With the worst of it out in the open, I’m surprised to find Savvy still sitting in front of me, instead of turning her back like Hugo did.
“I’ve kept silent for twenty years, but I can’t do it anymore.Not when people I care about could get hurt in the process.”
“It’s a little late for that.”
My eyes dart to Hugo, who is staring at me over his shoulder with regret all over his face.I feel my heart sink to the pit of my stomach, and am at a loss for words.
Hugo makes it clear none are wanted when he rips his eyes from mine and turns on his heel, heading for the exit.
“I’m so sorry,” I finally manage to whisper to his retreating back.
I get to my feet and prepare to go after him, when Dana walks into the waiting area.
“Your brother is awake.”
Hugo
“Give me a fucking name,you piece of shit!”
Frustrated, I slam my fist down on the rickety table in front of him.Rather that than plant it in his face, which is what I really wanted to do.
The driver is nothing but a spindly kid, no older than late teens, early twenties, but with seasoned, flinty eyes that constantly dart around the small room, constantly gauging and assessing his options.
The trouble with these gang kids is their fear for retaliation from their gang is greater than their concern about anything law enforcement can do to them.We’ve been working on him for a few hours now, and the kid won’t confirm who gave them the order.He’s not talking at all, just staring back with those almost mocking eyes.
It just got to me.
“Easy,” Althof warns in a low voice behind me.“Let’s take a break.”
He shoves me out of the door, and I immediately head to the restroom to splash some water on my face.
When I got here, Mancuso was taking a break from interviewing the punk and Rick was about to head in.I volunteered to join him, eager to get to the bottom of this mess.
I would’ve rather talked to Ken Choi, who seems to be at the center of all of this, but it would probably be a while before we’d be able to interview him.Besides, I needed to get out of there, get some air.
I ended up walking here from the hospital.I needed the half hour it took me to tamp down the rage burning through me.
Anger at a man who unfortunately has already been dead over twenty years, otherwise it would’ve been my pleasure to rip his fucking limbs from his body and beat him to death with them.
Anger at a brother who, in his attempt to protect his sister, burdened her to a life shackled to a lie she had no choice but to perpetuate.
And yes, anger at Bess for not letting me share that burden with her.
But what really burns me hard is first discovering she’d been raped.There are things I would’ve done differently had I known that.I might’ve been more cautious, gentler in the way I touched her.Then to find out she had cancer and never shared that either.Not when Emily was fighting and losing her battle, and at no time after.Those kinds of experiences seem pretty essential to what makes a person who they are, and now I’m left to figure out what to do with that information.
I can’t deny a brief gut reaction ofnot againflitted through my mind when the subject of cancer came up.Part of me wonders if Bess was afraid that information might have impacted how I see her.
Does it make a difference?Does any of it change the way I feel about her?
I lift my head and look in the mirror over the sink, my face wet with the cold tap water I splashed on it.
Nah.I love her, have for a while, and it’s only grown deeper the closer we’ve gotten.Despite my slightly bruised ego, that hasn’t changed.
Rick is waiting for me when I step out.
“What was that all about?”
“Sorry.I’m frustrated.”
