Page 10 of Hawk
“I listened to the tapes before I got called out here. It’s bad, Maci. It’s really fucking bad. He knows everything about you and Riley. You’re not safe.”
My head spins and my brain throbs. “What are you saying?” I ask stupidly.
“I’m saying you and your daughter need to get the fuck outta here before he does to you what he did to that family.”
“But he’s in jail,” I inform him dryly.
“Don’t be stupid.”
That’s when I remembered that criminals go to jail to learn how to do what they did to get caught better so they don’t get caught.
“Are you talking witness protection or whatever?”
I know Riley is going to be pissed off about missing her seventh-grade dance, but this is life and death.
“I’m calling you to make sure everything is going good with the apartment we set up for you.”
I shrug. “It’s not bad. I miss my house, though. Any news on what’s going on?”
Despite being threatened like this, I’m worried about my daughter. It takes her a long time meet new friends and I know this move just about killed her.
“Not good news, if that’s what you’re asking.”
I giggle mirthlessly. “Nothing is ever good news. What happened?”
“He made a phone call to some thugs on his payroll. He has a bunch of people looking for you to punish you for what you did to him.”
“I didn’t do anything. I tried my case. My job is to speak for the victims. And I did.”
Howie makes a weird noise. “I’m not saying you didn’t. I’m saying he’s not going to stop. I need you to lay low as much as possible. Keep using the social security numbers I gave you and all of Riley’s previous school records. The most important thing is to make sure Riley understands what is her new normal.”
“We know. I’ll call you tomorrow if you want. I start my new job.”
He chuckles. “A prosecutor working as a damn waitress. I bet that would be interesting.”
“Bye, Howie,” I sing and hang up on him.
I get out of my car and walk towards the front door of the apartment. I quickly look around to make sure no one is following me. Once I’m satisfied, I open the door and am greeted with a pissed off kid.
“You’re really going to be a waitress, mom?” Riley accuses.
She’s watching some stupid show on MTV about teens who get knocked up. I want to turn it off for her because she doesn’t need to watch that shit. Not when she is the product of a teen mom.
“I’m doing what I have to do. Did you feel safe in the apartment without me here?”
“Of course. I’m not an idiot.”
I want to hang my head. The attitude of this kid is going to kill me quicker than these thugs.
I take a look at my watch and cringe. “It’s after eleven. Did you brush your teeth and all of that?”
“Yeah,” she answers quickly.
“Did you really?” I ask.
“Why are you such a know-it-all?” She asks and jumps off the couch.
About twenty minutes later, I’m lying on my bed wearing my pajamas and only one thing is on my mind.
