“Yes?” He puts his hands on my shoulders, making it very clear where his loyalties are.
“You have to understand....” she starts. She looks at the photos. “It's not what it looks like.”
“You don't have to explain to me,” I tell her. “You don't have to explain to anyone. I just want it to stop. I want it all to stop. No more games.”
She slumps in her chair, defeated. She nods. “No more games.”
There's a knock on the door. Mrs. Russo looks up, hope brightening her eyes. She has a backup plan. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I have a feeling it involves a senator.
The butler opens the door and in walks Senator Norwood.
I can't help it. My hands start to tremble. My stomach clenches. It's a good thing that I'm sitting down because my knees are shaking. The only thing keeping me from panicking is Dante's hands on my shoulders.
“Senator, you're early,” Mrs. Russo greets him with a smile. “But, I'm so glad you're here.”
“When you said you had someone for me to meet, I had no idea it would be with Cara Savio.” He looks at me with those cold, dead eyes and I shiver. “Cara.”
I hate the way he says my name. I hate everything about him. I wish that God would strike him down with lightning where he stood.
“Cara was just telling me how we shouldn't play games,” Mrs. Russo says. She's confident again now that Norwood is here. She can see the effect he has on me.
“I happen to like games,” Norwood replies. He sits down in a chair next to me. I want to run, but I stay where I am.
This is what we planned for. This is what we hoped.
My phone chirps. It's Grayson.
* * *
Turn on the TV. Channel seven.
* * *
“Do you have a TV in here?” I ask Mrs. Russo. She frowns, surprised by my question.
“There's one behind that painting,” Dante supplies.
“Why do you want a TV?” Mrs. Russo asks.
“There's a news story breaking. I think it's something Mr. Norwood will want to see.” I look right at Norwood. “Especially since he's fond of games.”
There's no concern in his face. In fact, he laughs. “Turn on the TV. I have nothing to hide.”
Mrs. Russo fumbles in her desk for a moment before finding the remote. The painting lifts and disappears into the wall, revealing a large flat screen TV underneath.
“Channel seven, please,” I request.
It takes her a moment to find the right buttons, but when she does the TV flares to life.
Senator Grayson stands next to a police chief. It isn't O'Brien. The breaking news announcement on the bottom of the screen says this is happening in my old town. Grayson is in Michigan for this reveal.
“... These photos are being looked at for federal and state crimes,” Grayson announces. “This kind of thing cannot stand in our country. As a leader, I am putting my own money down for a reward on more information.”
“What is this nonsense?” Norwood asks, frowning at the TV.
Then the screen switches to one of the photos of my mother.
He turns a deathly pale as Grayson's voice describes the injuries. “All of these are attributed to Senator Norwood. There are more photos and evidence. This was not a one time thing. As to the brutality suggested in these photos, the police have agreed to reopen the death of Caroline Savio Jeffries.”