Page 30 of Undertow

“And how do you know it’s related to gambling?”

“I heard them.”

Mama H lifts her brows, waiting. Another good answer.

“I hid when I realized others were there and I overheard them talking about it. They also referencedThe Dropwhich makes me think there’s more going on. Something either just happened or is about to happen.”

They exchange a look that sends another surge of adrenaline through me. Was that too far? They probably already suspect their rivals are in deep in other markets besides gambling, so this is nothing revolutionary, but McArthur wouldn’t want me giving too much away.

“You said you were hiding. They didn’t see you?” Mama H asks.

“No. I heard them coming and ducked behind another rack. They were pissed when they saw the safe exposed and covered it up again.”

“Who was there? Who did you see?”

“Our GM Merrick and another guy I didn’t know.”

It’s frightening how much of this lie is true.

“So if you hid, how did you get fired over this?”

I force my gaze back to the floor. “I…”

“Shaw, you need to tell us what happened.”

“I know. It’s just…”

“You’re lucky they didn’t do worse than fire you,” Adrian says, drawing a sharp look from Mama H. “They’re known to be brutal,” he explains with a shrug.

He’s testing me. I should be dead if my story is true.

I allow more of the fear to the surface. “I didn’t get fired… yet,” I say faintly.

After a quick glance around the room, I rest my gaze on Mama H. “As soon as they were gone, I went back upstairs and called out sick for the rest of the day. Then, I grabbed my things and got the fuck out of there. They don’t know I quit. They think I’m in my room. I hitched a ride out of Palmetto Acres on the Great Escapes shuttle to the marina. I don’t know what’s going on at that place, but I want nothing to do with it.”

Four sets of eyes light up with a developing plot. Now to sell the rest.

“And yet, you’re still in Undertow. You’re not worried they’ll find you?” Adrian asks.

“Fucking terrified,” I say, studying my shoe as it scrapes small patterns in the worn carpet. “But I’ll be gone by the time they know. I stopped in Mama’s Café to regroup and figure out what to do next. I booked a flight back to Philadelphia for tomorrow night and was about to call for a ride off the island when…” I pause and turn a shy look on Julia. “I met her.”

She softens beneath my adoring, apologetic gaze. Her fingers twitch as if they want to reach for me. “I was going to grab a hotel room on the mainland by the airport, but Adrian was nice enough to let me crash at his house tonight. I’ll be out of your hair by tomorrow afternoon. They won’t look for me until I miss my shift tomorrow night.”

“No rush,” Mama H says, casting a discreet look at her children. Is she warning them? “You’re welcome to stay indefinitely. In fact, we insist.”

I swallow a mix of fear and relief at the subtle command. It’s a common reaction when I walk into the traps I set for myself.

“Thanks. I would, but I can’t risk them coming after me. Plus, I’m pretty broke. I need to get back to Philly and try to find another job.”

A chilling smile cracks her stony façade. “What if I have a solution for both problems?”

I shift my weight beneath her heavy stare. “What do you mean?”

“You said they don’t know you quit?”

I shake my head.

“We will pay you a lot of money not to.”

---