Chapter 39
It was 2:09 in the afternoon when I woke up. I wont say I was surprised by this. It was a long hard day yesterday for us and when we went to bed at nearly 4:00 last night, what else should I have expected? Well, I at least figured Luke would have gotten up in the middle of the night, either to change the dressing or to take another pain killer. But I noticed, when I woke and checked the bag, it wasn't touched. That's how you know someone is tired right there. Where not even their own pain will wake them since I knew sleeping for him should have been a little hard because he was still hurting.
Now sitting up in bed, I looked over to where he lay beside me. His back flat against the bed, his body only slightly shifted to the left, I took in his relaxed form. The slow and even breathing he released, making his bare chest rise and fall - along with all his bandaged cuts covering him and the stitches. The covers met his body half way down though so I couldn't see anymore of the damage done to him. Taking in his smooth expression... it reminded me of the expressions he use to have for me. A long time ago, right after we first met. Where he was so good at surprising me and hiding things from me. Oh how it would bother the fuck out of me! But he was sleeping now and it had the opposite effect on me to see his blank face. It was relief. His body was so tense after what happened... I was just glad he didn't look to be in pain right now. His eyelids blanketing those jade diamonds were smooth and settled; lips flat, forehead clear of lines from stress. His hair was messier than usual, moving in directions only patterns of sleep could create. Arms resting at his side, I felt myself smile down at him. Like I said before, even with it being the day after so much shit happened, I was just happy to be waking up beside him. I knew though I needed to keep my mind busy today - like with those files....
Yes, today was surely going to be a big day. Lets hope it goes smoothly enough without someone trying to kill us this time.
Sighing, I raised a hand towards my head and ran my hand through my hair, pulling it back a bit as I slowly began to move. Moving the covers from over me, I swung my legs from the bed and over the floor. And when I stood up... I felt something rather strange. When I stood up from the bed, I felt sore. Which made no sense because the only thing that happened to me yesterday was that I was tackled a few times to the snow. Damn... if I was sore from that, I can't even imagine how Luke is going to be feeling when he wakes up.
And I didn't want to be the one to wake him. He needed his rest. So that's why I left the bedroom as slowly and quietly as I could. When I walked down the hall, I noticed I heard nothing - and Shannon's bedroom door was shut. I could only assume after a late shift that ended late in the morning that she would be sleeping. Which was more than fine with me. Because even though I like Shannon, I didn't want to face her. I just didn't want to explain to her what happened when I'm still trying to get it through my head. And what better way to have peace and quiet than cooking breakfast.
That's right. Before another crazy day starts, I wanted to make breakfast. Breakfast for him, I should say. He deserved it and I loved taking care of him. So I would take advantage of this and the fact that I woke up first. I could just tell he was so exhausted and sore... he needs he rest. But when he does wake, hopefully I'll have breakfast done for him. After all, the dude went through hell yesterday, as did I, and in all honesty, it would just feel good to cook for him once when he usually is the one that always does it.
When I opened up the fridge though in the small kitchen, I noticed it may be a harder task than I thought. No eggs, like I planned on making. My eyes, still blinking the sleep out of them, searched the rest of the cool fridge. And nothing that said 'happy breakfast that will actually taste good' screamed at me.
Groaning, I closed it and when I looked elsewhere, I had better luck. I found a package of sausage in the freezer and when I checked the small cupboards, I found pancake mix. God yes. Heaven. Though I was making this for Luke, you can bet I'll be stealing some food away from him.
By the time I got the sausage sizzling on the stove, I let my thoughts consume me. The entire time I was cooking too. It all came back to me too. So vividly... especially the guy that was over me with that knife. Trying to slash it down on me. I stopped him and held his arm up and not a second later did Luke shoot him. He shot a lot of people. And all I could think... was how much he is suffering. I honestly began to ponder over whether we should forget about everything today - the files, Clare, talking to the ones that did live and were arrested. I knew we could handle it but it's not good to just let what happened pass by us as equally as every other insignificant thing that has happened. This deserved my thought, more importance, and most of all, my time to deal with it.
