The Killer Fix

Chapter 16

Arriving at the door to their destination, Riley has safely buried her emotions and put up a front. Having somehow ended up between the guy she still loves but no longer trusts and the guy she trusts but emotionally confuses her, distant and impassive seems like the way to go. 

Opening the door to his loft, Aaron looks annoyed but not surprised to see Grayson. As he leads them through the living room to his office, he manages to hold back his resentment. Taking a seat behind his army of screens, he looks at Riley. 'So, what do you need me to find?' 

As she pulls over a second desk chair and sits down she makes sure to keep her jacket closed tightly, hiding the fact that she's still wearing one of Gray's shirts, only to remember the jacket is also his. 'The drug dealer who supplied you and Milo with Glow, Trip.' Riley requests. 

'His real name is Freddie Knox.' Gray decides to share this bit of information last minute as he leans in the doorway, and as he does he receives a surprised look from Riley. 

They continue to exchange glances while Aaron begins busily typing away behind his equipment. None of the codes or windows on the screen look familiar to Riley, and she can't begin to understand what kind of digital tricks he's performing. But when he pulls up Knox's police records the array of odd numbers and letters seem to have worked their magic. 'Yeah, this is him. Apparently supplying the Wolf with drugs isn't his only crime. Petty theft, assault, a bunch of DUI's, he's got a record a mile long. Been to juvy a few times, this guy started young...' 

As Aaron reads half aloud he wonders if this is what his or Milo's life would have looked like if they didn't have their cushy backgrounds. If their parents didn't make all their mistakes magically disappear, would he even be sitting here? 

'There's no address listed,' Aaron states. 'But he does have a grandfather living in the city. Let's see if Freddie visited him in the last few weeks...' 

As Aaron begins tapping into city security cameras, provided by Cadari Inc., to digitally patrol Grandpa Knox's house, Riley abandons her chair to talk to Gray. 'How well do you know this guy exactly?' 

'He was a buddy of mine back in the day, when I was working for his boss.' 

'In the gang?' 

He simply nods to her question, glancing in Aaron's direction and then back at her. 

'Is this going to complicate things?' She asks, receiving a dead serious look that tears right through her. 

'No, I'll do whatever it takes.' 

'Found him.' Aaron's call leads Riley back to the desk as Gray also takes a step closer. 'Knox was at his grandfather's place yesterday, I should be able to track him from there to wherever he's hiding out.' 

And so the game of chase begins, as Aaron switches skillfully between streets cams, following Knox closely. After a few blocks its gets more difficult however, when Knox disappears down an alley and doesn't come out on the other side. 'What the...? Where did he go? There are no entrances to buildings in that alley, there's only one way to go; straight.' 

Having moved from the door to the desk unnoticed, Gray leans in closer to the screen before confirming his suspicions. 'I know where he is, let's go.' 

As Gray is about to turn and leave, he is suddenly halted when Aaron closes the windows on the screen, revealing the black feather behind it. The mystified look that follows last nearly a minute, and Riley and Aaron quickly pick up on it. 

'You?' 

As Aaron turns in his desk chair, seeming to know what Gray means, Riley is left puzzled.