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“Get the fuck over it, it’s done.”

I nodded because I didn’t have a choice.

“Think now,” he said as he drove, slowing to a pace that would not alert highway patrol. “Who would want to hurt Landry?”

I had no idea.

“Are you thinking?”

“I am, but I don’t… I don’t know.”

“Okay,” he breathed. “What does Landry have?”

“He has nothing worth a ransom. He has a jewelry business, and he rents an apartment with me, for crissakes. He doesn’t have shit.”

“Yeah, but you said his family does.”

“Sure, and that’s who they want the ransom from, but—”

“But why would Landry factor in? How does he factor in?”

“I don’t—”

“You’re not thinking.”

I wasn’t, I was barely breathing.

“Trevan.”

“What, fuck, how the hell should I know?”

“C’mon, Trevan, use your brain. When Landry left, was there a trust fund? Did he have one? Was there money that got moved around? How many kids are there?”

“Four.”

“And did that become three and now it’s back to four?”

“Are you serious? I have no—”

“That’s motive, do you understand? Money is motive, the biggest one, always.”

“Money.” I had to wrap my brain around it. I had none; I grew up lower middle class, dipping into poor after my father died. There had never been enough. I didn’t know about money.

“You have to think; how much is enough to fuck someone over for?”

“That can’t be.”

“It’s the only thing it can be.”

I shook my head.

“Yes.”

“No,” I insisted. “It can’t be his family. You weren’t there, you didn’t see them. They all want him to love them so bad.”

“You’re wrong. Somebody doesn’t give a crap.”

I never argued with him, but this time I could because I knew what I saw and I knew love when it looked me in the face.