Page 117 of Victorious Vice

I will be in Austin at City Hall tomorrow morning, presenting a hefty check to the local school district, shaking hands with politicians, and making speeches about how we need to invest more in our children’s education. Lots of witnesses to solidify my alibi.

At least that’s where I’m supposed to be.

Bellamy’s suicide attempt has fucked up those plans. I’m not leaving Raven alone.

“Get information on Austin Bellamy first,” I tell Sam, my hacker. “I want to know his prognosis.”

Sam hacks into the hospital computer and scans the screen.

“Looks like he’s going to make it. They stitched him up. Gave him a transfusion for the blood loss. He’s in ICU for observation, but the prognosis is good.”

I heave a sigh of relief for Raven.

For me? I’m convinced Bellamy has plenty to hide, and though he may think he has his children’s best interests at heart, I’m not so certain that he does.

“Any news from Bogotá?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Not yet.”

I nod. Not that I was expecting any. Nothing will go down until tonight.

“What about Mario and Serena?”

“Their documents are in their hands, and they’re boarding a flight to Dubai tonight.”

I nod.

John and Marla Perkins, as Mario and Serena will now be known, will live in a villa situated in a quiet gated community in Emirates Hills that offers security and privacy. Their home is close to high-end amenities and an excellent healthcare facility. Mario has enough clean money to live comfortably with Serena for the next twenty years.

I’m confident in my plans to keep them safely hidden away for the rest of their days. After all, I escaped from my own family’s watchful eye for seventeen years. I can certainly give Mario and Serena ten or so.

I leave the communications room to check on Raven.

“Please,” she begs when I go to her. “I have to see my father. I have to, Vinnie.”

She’s not asking for a lot. But, “I just checked with the hospital, Raven. His prognosis is good. He’s going to be okay.”

“I’m glad of that. Thrilled, actually. But I still need to see him. Please.”

When she looks at me like that, with those brown eyes pleading, I can’t deny her anything. Nothing could have kept me from my mother’s side when she was in ICU.

I can’t deny Raven the same.

“All right. I’ll get Elmo and Fred to take us. Jared too.”

41

RAVEN

Today is Daddy’s birthday.

I’m the only one of the five of us who remembers his birthday. Eagle is too little, and maybe Hawk too, so I guess they get an excuse. But Falcon is older than I am, and Robbie is of course the same age as I am.

I guess some people are just better at remembering birthdays.

I got up early and made him blueberry pancakes all by myself. Our housekeeper offered to help me, but I wouldn’t let her. I want Daddy to know that I made these from scratch.

They came out pretty well. A little burnt. But it’s my first time. Daddy will still gobble them up. He loves blueberry pancakes. He’ll especially like them if he knows I made them for him.

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