When I got to mixing the batter and found a pan for it, I started to cook the pancakes with the sausage. Pouring just enough in the pan, I couldn't stop thinking about it. He deserved a break. After the mental hospital, I had a couple days just to relax at home. That seemed short enough but if we don't get any time to let this process at all, it would sting. It would make Luke feel guilty. That he shot them then the next day, it was back to work. If we could just stay here.... My thoughts began to revolve around that.
I don't know how much time passed but even by the time I was finished with the sausage, shutting that burner off, I felt more determined to take care of him. In any way I could. Sighing, I slid the pan to another burner that wasn't as hot and continued with the pancakes. I flipped the fourth one I made onto a plate where the steam it produced reached us in the air and overwhelmed me. Glancing over to the clock on the yellowish walls, I noticed that it was 2:45 now. And it was clear too. The mid afternoon sky and sun shined in through the little window above the sink that was adjacent to where I stood at the stove, cooking. With the sun lighting up part of the room, the floor, and partially my back, I felt it warm me. After all, it was a worn down looking place and very drafty. Not to mention, I was still in my same shirt I wore before as well as my jeans. I was cold and the heat of the food I was making helped as did that shining sun.
With no more than the hissing sound of the pancakes still cooking, I flipped the fifth one over and since done, picked it up with the spatula and placed it on the big plate next to the stove with the rest of the finished pancakes.
It was at that point where I heard something from behind me. Of what sounded like footsteps coming down the hall. And when I looked behind me, and towards the table and chairs where the entrance was next to, not a few seconds later did I hear those footsteps get closer and come into the kitchen.
I groaned the moment I saw him come into the kitchen. He took two steps into the kitchen before he stopped to look at me. But those few steps towards me I noticed weren't too steady. He still had a limp and I could see that the moment he came in the kitchen, his fist was clenched as was his jaw. Yes, very sore. Still surrounded in pain. I hoped the magic of food could help. Of course, I wanted to surprise him instead of having him get his ass up and wobble to the kitchen.
"Cooking breakfast?" he asked from where he stood across the kitchen from me. His hair being a mess, I noticed he put more of his weight on the one leg that didn't have the stitches. He was still hurting, obviously. I wished he was still sleeping when he wasn't tense like this. His bare stomach and chest were tight, muscles beneath his skin putting pressure on his body. The bandages scattered, they stopped at his sweat pants that were tied at his waist. And if he wasn't as pained as he was, I would be openly appreciative of his looks. Right now, I was just worried - and mad.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, concerned first. I was worried this whole time really.
"I'm okay," he nodded. "Sore but I feel okay."
After I looked him over a moment more, checking to see if that was the case for my eyes to see, in the next moment he spoke again. "What did you make?" he asked, indicating the mess and the smell of deliciousness behind me.
I groaned at the reminder of breakfast. "It was suppose to be a surprise, dummy," I sighed, setting the spatula down and just as I was about to go to him, I saw with his smirk on his face growing, him come closer. I was dumb enough not to stop him but I couldn't; my eyes were focused on him, his body, walking like he was and trying to determine how bad it was. But like before, his body was still tense, he had that limp, but when he moved at normal speed, it wasn't too bad. It could have been much worse.
By the time he came to stand in front of me, I saw him relax - just slightly. Looking down into my eyes as I looked up at him, all he did was shake his head slowly. Eyebrows dipping at seeing the food I was cooking, he narrowed his eyes when they reached mine again. "I don't think it's very nice to call cripples dummies," he said in a immature tone, purposefully I'm sure.
"I know," I mumbled, pursing my lips. "It's your fault though. I just wanted to surprise you with breakfast. Well now, you blew it pal. I'm going to be eating some of it!"
He chuckled under his breath, amused but also looked happy to hear I made breakfast for him. "You're very sweet. Cooking breakfast for your man. I'm turning you into a housewife already."
I bit my lip, just happy he was willing to be playful with me. I was afraid he was too hurt, too distracted by what happened, and too conflicted. I knew he was. I knew he was all of those things. But it was nice to see that he put it off, even if for just right now. Probably because he needed to right now.
