Chapter 21
“I was waiting for you” Henry stated several days
later without looking at the young man who quickly closed the door behind him.
Josh had been forced to spend time with Lance
almost non stop because Henry wanted an answer to his question; where is the
safe? Josh didn’t mind, he’d spend so much time with Lance already that it
really didn’t bother him to be around him so much, he enjoyed spending time
with him but the reason why he now had to was the hated side of his visits.
“I’m going to bed” Josh quietly commented before
turning right, heading for his bedroom.
“Freeze boy!” Josh stopped dead in his tracks at
the harsh tone.
“Get over here” he instructed turning off the TV.
Josh reluctantly shuffled into the small living room.
“What did you find out?” he asked gazing up at his
step-son.
“I um… I…”
“Well?” he interrupted impatiently.
“Not much…” Josh answered softly before going on
defense immediately. “…but give me some more time you can’t expect Lance to
show the safe at the drop of a hat”
“I gave you a whole week!” Henry defended, thinking
that should have been enough time. He’d never been good with trust.
“But… he has to trust me. I… can’t just ask him
where the safe is, he’ll get suspicious… so I’ll… have to do it…. slow” Josh
tried carefully, although he’d started out quite confident, at least as
confident as he could be around Henry, it still ended in a unsure whisper as he
prayed Henry wouldn’t slap him. Lance did trust him but asking where the safe
was would be a weird question whether you trust someone or not. Henry nodded.
“Fine you got two weeks” he gave in.
“What? I can’t do it that fast” Josh automatically
responded before shutting his mouth abruptly, regretting his back talking
immediately.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to” Henry said simply.
“I can’t… um… do it in two weeks. Winning
someone’s…. trust is not something you just… do. I need at least…. two months”
he reasoned, he was still somewhat confident since he thought Henry was being
unfair and he had good points. But standing in front of Henry made him afraid
because it had never mattered if he had good points or not if Henry didn’t like
what he said he hit him, Henry could care less about being fair. If he was
being fair he would have never hit him in the first place. However Henry did
think about it, he did want Josh to do a good job and he allowed him the extra
time. What was a little extra time in comparison to what he would get; the
money.
“Ok you get one month but that’s it” Josh settled
for it, already glad he got some more time.
“Ok, yes sir” Josh told him, his head held up high
for the first time. He turned ready to leave when Henry called him back.
“Well I gave you some more time, don’t I get
something in return?” Henry asked evilly with a smile. Josh turned slowly and
cringed.
“Wwhat… do you… want?” Josh asked tentatively.
Henry raised his eyebrows in silent message.
“Sir” Josh added when he caught the look.
“Well… I expect something in return. You know
tomorrow is Saturday, a lot of kids will be hanging out in the mall, it will be
busy and we’ll be there too, guess what we’ll be doing?” Henry asked,
excitement in his voice. Josh cringed, knowing exactly what they would be
doing. What he would be doing.
“Shopping?” Josh tried hopeful, knowing it wouldn’t
be the right answer.
“No, dumbass! We’ll get our income” Henry told him
harshly.
“Oh” Josh breathed disappointed, he knew shopping
wasn’t an option but he just hoped it could be one, he had to have hope.
“What oh?!”
“Thank you sir” Josh said with a sigh, knowing what
he wanted to hear, he wanted him to be grateful, grateful for the opportunity
to steal for his step father.
“Good, now go to bed. You need to be fit tomorrow,
to get me a whole lot of money” Henry ordered before he smiled at the prospect.
“Yes sir” Josh mumbled before he turned and headed
for his room, glad he was excused but feeling so fucking bad for today, what he
was doing to Lance and what he would do to the people he was going to rob
tomorrow. He begged for forgiveness, he didn’t know who he was asking to
forgive him, probably whole man kind….
***
The next morning Josh woke up very early, he didn’t
know why he woke up this early, probably because he was nervous about today and
his guilt was torturing him even in his sleep. He hadn’t heard any sound coming
from the living room or Henry’s bedroom indicating that he was up so Josh
assumed Henry was still sleeping. It was so unfair, Henry was just sleeping,
nothing on his mind while Josh was worrying sick, the guilt tearing him up
inside. He didn’t know if he could even make it through that whole month he had
gotten, maybe the guilt would eat him away before then. Josh sighed and rolled
onto his side, staring at the wall, maybe he could sleep for a little while
longer.
Thirty minutes later he was still wide awake, he
couldn’t go back to sleep and it was only 8am. He groaned and sat up, maybe he
could do some homework. It was a strange time but he wouldn’t have time for it
later and he would probably have to go to Lance on Sunday so anytime was good
enough for him. He was awake anyway why not use his time for something
important for a change that would someday get him to college and out of this
dump. That was if Henry let him go….
***
“Wake up boy!!” Henry yelled excitedly as he
pounded on the door to startle his step-son. He walked in right after and
stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Josh already dressed. Josh jumped up as he
saw his step father, dropping his pen in the process. Henry took in the books
scattered on the desk and the paper at the edge of the desk, the pen rolling on
top of it, still moving from just being dropped.
