Page 37 of Volatile Vice

“Vincent Gallo?”

“Freddie’s dry-cleaning?” I say.

“Yes. My name is Natalie. I’m on a burner phone while I’m out running errands at the grocery store. You got me at a good time. I was able to leave the house.”

“You’re Belinda’s nanny?”

“Yes. More like a governess. I take care of her, and I see to her lessons.”

“How do I know you can be trusted?” I ask.

“How do I knowyoucan be?” she says back.

I frown. “Seems we’re at an impasse then.”

“I only want to protect Belinda.”

“Then we have something in common.”

“If you truly intend to marry her, Mr. Gallo, there’s something you should know.”

How much can I truly say to this woman? I don’t intend to marry that child, but do I need to act like I do?

“Go on,” I say.

“She’s special. I’m not just talking about the fact that she’s a musical prodigy, which she is. Her IQ is excellent, nearing genius level, and her father…”

I already know where this is going. After what my grandfather did to me, I don’t labor under any delusion that these people are above harming children. After all, the McAllistersdealin children. And he was acting pretty lecherous when he was talking about her over our cigars.

“And her father what?” I say, my voice low and dark.

“He… He harms her.”

I knew it was coming. Even so, my stomach sinks like I just swallowed an anvil.

“I… I had a feeling that was the case. Why else would she have asked me for help?”

Her voice cracks as she continues. “She doesn’t tell me a lot, Mr. Gallo. She’s scared. So very frightened. I tell her she can trust me, but she’s still not completely honest with me.”

“Why did she feel she could trustme? She’s the one who gave me that note.”

“That was my idea,” Natalie says. “I thought… If you were going to be the one who would eventually marry her, perhaps you would be interested in helping her.”

“I’m very interested in helping her. But I’m not sure what I can do.”

“Can you get her out of the house?”

“You realize that would mean you’re out of a job, Natalie.”

She sighs. “I don’t care about that. I’ve been with Belinda for two years now, and I’ve grown to love her as if she were my own. I can’t stand the pain that she’s in. I can’t stand how he trots her out as a showpiece when people come over, as he did with you and your grandfather today. She hates that. But what can she do?”

“I wish I could help.”

“He’s going to break her, Mr. Gallo. He’s going to take that beautiful and talented little girl and strip her of everything.”

“But why would he do that if?—”

I stop abruptly. That’s exactly why he would do it. Revenge. He wants to leave me a shell of a human being for a wife. Even at the cost of his own daughter’s mental health.

---