led in a plastic cup, bu

tificate for the Harrison Art Scholarship.

I hugged him tight. "

art-time college textbooks and his art

rd knock o

friend

hree large men.

n front asked. He had a b

es

is building empty by ne

ver our neighborhood. Buying up everything,

" I said, my voic

runted. "He's making you a s

eside me. "We're n

n, brave, and s

, ugly sound. "Big talk

avid back. "Maybe yo

ent," David said, his

he wrong t

d. Another one grabbed me, shoved me into the tin

ashes. Dav

y port

nother. And David' s cri

he door, screa

e hours. Th

e man with the brok

red. Next time,

y l

niture overturned, my books scat

ed up, blood matting his dark hair. His d

te lay torn beside him, s

a cold stone in my chest

ered open. Pai

Sarah... m

lled

d a severe concussion, three broken ribs,

ctor said. "It could

ck

ied a hero. He got a Medal of Honor for it. He ta

elt small and broke

rity footage. It wasn't perfect, blurry, but it sh

police station

desk looked bored

ened. Showed him the

ression. "Ma'am, this doesn't clearly

d my home! They put my b

ked it up. "Yeah? Okay

were colder. "Look, we'll file a re

suit walked in. Smooth, late thir

on. The sophisticated fac

ficer. "Everything

r. Rizzo," the officer said

to me. His smile w

unfortunate incident. Terribl

expenses. And a small inconvenience fee. You just need to sign this wa

the counter. And a chec

lars for David's

eck, then at Tony

voice was low, t

ngs happen. This

the check an

both in half, t

e pieces i

our blood money.

ile vanished. Hi

rabbed my arm, fingers digging in. "You

step. The officer wa

hed his suit. "H

shaking, the torn pieces

felt a milli