“You doing homework?!” Henry asked scoffing before
he erupted into laughter.
Josh merely nodded, waiting for his step father’s
reaction.
“You don’t have to do homework boy, some people are
forced to work for a living but we’re luckier” he smirked as he advanced on
Josh.
“Come on let’s go get our money. Homework is for
suckers” he told Josh as he grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of his
room roughly.
Josh’s mind went blank and he let himself be
pulled. Homework is not for suckers, it’s for people who earn their money
fairly. Those people can sleep at night without worries, sure they might have
issues at work but at least guilt wasn’t tearing them up inside. It was
something Henry wasn’t bothered by either but Josh was and it made him wonder
about Henry.
Was he so evil he didn’t care who he hurt when he
ordered Josh to steal for him?
Maybe.
Henry pushed Josh towards the hallway to get his
jacket while he himself got the car keys.
“Let’s get going” Henry said excitedly rubbing his
hands together in anticipation,
“Let’s go get ourselves some money”
Josh nodded as he forced a smile on his face, he
stumbled out the door in front of Henry and waited by the car for Henry to
catch up. They got in the car and drove to the mall, another working day… at
least for Josh.
***
“Well get to work Josh, all these people are just
dying for you to drop by” Henry told his step-son as he dropped himself in a
chair on a terrace.
Josh nodded, “Yes sir”
Henry made himself comfortable and ordered his
first coffee of the day with a plate of scrambled eggs for breakfast. Josh’s
mouth watered, he was hungry but Henry didn’t care. He just smiled brightly,
knowing exactly what Josh wanted but he ignored it, his step-son would have to
eat later, he shrugged.
“Now you know what to do; get to work and bring me
the wallets. Go boy!” Henry instructed.
Josh nodded and then scrambled off. He walked
quickly out of Henry’s sight, walking around aimlessly for a while, stalling
the moment he would have to start stealing the wallets of the people around
him.
***
“Hey. Hey! What are you doing?” A woman exclaimed
as she spun around swiftly.
Josh quickly retracted his hand but she’d seen and
felt his attempt to rob her. It was already late afternoon and Josh was getting
tired, he’d asked Henry to quit for today but Henry wasn’t satisfied, he’d
demanded at least 10 extra wallets and so Josh reluctantly got back to work.
He’d been stealing all day and was growing weary with every extra wallet he
stole. This time he’d obviously misjudged the situation. The woman had felt his
hand in her bag and caught him. Josh frantically looked around, trying to find an
escape route and to see if anyone had noticed.
“He tried to steal my wallet!” the woman said
shocked to no one in particular but it did attract attention. Attention Josh
wasn’t really waiting for. Two unfamiliar men stepped in and grabbed Josh’s
arms to prevent him from running off. Josh struggled in the grip but he didn’t
deny the accusation; it was true he had been trying to rob this woman he just
didn’t want to get caught.
“Call the police ma’am we’ll hold him down” Josh’s
struggles increased as he heard the word police.
No, no, no.
He couldn’t let that happen, he couldn’t get
caught, he couldn’t allow them to arrest him. The woman walked away after
glaring at the young man. She walked towards the front desk of the store as
Josh struggled heavily.
“Let me go… please” he whispered pleadingly.
“No can do” the man on his right answered harshly.
Josh knew this was bound to happen, he hadn’t asked
Henry to quit for the day for no reason. He knew himself well enough to know
that he was too tired to judge the situation and he was right. Henry would
never see it that way though, in Henry’s eyes it would be Josh’s fault and he
would also be the one who would get punished for it. The men continued to hold
him down till the woman reappeared with a security guard. It wasn’t a cop but
it might as well have been a cop because his fate was the same; he would get
arrested.
“You better come with me son” the security guard
addressed Josh and he looked up at the man, who grasped his thin arm, with a
look of fear and shame.
“Thank you gentlemen, you did excellent work” the
security guard praised the two men who’d helped the woman and had held Josh
down. They let go of Josh when the security guard moved in and grasped the boy.
Josh’s big blue eyes were shimmering as he looked
at the small crowd around him. He was overall looking like a lost and scared
little boy because that’s how he felt but no one paid attention to how he was
feeling. They didn’t know Josh didn’t want to do this but what other choice did
he have? They all didn’t know and they also didn’t know Josh saw Henry was only
a short distance away and from the look on his face he knew he was in for it
now.
He suddenly felt movement, the security guard
tugged on his arm and Josh had no choice but to follow. When did he ever have a
choice? The man guided him to the back of the store and pushed a security code
on a machine that was attached to a door that clearly read; staff only. The
door opened and the man tugged him in. He guided him to a small room and placed
him on a chair. Josh sat down, he just did, he didn’t think, couldn’t think, he
just kept his mouth shut and watched. Watched how the man closed the door
firmly and watched how the man walked over to the phone, picked up the horn and
dialed.
“We got a pickpocket here at Macy’s” Josh heard the
man say and he slumped in his seat. He could only wait till they would come and
pick him up.
Nothing to do but wait…
