I choose the part of indifference at his confession for obvious reasons but really, I\'m freaking out on the inside. I had suspected that he had a clue as to who Jason really is, he\'s a cop and might have been briefed on his way here about the shit that happens in this town.

However, he can\'t know that I know about this and probably much more because that\'ll put Jason and I in a lot of hot water. I did keep silent about Jason\'s involvement with Bob when I was questioned by the police last year.

\'\'Involved in gang related activities?"\' I whisper. \'\'Where\'d you get that idea from?\'\'

He sighs in frustration. \'\'It\'s not an idea, Mel. It\'s a fact.\'\'

\'\'You just said he\'s \'suspected\'. How can it be a fact when he\'s a suspect?\'\'

He looks at me suspiciously. \'\'Why are you defending him?\'\'

\'\'I\'m not defending him. You were the one who told me that you can\'t put a man on a charge unless you have concrete facts,\'\' I shrug. \'\'What if you\'re wrong?\'\'

\'\'I\'m not wrong. There are a lot of gangs that operate here in Bridgewood. He has been on Bridgewood\'s police radar but they\'ve  never been able to pin him with anything. Most of these gangs are heavily involved in cocaine pushing and procuring weapons.\'\' Oh boy.

\'\'Given by the fact that they\'ve never been able to pin him with anything, he has to have accomplices and connections in high places.\'\'

My mind reverts back to Jason and I\'s conversation and he did say he has connections.

\'\'Some are even connected to the mafia,\'\' he says pointedly, looking directly at me but I give him no reaction. My face remains impassive and I don\'t say a word. Theo has literally pieced everything together, he just hasn\'t realized it yet. Jason is a gangleader, he does have connections in high places and his accomplices are Ryan, Pearson and Janet. He\'s not far off when he said they are connected to the mafia.

When I was kidnapped, a man named Vladmir called Jason and he confirmed later on during the 12th grade field trip that Vladmir is a mafia boss that he regularly delivers weapons to.

I can\'t tell Theo all these things. It\'ll send everything-everyone-straight to hell.

\'\'I\'m sure your hunch is wrong.\'\' I try to open the car door again but Theo doesn\'t budge. His face doesn\'t show a hint of a smile. \'\'I\'m a cop, Mel,\'\' he whispers. \'\'I know what I\'m saying. I don\'t want you caught up in his bullshit.\'\' Theo rarely curses. Ever since we met, he has only cursed twice, at least in front of me. If he\'s doing so now, and judging by the fact that his eyes are sending me a strong warning, he\'s as serious as a heart attack.

\'\'I told you I didn\'t like him the first day we met because I knew who he was. I also knew he attended Adelaide.\'\' he confesses. \'\'We\'re keeping a close eye on him. I\'m not supposed to tell you all this but I am because I care about you, a lot more than I thought I would.\'\'

What?

\'\'You\'re like a sister to me and I\'d be damned if I let you put your hand in a burning fire. Suspect or not, he\'s dangerous and you should dead whatever feelings you have for him and cut whatever communication you have with him.\'\'

Too late for that.

\'\'Theo, I-\'\'

\'\'Let me finish. \'\'

I nod and he holds my eyes with his. \'\'You\'re already in one pile of trouble, don\'t dig yourself another hole. When things go down, trust me, you don\'t want to be caught in the crossfire. This is a warning not a threat and I hope that for your sake, you listen to me.\'\'

...….

This is a warning not a threat and I hope that for your sake, you listen to me.

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Oh, I know what that means. It means stay away from Jason Blunt completely.

Something tells me Theo knows more than he\'s letting on and if that\'s the case, then Jason may be in hot water. Maybe I should warm him, but if I do that, that\'ll lead to him asking questions that I can\'t answer. I can\'t say, \'Hey, my step-brother isn\'t actually my step-brother, he\'s a cop, he knows that you\'re in a gang and you and your squad are on the police\'s radar. By the way, you may probably go to jail.\'

That conversation would be stellar.

\'\'Hello,\'\' a voice snaps at me.

Right, I\'m at Fiona\'s World.

\'\'Are you going to take my order or what?\'\' A grouchy old man in suspenders says. I blink rapidly to bring myself back to reality. With a fake smile, I take his order of lemon cake and iced tea while apologizing for spacing out. He was the only one on the line, thank goodness.

