Chapter 9

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Martin stepped off the elevator and the first person he saw was someone he hadn't seen in years: the scariest looking man he'd ever met. Eddie stood up and walked straight towards him, lifting both hands up in the air before proceeding to grab him tightly around the chest causing all of the air leave his lungs.

"Can't breathe," Martin stammered out.

"Sorry." Eddie released his hold and stepped back. His hard features softened and he said, "Marty man! It's so great to see you."

"Hey, sorry I'm late." The two men shared a hand shake followed by a knocking of knuckles. "Did you have to wait long?"

"Not too long but it's a good thing you got here when you did." Eddie glanced behind him so he turned around to see Danny, Sam and Jack rushing straight towards the two of them with worried expressions. "Your buddies were suspicious that I was here to see you."

"Sorry." Martin turned around to his fellow team members and said. "Guys, this is my old friend Edward Molina."

"We've all met," Eddie said brusquely.

Martin watched the exchange between all of his friends and said, "I'm just going to use one of the conference rooms, okay." Jack nodded at him as he put his hand on Eddie's shoulder and led his old friend to a room down the hall. "How are Christina and the kids?"

Eddie tilted his head back and forth and said, "Christina's good. She just got a deal to publish her poetry."

"That's great."

"Yeah, but Pablo and Sheri got a divorce," Eddie added with a crestfallen expression.

"Sorry to hear that," Martin replied. He knew that Eddie wanted his son to have a better life than he did and was really hoping that he would find a way to make it work. "How are Diego and Lucia taking it?"

"About as well as can be expected; Pablo is trying to make sure that they know it isn't their fault."

They stopped at the door to the conference room and as Martin turned the doorknob he said, "That's good."

Eddie just nodded at him as he entered the room and took a seat. Martin sat down opposite of him and asked, "So, I'm guessing you didn't just come by to catch up."

"Do you remember my niece, Kiki? You met her at my wedding," Eddie asked as he leaned forward on the table, his hands clasped.

There was no way Martin could forget Kiki; she was gorgeous and he acted like a babbling idiot whenever she was near. She had beautiful mocha skin, big brown eyes, and long black hair. "Yeah, I remember her."

"A few years ago she hooked up with this really bad dude. Turns out he was a dealer and he got her hooked on meth. She was never the same and we all tried to get her away from this guy but it never worked. She would disappear from the family for a few days or so but we'd always manage to find her. But this time she's been missing for a few weeks now and we really need to find her fast." Eddie looked down for a moment before looking up at Martin. "Her mama, my sister, has cancer and the doctors say she is near the end."

"I'm so sorry, man," Martin said sympathetically.

Eddie just nodded his head and said, "She keeps asking for Kiki. I need your help finding her."

In his most compassionate tone he replied, "I'll do everything I can but you know it won't be easy. If she is purposely trying not to be found..."

"I know, but the entire family just wants to make sure we did everything we could." Eddie was wringing his hands. "I just can't let my sister die without knowing that."

Martin nodded and said, "Okay, do you have her last known address?"

Eddie pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him. "Here's a list of the last few addresses she's lived at plus the names of the people she has been hanging out with and their addresses. I put my cell phone number at the bottom so you can reach me whenever."

He couldn't help but smile at how meticulous Eddie was at the details. "Thanks. I'll see if I can get the team to help out, too."

"I better get back. I told my niece and nephew that I'd help take care of Peggy tonight." Eddie stood up as the two men walked back to the elevator.

Martin pretended not to notice that Danny and Sam were following them with their eyes but it did not go unnoticed by Eddie. As the elevator doors closed, his friend softly said, "I'm telling you man: once a convict always a convict."