Page 28 of Rhythm Of Redemption

Logan’s interest peaked, his intuition telling him that there was more to these whispers than mere gossip. “What rumours?”

Angel’s gaze locked with his as if assessing his trustworthiness. “It’s probably nothing. You know how gossip starts,” she hesitated, her voice trailing off.

“Angel, if you know something, then you have to tell me,” Logan urged, his voice showing a mixture of desperation and determination.

Leaning in closer, Angel lowered her voice to a hushed tone. “A little birdy told me that Matti is involved in some pretty shady stuff with Álvaro Sánchez.”

The name sent a chill down Logan’s spine. The Sánchez family was notorious, their influence reaching into every corner of the city’s underbelly. If Matti had become entangled with them, it would explain what had been going on at the club and with the police investigation. Anger and disbelief surged within Logan, the sting of betrayal intensifying.

“Álvaro Sánchez? Are you sure?” Logan questioned, his voice barely above a whisper.

Angel nodded cryptically. “That’s what I’ve heard. Have the police said anything?”

Logan’s thoughts raced as he recalled his earlier conversation with Antonio, the weight of a looming investigation pressing down on him. “I spoke with Antonio earlier, and he said they were building a compelling case against me.”

Angel’s eyes widened, mirroring Logan’s shock. “You’re kidding? Is there enough evidence to pin it on you?”

“I don’t know,” Logan admitted, the weight of uncertainty heavy upon him, his mind still reeling from the possible betrayal of his once-close friend.

“Oh my god,” Angel gasped, her voice filled with genuine concern. “Look, I have to go, but you’ll keep me informed, right?”

“Of course,” Logan assured her with a nod, appreciating her support amidst the storm that surrounded them.

“I forgot to ask, where are you staying?” she asked, her concern lingering.

“Casa …” Logan struggled to recall the address; his mind overwhelmed with the tumultuous events unfolding. “With a friend.”

“Okay, but if I need to reach you, where can I get hold of you?” Angel pressed, a hint of worry etched on her face.

“On my phone,” Logan replied, his voice uncertain.

There was a moment of hesitation as if Angel wanted to say something more, but ultimately, she nodded. “Okay, then, see you.”

“Yeah, see you,” Logan replied, watching as Angel walked away, her figure gradually fading into the distance.

A chilling realisation dawned on Logan, intertwining fear and determination. The web of deception he found himself caught in had a face, and it might just belong to Matti.

Chapter thirteen

Conversations with her daughter often felt like a never-ending battle, leaving Lou mentally and emotionally drained. What frustrated her even more was the fact that, once the dust settled, she struggled to recall the very reasons they’d been at odds in the first place. Despite having once been a teenage girl herself, she couldn't fathom why it often felt as if they were inhabitants from different planets. How could she be getting it so wrong so often?

Lou's mind spun with exasperation as she replayed the events of a previous evening. She had poured her heart into preparing Dani's favourite dish, only to be greeted with complaints and snarky comments about having chicken again. The sight of Dani pushing the broccoli florets around her plate, as though they were radioactive waste, left Lou utterly flabbergasted. To compound her astonishment, Lou couldn't believe her own ears as she overheard Dani, in a conversation with Logan, enthusiastically declaring broccoli as her favourite vegetable. The contradiction was perplexing, and it left Lou questioning her own sanity. How could Dani so vehemently reject the same vegetable one day, then claim it as her favourite the next?

Logan and Dani's easy-going relationship ignited conflicting emotions within Lou. She grappled with a mix of feelings, often finding herself veering towards jealousy. Witnessing the effortless connection between her daughter and Logan only highlighted the difficulties Lou faced in communicating with Dani herself. Their light-hearted banter and genuine conversations left her yearning for a similar connection with her own child.

The sting of disappointment grew even sharper when Dani readily listened to Logan's words, taking on board his perspective with an open mind. In stark contrast, Lou's attempts to convey similar thoughts consistently sparked explosive arguments, leaving her disheartened. and undermining her confidence in their connection.

Should she be concerned about the influence Logan seemed to exert over Dani? The thought flickered briefly before being dismissed. Logan had never displayed any inappropriate behaviour or said anything that raised even the slightest red flag. If he had, Lou would have swiftly shown him the door without hesitation.

Still, she couldn't shake off the slight pang of exclusion she felt when Dani asked Logan to read over a personal statement she’d had to write for a school assignment, refusing to let her read it. She’d respected Dani's boundaries to maintain the peace, but the longing to understand what Dani felt comfortable sharing with a virtual stranger while withholding it from her own mother gnawed at Lou's heart.

While clearing up after dinner one evening, Lou rinsed a soapy dinner plate before handing it to Logan to dry. Summoning the courage to broach the subject, she cautiously enquired, “Um, did you happen to read Dani's personal statement? I was just curious if everything was okay with it.”

He nonchalantly shrugged; his attention focused on shaking the excess water from the plate before drying it with a tea towel. “Seemed fine to me,” he replied casually.

Frustration welled up within Lou, but she refused to be deterred. “Did you notice her spelling? It’s atrocious, isn’t it?”

A flicker of amusement danced in Logan's eyes as he met Lou's gaze. “Trust me, her spelling is way better than mine. I wouldn't worry too much about it.”

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