“When we find her parents, we’ll ask them nicely where their daughter is. If they won’t tell us, you’ll get to use your own brand of persuasion,” he told Martin.
Martin smiled. “They’ll tell us where she is,” he said confidently. “I know just how to make people talk.”
“I know you do,” Lloyd agreed. Martin didn’t need to be bothered with the small details of their trip. His job was to do what he was told and to get Lloyd the information he needed.
Of course, Martin didn’t know that he wasn’t going to be coming back to Jamaica. Lloyd and the kid . . . but not Martin.
Lloyd didn’t need Martin hanging on like a bad memory. At one time, he’d planned on having Martin by his side, but after spending too much one-on-one time with the man, Lloyd realized he couldn’t stand him. He was annoying as hell. Once Martin had helped him find Cassidy, get rid of her, and get the boy, his usefulness would have run its course.
Mentally shrugging, not concerned that he’d already planned his loyal friend’s demise, Lloyd smiled at Martin. “Not long now until we’ll be out of this hellhole.”
“Can’t wait,” Martin said, lying down on the hard floor and covering his head with a hat to block out the light.
It was just as well Martin was taking a nap. Lloyd was sick of his company.
He rested his head against the wall and closed his own eyes. But he didn’t sleep. His mind was too full of plans. Plans to take revenge on the bitch he knew was responsible for the destruction of Coke’s operation. He didn’t know how she’d managed it, but it didn’t matter. Her time on this earth was nearing an end.
Chapter Thirteen
“He’s fine,” Leo said softly. “Breathe, Cass.”
She tried, but it was hard to feel as if she was getting enough air. That morning, she’d dropped Mario off at Eastlake Elementary for his first day of school. She’d been worrying ever since. The other kids already knew each other. Would he be behind in his studies and feel stupid? Would he make any friends? Would he be made fun of?
It had been the longest day ever, and Leo had been right there at her side for every minute. She knew she was probably driving him crazy, and she appreciated his trying to distract her, but nothing had worked. She’d cleaned the apartment from top to bottom, baked a cake and three dozen cookies, and searched the internet for cheerleading items she could get Mario for Christmas, which was still a long way away, and she hadn’t sat still for more than five minutes at any one time.
Mario had said he wanted to take the bus home instead of having her pick him up. He’d also been surprisingly excited about going to school. Cassidy thought she’d probably done too good a job talking it up. She hadn’t wanted him to dread it like she did.
Skylar had called the night before and told her that she’d personally check in on Mario throughout the day, and if he seemed off, she’d call Cassidy. It was a relief that Skylar would keep an eye on her boy, but she also had her own class to teach.
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a spaz today,” Cassidy told Leo.
He wrapped his arms around her. They were standing on the landing outside her apartment, watching for the bus. It would stop at the edge of the parking lot, and they’d be able to see Mario not only get off, but cross the lot and come up the stairs. Her back was to Leo’s front, and his chin was resting on top of her head. She felt surrounded by him, which went a long way toward comforting her.
“You and Mario have spent every day together for the last five years. It’s natural to be nervous about this. But your son is an amazing kid. He’s funny, and nice, and I have no doubt he had a good day.”
Cassidy nodded and shifted in Leo’s grasp. “Is the bus late? He should be here by now, right?”
“Relax. It’s only been thirty seconds since you last asked what time it was. The bus isn’t late.”
“This is so hard,” she whined.
She could feel Leo chuckling against her. “Compared to what you guys have already been through, this is nothing,” he countered.
Cassidy took a deep breath. He was right. She was freaking out for no reason. She was being ridiculous and needed to just chill out. Mario had his phone, and she’d gotten a text around what would’ve been his lunchtime letting her know that everything was fine. He hadn’t demanded she come and pick him up. Hadn’t called her crying. He was fine.
Then she heard it. The sound of the school bus rumbling down the street near the complex.
“Easy, Cass. He’s comin’.”
She realized that she’d tensed up, ready to run down the stairs to greet Mario. Her eyes fixed on the spot where her son would appear, Cassidy waited with bated breath.
She heard him before she saw him. His distinctive laughter ringing out over the concrete. When he finally came into view, he was walking with two other kids, a boy and a girl. The boy was Black, and she knew he lived in another building in the complex. The girl lived on the first floor at the other end of Cassidy’s building. Her family had just emigrated from somewhere in the Middle East. She was wearing a hijab, the traditional headscarf that the women in her family wore. All three of the children were smiling and laughing, and Cassidy closed her eyes in overwhelming gratitude.
Mario had always been very accepting of other people. He didn’t care what color skin someone had or what they wore; he wanted to be everyone’s friend. He’d met both of the other kids before, and it made her feel good that they were all getting along.
She turned and felt Leo step away from her, but he didn’t go far. His hand rested on the small of her back as they waited for Mario to say goodbye to his friends and walk up the stairs. The second he saw them waiting, he beamed and jogged down the walkway to get to them.
He ran into her so hard, she had to take a step backward to stay upright, but Leo was there to steady them both.
“Mom! School was so good!”
“I’m glad,” Cassidy told him.
“I didn’t know anyone in my class, but for the most part, they were all really welcoming.”
“For the most part?” Cassidy asked, latching on to that part.
“Yeah, well, Timmy was a jerk, and Becky didn’t really like me, but Frankie said that she doesn’t like anyone so I shouldn’t take it personally. And! Guess what?”
“What?” Cassidy asked, not even trying to hide her smile.
“I saw Sandra at lunch. I know she’s only in first grade, but she came over to say hello when she saw me.”
“Cool,” Cassidy said.
Mario looked up at Leo. “Hey, Leo.”
“Hey, bud. Sounds like you had a good day. Do you like your teacher?”
“She’s okay. But I really like my social studies teacher. His name is Mr. Smithton. He’s tall, like you, and his teeth are so white they really stand out when he smiles. And when he laughs, it echoes around the room.”
Cassidy knew the fifth-grade kids switched teachers for English, math, and social studies in the mornings, and then they stayed with their homeroom teacher for the afternoon. She’d thought it might be confusing for Mario, but it seemed he was doing just fine. “You hungry?”
“Of course!” Mario said.