CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 63: DISPUTE

I texted Birdie when I got off work: Found out some stuff about your dad. Call me?

A few minutes later, Birdie called.

"What did you find out?" she asked.

"It's not gonna be easy to hear so just... brace yourself," I said.

"Okay."

"Your dad... he died three years ago."

Birdie was silent.

"He was killed in prison by the other prisoners."

"That's... That's awful."

"It gets worse."

"What could be worse than that?" she asked.

"He was in prison for beating up his wife. There were pictures of her injuries."

"It couldn't have been him," Birdie said. "I'm sure he was framed."

"You think someone else beat up your mom?"

"It must have been someone else."

"Then why did your mom accuse your dad?"

"She hated him."

"More than whoever attacked her?"

"I don't know... Maybe she faked it."

"She didn't fake it. She had real injuries."

"But my dad would never... He was kind and gentle. He wouldn't have abused her like that. I saw them when they fought. My mom was the aggressor. He always just took it."

"I guess he snapped."

"No..."

"Birdie-"

"I gotta go." She hung up.

I felt bad for her. I knew she wouldn't have taken it well. I just hoped she wouldn't hate me for telling her the truth.

"What was that about?" Uncle Blade asked me.

"Why are you always eavesdropping?"

"Why were you talking to Rockie's girlfriend?"

"It's none of your business."

"If you don't tell me, I'll tell Rockie."

"She just wanted to know some stuff about her dad. The only reason she told me was because she knew I could get the information."

My uncle raised an eyebrow. "The only reason?"

"Yes. You don't believe me?"

"If this is the same chick who dropped off those delicious peanut butter bars, then no. I don't believe you."

"We're just friends, Uncle Blade."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

"I wouldn't do that to Rockie."

"You better not. He'd kill you. Taking his girlfriend would be like taking a sledgehammer to his precious sports car."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not even interested in her, not in that way," I told him. "So don't start spreading rumors."

"I'm not the type to gossip or start any drama. That's why I'm telling you, don't pursue this girl."

"And I'm telling you that I'm not. So stop. We're just friends, and that's it."

"Good. Then I'll leave you alone about it."

"Thank you. You should've started with that."

"I thought you were gonna move out soon," Uncle Blade said, changing the subject.

"I am. I've just been busy lately. Trust me, I want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"I can't imagine why. I don't know how you'll live with yourself," Uncle Blade said and then walked off.

The nerve!

I got a call from Rockie at 8 pm. "Are you home?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Don't go anywhere. I'm coming over."

"Why-"

He hung up on me.

I didn't like that he never told me why he was coming over. Did he want me to panic? He didn't even ask if it was a good time.

When Rockie arrived, he barged right in.

"It's kinda late," I told him.

"I'll make this quick," Rockie said. I noticed he had a gun, but it was in a holster. "Are you responsible for Nitro's arrest?"

"No."

"You were there though."

"Yeah, but-"

"And the night before, you two got into it," he said. "Doesn't sound like a coincidence to me."

"You're jumping to conclusions," I told him. "I had nothing to do with his arrest. I swear."

"Then why were you there?"

"It's not up to me where I go. It's the chief of police's decision. And I'm not even the driver. My partner has control of the car."

"You could've done something to stop it."

"Like what?"

"I tried to help you out. You could've used me as an excuse to not go after him."

"It wouldn't have mattered. There are other cops," I said. "And I didn't want to look bad in front of my partner."

"Who cares what your partner thinks?!" Rockie yelled. "Nitro is in jail because of you!"

"I didn't do a single thing."

"Oh yeah? How did they find out where he lived?"

"How am I supposed to know? I just take orders."

"Bull****!"

Uncle Blade came down the hallway. "Is everything alright out here?"

Rockie raised his gun to my head. "Does everything look alright?!"

"Get that thing out of my face!" I shouted, smacking the gun out of his paw.

Rockie snarled.

"Hey! Chill!" my uncle said. "What's going on?"

"Rockie thinks I'm responsible for getting Nitro arrested," I told him.

"If you're not responsible, explain to me why you were staked out by his house," Rockie said.

"Like I said, I just take orders."

"Right. And it just so happened that they would arrest him right after Nitro provoked you."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe it was Hal who gave Nitro away, not me?"

"You said he didn't talk."

"Yeah, but he could've talked after he was poisoned. What would he have to lose if he was already dying? I told you it was a bad idea," I said.

Rockie thought for a moment. "I guess Hal did work for Nitro..."

"See? Are we all good now?"

Rockie glared at me as if he was trying to read my mind.

Uncle Blade picked the gun off the floor.

"Yeah. I guess we are," Rockie finally replied.

Uncle Blade handed him his gun.

"I wasn't gonna shoot you, by the way," Rockie told me. "The safety lock was on."

"I know," I said. "Friends don't shoot each other."

"But I will if I ever need to," he warned. "Don't make me need to."

"I won't. We're on the same team," I assured him.

Rockie nodded and then looked at Uncle Blade who nodded back at him and then Rockie left.

I breathed out.

That was a close one. I would have to be more careful. He was onto me.