"Who says your my man?" I said, crossing my arms and smirking. Breaking my eyes from him, I turned around and back towards the stove, picking up the spatula and getting back to the pancakes. Smiling, I felt myself warm up even more from his presence. "And if you ever call me a fucking housewife again," I threatened, keeping my attention in front of me. "I'll make you my bitch. Permanently."
"Well," he said, as he came to lean his back against the cupboard next to me and the stove. Seeing him in the corner of my eyes, I saw his eyes were on me and mine met his for a moment after putting the finished pancake on the plate behind him. "I say I'm your man."
"Really?" I asked, pouring the rest of the batter I mixed in the pan, the new quick sizzling reached the air. "I don't know... if I had a man, I think he would kiss his girl good morning. But that's just my opinion," I smirked, teasing him.
And just like I thought he would, I felt his arm grasp mine from where I stood at the stove and try to pull me over to where he was leaning into the cupboard next to the stove. But before, he could do so, I protested through my laughter. "Oh no. I don't want to kiss you anymore. You proved yourself unworthy."
"If I was your man," he said, letting me go as he offered me that flirting smile. I couldn't help but smile back, even though I tried to stop myself. "I would kiss you whenever I want. Not when you want."
"Then I'll file your ass for sexual assault, officer," I said, glancing to his eyes and raising my eyebrows in wait, wondering what he would throw back at me.
"Then we will be even," he put simply, making me laugh and shake my head as I looked back down to the smoky goodness in front of me. Flipping the last of them and putting them onto the plateful of them now, I shut the burner off. Grabbing a plate for the sausage, I returned to the stove and he next to it, still smiling at our 'goodmorning' to each other.
More seriously a moment later though, Luke spoke, "You honestly were going to surprise me with breakfast?"
"Yes. Shocked?" I asked as I moved the sausage from the pan to the paper plate, putting the pan back down on the stove when I was done.
"No. It''s just... affectionate," he said, reminding me of what I said last night, what I told him. That I couldn't be affection like he was towards me. It made me blush to be honest as I continued to stand there by the stove, watching him after I set the plate down of sausage on the counter, everything officially done.
I didn't say anything to that. Instead, I moved more towards him where he was leaning against the cupboard, his hands propped up on the counter. His eyes shined in mine as he watched me move more towards him. And though he was hurt, when I was close enough, he stood back up straight before me and let himself support himself. Looking down to me, I didn't wait to push my lips up and to his, kissing him sweetly, a small smile still on my lips.
Without touching each other, in any way besides our lips, it made it somewhat more special. That being the only link to depend on at the moment. I didn't want to touch him either since he was really hurt and though his hands did eventually come to rest on my hips, I was so lost in his lips nothing else mattered at the moment. Not even the sound of approaching footsteps from down the hall because we didn't even hear it.
My lips moving in his softly, the next moment that came hit me like a pitcher of ice water pouring down my body. "Well, I think you owe your sister here a confession, Luke. Just protective, huh?"
His lips ripped away from mine instantly and I spun around hastily at Shannon's voice behind us. My heart jumped, so much so that I felt almost sick for that little fraction of a second. My eyes wide, on hers, and my jaw dropping, I assumed Luke's reaction was close to the same. When I saw her, my instinctive job was to figure out what she thought. She saw us and now she had that as an advantage if she didn't like the fact that we were together.
God... she fucking saw us! Of course, we were more willing to risk it here than at home with Clare around. Still though, she was sleeping and we didn't think she would be getting up anytime soon. Our own fault in that judgment I guess. Because there she was, staring at us. Her arms were crossed from where she stood a few yards away across the kitchen. I couldn't read much from her face though. Kind of blank, which didn't help my nerves at all. I felt the sensation of tremors run through me quickly before it faded. And all that was left was fear.
However, as she just continued to look at me then behind me to a frozen Luke too, she finally showed something.... A small tilt of her lips rising. Nothing more. But it was enough at the same time. I felt a small sliver of relief enter me and when she spoke, I wanted to hug her for not being anyone else but herself. "Well, all I can say is Francis is going to be pissed I found out first."
"You're not upset?" I asked without thinking.
