Page 13 of Salvation

As I get closer, I can make out two male voices. One is very obviously Gabrial and the other sounds a hell of a lot like an irate and angry… Luke?!

Luke is here? Right now? What in the ever-loving hell?

My curiosity overcomes me and I find myself creeping closer to the open doorway to try to listen in on their conversation.

What are you doing, Hope? It’s none of your business what they’re talking about. But, shit… why would Luke be here in the middle of the night?!

Once I’m at the door, I can hear, but I can’t see them. Luke’s voice is angry, but also sounds weary. “Gabrial! I know it was you or your guys! Where is Mrs. Mascareni? We need to question her and she’s apparently vanished from the face of the earth!”

Gabrial’s voice is level and flat as he responds. He almost sounds bored. “Now Luke, how on earth would I know? And why do you presume to know that I even know who that is?”

The sound of a clenched fist colliding with a hand has me jumping, Then, Luke snaps, “Because everyone we did talk to says that Eli Mascareni has been selling for you for a year and is almost a quarter million in debt to you… is she alive, Gabrial?” I can hear the restrained ire and frustration in his voice.

Oh my God… Luke is here about that murder from this morning… the one he left the shelter to go work.

He thinks Gabrial killed the man because the man was selling Gabrial’s drugs and owes him a QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS?! A quarter of a million dollars…

Dear God.

And the man’s wife is missing?

Did Gabrial do something to her?

No way! He wouldn’t hurt a woman…

I can’t say the same about a man who stole that much money from him.

I feel like I’m going to throw up. My head is swimming, and the walls appear to be closing in.

I knew that Gabrial was into some bad shit… I knew. I’m not an idiot. And I know that Luke doesn’t want me around Gabrial because he thinks he’s dangerous…

Did you really think that Gabrial can be in a business like that Hope and NOT kill people?

Oh my God…

I get dizzy, losing my balance, starting to fall. My hand slaps the wall to try to catch myself and I hear both men call out from the room.

Luke shouts, “What the fuck is that? Someone is in the hall?”

Gabrial sighs, and then, his voice calls out, “Come in, Hope. You’d just as soon join us since you’re out there anyway.”

With reluctance, I look around the corner. Standing on wobbly legs, I step into the room. The blood drains from Luke’s face as he stares at me. I physically see his skin go white and the pain being displayed there hits me like a bull ramming my chest. I can’t imagine what I must look like to him… I’m nude except for the shirt that stops mid-thigh and I’m certain my hair has a fucked like a whore look.

He’s going to know exactly where I’ve just come from. His voice is tortured as he gasps and his step falters, “Hope…”

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