It\'s 5:30pm, I clocked in early, and Fiona\'s World is scarcely populated as usual given the time of the day. I could head count  about six people, minus Theo, sitting on the metal and leather chairs.

\'\'Melly, Mel, are you alright?" Aunty Fiona asks as she stands beside me behind the counter. She has a fresh batch of donuts straight from the oven in her hands. I take it from her quickly and arrange them in the show glass.

\'\'Thanks.\'\'

\'\'No problem, Aunty. To answer your question, I\'m fine.\'\' About as fine as someone whose ass is on literal fire. \'\'I\'m really just overwhelmed with school stuff because the SAT\'s are in two months.\'\'

She seems to buy my excuse. \'\'I understand completely, but it\'ll be over soon and then you\'re off to college.\'\'

\'\'True. How\'s Uncle J?\'\'

Her eyes turn sad. \'\'He had chemotherapy on Saturday and he\'s trying to recover from that. It\'s his fourth chemo in the span of six months and sometimes I wonder if the chemo is worse or better for him because they always leave him looking like a vegetable,\'\' she explains. \'\'My daughter moved in a few days ago to help out around the house while I take care of things here. She has been a much needed help.\'\'

I squeeze her shoulders encouragingly. \'\'I\'m sure he\'ll pull through this.\'\' If this is his fourth chemo in the span of six months and he hasn\'t died, despite his age, then he is one strong man. \'\'He\'s strong and I have faith that he\'ll make it and be cancer free. You just have to pray, believe and manifest good things.\'\'

At least, that\'s what the pastor used to say back when we attended church.

\'\'I wish I had your faith.\'\' She gives me a small smile. \'\'Thank you for the encouraging words.\'\'

I adjust my apron. \'\'No problem, Aunty. I still owe you both a visit.\'\'

\'\'Looking forward to it.\'\' She points to the back door where the oven is located. \'\'I have some croissants in there. I\'ll be right back.\'\'

\'\'Alright.\'\'

I get a rag on a nearby chair and start wiping the counter while I wait for another customer. On cue, the bell rings and I put on my award-winning smile without looking up.

\'\'Hello,\'\' the voice says and I freeze on the spot. I recognize that Parisian accent anywhere.

What in the world is she doing here?

\'\'Hello?\'\' she says again. \'\'It would be better if I see your face.\'\'

I slowly lift up my head, my smile drooping a little bit. \'\'Sorry, I had to get a stubborn crumb off the counter.\'\'

Her face contours in recognition and surprise. \'\'Melody! I didn\'t know you worked here.\'\'

I didn\'t know rich people come to these parts, Jason, Paris and Ryan being an exception of course.

\'\'I do, Patricia and now you know.\'\' I still don\'t fully trust her, background check be damned. \'\'It\'s nice to see you again.\'\'

\'\'You too,\'\' she responds, giving me a full blown smile. \'\'It\'s been a while.\'\'

It may have been a while but she hasn\'t changed; she still has her Bella Hadid-looking body and she\'s clad in a light brown peacoat, no doubt from an expensive brand and a cream turtleneck. Her denim jeans clings to her small waist and they\'re tucked in dark high knee boots.

\'\'My brother never mentioned you worked here. Then again, he never tells me anything anymore.\'\'

How do I respond to that?

\'\'Oh.\'\' I point at the display. \'\'What can I get you?\'\'

\'\'I\'ll have the red velvet cake and black coffee.\'\' I nod once and punch in her order. \'\'It\'s been such a long day and I was in the area so I decided to grab a quick snack before I head home.\'\'

Why were you in the area?

\'\'Hmm.\'\'

\'\'Are you eating it here or taking it away?\'\'

\'\'Eating it here.\'\'

\'\'That\'ll be $5.00.\'\'

She hands me a twenty dollar bill. \'\'Keep the change. I\'m feeling generous today.\'\' she winks.

\'\'Thank you.\'\'

\'\'You\'re most welcome. You still owe me that coffee date.\'\' She reminds me. \'\'Hope you haven\'t forgotten?\'\'

I shake my head. \'\'I haven\'t.\'\'

Her nude coloured lips smile fully. "Good. Trust me, you\'d love to hear all that I have to say.\'\'