Chapter 61

MELANIE.

JORDAN WALKED QUICKLY OVER TO THE WINDOW.

He pulled the man back in just as he was about to swing his second leg out. The manager fought and kicked but Jordan was way stronger and threw him in a heap on the thick lush carpet of the office.

I studied him; he was about a head taller than me and sported a mustache. His skin was clear and he looked healthy and well-fed, as opposed to how the people who worked under him looked. I tracked his hand as he grabbed a paperweight which already had blood on it, most likely from knocking José out, and flung it at Jordan.

Jordan dodged it and began to walk unhurriedly towards Suarez who started to scramble back until his head bumped against my feet. He looked up at me and I smiled back before stomping on his nose. He let out a thin scream and put his hands on his face as he started to rock side to side.

I couldn't hide the disgust on my face; he could terrorize hundreds of people but he couldn't take one hit. Pathetic.

A sound drew my attention and I turned to the open doorway to see the old man cackling with glee, “I’ve waited a long time to see that. Now I can die in peace.”

“Are you Salvador Suarez?” Jordan asked, his voice like ice. The man whimpered instead of answering.

“If I ask a third time, we're going to break a lot more than just your nose. Are you Salvador Suarez?” Jordan asked again and this time he nodded. Jordan bent down and hauled the man up and sat him down in a chair.

“Good, because I have questions I think you can answer. Melanie, attend to the workers.” I nodded even though he wasn't looking at me and walked out, smirking. When I got back to the main work area everyone had stopped working. The silence was eerie for a place that always had engines running.

The workers were gathered in front, looking at me with expectant eyes. I swallowed; the last time I'd addressed a large group of people was when I was the anchor at an auction where I'd sold off good fakes of the items and carted away all the originals.

“I know you all have been through a lot”, I began.

“Yeah? If you knew, then where were you” a voice from the back interrupted, followed by murmurs of agreement.

I raised a hand to calm them down, “Like we earlier explained, we just got a letter this morning explaining the conditions here, and we came as soon as we could. Now, if you'll desist from interrupting me, I'll tell you how it's going to be from now on”.

When everyone was silent, I continued.

“The factory will be closed down for rehabilitation. The time frame is indefinite. Use this time to rest and recuperate with your families. You'll be duly informed when it is reopened. And don't worry, you can consider it a paid leave.”

I watched some of their eyes light up as they dared to hope while others looked defiant.

“How do we know you're not just trying to get rid of us easily? That's the thing with all these politicians, they promise you the world and give you nothing”, another voice said bitterly.

I crossed my arms and nodded in the direction of the office, “My boss there? He doesn't need to use any tactics. If he wanted to get rid of you he'd do it in a heartbeat. Also, I take offense to being called a politician. It's insulting”, I said.

“What happens to the manager?" someone asked.

I smiled slyly, “He’ll get what he deserves. A new manager, properly examined and vetted, will be assigned to you. Everything is going to be fine now. The factory is closed as of this moment. Everyone, take your things and go home”, I said.

To my surprise, nobody said another word. They all just picked their stuff and trudged out in tired groups, talking among themselves. When everyone was gone except for a boy who claimed to be José's brother, I blew out a breath. That went a lot easier than I expected.

The boy and I walked back to the office but I told him to wait outside, just in case the scene inside was unsavory for a boy his age. I closed the door behind me when I walked in, thanking my stars that I did. Suarez was still sitting in the chair, but he looked a lot worse than he did when I left.

The skin around his left eye bloomed a vibrant purple and two fingers from the hand hanging at his side were twisted at unnatural angles. From the way he was sobbing and blubbering, I suspected that if I asked, he'd confess to the murder of John Kennedy.

“Did he sing?” I asked Jordan, who currently had a handkerchief out and was cleaning blood off his hands.

“Like the partridge in the pear tree”, he answered.

I cocked my head.

“Patridge. There was only one”, I said helpfully.

He just shook his head and gestured to the paper on the desk. I picked it up and read it.

It contained the details of the accounts of all the money he'd embezzled including tax evasion and a written confession.

“You’re handing him over to the police? Looking like that?”, I asked dubiously.

Jordan's smile lacked humor as he leaned down to look directly into Suarez's eyes.

“Oh, our friend here and I have an understanding. When the police ask you how you ended up like this what do you say?”

Suarez gulped, “I... I walked into a door and fell down the stairs”, he said shakily.

“They say ‘but a door couldn't have caused this much damage’ and you say?” Jordan prompted.

“It was a really hard door”, Suarez replied.

Satisfied, Jordan straightened and stuffed his bloodied handkerchief into a pocket.

“We’re done here. Let's go. I believe your legs still work”. The last part was directed at the injured man who nodded painfully and got up.

After splashing water on José's face to wake him and handing him over to his brother, Jordan and I walked to the car with Suarez in between us holding the paper. We stopped the car a few blocks from the police station and watched him walk towards it.

“How are you sure he won't run?”, I asked.

Jordan's answering smile wasn't particularly warm.

“He won't” he said simply.

I wondered what exactly had transpired between them when I'd left.

“The workers looked so tired and hopeless. I felt bad for them. Now I'm just glad they'll be getting better conditions” I mused, leaning my head on the seat.

“Yes, which is why you'll be the one giving it to them”, I heard Jordan say.

My head whipped in his direction, “What?”

My heart was pounding and I was surprised.

“I’m putting you in charge of the factory project”, he clarified.

I opened my mouth and closed it a few times before I could speak.

“But I don't know anything about that kind of project”, I blurted.

Was he seriously trusting something so important to me?

“I know. But it's you. You’d find your way around it”, Jordan said.

I felt a swell of emotion as I stared into his green eyes.

“Thank you. I won't let you down”, I promised.

“You better not.”