Book 3: Saving Scars {BoyxBoy}

Chapter 2

"Dylan Mitchelle, Katherine Mitchelle, Rita Mitchelle, and Rowan Mitchelle," Xavier repeated the names and wrote them down in his small notebook, "Closest family to Christopher."

"Yes," Rita said, dabbing her eyes.

"Is there a Mr. Mitchelle?"

"No," Dylan replied quickly before his mother could, "He walked out on us when Kitty was just a baby."

"Is this perhaps a reason for Christopher's actions?"

"I-it could be," Rita said quietly, "I-I don't understand, he was always so happy. None of this makes sense!"

Xavier gave her an empathetic look, "Was Christopher involved in recreational activities that could have caused him to act the way he did? Drugs, alcohol, sex?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Rita snapped, hands balling into tight fists, "My family might not be perfect, but we have never lowered ourselves into such horrible things! Chris is no different!"

"Are you positive? As a teen boy, there's always a possibility of him doing these things without his mother's knowledge."

"I'm as sure of it as I am that these questions are not helping in the slightest!" Rita snapped, and Xavier bit his lip.

"I am sorry, Ms. Mitchelle, I'm just doing my job. Asking these questions are standard procedure," Rita just scoffed as he sighed heavily, "What do you know about Brad Richardson?"

This caused Rita to blink furiously, "Brad? He's a good friend of Chris'. Why?"

"We have reason to believe that he had been hurting your son somehow, and was a possible reason to why he did what he did," Xavier explained, and Rita gasped, hands covering her mouth.

"What the hell do you mean?" Dylan growled, and Xavier looked up at him.

"Sources say that Brad Richardson manipulated him using violence and abuse, forcing his hand to bully and harass others at the school."

"Chris would never hurt people like that!" Dylan snapped, and Xavier sighed.

"If he was manipulated, he didn't do it willingly. Is this a possibility?" silence answered, and Dylan nodded slowly. Xavier closed his notebook and gave the family an empathetic smile, "Thank you for your time. We'll do all we can to figure this out."

"Wait," Rowan grabbed onto Xavier's shoulder, pulling him a few steps away to talk with him privately.

She handed him a slip of paper that he frowned at, "What's this?"

"Names," Rowan frowned seriously, "Brad Richardson was involved with a juvenile youth mafia who recently attacked Chris and his friends. Since Emmet and Kieran were suspended until recently, we weren't able to investigate, so the names might be able to help you figure this out," her gaze filled with sorrow as she crossed her arms over her stomach, "Please. Don't let his actions lead to nothing."

"It's weird," Jacob murmured when Xavier stopped beside him where he had leaned against the wall away from the others, flipping through his notes, "Whatever those kids are keeping from us, it's a big piece to this puzzle. Christopher Derek Mitchelle is a star student, a football hero, and a seemingly fantastic friend, brother, and son. Add Brad Richardson into the mix and he becomes a complete prick. Why?"

Xavier shook his head as he stared at the slip of paper Rowan had given him. He stuffed it into his back pocket and his eyes flickered to Jacob, "Whatever the reason, we'll need Brad Richardson to wake up for the answers. There's one more person we haven't questioned besides Richardson. Samuel Novak, supposedly Christopher Mitchelle's lover."