Obsidian Faith by Bev Elle Read Free Book Online Page B

trembled. “Don’t do it again.”
    “I won’t,” he promised, not altogether sure he would be able to keep that promise.

Chapter Ten
    It wasn’t until six months later, when Philip lost his job that he began to ask Trevor to do things that made him increasingly uncomfortable. Phillip took trips to Atlantic City and Las Vegas, whereas before he traveled the shorter distances to Hollywood, Florida and Biloxi, Mississippi. VIP cards from the casinos began to come in the mail. Then, rather than make up stories, Phillip just flat out told Trevor to take his clients’ money.
    “I need you to move the funds from the people on this list and make it where no one knows it’s you, just like David said you could,” Philip said.
    “Why? You know that’s not legal, Uncle Philip.”
    “Are you questioning my authority? I’m your guardian. I pay all the fucking bills around here, keep your greedy mouth fed, and buy you all this top-of-the-line computer shit. How dare you question me?”
    Trevor did it a few times more before he hacked into Philip’s personal accounts to see why he needed so much cash. A large chunk of the insurance money that David and Elena had left to take care of Trevor was gone, except his college fund. Philip couldn’t touch that, thank goodness. Trevor was looking forward to college as his opportunity to escape.
    Until then, unless he was working on something for Philip, he camped out at the Baileys’ house most of the time. Isaiah questioned him about Philip one evening after dinner. They were barbequing on the patio out back that overlooked the pool.
    “How are things with you and Philip?” Isaiah asked. “He’s gone an awful lot. I mean, we love having you here, but I just want to make sure you’re being properly cared for.”
    “Uncle Philip gambles,” Trevor said, no longer willing to keep Philip’s dirty little secret. “A lot.”
    “Oh?” Isaiah said. “I wonder how DCFS missed that little detail about him. I’ll make some inquiries.”
    “If they take me away from Philip, they could send me anywhere in the state. Please don’t do anything that will get me taken far away, so I won’t get to see you guys,” Trevor said. “Uncle Philip isn’t the worst foster parent I’ve ever had, and when I go away to college, I’ll never have to see him again if I don’t want to.” He didn’t want to tell Isaiah about the other illegal stuff he was doing, because he’d definitely call DCFS about that, and he didn’t know how much trouble he’d be in.
    “That may be true, but Brenda and I worry about you with him. David told me about Philip’s behavior when they were growing up, but I thought he’d matured enough to give you a stable home. Never hesitate to tell us if it gets too bad, okay?”
    “Okay,” Trevor said.
    Isaiah called DCFS anyway and a caseworker came out snooping around. It just so happened that Uncle Phil was on his best behavior that week. It was almost as if he’d been tipped off they were coming, because he hired a cleaning company to come out and give the condo a thorough once-over and even cooked dinner every day. When questioned about his gambling, Phil pretended to break down.
    “I had a problem,” he admitted. “But I’m going to get help.” He showed the case worker some information from his employee assistance program from his job. The caseworker though skeptical, left with a promise to return often until she was satisfied Phil was back on the straight and narrow. 
    A few months later, Philip had worked through the rest of the insurance money. He decided then that people who allowed funds to go unclaimed didn’t care about their finances, and these people should be targeted, since they were so careless with their money.
    As gambling became Philip’s pastime and primary means of support, he kept going to loan sharks. The loan sharks were used to bankroll his gambling habit, and the thefts from unclaimed property accounts kept things going when he