You call this fate?

Chapter 20

Tasha looked at me with wide disbelieving eyes. "Zara, will you please think about this for a moment? Do you really want to uproot all that you have set up here on just a whim?"

"A whim? He's playing right in my backyard and you call this is whim?" My hand were shaking.

"Zara, nothing's been proven yet. And please think about Ella and Hannah before you just go off and do something stupid. They need a stable life. You might think taking up and leaving every time you see a shadow is an acceptable way to live, but it won't be for them! Don't ruin their lives."

"I would rather ruin their lives than have them fall into his hands," I said, but even I could feel my arguments crumbling. How was it that Tasha was winning this?

"He's not here for you, Zara. At least, not that we know of. You just have to keep a low profile. Besides, what's to prove that he actually even remembers you? We know you aren't the only girl to have escaped him. Over the years Gerald has helped many. Why would he expressly remember you?"

I felt all the arguments and anger leave my body in one thick wave. I could almost imagine it leaving in a concentrated stream of smoke from my ears and through the pores of my skin. I was so sure leaving was the right course. "I don't like not knowing," I whispered. My eyes were starting to smart. And my hand hurt like hell itself.

Tasha clasped on my shoulder. "I know you're scared about what it is these boys are doing. But think about it this way. Christopher said that Meli's death had something to do with what they are doing, right?"

I nodded.

"And Meli worked for Fred. Fred in involved in illegal smuggling and manufacturing of drugs, which would lead us to think about drug cartels and what not. So, don't you think it's logical to assume that whatever it is they are involved in has something to do in that direction? And not have anything to do with him at all?"

"But I don't fit into this equation anywhere. Why would Mr. Rodwell want me?"

"You worked for Fred too," she pointed out.

"But then why would he mention him?"

"Zara, think carefully. Did Alexander or you ever explicitly say his name when he told you this?"

My eyes shot up.

No, we hadn't said his name. I would have remembered that. Since running away, I had never thought of him by his name. I never mentioned it, not even to myself. He was just a dark shadow in my memories; a shadow that sometimes had a face but usually was just twisting and curling smoke, advancing towards me and promising darkness. No, I hadn't said his name. And neither had Mr. Rodwell. For all I knew, he had been talking about someone else. Maybe a big and dangerous mafia lord. Or a cartel head. It could have been anyone.

"We didn't say the name," I admitted, too scared yet to let myself believe.

"See? You could have been talking about entirely different people."

"But--"

"Now you are just trying to find a loophole in this," Tasha said, sounding annoyed. She let go of my shoulder and reached for my hand. "Look--"

I yelped.

"Don't touch the hand," I squealed, pulling back.

Tasha withdrew like she had been shocked. "What happened?" She looked down at it, only now noticing its red, swollen state.

"Granny burned me," I said, clutching the offended limb close. I had almost forgotten about it, being as distracted as I was; but now the pain was back with a vengeance.