"I'm curious," was all she said and wasn't sure to think of her words. When she glanced away from me and to Luke, her eyes searched his more thoroughly. Glancing for the first time up and behind me, I saw he didn't look as panicked as he stared back at her. But he was good at hiding things like that if he really tried. Looking back to Shannon, her eyes met mine and when nothing else progressed here, she finally sighed and moved towards the table. "Alright, get your breakfast, make me a plate, sit down, and talk," she said simply, turning and taking a seat at the table. That's exactly what we did.
***
I was scared. For a number of reasons. First being the obvious: I didn't want her telling anyone. Second backed up the reason she just might and that was because she might think what is going on between Luke and I is disgusting. She was older than Luke, nearing her 30s, and someone that age... might not be able to look at someone around her age wanting some teenager. Like she was looking at her brother. She had to think this was wrong, especially the age thing. Nine years isn't much when you are talking about two adults. I was still a kid though and with myself not being as close to Shannon as I am to Luke or Francis, I think she saw me to be somewhat of a kid. However, the first thing that left her mouth didn't have anything to do with age.
Sighing, looking between us at the round little table, she was the only one I noticed able to eat. Luke and I, despite being quite hungry, couldn't handle eating right now. She could; she wasn't the one that had everything put on the line because of the person in front of her. All I could do was hope she would be okay. I figured so but she wanted to talk first, which I was very thankful for.
"Before I say anything, I want Albany to know..." she said, directing her attention to me. I swallowed as she went on. "That whatever I have to say is not meant to offend you as a person. Do you understand?"
That didn't sound good. With a nod of my head to go along with the shakiness of my body, I let out a strangled, "Yes."
Sighing, she looked to Luke. She didn't waste any time either. Glancing to him, his lip bit and waiting, I saw the fear in him now. But more so was the need to know what she thought. "I have known you have been crazy about Albany. I could just tell. And I wasn't quiet about it exactly with Albany either. But I need to know right now Luke... is this rebound?"
I flinched at that word and to think it being applied here... wasn't just insulting to me. I knew she didn't mean it to be because she just wanted to know the truth. But it was just that it could be possible I knew. I've thought out it, to be honest. I wasn't stupid. But that being said, I also wasn't stupid enough to go for a guy that would be looking for anyone to get him through his destroyed marriage. Glancing to Luke, I knew that hit a nerve with him right away. His body was bruised, he was hurt... but he didn't look anywhere near exhausted after she said that. His eyes were wide and filled with serious outrage. "Did you honestly just fucking ask that, Shannon?"
"I'm just checking," she defended. "I know you well enough to know that you aren't the type to do that. But... you just came out of a failed marriage, no matter the reasons. And technically, you are still married. You're going to tell me that has no effect at all on this?"
"Clare is Albany's mother. That is the only connection left," he took a deep breath, looking across the table to her in sadness. "I'm not heartless over my marriage. I loved Clare and was ready to spend my life with her. It hurts - it still will to know the truth. But that has nothing to do with wanting to find someone else. I didn't want to," he said, looking between Shannon and I as I listened intently, drawn in and curious. I knew he hurt, was still hurting, but it was interesting hearing it this time. "I didn't want to... be with anyone after a failed marriage like that. I couldn't help it though," he told Shannon. "Do you understand that? Do you know how many times I've tried to stop it before finally giving up? I couldn't help it. I wanted her and..." he shook his head, looking down. "I know how it looks. A man victim to a failed marriage goes to a teenager not long after... trust me, I know how it looks! But nobody will ever understand the amount of pain I went through, Albany went through, to get to this. I don't expect you to understand Shannon. But understand who I am and try to go from there!" he said, staring into her eyes, his brows furrowed. And though I was so concerned with Shannon, what she thought and what she was going to do, my eyes remained on Luke. He hit me hard with those words because he never said that, never showed the power he put behind resisting, never showed how he knew this looked wrong. And he is still with me.
I felt loved by him. He went through so much and like she brought up, he and I were together now months after that marriage failed. Not long at all. It would suggest too many untrue things... like he was hurt and just looking for someone to fill Clare's spot. That this was rebound. At that though, I needed to speak up.
"And if you understand Luke, try to remember who I am. I am not stupid, Shannon," I put carefully, tense and not able to stop my hands from twining together in my lap. "I wouldn't be with Luke if I thought he was with me because he was hurting over Clare."
