"Just in time for dinner," Ava said, placing two plates with food on the dinner table where Mr Carter was eating his. Cole and I just stared, shocked.
"What?" She asked. Two minutes ago, we came in to a shocking scene.
"They're still frozen by the aroma," Ruby emerged from the visible kitchen, holding a jug, "told you they couldn't resist it," she said to Ava who raised an eyebrow at us.
Yeah I know, shocking. "How are you two not killing each other?" Cole finally asked. They looked at each other.
"We...came to a truce," Ruby said.
"Mmmm, not a truce," Ava disagreed, "I'm simply tolerating you,"
"I don't think so, actually I think I'm just...letting you be, for now," Ruby objected walking closer to her.
"Noo, I'm just...putting up with you for the time being," she also moved closer, smirking.
"I thought we agreed not to disagree?" Ruby asked folding her hands and also smirking.
"Okayyy, let's not kill each other over this hm?" I said to the two women who were having a staring contest, "instead how about we have that dinner?"
"Sounds cool to me."
"Let's eat."
They said simultaneously and sat down. Cole and I glanced at each other, before sighing. Then we joined them.
"Guys," Ava called us a few minutes later, "Mr Carter has something to say,"
"Please call me J, or Jerry. Whichever you prefer," he said.
"Mr Carter seems fine by me," Cole said without even glancing up, eating. He looked at Cole and sighed, then continued.
"Mr and Mrs Halton and I were very good friends..."
Cole slammed his spoon on the table, clenching his jaw. I placed my hand on his knee, calming him. Then I gestured Mr Carter to continue.
"Seven years ago your parents were on a secret case that involved a dangerous Mafia, the Costas. I warned them of the consequences since they were rumours of the higher ups covering for them. They didn't listen, said the case was the key to saving someone. Few weeks later, they were murdered, through an accident. The Costas killed them," he lowered his head, and inhaled.
"I was put in charge of their case and the paperwork," he said.
"So you thought it was best to just bury everything," Cole seethed.
"They came for me, took my daughter at the bar she worked as the bartender. Somehow they knew I was in charge of the case. They said if I don't make it seem like an accident, I'd never see Ruby again. I didn't want to betray my friends, they helped me so many times. But I couldn't loose Ruby either," he slowly whispered, "she's the only one I've got ever since her mother died,"
I could feel Cole relaxing a little on seeing his state. "What happened after that?" He asked.
"I did what they asked, erased the evidence so no one would notice. But I did leave a little detail, hoping it would be enough to catch someone's attention," he said.
"It did," I said, "after six years."
"I didn't know it would take that long," he said tiredly.
"Well it did," Cole counters.
"Okay you need to stop that," Ruby told Cole, "I understand that he did something wrong, but you should also know he was in a difficult position. Besides, my dad didn't kill your parents,"
He clenched and unclenched his fists, glaring at Ruby. But it wasn't in anger or hate, it was more of in annoyance. He knew that she was right in a way, and that he should cool it down, but I guess all those pent up rage bottled for too long was going to be hard to suppress. He needed to let it out on someone, and Mr Carter just seems like the perfect person.
"If you did what they asked, then why lock you up?" Ava asked.
He leaned back, "Its the Mafia, why do they do anything?" he asked back.
"They told me you made a deal with them and couldn't pay up so they had to lock you up, and I had to work for them in order to pay off the debt," Ruby said.
"Whose 'they'?" I asked her.
"Bryan," she replied, "and his partner Lorenzo. I never met the others."
"Wait, that's the name of the guy who took me," Jerry said. I faintly recalled Bryan saying something about a Lorenzo being angry during my capture. He must be the guy.
"Can you remember any other name?" Cole asked, no longer angry, but still a little pissed off.
"No, they were really good at hiding stuff, but there is one name that was always mentioned," he said and lowered his head a little, "a name I'd never forget."
"Who?" Ava asked. He slowly looked at me.
"Cira Costa," he replied still staring at me, "he's the main boss of the Costas," he said. Why did he look at me like that?
He turned to Cole, "He was the one who ordered the assassination of your parents, the person behind all of this."
"How do we find him?" I asked Ruby. She scoffed.
"You don't find a Mafian leader," she stated, "they find you."
"Okayy, how do we make him find us?" I corrected. She chuckled, then stopped when she saw my face.
"You're serious," she stated in surprise, "are you crazy? Do you wanna get yourself killed?"
"Well if we're gonna get answers and also clear our name," I said, "we might as well get him,"
"No, you don't understand," she argued, "he's ruthless. You're all dead the minute you step into his turf,"
"Which is why you're gonna help us," Ava said as she leaned in on the table. Ruby shook her head.
"Nah, uh uh, this sounds like a you guys problem," she said. I tilted my head.
"She's not asking," I clarified.
She looked at me, then at Ava and Cole. She sighed defeatedly, gritting her teeth, "Fine."
"Don't I get a say in this?" Jerry asked.
"No," Cole replied, "you don't."
"I'm going to bed," Ruby said and stood up, walking towards one of the rooms.
"That's not the basement," Ava muttered. I sighed.
"Me too," Cole said and stood up.
"I'll take care of the dishes," I said, "you should rest too," I told jerry.
"I'll do it," Ava said. I looked at her.
"Don't worry it's fine, I'll do it," I reassured her.
"You can't–"
"I'm not paralysed," I interrupted. Jerry stared at the both of us.
"Sorry, I just...sorry," she said after a few moments. "I should also go to bed,"
Then she left. I sighed and leaned back. "You should go too,"
"I'm staying on the couch," he said.
"It's cold,"
"There are blankets," he said.
"Suit yourself."