The Broken Pieces novel Chapter 39

I cleared my throat before politely speaking. "May we get some alone time please?"

Mutters held over the crowded before they all agreed and began pilling our of the room.

"Parker, stay." The words emerged from my lips as a look of confusion and concern overtook Tomas' face."

Once everyone was gone, except for us 4, of course, I backed away from Tomas before reaching in my pocket and pulling out the locket and the picture. I placed it on the bed in front of Tomas to see the blood drain from his cheeks.

"Explain," I said harshly, not caring anymore. "The truth."

Tomas' shaky hands scooped up the two items in his hands. He took a sharp breath in before blowing it out softly. The room was filled with tense silence as he viewed the pictures. His expression darkened before he spoke. "Where did you find this?" His voice was sharp icicles stabbing themselves into my walls, almost piercing my skin.

Almost.

"Doesn't matter, what matters is the truth," I spoke bravely as I glance around the room to see Parker.

Tomas seemed to notice him, too."You gave her this shit, didn't you?!" He yelled at Parker, who stood in the corner of the room, his arms entangled in front of his chest as his attention was fully placed on the tile ground.

Parker's hands clenched as his jaw tightened, he took a step forward before glaring at Tomas. "She found them herself. Don't blame your problems on me because you can't cover your tracks, dumbass."

Tomas was about to respond, but I interrupted him. "What problems?" I ask and the two men peer at each other before looking at me.

Silence.

Emptiness.

A mirthless laugh falls from my lips, "no one wants to talk now?" My eyes bore into the two men, "fine, I will."

I jab a thumb towards Tomas, "this idiot over here was once friends with Frederick Dixon, the man who was mysteriously killed. I don't know who killed him-," I stopped myself before taking a deep breath and continuing. "But you two do, don't you?"

"Emily-,"

"No." I stop one of them from talking, I don't know which one, but I don't care. My feet began to move for me and I start to pace the floor, my hands instantly began to pick at my nails, a terrible habit I'd thought I'd lost. "Apparently, this has been going on for a long time now. But it stops here now."

I nod along to something I can't remember talking about.

"Man, life is hard." He mutters under his breath and I catch it, "Yeah, it is. What's wrong with you?" I ask.

The man sighs, I think his name is Fernando or something. "It's my sister, she has cancer and... it's getting worse every day. I put her in a good place for it - cancer, you know and the prices are kicking my ass." I nod along finally intrigued by something this man has said. He hesitates before continuing, "dude, I don't even know if I should tell you this... but I started borrowing this money, it's not clean money, no way but it's helped. Now the guys I borrowed from wants it back, and more too."

"Can you give it back?" I ponder and a mirthless laugh fell from his lips.

"Give it back? It doesn't work like that, man."

I don't know what came over me but before I knew it the words fell from my lips. "I can help you."

The man looks at me shocked. "Really?"

Aw shit, I'm in too deep. "Yeah," I nod, "how much money?"