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“Alright. I know you can keep your mouth shut. Your ability to keep quiet is partly the reason you’re still alive. And as much as I hate to admit it, yes, I owe you a favor. But if anything goes wrong—and you know what I’m talking about—then that’s not my problem.”

“You won’t wish for anything to go wrong.”

Diego chuckled, which satisfied Leaf because laughing was Diego’s way of dealing with threats. “Looks like you’ve got your drive back. Alright, is he here? Send him in. I want to meet the kid.”

“Where are you, Diego?” Leaf shouted, pounding angrily on the door. “Come out, damn it!” Sharp pain shot through his hand, but he continued banging.

“Kid,” a voice behind him said. “There’s no one here.”

Leaf glanced over his shoulder and noticed an old man with gray hair leaning on a sturdy cane. Around his neck hung a golden cross. With a trembling hand, he pushed his glasses up and peered through the lenses at Leaf. The gate had closed behind Leaf, giving the impression as if he were trapped in a prison cell.

The light above Leaf flickered, and he realized there was no light on in the office. It wouldn’t have surprised him if Diego was upstairs and just flat-out ignoring him.

“I’ve seen you around here a few times,” the old man said. “What’s so important that you want to talk to the man?”

Leaf grimaced. “What’s it to you, old man? Do you know the owner of this house?”

“A dear man who supports our church with a donation every month.”

Holy shit …

Dumbfounded, Leaf lifted his head, raking his fingers through his disheveled hair in frustration. Since leaving the rehearsal room, he had been driving around and calling old contacts, hoping to find Diego. He had been ignoring all of Leaf’s messages or calls so far. The speculations of his messengers ranged from sickness to vacation to a new fling. Leaf pounded his fist against the door again. Yet another failed attempt to find Diego.

“Are you alright, son?” the old man asked. “You could come over and tell me what’s on your mind.”

Over? People were streaming out of a dilapidated building across the street. Leaf had never noticed before that it was actually a church. Out of politeness, he forced a smile and stood up straight. He had to get out of this prison.

“Cat got your tongue?” the old man asked when Leaf approached the gate.

Leaf clenched his fist. His pulse quickened. “Move aside,” he demanded.

“Oh …” The man acted as if he hadn’t noticed that he was blocking Leaf’s path.

Leaf squeezed through the narrow gap of the open gate and hurried to his car.

“You’re not alone, son. God is with you.”

“Holy …”

“Jesus loves you.”

Scowling, Leaf got inside the driver’s seat. Before driving off, he glanced back once more. The old man stood in the glow of the taillights, waving at Leaf with a smile.

What a psycho.

Leaf slammed the gas pedal and took off, tires screeching as he sped away.

But he didn’t get far. Just a block ahead, he spotted Ariana. On high heels, she strolled past a laundromat in a miniskirt, tapping something on her phone.

Leaf hit the brakes and left the engine running as he hurried after her. Without hesitation, he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back against a wall plastered with posters. Ariana screamed and dropped her phone in shock.

“Leaf, damn it! What’s this about?”

“Where’s Diego?”

“Hijo de puta! How should I know? Let me go, damn it!”

As she tried to break free from his grip, he pressed her harder against the wall. “Stop bullshitting me. Where is he?”