“Because of his choices.”
Jacob looked down.
“How much did you lose?”
Liz tried to smile.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“How much?”
She closed her eyes.
“About six thousand dollars this month.”
Jacob’s face changed.
He slowly counted the cash in his wallet.
“I have two hundred and seventeen dollars.”
Liz immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Please.”
“I said no.”
“You just risked everything for me.”
“I didn’t do it for you.”
Jacob looked confused.
Liz met his eyes.
“I did it because it was right.”
Before Jacob could answer, the restaurant door opened again.
This time, panic walked in.
Forty-Eight Hours
Clara Martinez had been Liz’s neighbor for fifteen years.
She had brought tamales to the Thompson family every Christmas Eve.
When Liz was little, Clara had braided her hair before school.
But now Clara stood in the doorway looking frightened.
“Liz,” she whispered. “What did you do?”
Liz felt her stomach tighten.
“What happened?”
“Cartwright is calling people.”
“What?”
“He’s telling everyone you chose criminals over customers. He’s telling people this place isn’t safe.”
Liz stared at her.
“He’s lying.”
“I know.”
Clara looked toward the window.
“But he has influence.”
Liz’s phone began vibrating.
One message.
Then another.
Then another.
Cancellations.
The first customer withdrew a catering order.
The second canceled a birthday party.
The third wrote:
We can’t support someone who doesn’t support her community.
Liz stared at the screen.
Her phone buzzed again.
This message came from Memphis United Bank.
She opened it.
Her face went pale.
Loan extension request denied. Full payment due within forty-eight hours. Failure to pay will begin foreclosure proceedings immediately.
Liz read it twice.
Then a third time.
Twelve thousand eight hundred dollars.
Forty-eight hours.
She had less than two thousand dollars in the restaurant account.
And most of that money already belonged to suppliers.
“I need to go,” Clara whispered.
Liz looked up.
“What?”
“My husband does business with Cartwright.”
“Clara…”
“I’m sorry.”
Then Clara left.
Liz stood in the middle of the restaurant.