I couldn’t say I remembered the details, but I got the picture. “Go on.”
“Uncle Wayne showed up the next night, outside the arena with this Mr. Smith. Smith said he had a proposal for me, but I blew him off because anyproposalfrom a slimeball friend of my uncle’s is a bad idea.”
“What did you say exactly?”
“I don’t even remember. I ran off, headed home. Figured that was the end of it.” He shoved his fingers into his hair, fisting and tugging at the red strands. “Fuck.”
“I take it there was more.”
“Yeah. Smith called me when I was at your house after the movie. He said he’d put money in my account after that bad loss. It would look like a payoff. If I didn’t agree to lose for him when he told me to, he’d snitch to my team that I already had.”
“That’s not good.”
“You think?”
“How much money?”
“Two thousand. I went straight to the bank to see if I could return it, or find out where it came from. If there was a record. But they said it was a cash deposit, made at an ATM with a valid cash card for my account. Only Grandpa and I have those.”
“There might be fingerprints on the money.”
“Not anymore.”
“Sure, right. Photo evidence from the ATM, then, showing it wasn’t you making the deposit. Banks keep that footage for at least six months.”
“I asked, but they said it would take a subpoena to see it.”
“Well, yeah. They wouldn’t randomly let a customer view that data. But if you report this and we start an investigation, then we can ask a judge for a subpoena, should be easy to get.”
“No!” He stared at me. “I can’t tell anyone. As soon as the team finds out, I’m screwed. You think they’ll believe I didn’t throw that game? I couldn’t have fucked up in net worse if Ihadbeen trying.”
“All the more reason to report it now. Right away. Get a paper trail started.”
“Except, if the ATM was Uncle Wayne, all he has to do is say I gave the money to him to deposit. He’ll support Smith, not me.”
“Callum.” I wanted to hug him, but wasn’t sure if that would help. He vibrated with tension.
“No.” He scrambled to his feet. “No cops. I can’t risk it.”
“What else can you do?” I got up too, careful not to crowd him. “You have to?—”
“I don’t have to anything.”
“You’re playing with fire. This isn’t some neighbour cheating at poker. It’s your duty to call in law enforcement. A real crime’s being committed?—”
“Possibly by me. Is that what you mean? If I don’t stand up to them, if I give in and do what Smith wants, you’ll what? Arrest me? Throw me in jail?”
“Callum, no. You’re the victim here. At least, you are until you go along with them. What can they do to you that’s worse than breaking the law?”
“I don’tknow.” He glared at me, breathing hard. “You didn’t grow up with Uncle Wayne. You have no idea how good he is at finding the thing you’re scared of most, and making it happen. I ran away at ten, because he convinced me that… fuck, I don’t even know anymore. Some lie about how Grandpa never did the paperwork to adopt me properly, and if child services found me living with him, they’d haul Grandpa off to prison and stick me in foster care with parents who’d beat me. Sounds stupid now, but I believed him. I was terrified they’d arrest Grandpa.”
“God, that’s vile.” I would never understand how some people could be so cruel, just for the fun of it. “But you’re not ten now.”
“No. I’m an adult and I have adult problems. I’mthis close—” He held up thumb and forefinger a millimetre apart. “—to making the NAPH, to real money and a chance to get Grandpa out from under his debts. Uncle Wayne could fuck Grandpa and me over a whole bunch of ways. He’d do it, just for laughs, if there wasn’t money to be made.”
“So let us help you. We can arrest him.”
“But that doesn’t shut his mouth. He’ll be even worse, out for revenge. He’ll out me and make it sound dirty. He’ll makeme seem like I’ve been taking bribes to throw games. Yeah, Uncle Wayne might end up back in prison, but I’ll be flipping burgers while Grandpa’s store goes under. Hell, I might even get arrested.”
