be.”
Joel stood and made room for Mr. Stewart on the couch. “Have my seat, sir.” Stepping out of the way, he moved around to the other side and sat on the floor.
“Thank you, son. These old bones of mine like to rest as often as they can.” Settling himself, he gave his grandson a long stare. “Taylor, you tell the detective what you’ve heard.”
Fidgeting from one foot to another, he stared at the group. “All I heard was that Dr. Vivi knows something that she shouldn’t. They want to keep her quiet and make sure that she doesn’t tell anyone what she’s seen.”
Sitting up and leaning forward, Joel came to attention. He was about to interrogate the kid, but stopped himself just in time. This wasn’t the service, and he couldn’t demand or coerce answers out of him…as much as he would’ve liked to. “Did they say anything about what it is she might’ve seen?”
Shaking his head vigorously, he stared down at his shoes. “I heard it at the corner, and I can’t ask any questions without people wondering why. It could even not be true. Maybe just a bunch of gossip. I have five months before I graduate high school, and I would like to be alive when it happens. I don’t need to have any bangers looking my way. I fly as far under the radar as I can, and I plan on doing that until I can get out.”
Gideon stood and shook the kid’s hand. “I appreciate you sharing what you have. I know it takes a lot of guts to speak up against the people in your neighborhood. No one will know.”
“Thank you, sir.” Looking around, he noticed Vivi waving to him. “Can I go now? Dr. Vivi wants to talk to me.”
“Sure,” Gideon replied. Turning to Mr. Stewart, he nodded. “You have a lot to be proud of. That is one smart and brave kid there.”
“Thank you, son.”
The men sat silently as they thought about the new piece of information. Not only was the clinic in the crosshairs of a neighborhood gang war, it was also in the sights of two opposing criminal crews from outside the state. Now someone thought that Vivi had seen something or knew something.
“What a shit show,” Dane huffed. “I say we just fly the girls back to Florida and close down the clinic. There is no way to keep them safe with this many people gunning for them. Even if they no longer offer prescription drugs, they’re still in danger.”
“I agree,” Ben stated flatly. “Ruby needs to come home with me.”
“Hold your horses, young man,” Buck said. “Those three girls are not going to pull up stakes and abandon the dream they have of helping the people of Algiers. I suggest you work out a strategy that gives them a better alternative. Or better yet, let them believe that the whole thing was their idea. Vivi is as stubborn as a mule, and she worked hard to get this thing up and running. She isn’t going to walk away without a real good fight.”
“Let me talk to her tonight and run the information past her. Ultimately, it’s up to her, and I want her to have the opportunity to come up with a solution.”
“And if that doesn’t work?” Gideon inquired.
Rubbing his hand over his head, Joel smiled. “Then I hog-tie her and take her the hell out of the state and out of danger.” He noticed Ben signaling to him to stop, and he spun in time to see Vivi step up behind him.
“What evil plans are you all hatching over here? It looks like you’re planning on overthrowing a small country.”
Standing, Joel took Vivi’s hand and tried to appear innocent. “Just talking about the game.”
“Sure. I believe you.”
“Hey, you haven’t shown me the pool yet. I heard you have a great pool slide.” Winking, he led her away from the group toward the back patio.
Stepping out into the humid air, Joel peeled his shirt away from his back and looked around.
“What in the world is going on with you?” Vivi stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. “You are acting awfully strange.”
“No, I’m not. I
Joel stood and made room for Mr. Stewart on the couch. “Have my seat, sir.” Stepping out of the way, he moved around to the other side and sat on the floor.
“Thank you, son. These old bones of mine like to rest as often as they can.” Settling himself, he gave his grandson a long stare. “Taylor, you tell the detective what you’ve heard.”
Fidgeting from one foot to another, he stared at the group. “All I heard was that Dr. Vivi knows something that she shouldn’t. They want to keep her quiet and make sure that she doesn’t tell anyone what she’s seen.”
Sitting up and leaning forward, Joel came to attention. He was about to interrogate the kid, but stopped himself just in time. This wasn’t the service, and he couldn’t demand or coerce answers out of him…as much as he would’ve liked to. “Did they say anything about what it is she might’ve seen?”
Shaking his head vigorously, he stared down at his shoes. “I heard it at the corner, and I can’t ask any questions without people wondering why. It could even not be true. Maybe just a bunch of gossip. I have five months before I graduate high school, and I would like to be alive when it happens. I don’t need to have any bangers looking my way. I fly as far under the radar as I can, and I plan on doing that until I can get out.”
Gideon stood and shook the kid’s hand. “I appreciate you sharing what you have. I know it takes a lot of guts to speak up against the people in your neighborhood. No one will know.”
“Thank you, sir.” Looking around, he noticed Vivi waving to him. “Can I go now? Dr. Vivi wants to talk to me.”
“Sure,” Gideon replied. Turning to Mr. Stewart, he nodded. “You have a lot to be proud of. That is one smart and brave kid there.”
“Thank you, son.”
The men sat silently as they thought about the new piece of information. Not only was the clinic in the crosshairs of a neighborhood gang war, it was also in the sights of two opposing criminal crews from outside the state. Now someone thought that Vivi had seen something or knew something.
“What a shit show,” Dane huffed. “I say we just fly the girls back to Florida and close down the clinic. There is no way to keep them safe with this many people gunning for them. Even if they no longer offer prescription drugs, they’re still in danger.”
“I agree,” Ben stated flatly. “Ruby needs to come home with me.”
“Hold your horses, young man,” Buck said. “Those three girls are not going to pull up stakes and abandon the dream they have of helping the people of Algiers. I suggest you work out a strategy that gives them a better alternative. Or better yet, let them believe that the whole thing was their idea. Vivi is as stubborn as a mule, and she worked hard to get this thing up and running. She isn’t going to walk away without a real good fight.”
“Let me talk to her tonight and run the information past her. Ultimately, it’s up to her, and I want her to have the opportunity to come up with a solution.”
“And if that doesn’t work?” Gideon inquired.
Rubbing his hand over his head, Joel smiled. “Then I hog-tie her and take her the hell out of the state and out of danger.” He noticed Ben signaling to him to stop, and he spun in time to see Vivi step up behind him.
“What evil plans are you all hatching over here? It looks like you’re planning on overthrowing a small country.”
Standing, Joel took Vivi’s hand and tried to appear innocent. “Just talking about the game.”
“Sure. I believe you.”
“Hey, you haven’t shown me the pool yet. I heard you have a great pool slide.” Winking, he led her away from the group toward the back patio.
Stepping out into the humid air, Joel peeled his shirt away from his back and looked around.
“What in the world is going on with you?” Vivi stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. “You are acting awfully strange.”
“No, I’m not. I
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