I was shocked what she did next for the fact that it looked as if she wasn't liking what was going on between Luke and I. But when the silence filled the air with nothing but her looking between us, she smiled again, a genuine sweet smile. "So how long have you two been together?" she asked and I raised my eyebrows at the curious tone. Nothing menacing, nothing judging.... rather even excited really.
Luke spoke up, looking to me before to Shannon. It was weird to start with - to talk about us being together with someone else. This seemed even stranger because it was such a casual-like question. I could tell Luke wasn't use to this either. He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling slightly before looking to where Shannon took a bite of sausage.
"Um, well, after the mental hospital really."
She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. I expected a little longer than that."
"Like I said, I tried to stop it. Until it just coudln't be stopped," he said, pursing his lips and taking a deep breath. It was clear he wasn't comfortable talking to his sister about this, who just found out and who we didn't even know was okay with it yet.
"Are you going to tell anybody?" I asked, needing to hear it. I didn't want to talk anymore when I figured she already made up her mind on how she felt about this. I held on to my breath and waited, not knowing what I would do if she said she would tell others.
"No," she shook her head, her tone calling me ridiculous for even asking. "Why the hell would I do that?"
"Um, because it grosses you out? You don't like it? Don't want your brother being with me?"
She scoffed. "I don't have an issue with it," she shook her head, giving me a supporting smile that let me finally let out all of the relief I had been hoping I would feel. "Do I think it's weird? That you're a little young? Yeah. But Luke is happy and I like you a lot, Albany. I don't have a problem with it."
"R-Really?" I asked, feeling a smile grow on my face and I heard Luke chuckle from beside me lightly at my beyond shocked voice. However, I couldn't tear my eyes from Shannon.
"Yes!" she smiled but it dimmed with her next words. "However, mom and dad are a different story," she said, looking to Luke. "I doubt they would be as supportive as I have been."
"I know," Luke nodded sadly, looking to me as he explained the issue with his parents. "They love you Albany. They really do - as a daughter. Not as someone I am involved with romantically."
"I understand," I nodded - and I really did get it. If I was Jan, I wouldn't have been supportive just because of how young I am and that I am his wife's daughter. That would not fly with them, one bit. I knew that and respected it. I knew where they would be coming from. And it hurt knowing that it needs to stay hidden from them. But it was what was necessary.
"Good," Shannon said, pushing away her empty plate while we didn't even touch ours. Glancing between us then finally resting her eyes on Luke, she spoke. "Now that that is cleared up, tell me what the hell happened to you last night."
***
It was... weird knowing someone else knew about us. Sure, Francis knew we had feelings for each other. But he didn't know yet we were together, even if he keeps insisting. But this time... someone actually knew. She caught us. And that put me on edge even more, the thought of anyone else catching us. Francis caught us kissing, twice, but we were together. This was different. And strange feeling to say the least.
However, I pushed it to the side of my mind because we have more important things to handle. Like the files. We finally got to look through the files. We warmed up our cold food, ate, then went right to work after we told her everything that happened last night. So now, since Shannon decided to go to the store to get some more medicine for him; her being a nurse, she knew of another medication that would help too. So while she was gone... we decided it was time to go through those files. And god knows how much this would change things. We both knew it - just not the extent.
Sitting at the kitchen table after I changed his dressing and got the files from the bedroom, Luke was sitting next to me. And then, with the two dirty files side by side on the table in front of us, we both knew it was time to start. With a deep breath and fingers crossed.
"Okay," he licked his lips, looking between the two closed files. "Which one do we start with first?"
I thought it over for a moment. "The sheriff's. After all, his file was all we wanted in the first place. Clare's was just there with his." And I was about ready to know why. First though, I wanted to know if Francis was right and if the sheriff is involved in the all the drugs.
He took a deep breath and nodded, pulling the sheriff's file towards us. Sitting close beside each other to see what was in it, Luke opened the file and the first paper had to deal with basic information, I saw. His name, birth date, color of hair, eyes, parents, where born, race... all that obvious and boring shit. However, there had to have been something here. After all, under that one paper was a huge stack of other papers on the sheriff. Now all we need to do is go through it all.
