Monday afternoon brought in a dreary, oppressive gray sky that eventually opened up and poured. Eli Williams sighed as he stared out of the window, watching the raindrops assault the windowpane at an angry rate.

He hated this kind of weather. It played havoc with his sinuses.

Ever since moving from Los Angeles back to the City for a promised anchor position at a major network, he'd dealt with sinus problems that grew worse every year. Eli was convinced it was punishment for his ego growing too large back then.

Briefly, his mind wandered back to his 5-year tenure at a smaller television station in LA. His job there was in the field and not very flashy, but he and his ex-wife were still together and happy with his career on an upward swing. The downside to California was that he was surrounded by flash, and it was hard not to be blinded by it. The worst mistake he made was believing the new young intern actually idolized him and wasn't looking to get his foot in the station by any means possible. Trina warned him that the kid wanted his job, but for the first time in his marriage, he dismissed her caution without any regard.

She was right, as it turned out.

Just as he found himself replaced by a twenty-year-old with no experience in journalism or life, a job offer came in from one of the NYC news stations. The position as a prime-time evening anchor in a major market was exactly the position he'd always dreamed of.

Trina didn't want to move.

He accepted the job anyway.

It was the beginning of the end for them.

And the job he was promised was not what he got. He uprooted his family and his marriage for that coveted anchor position, which turned out to be bait-and-switch. That prime-time slot would be his only if he started at the bottom of the network and worked his way up.

He should have vetted the station before accepting, like Trina said he should do.

But he didn't. And now he was starting at the bottom again and working his way back to the top at fifty-two. He was getting closer to his goal, but the progress was slower than he would like.

In spite of being in a new relationship and relatively content, he would still give up everything he had to go back and change things; to go back and listen to Trina's warning. If he had, not only would he have claimed a spot on the nightly news by now, but he'd still have his family together.

But still, he was content.

He was.

At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

There was no reason why he shouldn't be. His job was going well. His relationship with his kids was strong (he had Trina to thank for that). His relationship with Katherine was…

Interesting. And different.

But he had no complaints, just little doubts that wandered through his thoughts from time to time.

Eli sighed and turned away from the window. In the family room, he saw his girlfriend's son sitting on the couch, dejectedly watching television.

He had never met a lonelier kid, and he'd met many during his short tenure as a media arts teacher in Philadelphia. He knew Dylan had taken his parents' divorce hard. All of his friends were online. The few real-life ones he had were back in Philadelphia, but life and distance were making them little more than Internet acquaintances. He knew Dylan was close to his brother, but the strange custody arrangement their parents had kept them apart.

He felt bad for the kid and tried to do as much as he could with him when he wasn't with his own children.

Dylan sighed and somehow managed to sink lower into the couch than he already was. Eli took a seat next to the teen, who looked at him and gave him a small smile.

"How's it going, man?" Eli asked.

Dylan shrugged. "Same old stuff."

"Did you decide what you want to do for spring break?"

The teen shrugged again. "No. What's the point? Everyone I know is going out of town."

Eli raised his brow. "Are they going anywhere in particular? Maybe we could go to the same area, and you could see them a little."

Dylan's reaction surprised him. He seemed upset by this idea. Not angry upset, but sad. "No point," he said flatly. "The only person I know here went to Philadelphia."

"Oh?"

"I don't think she'd like it if I just showed up."

Eli blew out his breath in understanding. "You're talking about Julia."

He nodded miserably.

"That's a tough situation with her, Dyl," he said compassionately. The kid had an enormous crush on his best friend's daughter and wore it all over his face. "You just gotta give her time to get to know you is all."

Dylan leaned his head back against the couch. "Any chance her Uncle Eli could put in a good word for me?"

He smiled. "I can tell her I think you'd make good friends. But that's all."

"I'll take it," he sighed. His expression lightened some, but still looked clouded and depressed.

Knowing Dylan was into video games, Eli was about to suggest a trip to the Nintendo Store for the two of them when Katherine's voice rang out.

"Eli, the downstairs sink is leaking. Would you take a look at it?"

He glanced at Dylan, who rolled his eyes. "Sure thing," he called back. He gave the teen a friendly slap on the shoulder as he got up to fulfill Katherine's request.

Eli trudged downstairs to the cold, damp, tiny basement where the washing machine and one old sink stood. There was nothing wrong with the sink that he could see. Then again, he was a journalist, not a plumber. But Katherine wasn't happy with his assessment. Rather than take his suggestion of calling a professional, she handed him a list of things she needed done around the house instead.

