Crazy but Sweet, Sweet but Crazy

30: tales to tell

Richard Lockwood had attempted to undermine the credibility of Elliot's words and actions.

Shortly after Richard had followed Elliot into the washroom, Elliot had emerged in a ruffled state perfectly corresponding to Richard's claim that his son was imagining things, unstable.

After that, Elliot had passed me a note, one containing an instagram username and password of his own account, and another, the username of Nicole Romano's account.

From the timing and sequence of events, something had clearly happened between the two in the washroom- something that prompted Elliot to go for a method of quickly pulling public attention to the dubious circumstances surrounding Richard Lockwood and Michael.

"Elliot Lockwood on Instagram? You'd get millions of followers within a day. Millions you'll be able to send a message to within seconds, via a post, an Instagram live, or a DM. It'll be the best...protection you can get- even better than the police, in the short run. You know where I'm getting at, right?"

He'd remembered my words. What had prompted him to go for the method of wielding social media as a weapon against his father? What had happened in the washroom?

Nicole's DM came, as I logged onto Elliot's account.

'Hi, Clare. I've decided to speak up. A few days ago, a man with a gun came into my house and threatened my family- my husband, and my child. I used to think keeping quiet would keep my family safe. I realized they'll never stop.

'I'll show them that threatening my family was a bad move- not even once, but twice. But I want to make sure my family stays safe. That's why I agreed with Elliot, that I'll show myself to the public.

''He's hired personal bodyguards to protect my family- he promised me I won't have to pay the price of testifying.'

"It's okay. I'll deal with Nicole Grady's situation for now," he'd said.

Sitting in a cab heading to Ian's home, I re-read Nicole's message, again and again.

At the end of the pitch black cave that had been the past three years, there was light, a faint light, but one that showed there was an end to this cave.

"Three years ago, Dyan Grady, secretary to Michael Horan the CEO of Horan Holdings, had testified in his will that he was guilty of assisting Michael Horan in various acts of crimes, such as offering bribery to government officials in exchange for special favors, coercing freshly debuted actresses into relationships with executives for generating additional revenue and corporate relationships, funding of a child pornography and drugs business in the undergrounds."

I sat in my bedroom numbly staring at the red-headed YouTuber in his mid-twenties speaking to his subscribers and millions of other viewers.

"Dylan Grady was found dead in a garage, and his death concluded to be the result of breathing in carbon monoxide.

"He confessed in his will that CEO Michael Horan- after Lockwood Co. CEO Richard Lockwood found out about these doings, refused to work with Horan Holdings and attempted to make him confess to the police, Horan in turn tried to frame Lockwood with fabricated evidence of his involvement."

The YouTuber's voice rose, and a small vein bulged on his temple. A small spittle flew out of his mouth.

"Although there were multiple confessions by Horan Holdings employees, the submission of a voice recording that alluded to Horan's responsibility for the suicides of the actresses, there was lack of solid evidence of his involvement.