York sidewalk. The security guards had li

alking by shot her looks of pity or disgust. She quickly pulled the colla

elled like burnt beans. She ordered the cheapest black coffee just t

scrolled through her contacts. She looked at the names of the wealthy

, Clemens Patrick. He answered on the thi

Clemens cut her off. He claimed his family trust fu

up. She dialed five more numbers. Every single one of them

izzle began to fall. Ami's heart sank to the absolute botto

lit up. It was a text mes

f her mother, Else Odom, walking down the street, s

cream from ripping out of her throat. Her fingers

se answered. Her voice sounded incredibly t

are you?"

rembling. "The loan sharks. They've surroun

1 right now!" Ami cried, tears f

hese people have umbrellas in the police depa

to me. Go back to your apartment right now. Get your passp

g the stares of the people in the coffee shop. "I am not leavin

mi. A terrible investment decision years ago

s over the past few weeks. Cleveland Industrial

sn't just bad business. This was a premeditated, malicious sl

s erupted through the phone speaker, f

dead. The dial tone buzzed

ocking over her coffee cup. The scalding black liquid spilled a

e freezing rain. She stood on the edge of the c

door, jumped into the back seat, and shouted the add

her tablet. She opened the browser and frantically searc

a flawless, impenetrable public itinerary.

d. Silas Chandler. He was one of her students, a rich kid who con

y ask. She used his failing final grade as leverage, half-threa

lly, he gave in. He told her Jerad was going to an

ain-streaked highway. The panic in her eyes slowly hardened into s