Page 64 of Rough
He had been so silent I had almost forgotten he was even there.
“I’m leaving for St. Louis this afternoon,” Linda said.
“Why?” I studied her intently.
“Nelson’s rep told me that they’re going to raze the store, so I could leave everything behind.”
“What?” I stared at her, truly appalled.
I couldn’t imagine Linda leaving her books like that. She was diligent and private, always professional and extremely organized. Not to mention, she loved her books. That store meant the world to her.
“I’m sorry Garret.” She threw her arms up in the air, clearly exasperated. “I don’t know that I have any other options, here.”
“You don’t even want to shred the confidential documents or save the important financial and tax information on thumb drives before you go?” I asked. I was simply looking out for her.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, becoming a broken record. “I don’t know what else to do. I don’t have any time left. My son needs me.”
“What would you have done if Nelson hadn’t offered to pay your son’s way out of his legal troubles?” I quizzed.
Linda looked beside herself with grief. “I don’t know, all right?” There was a shrill defensiveness in her voice. “But I feel like I’ve been given a second chance, my son has received a second chance, and I have to act on it, especially since he’s innocent.”
Linda met my gaze.
“You said that he was innocent?” I asked.
“Yes.” She nodded curtly.
“Why not fight this then—fight Nelson? If he’s innocent there has to be something else we can do,” I tried to persuade her.
But she wouldn’t say anything more about what he had done in the first place to get himself in legal trouble.
I sighed and rubbed my temples, looking at Felix. He always had answers. Maybe he could enlighten me here on the best way to approach this and confront the obstacles head-on.
I felt like everything was falling apart and I feared it was going to get worse before it got better.
“I can’t believe that this is happening.” My head was swimming.
“What did you want me to do?” Linda’s voice was high pitched and tart. “My son’s life is more important than my shop and some books. I had to do what I had to do for him, as his mother. I can’t let him be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.”
I nodded. I didn’t know what else to say to her. I was angry, but part of me understood what she was going through. She’d given in to the bully because she was weak against the leverage that Nelson dangled over her head.
I stepped away from the situation. I needed to dissect what was happening and give myself a moment to breathe and sever myself from the disaster of losing such a valuable asset like Linda. Besides myself, now that Saul’s restaurant was gone, Linda was the last one in the business complex to crack and cave to Nelson.
“I have to go,” Linda confirmed apologetically. “I hope that you find a way to work things out, Garret. Good luck with your club.”
As she walked away, Felix tenderly took me by the arm and turned me around. He made eye contact with me. I saw the empathy flickering in his handsome eyes, eyes that were quickly becoming my refuge.
“Now that Linda has made her decision, are you willing to reconsider selling?” Felix asked.
I bit my tongue and clenched my jaw tightly. I used all my willpower not to lash out at him. I reminded myself that Felix wasn’t the abusive party in this situation, and he had nothing to do with my Nelson issues. He was just trying to help me, and I needed him. I couldn’t afford to lose him at the most vulnerable point of my life.
“It stings,” I admitted in a whisper, “what Linda did.”
Felix gave me a pitying glance. “I know. I want to support you no matter what, but I also feel tempted to persuade you into selling now that she’s gone.”
I took a deep breath to calm my emotions before they exploded like a grenade, doing irreparable damage to my relationship with Felix.
“I’m not going to sell it, Felix. All right?” My response wasn’t harsh, but it was firm enough to make Felix drop the subject.