Page 88 of Ewan

No way. He can’t be a mobster. He might look like one and have the money and resources of one, but he is the nicest man when he’s with me.

“Okay, he’s a mobster. He’s still my neighbor, and as much as I want to avoid him, I can’t always do that.

“You do you. I just wanted you to know that and be extra careful with him. I don’t want you to end up in the New York Bay.

A shiver runs through me.

I dismiss her words with a small gesture.

“Don’t worry about me. A teacher and a mobster. That will never happen,” I say with humor. “Thank you for the warning, though. Much appreciated.”

I loop my arm around her neck and hug her again before pulling away quickly.

“I’ll call you if I need more information about the gig.”

With that, I spin around and rush inside, my amused expression replaced by a slab of worry.

SCARLETT

He can’t be a mobster.

He has a lot of time on his hands.

Well, mobsters are self-employed, aren’t they?

He’s also very disciplined.

Which is not a bad skill to have when you have to dispose of dead bodies fast.

Now that I think about it, he’s virtually taken me hostage by giving me rides and tossing my ex into the bushes.

Goosebumps form on my arms.

“Thank you so much,” Miss Scholz says, coming from the other room with a handwritten check in her hand and a small Christmas gift.

“Oh. Thank you. That wasn’t necessary,” I say, talking about the gift.

She dismisses me with a small gesture.

“It’s my pleasure.” Smiling, she takes Mousy from me. “We both like you,” she says, talking about the dog and herself. “I’ll call you if I need you again this week.”

“Sure. Please do so.”

Later, I say goodbye to her, exit her place and the building, and a few moments later, I stall.

The sun makes a quick retreat behind the clouds, and it’s getting windy and grayish again.

I haven’t texted Ewan.

According to our understanding, I should have done that already, but I need more time to think things through.

What do I do?

What if what Sammy had said was true? What if he is a mobster?

I should’ve paid more attention to his story.

So Colley said his cousin could play Santa.

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