Chapter 23 - Colin
Colin Alvarez, the temporary event assistant, became briefly famous online after reporters learned there had been a second witness.
He hated it.
He had seen Vanessa enter the service corridor with my glass.
He saw her hold a small bottle over it.
He did not see clearly enough to identify what went in.
He told Marissa.
Marissa dismissed him.
He then texted Nora because he knew she was foundation staff.
Why Nora?
Her number was printed in the event operations contact sheet.
Nothing heroic or mysterious.
He saw something.
Reported it.
When first report failed, tried another route.
That was exactly what institutions claim they want.
We hired him?
No.
That would have turned witness conduct into reward mythology.
He finished college.
Later joined a hotel operations team elsewhere.
The foundation sent him a formal thank-you after legal proceedings ended.
No cash.
No job promise.
When I saw him two years later at another event, I said:
“Thank you.”
He answered:
“I didn’t do much.”
“You kept talking after someone told you to stop.”
He shrugged.
May you like
“Seemed weird.”
Sometimes character is just respecting weird enough to speak.
