Chapter Sixty-Eight
Lee shut the water off and took the towel that Kelley held out to him. Lee wrapped the towel around his waist and Kelley looked at the scars scattered across his chest and back. He felt new anguish for his friend and knew that no matter what, Lee would not go down for murder, not if he could help it. He would do everything in his power to protect Lee from this.
“He walked into the warehouse like it belonged to him. I recognized him instantly. He wanted money because I sent him to prison.”
“Bastard.”
Lee hung his head forward and took a deep breath as he sat down on the wooden bench that lined one part of the wall. “He asked me if I had children he could meet, Kelley. I snapped.”
“You’ll be okay, Lee. I promise you. I’ve got you.”
“I killed him, Kelley.”
“And you rid the world of a monster. You deserve a medal, Lee, not judgement. Get the extra suit you keep in your back office here and go home. I’ve got this, okay.”
Lee stood up and grabbed Kelley in a hug. “Thank you, Kelley.”
“I’d do anything for you, Lee.”
Lee walked out of the locker-style bathrooms to his back office and Kelley picked up his bloodied clothes and shoes. He walked back to where Connor now stood with three black bags next to him and a large puddle of blood on the floor.
“You’ll always have my loyalty, Kelley, but I need to ask you something.”
Connor’s eyes were sincere and Kelley knew what was coming. “If I can answer you, I will.”
“Did he deserve it?”
Kelley didn't once breake eye contact with Connor. “Nobody’s ever deserved it more.”
“That’s all I need to know. He’s in the bags, I’ll dump him on my way to the house.”
“Connor …”
“You don’t have to say it. Veglia, remember. I’d go to war with you and for you, Kelley.”
Connor disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a multitude of cleaning products. Kelley took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. He and Connor got to work and cleaned up the bloody crime scene.
Kelley and Connor went their separate ways and Kelley headed straight back to the house. He showered under scalding water but he could still smell blood an hour later when he stood in his study looking at Connor who had just walked in with his hair still wet.
“Lee always seems so controlled.”
Kelley emptied his scotch glass and refilled it. “I was waiting for something like this.” Kelley lowered his head as Connor helped himself to a drink.
“I need to know, Kelley. Did I do the right thing disposing of that body and burning Lee’s clothes?”
“Keith Munroe was sent to jail along with his wife for the torture and abuse of their son. Lee was found in a cage in their basement when he was twelve. He spent most of his life in that cage, starved. When they did feed him it was mostly dog food. He spent weeks in the hospital for infections, malnutrition and treating his wounds.”
“That was Lee?”
Kelley nodded his head and sat down on the sofa rubbing a hand over his face. “Lee has his demons but I won’t let this man haunt him. He’s worked hard to have a normal life, a life with Marella. I’ll stop at nothing to make sure this never gets out.”
“He stabbed the son of a bitch over thirty times. I’d say he got rid of some pent-up rage.”
Kelley smiled briefly and glanced over at Connor. “Sometimes we have to dirty our hands, Connor. I see it like this. In order to plant a seed you need to dig up the earth. For truth and justice to conquer you need to dig deep to get to the bad.”
“The problem is in how far you’re willing to go, how dirty your hands will get.”
Kelley mulled that over for a few seconds before answering him. “I’ve never made myself out to be a saint but I’m nothing like them. Everything I do is with a purpose, every decision I make, every drop of blood that gets spilt is for the greater good of everyone.”
Kelley and Connor’s heads both snapped towards the study door as it was yanked open and a breathless Blaire stumbled inside with a thick folder in his hands. He stopped short as he saw Kelley and then leaned down with his hands on his knees as he tried to control his breathing.
“Shit … Kelley … the rabbit hole …”
“Rabbit hole?” Connor frowned as he looked at Blaire.
“That deep, huh.”
“Shit’s getting real, bro. Your head’s going to explode.”
Kelley stood up from the sofa and took the folder from Blaire’s hand. He walked back to the sofa and started thumbing through the pages. He looked up once at Blaire as he read the information on the pages. It was worse than he thought.
“Blaire, are you absolutely sure about this?”
“Shit, Kelley … I don’t play when I’m Alice.”
Connor looked stupefied as he glanced between the two men. Kelley’s fists tightened around the folder and his eyes blazed with fury. He placed the folder down on the coffee table calmly and then threw his glass against the stone fireplace.
“Motherfucker!”
“What the hell’s going on?” Connor stood now too and looked at Kelley.
“The hotels are a front, everything’s a front. Charles Alexander is the devil himself.”
Connor grabbed the folder from the coffee table and Blaire shuffled his feet, looking almost afraid as he dared a look at Kelley.
“Prostitution, drugs, money laundering, guns … what the hell is this man not involved in?”
Blaire cleared his throat. “He’s made the Alexander name like a crime syndicate family. He has his people and they own Meadow Lake, Longview Bay, Yorkdare Bay and the east coast of Meson County including both cities on either outskirt.”
“We need to be careful here.” Connor looked at Blaire and then at Kelley. “Kelley.”
“I’m thinking.”
