Chapter 7: The Trap

I didn’t sleep at all that night. The next morning, I called Natalie, apologizing for my outburst. I told her I was just in a bad place, that I understood her boundaries, and that I believed in us.

She forgave me, and to prove I meant it, I invited her to dinner. But really, I just needed to keep tabs on Harold and the loan sharks.

During dinner, I brought up her dad. She seemed tense, her eyes darting away. "He came to see me again today," she said, her voice small.

My heart skipped. I tried to act outraged. "Did he hassle you again?"

She shook her head. "Not this time. He just looked at me and left."

I asked if he’d said anything else.

"He said he’s tired of running from debt and wants to start over, stop gambling."

She looked at me, searching my face. "Do you think he’s telling the truth?"

I swallowed hard, lying through my teeth. "Everyone deserves a chance."

Over the next two days, Harold convinced Natalie to buy him a bus ticket back to his hometown. She didn’t refuse. Blood runs deep, I guess. With my encouragement, she started to believe maybe her father could change.

Natalie kept checking her phone, her thumb flicking nervously over the screen. I could tell she wanted to believe her dad had changed, but she was afraid to hope.

Everything fell into place. On the third afternoon, Harold asked Natalie to come to his trailer for one last meal before he left town. She agreed, wanting closure.

That night, at nine, Bleached Hair messaged me: everything was set. I’d already been waiting near Harold’s trailer for hours, watching Natalie walk inside.

Harold left the key where we’d agreed and hopped on a bus. I paid Bleached Hair the rest, changed into a set of clothes I’d never worn before, and slipped inside.

There she was—Natalie, motionless on the bed, her breath barely stirring the air. And tonight, I was the only one who knew.