are you working for?” Hudson asks.
Drew shakes his head. “Listen, I’ll pay for the crimes I’ve done, but I’m not a rat.”
“That’s your answer?” Hudson’s eyebrows lift.
I hit my knee against his. “Hudson.”
He sighs in agitation.
“Well, Drew, the way I look at it Amanda doesn’t have much to tell. It sounds to me as if in her story you were a friend who was there to help her out. Who didn’t want to get involved in a police investigation. But before I can trust her opinion that you’re a nice guy, I need proof.”
Drew laughs even though it’s inappropriate for the time. “I don’t think I’m a nice guy, but thanks, Amanda.”
“Um, you’re welcome?”
“I started working construction jobs part time when Clare and I were in foster care.” He stops talking right as the story gets good.
“But you don’t do construction work now, do you?” Hudson asks the exact question I’ve been thinking.
It’s like pulling teeth to get facts out of Drew, but what he doesn’t understand is Hudson will have no qualms telling Ben if he’s not satisfied with his answers.
“Yes and no. From time to time my boss asks me for extra favors. The night in question all they told me was one of his workers needed a ride by the stadium. This isn’t the first time Richie has treated one of us like a personal a taxi so I didn’t think much of it.”
“You were there to pick up Richie? Why did you have a gun?” Hudson throws the questions at Drew as soon as he finishes his sentence.
“Richie works in our receiving department. He unloads stock from trucks. I had no idea what criminal activities he’s involved in. And I had a gun because it was late at night in San Francisco. Have you been in the city long?” his answer is almost cocky and then his attention turns in my direction. “And you should definitely not be out after dark by yourself without protection.”Now he’s going to tell me what to do?
Hudson smiles like he’s agreeing with Drew but doesn’t want to admit it.
“I understand you have to do what you have to do, but know the boss has given permission for Richie to tell the police what happen. Not to mention me, of course, but if we can take down a few Lagina guys in the process, we’re all for it.”
Drew names off the same gang Ben discussed earlier.
“You don’t know what they were fighting over in front of the stadium?”
Drew puts his hands up in the air in a defensive measure. “I swear. I didn’t then and I don’t now. I don’t want to. I manage a hardware store.”
Hudson studies Drew for a moment. “No one else knows about this? Finn isn’t an involved in any of your activities? Or Clare?”
My breath stalls at the mention of Finn or Clare being involved in illegal activities. We never discussed this. Hudson doesn’t know them as well as I do. There’s no way they would be mixed up in something illegal. The mob doesn’t hire video game designers.
