Everything was moving too fast.  My thoughts were a confused jumble.  It was evident that there were undercurrents of which I had been completely unaware. For some reason, I believed that my ignorance protected me.  Using my convoluted logic made me believe that knowing little made me less of a threat. The plot to murder me and Canfield opened my eyes to how far out in left field I was.  However, still couldn't seem accept the fact that my life meant so little to Plum.  It was such an impersonal way of getting rid of someone.  I grasped at straws.

"I bet this was all Flame's doing.  We had a fight and she lost.  I bet she set me up out of spite," I blurted to Canfield.

"I don't know her, but if she's an associate of Plum's you can bet your sweet ass that she set you up with Plum's blessing.  Knowing what a control freak Plum is, she'd never stand for one of her minions making such a big move without her say so," he asserted.

"That can't be right."

"You know that it is."

"But I never did anything to Plum.  I only ever did what she told me to do."

"Right, and since you've served your purpose it’s time for you to be put down.  Look kid, if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure it ain't personal. She just can't turn you loose out in the world knowing as much as you do."

"But I don't know anything Mr. Canfield."

"Oh, I'd say you know a great deal.  You just never took the time to connect the dots."

"I don't know what you think I've been let in on, but I'm telling you I don't have enough dots to yield anything worthwhile.  Maybe if you told me what you know about Plum, then I wouldn't be completely in the dark."

"Sorry kid, I don't have time for show and tell.  I've gotta get outta here, before they realize the dead duck at our feet is missing and Plum decides to put price on my head.  Even if I had all the time in the world, I wouldn't waste it on you."

My newly freed anger took over and Canfield looked up to find Darryl's pistol aimed at his head.  His eyes widened and then he smirked.  I cocked the weapon and he looked indecisive for a moment before resuming his customary bluff attitude with me.

"Look kid, I don't have time to play with you.  Put that damn thing down, before someone gets hurt."

Canfield crossed his arms over his chest like an impatient father. When that failed to yield results, he uncrossed his arms and stepped towards me. I pulled the trigger.  The bullet winged the top of his left earlobe and his hand flew up to the side of his head.  His fingers came away bloodied and he gazed at them in shock and then glared at me.

"What the fu...are you crazy?"

"If you had asked me that a week ago, I would have said no but now...now I'm not so sure."

"You could have killed me!"

"You're right, I could have killed you.  Want me to try again?"

Canfield's lips opened in a snarl. He looked into my eyes and his bad attitude evaporated and he looked at me, as though he were seeing me for the first time.

"What the hell happened to you? How'd you get all those bruises? Did this guy do that?"

"No, he watched while a friend of his did the honors."

"Gee, I'm sorry to hear that."

"You can stuff your fake sympathy in a sack Canfield. I don't need it. What I need from you is information."

"I don't know what I can tell you kid. Apparently, I don’t have the inside track."

"Well, apparently you know a lot more than I ever did."

"What do you wanna know?"

"Anything you can tell me about Plum."

"I don't think anybody knows much about Plum. Most of the information I have is just rumors."

"Don't give me that. The two of you teamed up to get me into this mess. So, you've got to know something about her."

"Well, they say she's connected up to warlocks."

"What is that? Some sort of gang?"

"I guess you could say that only they practice black magic."

"Great, you knew she was in some sort of cult and you let me get involved with her?"

"Let's get something straight here kid. I ain't your father. You're three times seven. It's your responsibility to get to know the people you hang out with."

"So, all of those real estate transactions I did were with warlocks?"

"Pretty much."

"What did they need all of that property for?"

"You mean other than using the transaction to launder their ill-gotten gains? It depends on who you ask.  Some people say they used those properties for some kind of rituals where they sacrifice people. Other people say they make some sort of potions.  It all sounds a little farfetched.  If you ask me, they’re probably just making meth. The more locations you have, the more times you can shift meth labs around to evade the cops."

"Well, this just keeps getting better and better. I had no idea what those people did with those properties.  Even if I had known, I wouldn't have told anyone. Who would believe me anyway? Why am I suddenly such a threat?"

"You've seen their faces."

"That doesn't matter, they filled out the paperwork and signed their names. So, they left paper trails."

"You don't actually believe all of them used their real names, do you?"

"There's no way out of this mess for me is there? If I go to the authorities, I'm looking at hard time. They'd never believe I wasn’t involved. Don't look at me like that Canfield, you know what I mean. I'll admit that I knew things didn't seem right but all I'm really guilty of is not doing my homework. It's a flimsy excuse, but I needed the money. You know that I wasn't making any money. I was desperate and I thought Plum was my friend. I ought to shoot you for getting me into this mess!"

"Whoa, let's not do anything foolish. You're just frustrated kid. You and I both know you couldn't hurt a fly. For damn sure, you ain't never killed nobody."

"Who says I've never killed anyone before?"

Canfield started to laugh and then saw the fierce, unwavering expression on my face. I saw the first glimmer of fear flash in his eyes. As quickly as it surfaced, he shook it off and resumed his bluff manner. All at once, Canfield moved to charge at me. I aimed and shot without hesitation. The bullet punched into his yielding flesh, stopping him in his tracks. His eyes opened wide and he dropped to the floor with a deep exhalation that sounded like a shocked sigh.  I stood my ground and watched him with pitiless eyes.

"You must want me to empty this gun into you one bullet at a time.  Is that it Canfield?"

"You bitch!"

"Now, now let's not resort to name calling.  After all, you forced me to shoot you.  I may be naive but you're hard-headed.  I already demonstrated my willingness to shoot you and yet you cling to the misguided belief that I won't kill you, if you back me into a corner.  Why must you continue to push your luck?  Come one now, I know it hurts but you're not going to die...yet.  I only shot you in the shoulder."

"I'm gonna kill you!"

"Seeing as how I'm the one with the drawn weapon, I'd say the odds of that happening are slim and none. But thanks for the reminder.  I'm gonna need you to roll over onto your stomach nice and easy with your arms raised above your head...okay, maybe just the one arm.  Let's go, one...two...three, good boy."

I pressed the muzzle of my weapon to the back of Canfield's head to keep him still while I retrieved the other weapon from his waistband.  I quickly stepped back out of his reach and allowed him to roll back over.  Blood had begun to soak the front of his shirt.  I grabbed a pillowcase and tossed it to him so that he could apply pressure to his wound and soak up some of the blood.

He sat up and leaned his back against the foot of his bed, hissing when the movement jarred his shoulder.  Canfield began to whine, in an attempt to appeal to sympathy which, I did not feel.  In that moment, I realized how much I had changed in just a few hours.  As harrowing as the assault had been, it unleashed energy formerly tied up with keeping my traumatic memories at bay.  I felt tormented, but I was no longer afraid.  My anger had made me strong and remorseless.