A Bundle of Stashed Cash
She warned him, Xavier might be a problem.
A brief teaser from my recent novel Blindsided:
…She had also noticed several new tattoos, some in color, and they are decidedly Spanish, and depicting fighting frogs or some sort of Naval Military symbols. She never cared for tattoos and couldn’t understand what any of them meant, so she payed little attention. But she also knew they were very expensive.
“Let me see if I can learn something from him, Jer. He is talkative with me, especially when we are alone. I don’t see any evidence of drug use, but I could be wrong. It is probably better if I talk to him when he works the night shift and sleeps during the day. Sometimes we have a late breakfast together, before he goes to bed and after you’ve gone to work. Maybe I can get him to tell me something he wouldn’t share with you.”
“Just be very careful. If he is involved with some bad people, and he got that money from a drug deal, or from a robbery, you don’t want to be involved in any way. You must talk to him as a parent who cares about him. Is he dating? Is he gambling? Never mention money…”
Molly is a little angry. Has Xavier been holding out on them?
He knows how tight the household finances are. He knows she is hurting for cash. He has never said anything during their encounters about his struggles. He used to complain all the time, that he was underpaid. Now that she thinks about it, he stopped complaining a few months ago.
Jeremiah is also wondering why Molly seemed to abruptly change her mind about kicking Xavier out of their apartment. When she recommended “giving him some slack” Jeremiah was shocked. Just a month or so ago she wanted him out, as soon as possible. She warned him, Xavier might be a problem. Now, knowing what Jeremiah just found in his closet, was she going to be angry? What about the baby? The last thing Molly needs is more stress. As they have struggled financially, she is feeling pressured to find new customers, to help Jeremiah with the living expenses.
Molly is concerned because in the not too distant future, she has to tell Jeremiah the ‘bad news’ that she has suffered a miscarriage. Just how and when has yet to be determined, but she is certain, that time is not right now.
And then there is the dermatology report Jeremiah has not told Molly about.