Eli glanced over the list as he followed her back upstairs and promptly crumpled it up. "You and Dylan aren't the only ones on break," he told her bluntly, shoving the paper into his pocket.

Annoyance flashed across Katherine's face for a brief moment, then smoothed out into a sweet, demure expression. "I know, baby." She slid up next to him and took his shirt collar in her hands. Lovingly, she smoothed it out. "That's why I need this stuff done. I have plans for the three of us."

"Oh?" This was the first time he'd heard of any plans.

"We're going back home to Philadelphia. I thought some time at Bear Creek Mountain Resort would be a nice family experience for us."

Eli said nothing as a feeling of apprehension came over him. He didn't care for the way she made significant plans without discussing them with him first. And Bear Creek Mountain? He wasn't familiar with the place, but the last he'd heard she didn't like resorts because of the young children who "ran amok while parents filmed their little terrors' antics for social media". Curious about what she was up to, he waited for her to go on.

Nuzzling his cheek, she casually said, "And I thought Jonny could join us. We could get together at the Resort liked we talked about doing last week. I know he could use the break."

He was now further on guard, as he didn't miss that Audrey was left out of her plans. When they had spoken about getting together, he and Jon clearly meant double dating like they used to. There was no questioning who Jon's date would be. This intentional dropping of his best friend's wife bothered him, and his apprehension grew.

"What about Audrey?"

Katherine hesitated, then ran her hand down his arm. "Jonny needs to get away from his troubles. So do we."

It sounded like Dylan was also being left out, and Eli wondered if she was planning on leaving him with Audrey.

She turned away, and he followed her down the hall to Mathias' bedroom, deliberately letting her think he was okay with her plans. As she continued to tell him what they were going to do, she switched from talking about romantic escapades she had for them to plans she had for Jon. She switched back and forth so often, Eli got confused about what plans she had for whom.

Neither Audrey nor Dylan were ever mentioned.

Finally, he said, "None of that is going to happen, Kat."

She stopped and slowly turned to look at him. "Why not?" A sharp look of annoyance flashed in her eyes. "His wife won't let him go anywhere without her permission?"

For the time being, he ignored the insult and informed her, "Jon's been in the hospital. I don't think he's going to be up to doing much of anything for a while."

She stared at him in shock. After a moment, she regained her composure and thought he was joking. He reiterated that Jon had been in the hospital and panic filled her eyes.

"Is he okay?" Her voice was brimming with worry and fear. She grabbed his arm and held on tight. "What happened?"

He couldn't get an explanation out quick enough. Her nails dug into his skin through his sweater.

"Low sodium or something," he said, pulling his arm away. "He passed out at the office."

"The office?" This appalled her. "When was he there without me?"

"Sunday. He went in for a meeting."

"Oh, Jonny!" She caught Eli's incredulous look and realized she said this aloud. After taking a to collect herself, she calmly said, "I can't believe that happened, and he was alone. How did he get to the hospital?"

"He wasn't alone." Eli watched her carefully becoming uncomfortable with her reaction. "Shawn was with him. He called 911 and stayed until Audrey made it to the hospital."

"Why didn't anyone from the DO call me?" she said, ignoring everything he said. She put a hand to her head and began to pace. "I'm his secretary! They should have called me!"

Eli put his hands in his pockets and pushed his lips out as he considered his words. "I doubt anyone at the DO knows about it."

She stopped momentarily to frown at him. "How did you find out?"

"Audrey."

Anger flared in her eyes before they narrowed to slits. "Why didn't she contact me? I have a right to know."

Eli tipped his head to the side regarding her curiously. Her reaction to this news was strange. Worry, he understood. He was very worried about his best friend, too. But she wasn't behaving like a co-worker concerned about her boss's health or even a friend. She was reacting like…

A wife.

He said nothing and let her continue.

"I should have been informed when this happened, Eli." Shaking her head, she resumed pacing. "She should have called me first."

"Why?" he squinted at her. Folding his arms over his chest, he leaned against the wall and watched her with the hawk eyes of an investigative journalist. "Aud had to get the kids taken care of before she could get to Jon. No offense, Kat, but I know you never crossed her mind."

Nor should you have crossed her mind, he thought.

Katherine was fuming. "But she called you."

"She texted me, yeah, in a group text with the rest of the family."

