“I called Ria.”
“I worked in a café across from the hospital. I saw her bruises one day, asked her about them.”
Sophie gave her a small smile. “She made me promise to call her if I ever needed her.”
“We decided to get out of town. We didn’t trust the cops to arrest Jerry and make it stick. So, we grabbed as much stuff as we could and left.”
“You gave up everything to move with your friend?” Connor asked.
Ria shrugged. “Wasn’t giving up much. Sophie was more important.”
“You came here?” Connor asked.
“Not straight here,” Ria said. “We didn’t even really intend to stay long. But we got jobs at the club and found we liked it here.”
“All right. So how did the blackmailer find out about Jerry?” Connor asked.
“I can’t be certain but I think that someone overheard my phone call at the club.”
Connor held up his hand as Ajax started to speak. He shot him a look. This was his job. He’d be asking the questions.
Ajax looked frustrated but he nodded.
“What phone call?”
“I was talking to my mom. She doesn’t own a phone; she thinks they cause cancer. So, she only calls when she goes into town. She uses the one at the grocery store. She called as I was leaving the club one night. I shouldn’t have talked about Jerry where anyone else could hear me but I didn’t think anyone was around.”
“Oh, Soph,” Ria said sadly.
“I just always felt so safe at the club. It sounds stupid, but I didn’t think anyone there would ever hurt me.” She looked up at Ajax.
Ajax was silent for a long moment. “You thought I would keep you safe?”
Sophie dropped her gaze, her cheeks growing red.
“Look at me,” he demanded.
Ria stood, putting herself between Sophie and Ajax. Connor reached out a hand and grabbed her arm. She turned to look at him and he shook his head. He tugged her towards him. Having her interfere right now was just going to make things worse. She glared at him; her lips pursed but she remained silent.
So, she was trainable.
He had to hide a smile at that thought. He could just imagine her reaction were he to tell her that.
“Sophie,” Ajax said firmly. “You believed I would keep you safe?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Wouldn’t you?” Doubt filled her face.
“Yes,” Ajax said firmly. “And you just sealed your fate, little girl.”
Sophie’s eyebrows drew together. “What does that mean?”
“Maybe that conversation could come later,” Connor interjected. Ajax turned to give him a frustrated look and Connor subtly nodded at Ria. She was such a mother hen that it wasn’t a good idea to have her in on the conversation Ajax needed to have with Sophie.
He didn’t know if Ajax was making the right decision, but that wasn’t his business. He did know that Sophie needed to learn a few things about honesty and asking for help when she required it. But Connor figured Ajax was going to work on those things. Along with making a few other things clear.
“Don’t think I don’t know you’re having some sort of silent conversation without me,” Ria grumbled.
“This doesn’t concern you,” Connor told her.