Closer Than Your Shadow

Scarlet Letter

November 24th 8:23 a.m.
Gotham
Pane

I almost pulled the door open, but someone was shouting from the inside. It sounded like Sal but he never yelled. He was always mellow and soft spoken.

I couldn't make out what he was saying so I turned the handle and the bell jingled. The yelling stopped and rustling came from the back.

"Claire?" Sal called out.

"Yeah, who else would it be?" I turned the corner and Lindsay was on the floor. The floor was littered with papers. The filing cabinet was flipped on its side and its drawers were pulled open.

Lindsay gathered a stack while Sal rubbed her shoulders. Her glasses were on the edge of her nose and she looked like she'd been crying.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked mostly to Lindsay. Sal was being weird. His eyes flitted around the room like someone was out to get him. He looked fucking pissed.

"We don't know. I came to work on the pastries at 4 and I found it like this." Lindsay mumbled.

"The safe wasn't opened but all of the order sheets were taken out. Are you sure you locked the side door last night?"

"Yes, of course. I always make sure to lock it after I leave." Lindsay answered him.

This sounded familiar, just like my fire escape window. Just like the guns in the hijacked van. This was Robin's MO.

He leaves all the valuable shit behind and goes after what you'd least expect.

The bell chimed and Zack, the kid who worked the register, walked through the long hallway. His arms and nose were pink from the wind.

"There's people outside waiting for the doors to-uh. What are you guys doing?" Zack asked as he stopped abruptly behind me.

"Long story," Sal said with a grunt, then he followed Zack to the front.

"Are you okay?" I asked Lindsay after we were alone.

I looked up from the pile of papers I was putting together when she didn't answer. Her eyes were glistening with tears. "Linds? What's wrong?"

"This Claire!" She stood up and tried to pull the large filing cabinet up. She groaned when the cabinet didn't budge, so I sprang up to help her.

"What are you talking about?" Both of us pulled against the rusted metal and we managed to set it up right.

"This is my fault, all of this," Lindsay whispered. Then tears fell down her cheeks. Lindsay was an emotional person, she cried often and with ferocity. But she had no reason to feel responsible. This wasn't on her, at all. An unlocked door wasn't why this happened. Robin was doing this to show me that he wouldn't just mess with the mob, but with the innocent people in my life as a result. Sal and Lindsay were pacifists that gave food to the homeless, they didn't need to be involved in mob business. They were the textbook definition of good Samaritans. They helped me when I needed it most. No questions asked, just open arms. So how could I let them get sucked in now when I kept them separate our whole friendship?

I wanted to ask about Sal but instead I just asked her why it was her fault.

"I think I must've left the door unlocked."

"It's okay. No money was taken right?" I whispered back. Lindsay shook her head and popped a smile back on her lips. Despite her red eyes and wet face, she did her best to look happy.

"Anyways," she said while she wiped the rest of her tears from under her glasses. "Dinner's still at 7. If you can, can you pick up a bottle of Merlot and some bread? I was going to go tonight but me and Sal are going have to stay and file these fucking sheets again." She rushed out of the room after I agreed and my heart cracked.