Agents of Winter by Ada Maria Soto

Author:Ada Maria Soto [Ada Maria Soto]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rookery Publishing
Published: 2022-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Arthur squared his shoulders and went into what he called 'secret agent mode.’ He'd never actually used it in the course of his job. Mostly it came out when he was arguing over warranties or on the phone with tech support.

He told his mother he was going out for a quick bit of post-Christmas shopping. Which was true, but he had one other stop he needed to make.

He took off his gloves so the knock on the door would be extra sharp and clear. He waited as heavy steps neared the door. There was the click of a lock and the door opened.

"Arthur?"

"Mr. Edwards." Arthur kept his voice as crisp as the winter air.

"Call me David. Come in." He tried to gesture Arthur inside.

"No. I don't think I will. This will only take a moment. I’m just here to remind you that I am in insurance, which means I can find out everything about you."

Coach Edwards looked briefly confused. "I thought you were in industrial insurance or something?"

"Shipping. And insurance is insurance. We were big data when that meant wooden crates and quill pens. We know everything. So, if say, hypothetically, you were pulled over for drunk driving at age twenty, and one of our Hicksville judges let you off on a ‘boys will be boys’ defense, I could find out about it."

Coach Edwards blanched.

"And if you were picked up in a bar fight at age twenty-three and the judge waved the whole thing as long as you promised to pay for some broken pool cues, well, I might be able to find that out as well."

His face went from white to red. "Now just—"

"No. My mother is very against the evils of alcohol and does not believe in violence. She also has some fairly understandable issues around adultery. And considering the entire school knew about you and the very married Mrs. Fairworth, well…"

"Are you actually trying to blackmail me, boy?" Coach Edwards used the same snarling voice that had once sent Arthur, and hundreds of other boys, sprinting around the school track. It didn't work anymore.

"There is no trying here. I am. Now, if you have a genuine fondness for my mother, then I suggest taking a page from the Catholics: confess all your sins to her, and repent. If, on the other hand, you are just looking for someone to wipe your ass when your brain melts out your ears in a few years then I highly recommend you keep walking. Are we clear?"

Coach Edwards tried to stare him down. It didn't work in the slightest. "Understood."

"Good." Arthur put on his gloves, and with no other comment, walked away.

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