Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“I’m going to make a guess that you called me here because you want to know what I found out that had Bill and his team of merry men running me out of town?”
She speaks as though she’s merely talking about a recipe she baked last night, not something that could have very nearly cost her her life.
“If you’re willing to share.”
“I’ll share, but I have to conditions. One, you never mention my name to anyone, and two, you do not report this in any sort of paper or magazine.”
“Trust me, I won’t be reporting on this story any further, but I do want to get to the bottom of it. It’s safe to say Bill has me right where he wants me, and if I don’t find a way out, I’ll be his slave for the rest of my life.”
“Fuck Bill, he’s an evil son-of-a-bitch. I’d love nothing more than to see him dragged down, which is basically the only reason I’m here.”
“I get that,” I mutter.
“Judging by the article I read of yours, you found out most of what I did, except for two things. The first, Daniel figured out what Bill was doing. He had been working for him, and he attempted to have him caught. He was killed for it. The second is that the little club you’re so obsessed with, is in on it, too.”
The last part shocks me. I reel back and shake my head, confused. “No, the two of them can’t stand each other.”
“Bill doesn’t know the club is in on it, he only has suspicions. I never said they were working together, but there is a lot of money to be made, doing what they’re doing, and the club is taking their business, getting in before them, selling the boys before Bill can get his hands on them. It’s frustrating the shit out of them, because they don’t know what’s going wrong, but they have their suspicions. Let me guess, Bill wants you to find out just how much the club knows?”
I nod, staring at her, entirely stunned.
There must be something we’re missing here, because there is no way Western would be selling children for profit, not after what happened to him. I refuse to believe it’s true.
“I can tell by your face you don’t believe me. Which is why I brought proof.”
She reaches into her purse and pulls out a folded-up piece of paper. She hands it to me, and for a moment, I hesitate. Do I truly want to see what’s on this paper? Because I know that it could change everything, and I’ve been through so much lately. Yet, at the same time, I’m committed to getting the truth and if this is the only way I can do that ...
I take the paper.
I unfold it and stare down at a black and white picture from what looks like a security camera. In the picture, I can see Western with his hand on a young boy’s shoulder, the boy is maybe thirteen or fourteen, it’s hard to see his face, but I can tell he has blonde hair. Western has a phone to his ear and seems to be alone. That could be anyone, he could be related to that boy for all I know.
“That could be anyone,” I say.
She nods. “It would be so much easier to believe that, wouldn’t it?”
She pulls out another picture from her purse. This one is in color and is of a blond-haired boy, around the same age, very similar looking. It’s a missing poster, and my heart sinks as my eyes dart from one picture to the other, begging it not to be real.
“That’s Riley Green. He went missing about two years ago. That is the boy in the security footage. Western was the last person to be seen with him. If you can explain that away, then I’m all ears, but I’m certain you can’t. That wasn’t the only thing I found out about the club. They’ve been linked to multiple situations involving kids, and they’ve also been seen with their families. I heard a rumor that the families were being paid a lot of money to hand the boys over without fuss and to keep their mouths shut. I could be wrong, but it does seem no one in this town is pushing for their safe return. Ever wonder why that is?”
My mind is spinning.
This is too much to process. I don’t know how I’m supposed to make sense of any of this. If what she’s showing me is correct, then the club are as evil as the men I’m trying to run from. I could be helping the enemy.
“Bill?” I manage to grind out. “He’s doing this, too?”
“Bill is working for someone who works on a much bigger scale. If you begin investigating, you’ll see this isn’t the only town with foster kids going missing. Bill is the person in charge of this town, but he’s working for someone. My guess is the club got wind of the amount of money they were making and wanted in. Now there’s somewhat of a war.”