Exposed

Chapter Forty-One

Matteo reaches the table, bending down beside my place. "We need to go, right now."

I'm on my feet in less than a second, not questioning his urgency. If he's here and not at the producers meeting, it's for a reason. "Okay."

"What's going on?" Hugh whispers softly so he won't interrupt Richard's speech-making.

"We have to go. I'll call you tonight." I bend down, kissing his cheek, my heart pounding wildly.

Hugh glances between us. "Is it about Charles?"

I nod, supposing it is especially when Matteo doesn't correct me. Hugh moves to his feet. "I'm going with you."

"You shouldn't," Matteo says bluntly. I look at him, eyes wide.

But Hugh nods, decisively. "Let's go."

I'm surprised when Matteo doesn't argue, grabbing my hand as we turn. Hugh knows only the basics of what is happening with Eddie. He doesn't know about the money or private investigator. I'm afraid he's getting into something he knows nothing about. I keep my voice low, leaning towards Matteo.

"Matteo, what's happened?"

"We have to go to Queens. I'll tell you in the car."

We make it out the doors. Hugh is right beside me. "Why?"

"Charles is in danger, Emma," Matteo breathes, stopping to look at me. My gaze falters.

"Fuck," Hugh utters.

***

"Tell me what you know," I demand as Matteo shuts the driver's door, starting the ignition. He pulls out of the space and the tires screech, sending us shooting forward and I begin to truly feel fear. Hugh is holding on for dear life in the back seat. "Matteo."

"Harold called me about fifteen minutes ago and told me that Eddie took Charles to Queens for a party."

"He took him?"

Matteo nods. "Harold was able to photograph through the windows. He has the evidence we need of Eddie doing heroin. Charles wasn't in sight. Harold didn't know where they put him, where he was."

"This guy is a heroin addict? Are you fucking kidding me?" Hugh asks, disbelievingly.

"It's not just heroin," Matteo growls.

Heroin. "Oh my god."

Matteo looks at me, breathing out then. "He left the party. He left without Charles... He fucking left him there."

And then, I'm positive, all the remaining blood drains from my face.

***

We pull up, screeching to a stop in the middle of the road. Harold exits his car then, having been waiting for us. We peer up at the apartment Eddie decided was the designated hangout, finding under observation that the door literally has pieces of it's door missing. I reach for my handle immediately but Matteo pulls the door back in swiftly, forbidding me from getting out. "You're not going in there."

"Well, I'm not going to just stay in here!"

"No, Emma."

"Emma, just stay," Hugh says, stepping from the car with Matteo. Harold holds up his camera to him, showing him the images, I'm guessing.

"This is will get him locked up for sure," Harold says informingly.

"Take them to the police. Tell them they're needed here."