Page 27 of Start A War (Saint View Psychos)

My fingers clenched around the tabletop. “That’s unacceptable.”

The man shrugged, closing his laptop. “It’s just the way it is.”

Axel’s warning played over and over in my head. “What if it’s not gang-related? What if it had been me, shot in the head on my front lawn in Providence?”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Do you believe you’re in danger, miss?”

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to tell him about the man in my bedroom last night, but something stopped me.

My mother had gone to the police once. She’d dragged me along with her, telling me not to say a word unless I wanted her handprint on my behind. I’d been there when she’d reported Jerry as a pimp. When she’d accused him of forcing her into prostitution, and of raping her.

I’d been there when the officers had told her they’d investigate. And I’d been there when Jerry paid them off and came home to beat my mother to within an inch of her life.

We hadn’t eaten for three days after that. She’d been too hurt to get off the floor for two of them.

Snitches got stitches.

It was a playground taunt but one that was all too real where I’d come from.

I couldn’t say anything to the cops. I had no real information to give them anyway.

I needed to know more about who I was dealing with. I needed to know what my brother was involved with, and how it now affected me.

I needed to find his killer, because clearly, the police weren’t even going to try.

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