Page 97 of Crimson Promises
I dug my arms into the man’s bicep. The weapon clattered to the ground.
“I’m s-s-sorry. I didn’t intend to hurt you,” the man stammered.
I pushed him back a step. I needed enough space to grab the weapon. I didn’t completely trust that he didn’t have something else he could pull on me. I’ve seen the weak and vulnerable act before and had been burned by it myself a time or two. I kicked the shiv near the fire.
The man’s appearance was scruffy. He had a beard, gray hair, and a bit of a belly. He looked like a raw version of Santa Claus.
“Why did you approach me with a weapon?” I took a step forward and circled him, wanting to be sure that was the only weapon he had.
The man held both arms up. “I don’t have anything else. Please understand I was only trying to protect my family.”
“Your family?”
The man whistled a two-tone song, and out of one of the tents nestled in a far corner, a woman and boy emerged. He gave them an encouraging smile.
“Look, sir, it doesn’t look like much, but it’s all we have. I have to do what I have to do to protect them. Life hasn’t been easy on us. This is temporary until we can get back on our feet again. Have a real roof over our head.”
I put my hands in my back pocket, reaching for my wallet. I glanced back at the boy’s eyes, which were too big for his face. His bones jutted out in places they shouldn’t. They had nothing. Rejected by society. I knew what that had felt like.
Pulling out all the cash I had, I handed it to the man. “Take this.”
The man shook his head. “No, I can’t take that.”
“Let me do something kind. It’s not often I get the chance to, and I’ve been where your son is. If this helps keep food on the table for a few more days, it would mean a lot to me.”
The man’s eyes darted quickly to his wife, who nodded emphatically.
Slowly, he reached for the cash. I could tell it was a hit to his pride to do so. Surviving trumped pride each time.
“Thank you.” He palmed the money, folded it, and tucked it into his shirt’s front pocket.
I turned away, not wanting to disturb the family any further.
“Wait,” the man called. “Did you come here for a reason?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Maybe I can help? It’s the least I can do.”
I faced the man and leaned my hip at the opening of the narrow alley. “I’m looking for a man who attacked my friend at the intersection at the end of the alley. She’s noticed a necklace has been missing since then. I’m helping her retrace her steps to see if it fell on the floor or if anyone knows anything about it.”
“Have you been to the cops?”
“Yup,” I popped the ‘p’. “They don’t care much about a necklace.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” He rubbed the length of his white beard. “I think I know the guy you were talking about. He camped out here for a few weeks. He was trouble: rude and drunk most of the time. I never saw no necklace, but he was boasting about a score he hoped to bring in some ‘loot,’ as he called it. From what he said, it didn’t sound like he planned to hold on to it for long. I’d probably check the local pawn shops in the area.”
“Noted, thank you for the help. At least it’s a lead.”
“No, thank you. Help is a rarity these days. It’s something my family won’t forget. I wish there was a way to pay you back.”
“One day, when you’re in a better situation, pay the kindness forward to someone else who needs it.”
“Consider it done.”
I retraced my steps to the scene where Aurora was initially attacked. I gave the area a careful once over in the light of day. There was no glint of gold. I checked the curb and the cracks in the sidewalk, even bent down to look at the base of shrubbery in the slim chance it got discarded here in the kafuffle.
A few hours later, I finished visiting all the pawn shops in the tri-city area. Nothing. No sign of Aurora’s necklace. I was done combing the city for it. Next time I saw Michael, I would tell him to look for it himself if he wanted it that badly. I gave it my best effort, but all my leads dried up.
