“Then we won’t keep you.”
He turned to Marco.
“Say thank you to Miss Ellie.”
Marco stepped forward, his small face serious.
“Thank you for finding me, Miss Ellie. And for the hot chocolate.”
I smiled at him.
“You’re welcome, Marco. Take care of yourself.”
Nicholas nodded once in my direction, then guided Marco toward the door. The larger man moved ahead of them to check the street before they exited.
Just before they left, Marco turned and waved at me.
I waved back, watching through the rain-streaked window as they climbed into a sleek black SUV with tinted windows. Another identical vehicle pulled up behind the first, and they drove away in tandem.
Maggie came over to collect the mugs.
“Friends of yours?”
“Hardly.”
I was still staring at the envelope on the table.
“Just a lost kid and his very intense uncle.”
She nodded toward the envelope.
“You going to open it?”
I hesitated, then picked it up. It was heavier than I expected. I peeked inside and almost dropped it when I saw the contents.
A thick stack of $100 bills.
“Jesus Christ,” I whispered, quickly closing the envelope.
Maggie leaned closer.
“What is it?”
“Money.”
My voice was barely audible.
“A lot of it.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
I was not about to count it in the middle of the coffee shop.
“Too much. Way too much for just helping a kid find his family.”
“What are you going to do with it?”
I tucked the envelope into my bag, my mind racing.
