Help Me

Chapter 8

Chris's POV

I fix waffles while I call Matthias and wait for Riley in the kitchen. It is a struggle to balance the waffle maker and flip it with one hand while holding my phone.

"Hello Chris," Matthias's deep voice greets me.

"Matthias, I wanted to ask your opinion on bringing a local in on the case," I explain. "Also I wanted to follow up on the file I sent you."

"Chris you have free run over who you bring in on the case. James is included if you want to bring people in I trust you. Just no more Danny's. About the file you sent me, I managed to get it open but it is still in the works. I can tell you it is an adoption certificate for a Riley Evans but I can't tell you the biological parents yet."

"Thank you sir," I say and drop the burnt waffle onto the plate with a thud. Matthias has never been one to say goodbye while on the phone he always just hangs up on you.

"So what can you tell me?" Riley asks me causing me to jump. I laugh and turn around.

"I can tell you we are going to have to go to the diner for breakfast because I killed the waffles," I frown at him and he giggles while staring at my lips.

"Okay, come on then," he says and grabs my hand before pulling me to the car.

I tug his hand a bit to cause him to turn and face me. I lean down and brush my lips against his before opening the door for him and helping him in. As I walk around the front of the car I can see the small smile on his face and I don't bother to hide my grin as I climb in.

When we get to the diner James is in the front helping seat people. I catch his eye and head for the back table in the corner. He nods in return and wonders over to us.

"What can I get you Chris? And who is this lovely fellow with you?" He flirts and I watch Riley squirm.

"This is Riley, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't scare him off," I say with a frown. "I want waffles and a coke."

"Okay Mr. Grumpy. What about you cutie?" James asks Riley.

"A lemonade and gravy and biscuits please and it is Riley." He mumbles out without looking at James.

"James, I need to talk to you so if you could spare a few minutes I would like to bring you in." I say quietly even though this side of the diner is empty. James nods before heading into the back to put our orders in.

Before he returns with our drinks I slide in the booth with Riley since James obviously is making him uncomfortable. James returns with our drinks and slides into my former seat.

"I figured when better to bring you in on a case than now," I say and we make our way inside and to what is my table all the time.

I pull out a folder and slides it across the table. he doesn't say anything but I just nod for him to open it. he flips open the file and see pictures of women who have drowned in there. There are eight and Riley gasps but I know his mothers isn't one he is seeing since I put it on the bottom.

"The women. They all look the same age. Late twenties to early thirties. They all drowned and it kind of matches what happened to my mother," He explains to me not meeting my eyes. I knew this already but I wasn't going to let him know I practically stalked him until he trusts me more.

"What happened?" I asked. I need to know for this case but personally I do not know if I want to know the answer.

"She drowned and Harold didn't really seem to care so I got suspicious. I mean it was surprising because he wasn't always like that. He seemed to care. Then a couple of weeks before she died he changed. He became grumpier and easily agitated, then it escalated," He says and I'm not able to hold back the shiver that goes through me at the thought. I know that the abuse must have been bad for him but I never thought it would be that bad.

"And who was your mother?" I ask hoping it doesn't seem like I am interrogating him.

"Mary Evans." He says and James's eyes widen

"Sorry, but did you say, Mary Evans?" James asks.

"Yeah, why?" he mumbles. He still isn't as comfortable with James as he is with me.

"She was my stepmom." James informs him and it clicks in my head.

"Oh, dear lord," I say I know how and dreads the conversation that is about to start.

"What?" Riley asks.

"You really don't know?" James says.

"If I knew I wouldn't have ask," He snaps then mumbles a "Sorry." While looking at the table. I put my hand on his leg and squeeze. I am about to pull away when he puts his hand on mine and holds it there. I glance over at him but he is focused on James.

"She was married to Matthias for a while, soon after it was revealed that she was having an affair with my dad Avery. Avery and Matthias were stepbrothers. Matthias and Mary got a divorce and then within two months she was married to Avery. They were together for a few years then Avery died. She went back to try to make things right with Matthias and she got pregnant they weren't together by the time she had the baby. Within a year she was with Matthias's biological brother. I never knew his name," James says, by the sounds of it his mom had been in the family a while. Just not the same place for long is what James had said.

"Well there is one way to find out," He says and both James and my head snaps over. What does he have up his sleeve?

"How?" James asks almost bouncing in the seat. I know that he is excited to find out about the mystery that has always been his family.

"Come on. Both of you. I'm driving," Riley says nervously.

"Where are we going?" James asks with a smile; he doesn't know what Riley is about to go through if my hunch is right.

"Hell," Ri says and swipes my keys from the table and rushes out to the vehicle not bothering to wait for us. Sometimes I really hate being right.

~

If you like the story give it a vote please.

What do you think is in the file about Riley's Adoption?