"But she couldn't be bothered with me. If she was only contacting family members, why did she inform you?"

Eli paused as sudden memories of when she dated Jon came back to him. How had he forgotten until this moment that they did not get along then? In fact, he didn't even like her, and she didn't like anyone who took Jon's time and attention away from her. And that included him.

"Because we are family."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you buy into that nonsense, too."

"Excuse me?"

"Uncle this, aunt that!" She threw up her hands in disgust. "Family titles for people who aren't even related to you."

"Jon's my brother, Kat," he replied in a cool, unbothered tone. "Has been since we met. You know that."

Katherine reigned in her annoyance when she saw the chilly shift in his demeanor. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm just worried sick." She went over to him and leaned against him. "Well, I guess we have to go to Philadelphia now."

Eli lifted his brow. "We do?"

"Jon's going need to help so that he's ready to go back to work after break is over."

"I think Audrey has that covered." He folded his arms over his chest again and regarded her warily.

Something was wrong here.

"Right." Katherine rolled her eyes in exasperation. "With all those kids, she is not going to be able to take care of him properly."

"They're staying with the Matthews. The kids will be busy with," Eli took a pause, then added intentionally, "their cousins."

Katherine ignored his remark. Irritably, she asked, "How is Jon out of the hospital already? If he passed out, he should still be there. What did she do?"

"Got him a private nurse."

"Some poor little mouse of a person she can boss around, I'm sure."

It surprised him that the old feeling of dislike was beginning to bubble up to clash head on with the current romantic feelings he had for her. Eli let her rant on about Audrey's lack of qualifications for some time before he pushed himself away from the wall.

"That LPN license of hers says otherwise."

Katherine's mouth fell open. He took a small amount of satisfaction from the look of shock on her face.

"What online scam school did she get that from?"

"Saint Louis University," he told her. "I hear a lot of nurses in hospitals these days got their license from that scam school."

This news seemed to upset her even more than Jon being in the hospital did, which Eli found strange.

"You really think that she passed that exam?" she snapped, hugging herself tightly.

"She has a name," he pointed out. Sincerely curious, he asked, "Do you ever use it?"

"Why are you siding with her?"

Eli saw jealousy gleam in her eyes. Siding with her. If he remembered correctly, this was often her cry back then: siding with Shawn, siding against her. Katherine still had the same "me vs. the world mentality" she had then. He wondered why it was only now that he saw it.

"There are no sides to take, Kat. I just asked a question you don't seem to be able to answer."

She didn't respond. Instead, she glared at him and demanded, "Why is she so special? Why do you defer to her?"

Defer to her? He shook his head. He had no patience for this type of melodrama and decided to remove himself from the situation before he got angry. Even so he couldn't resist saying as he walked by her,

"Didn't Jonny tell you? She's my sister."

Dylan laid on the couch staring at the ceiling while the Maury Povich Show droned on in the background. He could hear his mother complaining about Mrs. Turner again. Dylan sighed and put a pillow over his face.

A few minutes later, he heard his mother flounce down the stairs. Out of curiosity and boredom, he removed the pillow, got up, and followed her. She went to her office in the hall off the kitchen, sat at the computer, and opened her email.

"What's up, Mom?" he asked, leaning against the kitchen doorway.

"Jonny hasn't been well, honey. I need to send him an email and let him know we're coming to Philadelphia to help him."

Going home should have thrilled him. Especially if they were going to be where Julia was, but he wasn't. Dylan suppressed rolling his eyes by squinting at her, then looked around for Eli, who was nowhere to be seen. He wandered into the kitchen to get a soda while his mother typed away at a staccato rate. Just as she gave a final slap to the keyboard to send her message, he returned to the living room. If it wasn't so cold out, he would have gone for a walk. Television was boring, and he was restless and agitated.

Agitated because of his mother calling Mr. Turner Jonny and complaining about Mrs. Turner. Agitated because it reminded him of the strange clothes in his mother's closet; of the photos from the 90s, she bought a new album for that was in the bookcase next to his and his brother's baby albums. Agitated because the album was brought out frequently when Eli wasn't around.

Dylan shivered.

Her behavior brought back memories he couldn't fully see the details of. He was too upset at the time of the divorce to remember much other than the fear and anger he felt over it. So, he couldn't quite remember what happened to the woman his dad left his mom for after she had his half-sister. All he remembered was the time his mother started dating a doctor from the office that his father's girlfriend worked at. A series of events occurred that his mother was at the center of that led to significant issues between his dad and the girlfriend. The details he didn't know about as he and Mathias had been shipped off to grandparents in Connecticut until everything blew over.

