Page 17 of Stabby Little

“Miles acted out because of you.” Michael inches toward me. “You need to be the father he deserves. The father you were before Ollie disappeared.”

“I can't get over it. Everyone else moved on. Ollie's still out there. I believe it.”

That's when a look of something I can't place flashes across Michael's face.

“It'd be better for you if you forgot him.” A dark riptide roars beneath his words.

“Why?” Tilting my head up, I face my boss.

“Life doesn't always provide answers to our questions. You have work to do. You've searched for this boy longer than you knew him when he was alive.”

The message is clear.

Don't argue with me.

Don't fuck with me.

Quit looking for that kid and do your goddamn job.

“I'll discover who killed Gordon,” I say.

Michael finishes his drink. “Smart choice.”

5

OLLIE

Friday, May 8th

Rain spits in my face as I step out of the yellow cab. I adjust the wig I'm wearing and tuck the stray strands of blond hair under my baseball cap, then tighten the back strap. After sliding the cabdriver a twenty-dollar bill, I hold my hand over my head to prevent the rain from pelting me as I hurry toward Rock.

After my conversation with Roy, I knew I couldn't delay meeting Xavier Sanchez. Shit must be getting hot after I killed Gordon. Word is spreading through the streets.

Murder is common in New York, but word of it flies fast when the victim is a known sexual predator who frequented a notorious sex dungeon in Yonkers.

I stopped by a prosthetics shop in Chinatown to pick out my disguise. I'm wearing a hat, a blond wig, and a pair of dark wayfarer glasses so Xavier won't recognize me. He might've spotted me when he stopped by the warehouse basement. I want to fly under the radar.

I'm also using a fake ID I nicked from a Columbia animal science student that says I'm twenty-one.

My theft victim, Kobe Bailey, drank too much earlier tonight at a nightclub next to Columbia and neglected to guard his wallet.

He was the exact same height as me which made him a perfect mark.

He also looks like me—with my new blond wig and wayfarer glasses.

The only thing different is our eyes: mine are bright blue and his are hazel.

I pickpocketed the hell out of him and swiped his ID before returning his wallet.

My new identity, combined with my disguise, gives me confidence this night will go to plan. All I need to do is turn my charm on, woo Xavier, and convince him to follow me to the bathroom.

What could go wrong?

After cracking open the door, I head to the bar. I sit on a wooden stool and pick up a drink menu.

“You should put that down.” A low voice causes me to lift my eyes up. “We don't make those frilly drinks here. That's for decoration.”

“I'll have a beer.”

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