Page 39 of The Presidents Shadow

THE THREE OF them stand outside the courthouse on Centre Street. Maddy is angry. R.J. seems confused. Belinda shows no emotion at all.

“Why? Why in hell did you refuse to let me help you?” Maddy asks.

“I thought you were catching on, but you still don’t get it, do you?” Belinda shoots back. “I’ll be safer there than I am on the streets.”

Maddy and R.J. look at each other, confused.

“Damnit,” Belinda says. “Think! You saw the video. McCarthy is a piece of shit. Undercover, my ass. He might be put there by the NYPD, but he’s on Carla Spector’s payroll as well. He’s making money off both sides, but the only person he’s looking out for is himself.”

Maddy nods, astonished at her own naive view of the situation. She thought she was the savior. But Belinda, the victim, is the wisest person there.

“We kids are disappearing,” Belinda goes on. “Chloe’s gone, and she’s gonna stay gone. And now my buddy Travis is missing. Somebody is stalking us because they know we’re easy to get. Carla will just replace us. McCarthy isn’t interested in protecting us. Jail is my best bet to stay alive.”

Now Belinda begins to sob. Maddy embraces her. R.J. puts his hand on her shoulder.

“Who’s Travis?” Maddy asks.

Belinda swallows, rubs her eyes. Then she speaks clearly.

“I had this friend, Travis. He was a skateboarder that ran drugs for Carla, sweet as sugar. Now he’s gone, too, disappeared. I hate the idea of Harriman, but at least no one can murder me there.”

There is a sad silence as the three of them stand on the crazy-busy street of downtown Manhattan.

Then Maddy says, “I know I’ve let you down, Belinda, but…”

“You haven’t let me down. You did your best. You couldn’t do anything better,” says Belinda.

“No,” Maddy says. “I can do more. I’m going to extinguish this monster. And while I’m doing it, I’m going to find Chloe and Travis and anyone else who—”

“That’s kind of a big offer,” R.J. says, his hand dropping from Belinda’s shoulder, his face slipping into disapproval.

“Do you really think you can?” Belinda pleads.

“Yes.” Maddy pauses for a moment, then says, “And I know just the people who can help make it happen.”