Page 121 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

Not friends, never friends.

But it’s something.

He eats with Riley once a week.

They talk about normal things, always two or three different men with them, and then later that night, Troy comes into Riley’s room and asks which of the men is keeping secrets.

Riley explains that the dark, ripe earth thick with swift-spreading rotters scent comes from various men in specific ways. Troy doesn’t seem fascinated or surprised, not after that first time, but he is interested.

‘Tell me more,’ he says when Riley explains the variants.

Riley tries, always working to kill the breaks in his speech. He explains the different strains of the scents and where the stringy rotters lead.

To money. To sex. To jealousy. To fear.

Riley is always honest, until it gets to Zachary because Zachary is his friend and he doesn’t want him to get into trouble. When Troy asks if Zachary has secrets and Riley knows he does, he lies and says no.

Troy only takes action once he investigates himself.

Two he discovers were skimming from the top.

Money.

One he finds out was an informant for police far away.

Fear.

That one is a big deal.

The man is killed in front of everyone.

Troy tells no one about his son’s ability.

The informant died screaming. Riley heard it from the stairs.

Later, Troy explains about killing a man.

He explains about death.

How to craft it.

Riley already knows.

‘How’s the headaches?’

‘Better.’

‘Good. Get some sleep, kid.’

‘Can I—?’ Riley cuts himself off.

Troy is already walking away. ‘Can you what?’

‘Go outside?’

Troy sighs, but he seems like he’s actually considering it for once.

‘You know if you run, you’re gonna catch a beating.’