Or at least until the relationships ended.

When he and his brother returned to their parents, both the girlfriend and boyfriend were gone and a bitter custody battle ensued, one that lasted years.

It seemed to him that the past was beginning to repeat itself. Dylan could argue that his father's girlfriend deserved what she got for being a part of his parents' breakup, but deep down, he didn't really believe that. She didn't force his father to do what he did. No more than Mrs. Turner forced Mr. Turner to marry her instead of his mother. As far as he knew, there was no cheating that went on when his mother was dating the superintendent. So it made his mother's reaction to Mrs. Turner that much more confusing.

Dylan kicked at the bottom of the banister. Eli came down the stairs and gave him a sympathetic smile and pat on the back. He returned the smile without enthusiasm.

Eli was another problem. A big one. But not in the way most mother's boyfriends were.

He liked Eli. A lot.

And that was the problem.

Everything was better when the older man was around. He wasn't the center of his mother's world for one thing which took a significant amount of pressure off of him. And Eli, as different as they were, seemed to understand him in a way his mother couldn't.

The journalist didn't try to mold him into the son he wanted; he just let him be. He was cool about his interests in non-athletic things and didn't push him to do things he didn't want to do. When sporting events came up, Eli always invited him but never demanded he attend. He did take him to a Knicks' game once, and it was, surprisingly, not an unpleasant experience.

When it came to his interests, Eli may not have known anything about video games, but at least he tried to learn. He spent several hours watching Dylan play Titanfall and asking questions before trying to play himself. He wasn't good, but he tried. And that meant more to Dylan than anything. Beyond that, Eli was interested in him. He always asked about his day and remembered the things he told him.

Unlike his mother. Or his father.

Dylan asked about his friendship with Julia's father once. Eli told him they'd been friends for years. Without thinking, Dylan expressed his jealousy over Eli having a friend for so long out loud. Eli didn't call attention to his rudeness, but instead told him he didn't meet Mr. Turner until college. Until then, he was a lonely kid who only had acquaintances that he called friends. His interest in media and news reporting was not a popular thing to be into and alienated him from his peers.

He encouraged Dylan to hang in there. Friends would come and go, and one close friend was worth more than a hundred casual ones. He said although he'd had many friends over the years, Mr. Turner was his only lifelong one.

Dylan sighed. Sometimes, he felt like Eli was the only one who understood him. He was certainly the only one who saw him. He was invisible to everyone else.

This brought him back to the problem of Eli.

He knew he should warn the man about his mother's past; what she did to his dad's girlfriend even if he didn't know all the details- Eli could go to his dad for that. He knew he should tell him about the photo album of Mr. Turner. He also should know about his mother's unusual interest in his best friend.

"Dyl," Eli called from the foyer by the front door, where he was putting on his coat. "How about we go to the Nintendo Store?"

No one ever offered to take him to any video game store. Both of his parents wanted an athletic superstar, not a technical nerd. They had the superstar in Mathias, but it didn't stop them from wanting him to stand on the podium with his brother.

Dylan gave Eli a smile and a nod. He glanced at his mother, who was too preoccupied with preparing to go to Philadelphia to notice they were both leaving.

He took his coat from Eli and expressed his gratitude for getting him out of the house.

"No problem," the older man shrugged. "I like hanging out with you."

Dylan stared at him as though he didn't understand the language he spoke. No one had ever said that to him before. And the words made his heart sink into a sea of guilt.

He had to tell Eli about his mother, Mr. Turner, those pictures, and those clothes.

Eli held the door open for him and as they headed to the subway, asked him about Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Fallen Empire, a game he was eagerly awaiting to be released in the autumn.

Dylan had only ever mentioned the game once.

Swallowing the rising guilt, he decided against saying anything to Eli right away about his mother.

He would.

Eventually.

He just didn't want to lose the one adult who cared about him right now.

"You really should have been more careful, Edward," Stuart Yancy tsk-tsked at him. He leaned back in his leather chair with his fingertips and thumbs pressed together to form a diamond. "You do understand that by doing this, you've breached your contract with me."

Eddie looked at him, unblinking and unmoved. He put a dirt-caked work boot on Yancy's pristine desk. "I didn't sign no contract with you."

