Chapter 34

The security guard was talking with someone, her back to me. I fled as if Satan was after me for stealing his pitchfork.

Willoby was waiting for me across the street. I hopped into the car, slammed the door trying to conceal the horror of what just happened, again!”

He quickly sped away.

Fear silenced me. He just kept on driving waiting on my explanation.

Then I said as he exited on Queens Boulevard, “Pick up the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, we have to go back to Carlos and leave . . .” I couldn’t say it.

Cued to my sudden pause, he quizzed, “What, someone touched the Diamond in there and caught fire again?”

“Yes,” I admitted.

He jammed on the brake and halted, jolting my body back and forth. The hug from my seat belt saved me from going through the front windshield in the middle of Queens Boulevard. Fortunately, it was midday and the traffic was very light.

“What did you just say?” he screamed, glaring at me in anger.

“I am sorry, everything happened so quickly,” I relate what happened.

Suddenly, a horn honked behind us.

He sighed, raised his eyes to the rear-view mirror, then at the clock in front of him and drove off.