Finally, the man who had remained silent spoke. He sat sprawled on the sofa, exhaling a lazy plume of cigarette smoke.
"Leave."
"Even if you knelt here and kowtowed a hundred times, we wouldn't help you."
Because Austin had given them their orders long before.
Punishment was punishment.
For three full years, they were forbidden to show me an ounce of mercy or offer me the slightest convenience.
Only then could they properly avenge his precious secretary, Kathy Barnes.
So how did I scrape together that five hundred dollars?
I walked into a hospital and sold my blood.
Later, I took that money to the prison, only to be told Austin had already been released on medical parole.
The cash changed hands until it finally reached one of Austin's friends.
I was so desperate I nearly dropped to my knees.
"Please—please make sure this money gets to Austin. He can't get into any more trouble."
But at that very moment, Austin was with his little secretary at Disneyland, posing for photos like they didn't have a care in the world.
He tossed that five hundred dollars at a staff member like it was a crumpled receipt.
"Dirty money from god knows where. Disgusting."