The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Three

My voice had risen enough for Franco to hear inside. "Is that the thief? Get in here, you little puke!"

With a rueful glance at Dominic, I entered the back door into the restaurant. Since I was sure that Franco wouldn't try to kill me, I waved at Luis to stay outside. But he growled and stalked forward, intending to follow until Dom slammed the door shut in Luis' face.

With Luis' barking drowning out the accordion music, I saw Franco sitting at a table. Because he was a large man, his girth strained the arch-backed wooden dining chair where he sat. His elbow was leaning on the round table beside him, and the red-and-white checked tablecloth covering it seemed to dip lower from the additional weight. He motioned to a chair in front of him, and I sat down. Dominic pulled another chair over beside me, and I patted his arm to let him know it was okay. I inhaled the smell of baking pizzas to give me strength.

While I stared at the black and white tiled floor, I collected myself. "What's this all about, Franco? Dom told me what Mike said about me. But, look, I was just at Mike's, and he gave me all this stuff because he was feeling guilty." Then I held up the backpack.

Franco ignored the pack and stared at the back door as Luis thumped and scratched against it. "There's three things I don't like about you, kid. For one, you're manipulative. You have a sneaky way of getting everyone to do what you want. Mike's got a lot of problems, and you're the worst of them."

That I manipulated anyone into getting my way forced a laugh from me. "Do you think I'd be living outside in a treehouse with no electricity if I was that manipulative? If I were as bad as you say, I'd be sitting in my mansion on some rich lady's lap. And she'd feed me caviar while she helped me buy my twentieth Ferrari."

While I gave my argument, my boss's eyes narrowed. "That's all part of your game, Matt. First, you twist everyone around those little fingers of yours while you rob them blind. Afterward, you get them feeling sorry for you because of your poor me act. That's the second thing I don't like about you."

"Poor me act? Boss—"

He held up a hand to quell my argument. "Mike gave you all that stuff 'cuz he thinks he still owes you. You're the one that got him gambling again, so stop acting innocent. Sure, I know he took that money, but you're the one that made him do it. He admitted he gave it to you."

Oh, so that's why Mike said he'd screwed up. He made up a lie, and he figured that I'd cough up the money to fix it for him. Then he'd pay me back. But gamblers rarely got a score big enough to pay anyone back. I did have to hand it to him though, it was an impressive feat for a Nirumbee to lie. I suspected he must have had a lying potion or two hanging around, or perhaps he used a charm.

"The only money I have is what I saved from this job so that I could get a nice place in another city." I chewed on my bottom lip as I came clean about my intentions. Mike could easily prove I had five thousand saved. He'd helped me learn how to save it and I'd bragged to him about how much I had. Stupid.

Because of my confession, Dominic leaned his body forward so that I could see his hurt expression. Then he stared at his father and asked, "I'm upset you think Matt's got some racket going on, but that's not the actual issue here. Dad, why are we carrying that kind of cash in our delivery bags?"

"There's a time to discuss that, Son, but that moment isn't now." His father pushed his fists harder against the table, and it creaked from the burden. "Matt, you bring in that five thousand, and I'll overlook this. "

"The money's mine, Franco. I'm not doing that." I frowned at him. He even admitted that he knew that Mike actually took the money. There was something else going on here.

Dom laid his arm over my shoulders and squeezed as he glowered at his father.  "Matt couldn't have taken that money, Dad. He's been ]with me every night."

I struggled not to elbow Dom in his chubby side because if his crazy lie worked, I would be off the hook.

"Like hell you did! Matt, did you spend the night with my son?"

Lie! Come on, Matt, you can do it! Lie! "No," My voice creaked from the strain of wanting to lie but not being able to. Stupid Fae blood. Some days I could lie, but it burned. This wasn't that day. "Last night, I spent all night at home, but Aisa went out with Thorne, so I was alone." Thorne was one of Aisa's two official boyfriends.

Dominic kept his arm around me and squeezed my shoulder. Yea, I knew it, Dom. I was supposed to work with you.

"And that's the last thing I hate about you, Matt. You turned my son against my wishes and he's been obsessed with you.  You get out of here, and you give me my money back." He was looking at me like I was gum on his shoe.

Shellshocked over just how little Franco had thought of me, I was about to agree, but Dominic spoke up. "Matt's lying. He was with me, and if you have a problem with that, then I'll go with him when he leaves."

At this announcement, Franco pulled out a gun and pointed it at me. "Oh, you will? We'll see about that! Once this kid's gone, you'll stop being an idiot!"

With an exclamation, I scooted my chair back and hopped away from the table.

Then the back door burst open, and Luis stalked into the restaurant. With his fur bristling, he snapped his teeth and stopped in front of me. Leaning his backside against my legs, he faced Franco. Luis snarled and barked at the man, and Franco aimed the handgun at him.

"Whoa, people. Chill. Alright, Franco. I'll give you my money." I put my palm on Luis's back. "Don't hurt my dog. You'll regret it."

Franco laughed at that. "Oh really, you think that mutt can stand a chance against my bullet?"

Oh yes, Luis could dodge any of the bullets. Indeed, the life in peril was Franco's. I knew that, at that moment, my eyes were glowing. Franco was pushing at my control, and if I weren't careful, I'd raise the corpses from every nearby funeral home to come to save me. That would hurt me more than it hurt Franco. I'd be outed, and the entire city would come down on me.

Behind Franco, a bluish figure appeared in the room. The ghost looked like he could have been a relative of Franco. He had the same impressive nose and bushy eyebrows, but he'd been skinnier in life. He floated next to Franco and knocked the gun from his hand.

"What the- " Franco shouted.

Franco's eyes were wide as saucers as he watched the weapon skid across the floor. Then he rounded on me. "See what I mean, you have magnets in this room, right? You set this up in here, kid! You think you're funny!"

As he made a move towards me, Luis lunged at him, making the large man dance back then fall over on his behind. Dom pushed me out the door and into the back alleyway. I glanced back to see what the ghost was doing. He was knocking all the candle jars off the tables and making silverware float. Franco was making the sign of the cross as he cowered in a corner. 

We ran down the alleyway and onto the busy sidewalk in front of Franco's store. As I gazed up at the red, white, and green awning over the red door, I sighed. My first desire was to go back to Mike's and wring his neck, and yet, I also wanted to help him out. I knew he was sick, and I cared about him, but right now, I hated him, too. Crouching on the sidewalk, I covered my head with my arms. What should I do?