"Didn't you?" The assistant principal stared at the boot on his furniture. A foul odor emitted from where the sole was separating from the shoe. With a disdainful sniff, he casually opened his desk drawer and pulled out a file. "I seem to have your signature on this."

He dangled the paper in front of the younger man, but when he tried to take it, Yancy snatched it away. "Look but don't touch."

Eddie held his hands out as though he were going to be handcuffed and leaned forward. His signature, such as it was, was clearly signed on a form he'd never seen. "How did you…?"

"Don't you recall our first meeting, Edward?" Yancy chuckled to himself. "Granted, you were a bit drunk, but still very capable of setting your terms for our partnership."

The younger man's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"And you were so very kind to offer me an autograph," the assistant principal continued smugly, "around which I printed our agreement."

Eddie lifted his chin, then shrugged. It was a clever ploy, but he wasn't going to admit it. "Fine. You lose an enforcer, but it's only your loss. Pay me what you owe me, and I'll disappear."

A serpent-like grin overtook Yancy's face. He wagged a finger at him. "You broke the contract; you don't get paid."

Without warning, Eddie jumped up and slammed his fists on the desktop. "And what if I don't care about your little piece of paper?" he spat. "What if I decide to take what's mine?"

With slow deliberateness, Yancy put the paper back in the file and put the file away. He slowly rolled up to his desk and folded his hands in front of him.

"You could, I suppose," he shrugged. "But seeing as I am a respected educator with many awards and accolades, and you are merely a common thief with a very long criminal record…." Yancy let his words fade and stared at him with an unblinking glare. "Take my advice, Edward. Walk away. Or else."

Eddie stared at him in disbelief, then scoffed, "Or else what, old man?"

"Or else I will be more than happy to turn over video footage from your latest little black-market weapons scheme. Something about ghost guns?" Yancy leaned back and looked down his nose at him. "Firearm trafficking should land you in prison again, I would think. Permanently."

Eddie's eyes narrowed, and he set his jaw at an angle. Blackmail? Yancy was an amateur if he thought that was enough to scare him off.

"So what?" he shrugged. "You've got your own little black-market venture goin' that I know all about."

Yancy smiled coolly. "So you do. But again, who is going to believe you over me?"

It did not surprise Eddie at all that the assistant principal was trying to get rid of him. He expected this and had a plan of his own ready to go, just in case. He pinned the older man down in a staring contest and said quietly, "Superintendent Turner might, since he was the one who busted you the first time you tried this."

Yancy's glare turned dark and dangerous. He was shaken but not moved. Slowly, he tapped his fingers on his desk in an exacting rhythm. "Superintendent Turner might also be very interested in the hatred you harbor for his oldest son."

Eddie fell silent. No need to reveal his entire hand.

"It's your choice, Edward," Yancy told him. "Disappear, go to prison, or there's always the third option."

"Which is?"

"You could have an accident like Principal Adams did." Yancy clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Sounds like the poor man is having a difficult recovery. I hear it may take a year or more for him to walk again. If he walks again."

Eddie stared at him. "So you arranged that?" He tipped his chin in a gesture of respect. "Nice, clean work."

"I pride myself on staying nice and clean."

"Fine," Eddie said straightening up. "I'll go."

"All the way out, Edward." Yancy's tone was low and menacing. "I don't care where you go. Just disappear. If I ever see you again…" he left the threat unspoken.

Eddie sniffed at him, then got up and headed to the door. He went without a fight as he was counting on Yancy to overplay his hand in time.

Besides, he had ideas.

The moment the slam of the door announced his exit, he heard a noise coming down the hall. It was a security officer. Eddie repressed a groan, turned to his left, and immediately ran into another guard.

How kind of the boss to give me an escort out, he sneered to himself.

The guards took him forcefully by the arms and Eddie allowed himself to be led away. The hallways within the interior workplaces were a labyrinth of shorter halls, each veering off to a different part of the building. He was led toward the front of the office where the secretaries were.

A tall figure appeared in the corridor suddenly and moved towards them at a fast pace. The man must have been 6'5" at least, maybe taller. He was thin but broad shouldered with a long face and puffy eyes. There was something about him that reminded Eddie of a basset hound's sad, droopy features.

The guards saw the man, murmured "doctor" and acknowledged him as though he was someone important, then roughly jerked Eddie down a corridor that branched off to the left where he was taken to the back of building and deposited just off school property.

