Law and Order- complete

IX

Kenneth.

His face is pale and under his red-rimmed eyes sit dark crescents. His nose is a crimson color and I can easily see watery snoot pooling at the end of his nostrils. When my brows furrow in mostly disgust, he quickly sniffles and wipes it with the sleeve of his hoody, clearing his throat.

My eyes flicker back up to his as he speaks, "I'm not gonna...shoot you or anything. I just wanted to talk."

"Why the fuck would I wanna talk to you?" I spit. My jaw tenses in an attempt to hide my quivering lips because one thing I know about Kenneth, he'll feed on your fear. Though it's hard to be scared of him when he's standing in front of me shivering and sniffling with his back slightly hunched over, I can't trust him. Memories from the night in the frat flash in my mind and I fight the urge to pounce on him now.

"Look, I-I'm sorry about everything that happened with your friend and-" He pauses to hiccup, "I just.." He shakes his head and gazes at his feet, inhaling a shaky breath. I don't need to guess what's got him in this fucked up state because I'm instantly reminded that the police are looking for him. After that evidence about Soto got released, I'm sure he's been a mess since.

My face softens momentarily, brows twitching upward in concern before I shake my head and take a step back. He was wrong. Ryder wasn't the only one who fucked up that night. It was the entire fucking frat. Kenneth included. And he murdered someone, having Soto cover up for him.

For some reason, that bit of information had slipped my mind and I find myself placing my hand on my back pocket, slowly pulling my phone out. Kenneth looks up at me, then down to my hand, making me freeze as his eyes widen and his chest visibly rises and falls, hands coming out of his pockets in front of him in surrender. Fear is written all over his face and it fuels my confidence. 

"Logan, please, I really need to talk to you just let me talk to you and then I'll turn myself in, I can't run, I just need to talk to you," He rushes out in one big word with pleading eyes. The fact that he hadn't attacked me when he has a pretty good shot is the only reason I nod, continuing to tug my phone out warningly.

I tap a few times on my phone, watching him carefully as I dial 911 and turn the phone around to show him, "You got one minute, and I'm calling." I threaten with large eyes. I hope it doesn't have to come to that because I'm a hundred percent sure he could take me before my thumb could even press call.

It seems to work, though, because he nods, taking a step back and sucking in a deep breath of relief.

"I- I know you saw those evidence files...on my dad's computer." He begins and I nod. "I- nobody stole them, I did. I released them."

My mouth falls open but I pick it up quickly, pressing my lips together and furrowing my brows. That wouldn't make sense. Why did he turn himself in and risk both him and his dad going to jail? And what about his frat? He went through all of that- getting me raped- just to press the self-destruct button. Why?

"You had no reason to do that, no motive," I say quietly, squinting at him and softly shaking my head. "What am I missing?"

His lips come together in a tight line and his gaze shifts to the gravel on the parking lot as he visibly grimaces, "I found some...stuff out.." He explains vaguely.

"Oh, fuck that," I snap, "you don't get to fuck up my life and fucking shoot me then give me that bullshit answer. What did you find?" I repeat, stepping toward him and holding the phone up with raised brows to show him that his time is running out.

"Fuck," He hisses, "fine, I- I can't...you don't understand. It's not just you, or me, or Ryder this shit is beyond us." His voice raises in exasperation. "These people..." He trails off, and I notice his eyes watering, "My dad...the shit he's done...fuck, here," He groans, digging in his pocket and for a second, I flinch, but then he pulls out a small polaroid picture and hands it to me.