"Okay," Luke said, running his thumb over the side of all the sheets. "You take half, I'll take half," he said, grabbing what he estimated to be the middle of the papers and grabbed them all from the file, setting them out on the side on the table. With the other half in the file, I grabbed the rest of the stack and brought it closer to me.
Sighing, I knew this would take a long time. When we began to go through them, and found them to be useless to us, we would put it in a big stack, in a pile between us. And that's honestly what a lot of it consisted of. Reading then putting it in that pile. Nothing much thus far. I found medical records as a kid, then as a teen... found school information, contact information, some family, his time he spent in college, his training as an officer... normal things you would come to expect. It seemed to have went in order. First as a child, then gradually moved year by year into his teens. Up to his time in college... then, I hit his mid 20s. It took a good hour until I got to it. But when I did get to that point, things started to get interesting.
The next paper to go through looked like every other it seemed. I was already sick of doing this. It's only been over an hour and my eyes were sore and everything was too quiet since all we were doing was reading. But... this particular page caught my attention.
"Luke?" I asked. It was the first time anything has been said in half an hour or so I assumed.
"Hmm?"
Looking up to him from the paper, I met his eyes that were wondering in mine. "Do you know of anything... crazy he did when he was in his 20s?"
He pursed his lips, thinking about it for a moment, before he finally shook his head. "I don't remember him ever telling me anything." His eyebrows dipped more in curiosity. "What did you find?"
"Apparently, he was involved with a woman that was later arrested for something that had to do with a crack house? Like a drug bust maybe? There isn't much because he wasn't involved with it, just her, or so it says."
I handed him the paper and watching him as he looked it over, his eyes were fast I noticed. Reading over the paper until his narrowed eyes fashioned a raised eyebrows. I knew he saw what I was talking about. "Uh, I... assume that it means she was apart of this crack house. Either way, she was arrested because of drugs," he said slowly as he continued looking over the paper. A statement of an almost possible suspect for he was involved with her. But he was never found to be a part of that even though I would assume he was. If his girlfriend was into drugs, he should have at least known about it.
I wasn't sure if this could support anything. Regardless, it was the start of a new pile - for information that was important to us. After that, we got back to reading over more about him. More documents, doctor statements... blah, blah, blah.
It wasn't until I felt Luke beside me tense that I knew he must have found something that surprised him. I was nearing my stack and so was he. Now, I was thankful he possibly found something. Looking over at him, glancing to the paper he held before him and was reading, I glanced back up to his face. His eyes were wider, lip bite down, and free hand clenched hard against the table.
"What is it?"
He scoffed. "We got him," he said quietly, handing me the paper. At hearing his words, I could feel my heart beat a little faster and I could only imagine what it was he found. And under the dim kitchen light, I read what it was he found. As I did, my eyes grew wider.
A police report. Holy. Shit. "Smuggling..." I gasped, shaking my head. "What?" I read he was arrested for smuggling weed and 'other substances' through ports. He was arrested with a couple men for it and though that was information enough to make me satisfied, I continued to read on. My eyes seemed to have gotten wider. "He... dealt and did drugs." I looked up to Luke after I put the piece of paper down, staring up at him in disbelief. He didn't seem to believe it either - or rather was having a hard time accepting it. His eyes resting on mine were distant in his thoughts, his lips tight in bitter anger and shock at finding what we did. "How the hell did he keep his job?! Become sheriff?"
He just shook his head, looking down at the table. "I have no idea. He was young when this happened though. And after, he apparently got cleaned up. I suppose he could have. I think this was before he even bothered to become a cop. It's possible...."
"Well, now we know Francis wasn't wrong. He is involved with the gang, he must be!"
"We still don't know to what extent, in what way, or how," he said.
I sighed, placing the sheet down with the other one. Looking back up to Luke, I exhaled deeply, trying to put together what we could do with this. We were building evidence of Clare. It was about time we have evidence to hopefully put this shit to rest with the gang. Of course, Luke thought the complete opposite.
"Do you know what this means?" he asked me in a scared voice.
"Yeah, we finally got shit to hopefully stop what's going on."
