Learning to Trust: Changing Places Read Online Free

could stand. I was double-checking everything and asking people for answers they couldn't possibly give. It didn't last long, however.
    "Marisa," came Frederic's voice from behind me. I hadn't seen him much since the day I met with Ramón .
    I spun around in my chair to face him. "Hi, Frederic," I said.
    "Listen," he whispered. Before continuing he turned and closed the door, grabbing it before it slammed and gently closing it. His voice regain its volume. "People here aren't very happy with how aggressive you've been. Is everything all right?"
    Frankly, I was floored at first because I had more or less lost my mind, I guess. I was in that determined state of mind, the one where I wouldn't stop for anything. It was the old Marisa rearing its ugly head and causing problems.
    "I'm...sorry," I said. "I guess I got carried away.
    "It's okay," he said, obviously noticing he had startled me. "This is a team that's been assembled for a long time. They have a code, a way of doing things that supersedes anything that you've been taught. Technically, you're in charge. However, the way they do things is above your authority, all right?"
    "Yeah," I muttered, feeling depressed. I was just glad it was Frederic scolding me and not Roland. He didn't punish, he taught .
    The more I talked to Frederic, the more I wondered if he was actually lying to me. When I had told him about the murder stuff, he had been surprised. Was that fake? Just a put-on? He apparently knew about at least some Roland's illicit activities—did he really know the full extent of his business? For some unexplainable reason, I trusted him over Roland. It was just a vibe, nothing else. I liked the way it felt.
    "Things are going to change around here," he said. "I'll tell you more about it later."
    "What do you mean?" I asked. "Business stuff?" I realized that I might be living one of the most significant moments of my life.
    "It's an evolution of business," Frederic said. "Some loose ends will be tied, and then it's time to move on ."
    "Do I need to do something for this?" I wasn't sure if I should tell him about Roland's offer to bring me inside after a test of loyalty . I decided I wouldn't say anything just yet.
    "No, Marisa. Just relax for now. I'll keep you informed of the details." Frederic looked like a man that was weighed down by something heavy, a secret the size of the world.
    As much as I assumed this was all about Roland, the fact that he hadn't actually been mentioned at all raised my alerts. Was I in the middle of something and didn't realize it? I wanted to run screaming to Ramón , but it wasn't time for that yet. It had only been four days since I'd met with him and there were still a couple more to go. Honestly, there wasn't that much to say yet. My information would arrive soon, though.
    That night when I arrived home, Roland informed me that I'd be taking tomorrow off—but that it wouldn't be to relax.
    "We have a dear friend to meet with," he said.
    "A friend?"
    "Yes," he said. "I have a gift for him and you'll be the sexy little woman that delivers it."
    "What?" I asked, mildly taken aback.
    "This is your test of loyalty," he said. "It takes place tomorrow. It won't necessarily be easy. Hard doesn't seem like the right word either. I have a relationship with this fellow, but it's not the best. I hope that an offering will clear things up." He smiled at me. "You just need to be strong, okay?"
    "Yeah, sure," I said. Confidence seemed to be escaping me, probably because he had caught me off-guard. "Do I have to do something or just drop something off?"
    "He'll probably pressure you to do something, but you're just there to leave him with my gift of the financial variety." He pulled out a cigar from his robe pocket and lit it up. I always found it amusing that he had a robe with pockets—and actually used the pockets.
    "Okay," I said quietly. Was this the big event Ramón had prompted me about? All I could think about was calling him somehow, even