Page 88 of Dark Heart
“Your phone number, name, and address. Are they public?”
A smile flutters across my lips.
“No, not really. Why?”
“The men from last night. They know who you are.”
“They’ve seen me a couple of times and know my first name, but they have no idea who I am. No one knows. I’ve worked diligently to hide my business and personal affairs from my family and everybody else. So no, I can’t be tracked down. Nobody knows where I live. And except for the staff members, one of my employees, and now you, nobody has ever come to my house. Rest assured, they can’t find you.”
“It’s not about me... I don’t care if they find me,” he deadpans, motioning to the box.
“I need you to take the cash to the address on that piece of paper.”
“What’s this?” I ask, wrapping my fingers around the roll of cash.
“The money you gave me.”
I glance at him.
“Who do I give it to?” I ask, intrigued at first, then grappling with a bad feeling.
“Her name is...”
He pauses, shifts his position, and winces again, and I suspect he’s also buying some time while gauging my reaction.
His eyes stay on me a little longer.
”Her name is Sara,” he finally says, his eyes bleeding sorrow.
It hurts me to see him like that, and it’s a new inexplicable feeling.
It feels like grief.
Slowly, he turns his head and glances at the Christmas tree.
“If it’s not too much... Can you buy a Christmas present for a little girl? With money from that stash.”
A hole grows in my chest, and I’m about to fall into it.
“Sure,” I say, my voice unraveling.
“What do you want me to buy?” I ask, evading his eyes and making myself busy with the stuff on the counter, trying to hide my trembling hands.
“Whatever you think a three-old would like. Her name is Emma.”
His voice shakes a little as he utters her name, and my knees are about to give in.
I look at him.
His eyes glint with emotion, veiled by the mist of tears. A lump forms in my throat.
I glance away again, grappling with my own feelings, when the doorbell rings.
Just in time.
I dart to the door, bring the food inside and set it on the coffee table.
“You can start eating. I have to change my clothes before I leave,” I say.