He shook his head. "It may seem that way... but really think about it," he said, shifting more in his chair towards me. Resting his hand on the table, the other a fist that was tight at his side, I was confused by his reaction.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Albany, there is a fucking sheriff in on this. A sheriff. Who can control a mass distribution if he tried hard enough. Who can make it possible so these assholes can't be caught. He can warn them if cops are coming, he knows what the cops know and what they don't, and he can tell them anything he wants. This has to do with the big picture of the business, not us. He knows they want us dead but his concern is the money and drugs. But even if he isn't an obstacle personally, he is when you consider these fuckers have been getting away with this stuff for months and it's probably because of him. Because he 'miscalculated' where the gang is or 'didn't send enough officers in to inspect'. This goes all the way up to Sandusky too I bet. And with him involved, he can cover so much of the smuggling, we can't determine how big this is anymore."
I took in what he said and saw the big picture. How huge this was. How bad it really could get. He was so involved, he must be if he has the power to cover up that much, to let them get away.... It might not have anything to do with us but he effects the people that want us dead. "Could he be... in charge of this whole thing?"
He thought it over for a minute, searching my eyes. "It's possible but I don't think so. I think he is in charge of this region right now."
"How can we stop him?"
"Well," he sighed. "We can't right now. All we have is past records. We don't know how involved he is, I'm just saying all this, is possible and he can do if he is involved - which I assume he is since that's what Francis got out of those kids. We need more. And it will be very hard. Our main issue right now though isn't him. He's a factor but he doesn't care about us dying. It's those pathetic kids that want you dead after what happened with Mark and with how upset they are getting that I keep killing them. And I don't know how to stop them. I'll be honest I don't know."
"That's okay," I nodded, hearing his voice rise in anger at how much more complicated things got. It gave me a headache, plain and simple. And I knew this was the last thing he needs. "We will figure out how to stop this. At least we know one source of the issue, even if he isn't that involved."
Luke swallowed and nodded. He ended up shaking his head in pain. "I just... I just don't know how much longer this must go on."
"Well," I said, grabbing his tight fist and slipping my hand. "I'm sure we can find a way. We have Patrick behind bars. We have that other guy too. Alive. We're going to talk to them today and it's the best thing that could have happened right now. We will figure this out and eveything's going to be okay."
He nodded, taking a deep breath, slightly twitching this time at the pain it brought his body. He paid no attention to it though. His jade eyes, appealing in mine, he said nothing for a minute before finally speaking through the air between us. "I know. You're right. The sheriff didn't help anything but your safety and mine can be determined through what those fuckers tell us at the station."
I nodded, and gave him a small smile. "See? Exactly."
"One more thing determines this whole thing. All this fucking drama," he said, looking from me and onto the table. My eyes followed his and reached the unopened file we still have on Clare. And we knew with certainty that in that file was going to be some pretty crazy shit. We knew it. We knew this would change things. Everything.
"Ready to look through it?" i asked.
"NO," he shook his head, chuckling slightly at that. I scoffed too... because I knew how true that was. So much shit... all at once. Yesterday seemed like weeks ago compared to the shit we were uncovering now. Too fast... my thoughts while making breakfast came back to me.
"Do you just... want to not do it today?" I asked, looking down in pain at seeing how much this bothered him. And lets be honest, it wasn't like I was finished processing everything that happened, let alone what we just discovered of the sheriff. "Luke, we've been through so much. And those files have been in there for a long time. We can wait, you can rest, and we can just take in everything that happened first before introducing this. Because you and I know... how much this is going to change things."
He sighed. "I know. I don't want to know what's in that file. I didn't want to know about the sheriff. I don't want to know what those kids are going to tell us at the station. Because I'm afraid to find out how much further away our freedom is from all this bullshit!" Giving a shaky sigh, he rubbed the side of his head before glancing back to me. "But we need to. We need to. I'll be okay. and if you don't think you will be, you don't have to be hear when I go through it."
I shook my head on instinct. No, we were both going to do this. No matter if I can get whatever is in there through my head or not. "I'm with you on this then," I nodded, glancing towards the file. "It was nice knowing this reality while it lasted," I said as I pulled Clare's file towards us.
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Couldn't edit this much. Sorry.