Conman

Chapter 10: Unmasking the Past

Beau's mind was a whirlwind as he sped away from the hideout, his fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The revelations from Leo and Aria played over and over in his head, but there was one person who could ground him in this chaos—Monty. He needed to see him, talk to him, but more than that, he needed to be close to him, to find some sense of peace in the storm that was brewing.

He called Monty's number for the third time, but it went straight to voicemail again. Beau cursed under his breath and, without thinking twice, changed direction toward Monty's apartment. As he pulled up to the building, the unease in his chest grew. The curtains were drawn, and there was no sign of Monty's car in the driveway. Beau knocked on the door, his patience wearing thin with each passing second. Silence. No footsteps, no movement from inside. The tension twisted into frustration as Beau called out, "Monty! Are you in there?"

Nothing.

The stillness was deafening. Beau fumbled for his phone, his breath shallow as he dialed again. This time, he wasn't just calling for Monty—he was reaching out to Leo. If anyone could find out where Monty was, it would be him.

Back at the hideout, Leo, Jax, and Aria sat in tense silence. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken worries. Leo's fingers danced across his laptop keyboard, his eyes focused on the screen as he worked to track Monty's location. The quiet was broken by the faint sound of Leo's phone vibrating against the table. When he saw Beau's name flash across the screen, he answered immediately.

"Leo, I need you to trace Monty's phone. He's not at home, and he's not answering his calls," Beau's voice came through, tense and clipped.

Leo glanced at Jax and Aria, who were watching him intently. "I'm on it, boss. Give me a second."

As Leo tapped into the tracking software, Aria leaned back against the wall, her arms crossed. "You really think he's gonna run to Monty and confess everything? He's risking all of our necks here, Jax."

Jax, who had been pacing the room, stopped and turned to face her. His expression was hard, his jaw set. "He wouldn't do that. He knows what's at stake. He's just trying to keep everything from falling apart. We need to trust him."

"Trust him?" Aria shot back, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "Or is this just about you being hopelessly in love with him?"

Before Jax could respond, Leo's eyes widened as the tracking software pinged Monty's location. "Got him," Leo said, his voice filled with disbelief. "He's... he's at Mr. Archer's house."

Jax froze, his heart skipping a beat. Aria straightened up, her expression shifting from skepticism to shock. "What? Why would the Detective be there?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Leo closed his laptop and stood up. "I don't know, but we need to get there—now."

Without wasting another second, the three of them rushed out of the hideout, piling into Jax's car. The engine roared to life, and they sped down the winding roads, the urgency of the situation settling in their chests like a heavy weight.

As they raced toward Mr. Archer's house, Jax's thoughts were in turmoil. What was Monty doing there? Was he onto them? Was Beau in danger? He glanced at Aria and Leo, who were equally tense, their minds likely swirling with the same questions. Whatever was happening, they needed to get there before things spiraled out of control.

Meanwhile, Beau was growing more anxious by the minute. He paced outside Monty's apartment, waiting for Leo's call. His phone buzzed in his hand, and he quickly answered.

"Leo, did you find him?" Beau asked, his voice edged with desperation.

"Yeah, Boss... but you're not gonna like it. The Detective at Mr. Archer's house."

The words hit Beau like a punch to the gut. His breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. "What? What the hell is he doing there?"

"We don't know," Leo replied, his tone just as bewildered. "But we're on our way there now."

Beau's mind raced. Monty and Mr. Archer—the two worlds he had tried so hard to keep separate—colliding like this. Was Monty trying to confront Mr. Archer about the cases? Did he suspect something?

"I'm heading there too," Beau said, his voice steely with resolve. "We need to figure out what's going on."

Without another word, Beau jumped into his car, his mind swirling with possibilities. As he drove, the streets blurred around him. Every scenario that played out in his mind was worse than the last. If Monty found out the truth, it would destroy everything—not just his relationship with Beau, but also the fragile trust they had built. And if Mr. Archer knew who Monty really was... Beau couldn't finish the thought.

By the time Beau arrived at Mr. Archer's mansion, his heart was pounding in his chest. The sprawling estate loomed before him, its tall gates standing as a barrier between him and the answers he desperately sought. He pushed through the gates, his footsteps quick and determined as he approached the front door.

He hesitated for just a moment before pushing the door open. The house was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of voices coming from the study. Beau's pulse quickened as he made his way down the hallway, the voices growing louder with each step.

When he reached the study, he found the door slightly ajar. Beau peered through the gap, his breath catching in his throat as he saw Monty standing in the center of the room, his posture tense and guarded. Across from him, Mr. Archer sat behind his massive oak desk, his expression calm but calculating.

"Monty..." Beau's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make both men turn toward him.

Monty's eyes softened as they met Beau's, but there was a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze. "Beau, I—"

"Ah," Mr. Archer interrupted smoothly, his voice a low rumble. "I was wondering when you'd join us. Your detective friend here has some... interesting questions."

Beau stepped into the room, his heart in his throat. "What's going on?"

Monty glanced at Mr. Archer before turning his attention back to Beau. "I'm here because I need answers, Beau. About everything."

The weight of Monty's words hung heavy in the air, and Beau knew in that moment that nothing would ever be the same again.