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Just thinking that almost took my breath.
But it was true.
He would have been good at all those things, but he wouldn’t ever have the opportunity to do any of them.
He needed to know that, and I was going to make sure I didn’t leave until he did.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Dutton?” Todd said.
“Gary was just going to give you and I a couple of minutes alone,” I said.
“That right?” Todd responded.
He wiped his hands on a cloth, then tucked it into his back pocket and walked toward me, his hand extended.
“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure,” he said, standing in front of me with his hand still extended.
“You know exactly who I am,” I responded.
Todd narrowed his eyes. “I sure do. I know what you’re doing too,” he said.
“Todd—” Gary started, but Todd cut him off with a shake of his head.
“It’s okay, Mr. Dutton. I’ll talk to our…visitor and then get back at it. I’ll handle this. You know you can trust me,” he said, though he didn’t take his eyes off me.
Gary looked from me to Todd and back before he walked away.
His shoulders were slumped with defeat, and if I had been capable, I might have felt sorry for him.
But he didn’t deserve my pity.
And besides, I was more focused on Todd.
At the very least, he didn’t cower like Kayla’s father, which said something for him.
Not much, because he didn’t seem to understand that with the snap of my fingers I could—would—snuff out his life.
Or maybe he understood that and didn’t care.
It didn’t matter.
If he pushed me far enough, he’d find out.
“Well, who am I, and what am I doing?” I asked.
“You’re the thug who is extorting Kayla and Mr. Dutton,” he said.
“I’m sorry, I think you’re mistaken, Todd. I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said.
He smiled, shrugged. “What, you’re worried I’m wearing a wire? That there’s some federal agent with the parabolic mic back there in the office? There’s not. I wouldn’t do that to Kayla,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I asked, keeping my cool, but only barely.
“What I mean is Mr. Dutton told me that you had her…doing things for your scummy family. And I’m sure you’ve kept enough evidence so that if you go down, she goes down with you. And I wouldn’t let that happen,” he said.
“Because you care?” I asked.
He scoffed. “Care? I love her. Love her enough to give you all the money you say you’re owed today so she can be free of you and we can start our life together and make you nothing more than a bad memory,” he said.
