"Carrie's boyfriend Dylan beat someone into serious injury! They want one million in compensation, otherwise they'll sue Dylan and send him to prison! And they're going to find someone to get Carrie killed!"
The porcelain spoon in my hand knocked against the rim of the bowl.
One million.
"Ma'am, this is a criminal case. You should call the police."
"Call the police for what!" Mom screamed. "If we call the police, Dylan is finished! Carrie is pregnant with his child! The child can't be without a dad! Aren't you rich? Lend it to us first, and later let Georgia pay you back!"
"Georgia has no obligation to pay back this kind of debt."
Colin refused.
"Put Georgia on the phone!" Mom's voice turned vicious. "Georgia! Your sister is about to be forced to death and you're still playing dead? Don't you have three hundred thousand in your hands? Take it out first! Let your fiancé make up the rest!"
I took the phone.
"That three hundred thousand—I already donated it."
Dead silence on the other end. Then a burst of cursing.
"Donated it? You'd rather donate to outsiders than save your own sister? You animal! If I'd known, I would've strangled you to death in the toilet the moment you were born!"