Eddie brushed himself off and sarcastically saluted the guards before taking off into the chilly spring afternoon.

The wind hissed its warning that storms were moving in as dark clouds gathered over Greenwich Village. The people on the streets scurried for shelter as quickly as possible a thunder cracked close by. Eddie's natural resting face was a menacing glare, and he gained deep satisfaction at seeing people hasten to get out of his way, more afraid of him than the oncoming storm. There was a sense of power in making people cower and scatter with only a look.

Having found himself suddenly unemployed, Eddie took his time making it back to the place he was crashing at in Soundview. As he walked, he let all of his anger and resentment over the way people like Yancy used him build.

He knew Yancy didn't care about his black-market business, as he was running one of his own. The assistant principal was just a greedy little man who simply didn't want to pay him the substantial amount of money due him for his work and finder's fees.

All that information on the superintendent would still be locked away in the family vault if not for him. Eddie wasn't about to disappear into the night. Oh, no, Yancy wasn't getting away from this. Yancy believed he was an idiot; an uneducated thug who jumped and drooled over the color green.

But Eddie wasn't an idiot and Jonathan Turner wasn't the only one he'd been gathering information on. He'd been on one too many cons and been screwed over one too many times not to do so. He had plenty of leverage; it was only a matter of when to use it.

As darkness descended over the City, Eddie found himself in Soundview, a place where most people wouldn't be caught dead after dark. Some were, though. Literally.

The South Bronx, the site of the first housing projects in New York City, was under control of various gangs. Robberies, assaults, rapes, murders, and auto thefts were at an all-time high. Although crime dipped in previous years, 2014 brought with it a new wave of violence that made him feel much more comfortable when in town.

Darting between the cars to cross the street, Eddie disappeared into a dark alley and reappeared three blocks down on Boynton Avenue. A few more crisscrossing of streets brought him to a motel with no name in the middle of a block of condemned buildings.

The motel was still. The "owner" was in a back room passed out from either alcohol or drugs. He headed to his room at the end of the dark hall where one lone light on the wall flickered on and off, sporadically illuminating the thick cobwebs encasing it.

His room was as dim as the rest of the building and just as filthy and depressing. It was sparsely furnished with a card table and a folding chair. The metal bed frame was rusted from the leaking of liquid from the floor above and the stained mattress with only a bottom sheet had seen too many horrors to recount. One exposed light bulb hanging over the card table provided the only light in the room.

Eddie traveled light. He had no clothes but what he wore and no baggage but the knife in his pocket.

And a locked box under the floorboards.

And a picture.

The bulb's light was only slightly more stable than the one in the hall, but it swung on its four exposed wires due to the draft in the room from poor insulation. On each swing, it lit up the photo that was pinned to the decaying wall.

Eddie had as much information on the family of the teen in the photo as Yancy did, but the assistant principal didn't know this. He had given strict rules not to open the stolen files after all.

Eddie had ignored him.

In the locked box beneath the floorboards was all the information on Yancy and Turner he had. Now that he was a freelance agent, he could sell this information to the highest bidder.

The highest bidder… A wicked grin lit his face.

Yancy, he knew, had access to significant amounts of money as his own lavish lifestyle was funded through embezzlement, bribery, and blackmail.

But Turner…

His baby brother's family lived in one of the richest neighborhoods in the City and he knew his "father's" family had pockets so deep Yancy would spontaneously combust when he found out the extent of that wealth. At some point, Eddie knew Yancy would seek out the elder Turners and discover this on his own.

Standing several feet away from the photograph with his back to it, Eddie took the switchblade out of his pocket and began to play with it.

How much money does Daddy have, baby brother? he wondered as he ran his thumb over the blade of his knife. Slowly he turned to stare at the picture of "his brother".

"I think it's time I met the old man," he whispered to Shawn's picture. With the reflexes of a cat, Eddie embedded the knife into Shawn's left cheek.

Next: Riley and Maya sit in the treehouse early in the morning and talk. Shawn asks Audrey to join him at the motel Virna stayed at across from the trailer park when she came back before it was torn down. Jon can't find his phone, but someone does.

Many thanks to those who've commented. I very much appreciate it. And many thanks to everyone reading. I'm glad you're here. 😊

Updating is slightly slower right now, as I want to make sure these chapters are done right. I'm also working on Birthday Wishes and Valentine Kisses, but Saudade is priority. See you soon. 3