Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“What are the terms?” I ask.
“I am getting help; you can see who with in the documents. I have a full treatment program and a doctor has put me on medication also. We will start with supervised visits with Jayden, a court appointed person will carry them out. We’ll be in a public place. Just a day together every Friday. Then, and only with the approval of a licensed professional, we will move to two days and then eventually I’ll take him back for my normal times with him staying at my house.”
I swallow, my stomach twisting.
“I know you’re anxious, I understand that. I won’t be able to take him without your approval and without being cleared by doctors and psychologists. If that takes years, it takes years. I’m going to do the work, I won’t hurt him, Zariah. I promise you I won’t hurt him. I just need you to give me a chance. Please, I’m dying without my son.”
I stare at the papers in my hands, then at the man standing in front of me. I’m not going to keep him away from his son forever, not when he’s working so hard to be a better person. His terms are fair, but I do need to get a legal check before I can give him an answer. “It sounds fair to me. Let me take it to my lawyer and have it signed off. I don’t want to keep you from your son, Reece. He loves you, and I know you love him. You have to understand, though, his protection means far, far more to me than anything. If he ever comes home and tells me you’ve hurt him, it’ll be over. Do you understand?”
Reece nods. “I do. Can I ... see him?”
I exhale, and then turn and call out Jayden’s name. He comes running after a few minutes and, when he sees Reece, his whole face lights up. “Daddy!” He runs toward him and throws himself into Reece’s arms. Reece holds him close, hugging him tightly and kissing his face. My heart breaks, because I want them to have all the time in the world together. I know they will again someday, but that time won’t be soon. It’ll be supervised for a while, but Reece is making the right choices.
Who am I to take that away from him?
Why do things always have to be so damned complicated?
“HOW ARE YOU?” STEVEN asks two days later when I go to his house to do some more work.
It’s hard. God, it’s so hard for me to stand here and stare at him, talk to him, interact with him, knowing full well the kind of criminal he is. He’s a dangerous man, mostly because he hides it so well. I want to just come out and ask him questions. I want to tell him I know what he’s done, but if I blow this now, it’ll be over for me and I can’t risk that.
The only way I’m going to get what I need is to play this very, very carefully.
“I’m good, how are you?”
He smiles. “Good. Ready to get back into the case?”
I nod and walk into the house and down to his office. He has it all set up, laptops out, coffee on the table, and it kills me that he’s so good at what he’s doing here. He doesn’t seem evil at all. Not even a tiny bit. That’s the thing that scares me the most. That he is so horribly clever. I take a seat and we get into the case, discussing new leads, interviews, and evidence. We talk for hours, going over things, and for a moment, I forget who I’m with.
I get so involved, it’s hard to remember that the man I’m sitting with is a monster.
This case, having the chance to work with him, it was a dream come true.
Now, it’s a god damned nightmare.
“I’ll go make us some lunch if you want to call a few people on our list and see if you can schedule some interviews,” Steven says, standing.
“Sounds great.” I give him a quick smile and start dialing some numbers on my phone.
He walks out of the room and, the moment he’s gone, I put my phone down and quickly glance at the door. Then I stand and rush around to his laptop. I know it’s far-fetched to assume he’d keep anything just lying around, but I also know he doesn’t think I’m suspicious of anything, so he no doubt assumes I won’t snoop. Why would I? If it were three days ago, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t have even considered it.
Now here I am, quickly flicking through his computer like a fucking maniac. My heart is racing, my fingers are trembling, and I keep glancing at the door expecting him to be sitting there, about to catch me out in the act. I search some folders, a few emails, but so far I can’t find anything that indicates he’s in contact with anyone. I dig a little deeper and come across a folder titled SK. It’s not the sort of title I’d usually click on, but I’ve looked everywhere else.