Lars said to meet him at the southeast corner of Bryant Park that evening. There was a Verizon store two blocks away. Ridley pulled up thirty minutes before their appointed time, and when Lars came pushing through the glass doors, Ridley rolled down the window and called his name.

“Why don’t we talk in my car?” said Ridley.

Lars leaned in and looked at Ridley’s driver: “I don’t know that guy.”

“It’s not a problem,” said Ridley.

Lars stepped back, shook his head.

“Son, I have something to show you.”

“I’m not your son,” said Lars. “And I know all about the video. Jeremy woke up and told me everything.”

“Please, get in the car. It doesn’t make sense to discuss this in public.” The sidewalks were two lanes of bodies and backpacks and briefcases.

“I know a place in the park that’s quiet,” said Lars.

“I don’t have a lot of time.”

Lars relented and climbed inside. “Jeremy said you offered him forty thousand dollars for Claudia Castro’s phone.”

Ridley decided not to correct him. He wondered which brother added the ten grand.

“Why can’t you find her yourself?” asked Lars.

“I’m working on it. Having an NYU ID gave your brother an advantage.”

“Is that what you think? I wouldn’t call him very advantaged right now.”

“No,” said Ridley. “You’re right.”

“The way I see it, you sending my brother—a fucking teenager—after Claudia Castro might very well be the reason he’s in the hospital right now.”

Was Lars trying to scare him? Small-time hustlers were exhausting.

“Look,” said Ridley, “I didn’t force your brother to do anything. I offered him a lot of money to do something in his own self-interest. He didn’t want the police to see that video. This is the post–Me Too era, son. You can’t get away with that shit anymore, especially not if you’re stupid enough to get it on video. That video guarantees a conviction. Your brother understood that. I don’t think he’d do well in prison. And especially now, with his limitations…” He let the word linger in the air. When Lars didn’t bite back, he continued. “That’s why he was looking for Claudia.”

Lars set his face like he was ready to argue but Ridley could tell he was listening.

“Okay,” said Lars, finally. “You got any leads, at least?”

Ridley took his phone from his jacket pocket, scrolled to the ID photo of Trevor that Chad had sent him from the NYU system, and handed the device to Lars.

“She’s been spending a lot of time with this kid.”

CHAD