Chapter 87: Arranged Match

Sophie bit her lip, keeping quiet.

She had planned to find a cheap, used frame. It was Jude who insisted on buying a new bicycle and covered the $400 out of his own pocket. To her mother, however, every dollar spent was measured against overdue medical bills.

Even so, Sophie couldn’t fault her...

Over the past year, Helen had worked 12 hours a day at the sidewalk grill just to keep the apartment.

Sophie’s father stayed home full-time, looking after her 14-year-old brother, whose treatment costs ran into thousands every month.

"Mom, I didn’t spend the settlement money on the bike," Sophie said quietly.

She pulled her backpack around, unzipped the front pocket, and took out the $500 from that morning. "Here’s the full amount."

Helen stopped, looking at the cash. "You didn’t spend it? Then where did you get a new bike?"

Sophie looked down, knowing her mother wouldn’t understand if she brought up Jude. She pressed the bills into Helen’s hand. "A friend helped me out, Mom. The $500 is all there. I’m heading upstairs."

"Wait, Sophie," Helen said, putting the money into her apron pocket with a hesitant look.

Sophie turned back from the curb. "What is it?"

Helen glanced at the customers waiting by the cart, then shook her head. "Go on up. Your father is waiting inside. He’ll tell you."

Sophie frowned. Seeing the uneasy look on her mother’s face, she wheeled the bike toward the walk-up.

The family lived on the 4th floor of an older pre-war building with cracked plaster running down the hallway walls.

When Sophie unlocked the door and stepped into the small flat.

A dry cough came from the smaller bedroom down the hall.

"Sophie? That you?" a voice called. It was her father, Arthur Reed.

"I’m home, Dad," Sophie called back, leaving her violin case by the wall before pushing the bedroom door open.

Her 14-year-old brother, Leo, sat propped up against two thin pillows on a narrow cot.

Chronic illness had left him frail and pale under the low ceiling light. Beside the bed sat Arthur, feeding him medicine from a small bowl.

"Sophie," Leo said, his face brightening as she walked in.

"Hey, Leo," Sophie said, leaning down to smooth his hair. "How are your lungs today?"

The boy gave a small nod. "About the same."

Sophie turned to her father. "Dad, Mom said downstairs that you two had something to talk about. What’s going on?"

Arthur set the bowl on the nightstand and stood up. "Out here."

Sophie followed him into the small living room, watching him pull the bedroom door shut behind them.

"What is it, Dad?" Sophie asked.

Arthur crossed his arms, looking at her directly. "The savings are gone, Sophie. Leo’s doctor said that without the next stage of treatment next month, he won’t make it through the winter. We’ve tapped every line of credit we have. There’s only one way left to cover the clinic deposit."

Sophie watched him carefully. "What do you mean?"

"Your mother and I arranged a match for you," Arthur said plainly. "The family agreed to a $300,000 settlement when the papers are signed. You’ll need to withdraw from the Conservatory this week and get married. The tuition was always too much for us anyway, and this covers Leo’s care."

Sophie took a step back.

"What?"

...

Back in Manhattan, Jude was driving south when his phone chimed through the console.

It was Martha Li.

"Jude, what happened at the bike shop?" Martha’s voice came through the car’s speakers. "Pearl just called her aunt crying and complained for 10 minutes."

Jude kept one hand on the wheel, letting out a quiet breath. "It wasn’t a match, Aunt Martha. What did she say?"

"She said you showed up with a girlfriend just to embarrass her," Martha said. "Tell me the truth... did you actually find someone?"

"Yes, I did," Jude said, taking the chance to close the subject for good. "We were already spending time together when you called, and we made it official today. You don’t need to set up any more meetings."

"Well, why didn’t you say so earlier?" Martha laughed, her frustration gone. "As long as you’re seeing someone, I’m happy. Bring her by for dinner sometime."

"Will do, Aunt Martha. Talk soon."

Jude ended the call. Using Sophie’s presence on the sidewalk had resolved the issue cleanly.

A moment later, a second call came in from Lieutenant Lola Grant.

"Afternoon, Lieutenant," Jude answered.

"Where are you?" Lola asked, sounding hurried. "My mother convinced the captain to let me off early so we wouldn’t miss dinner. Are you still uptown?"

"I’m in midtown," Jude said.

"Meet me by the main gate at Fulton Terrace," Lola said. "I’m leaving the precinct now and will be there in 15 minutes."

"On my way," Jude said.

Outside the Midtown North precinct, Lola Grant put her phone away and walked toward the street.

She stopped by the steps, turning to Officer Wang behind her.

She was still thinking through the robbery from earlier... 2 suspects taken down in 90 seconds, one with a broken hand and a hunting knife warped into the floor.

"Wang, check in with the forensics unit tonight," Lola said. "As soon as they recover the video from the market’s drive, send the file straight to my phone."

"Understood, Lieutenant," Wang said.

10 minutes later, Jude pulled the Koenigsegg Jesko up to the curb outside the stone archway of Fulton Terrace, an older residential enclave where Lola’s parents lived.

He stepped out to wait in the late afternoon sun, leaning against the front fender with his hands in his pockets.

The black hypercar parked on a quiet residential street drew glances from nearly everyone walking by.

Within 2 minutes, a woman in a red sundress and heels walked across the sidewalk toward the car.

"Afternoon," she said, stopping a couple of steps away and looking over the hood. "Clean car. Yours?"

"Yes," Jude replied evenly.

"Mind if I take a quick photo?"

Before he could answer, she stepped in, leaned against the side of his jacket, and snapped a photo on her phone.