Book 3: Saving Scars {BoyxBoy}

Chapter 19

"Leanne Clarke, druggie at a young age, got tied up with the first "X" as his whore for free coke. After a while she got bored with him and left, leaving him bitter and resentful. After learning she'd gotten married and had children, his bitterness spiraled with his loss of control, and he became vengeful, intent on taking out his anger on Leanne's family," Annie said as she tossed the file onto the table, arms folding below her bust, "However, illness kept him from doing so, so he left his revenge in the hands of his heir."

"Matthew Shaw is somehow connected to "X", most likely leading deeper than he let on," Will added, flipping through the file in his hands, "It's likely he got caught up in their business when he tried getting his nephew, Brad Richardson, to cold turkey the drugs that "X" was selling him through his street dealers. This lead to his entanglement with the trafficking and the targeting of his son. Although... it may be deeper than that now," he set the file down, "Thinking about it with this new information, perhaps Matthew actually chose to be a part of the dangerous ring led by "X", and now in payment for his services, Shaw asked "X" personally to... get rid of a loose end his late wife left behind."

"Then there's George Ackley," Dante finished, staring down at the closed file, "According to him, there was a different "X" when his wife started racking up their debt. After his daughter, their main debt realeaser, died, "X" disappeared, until a few months later when an entirely new man or woman showed up claiming they are "X", and asking for the same thing his predecessor received. Angry that the oldest was dead, "X" decided to turn his attention to the three children left, one bred is a whore, the other two completely innocent and untouched."

"This has gone a lot deeper than we first expected, Dante," Annie said uneasily, chewing on her nails as she eyed the three files, "We may have more information than when we started, but we still have no leads as to this man's whereabouts."

"What about this?" Will be pulled over the file for Ariel and Ian, "Do you think-?"

"Reading through that entire file from front to back and back to front has me convinced that the murders of Ariel Everet and Ian King were a complete coincidence. Just an unfortunate event of being at the wrong place at the wrong time," Dante interrupted, and Will snapped his lips closed nodding.

Dante turned his head to look over at Kieran, who was leaning heavily against the table, looking sick and angry at the same time. He reached over to set a firm hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing reassuringly as Kieran lifted his head, "You doing okay?"

Kiran hesitated before shaking his head and looking down again, "No... I just can't believe it... I never knew... dad probably didn't either... God... I have to call him and tell him what's happening... he was probably so confused," his face paled and twisted into an expression of despair, "Casey... when he came out to our parents... mom must have snapped... no wonder she was so... dad was the one drinking... so mom...," his eyes narrowed, "Test her blood for signs of drugs in her system."

Silence answered him, until Will backed up, "I'll go," he said softly, giving Kieran a pitying look before leaving the room.

Kiran lifted a hand to rub across his eyes, "That's why she was so cruel to Casey... she was drugged up... it makes sense now... poor Casey."

"We will figure this out, Kieran," Dante said stiffly, his eyes narrowed, "I promise."

"If she started doing drugs again, she may have contacted her old dealers," Annie said, and Kieran winced.

"That could be how "X" knew about Casey and I," he whispered, covering his face completely with his hand, "No... just Casey... I wasn't here... oh god, Casey."