Lifeless (Book II)

Unraveling Truth

Chapter Nineteen

Max burst through Alex's office door, his face holding a dark expression and in his hand the morning's newspaper. He slapped it on his desk making Alex jump a little from the sudden action. His best friend grew a confused expression as he reached to take hold of the paper. There on the front page the horrific photograph of him walking out of the morgue stared back at him.

"What is this?" he asked, there was great alarm behind his sapphire blue eyes. Max in return finally gave up standing and took a seat facing Alex. He sighed, his fingers raking over his feathery brown hair. There was anger behind Max's soft brown eyes.

"I'm sorry,  Alex, I really am." Max said, there was resentment in his tone. He knew the moment Alex found out about it he'd be getting his head bit off as well. He observed as Alex's stern gaze swept over the headline and the article itself. And then all hell broke lose.

"What!" Alex exclaimed rising from his chair. The desk chair rolled back until it hit the large expensive fish tank behind his desk. The large tub of water gently rattled from the impact. Max half expected the thing to crack but to his fortune it didn't. The water stilled once again and the fishes continued on swimming.

"You have no idea how guilty and shameful I feel, Alex. I'm so sorry, you warned me not to hire the guy and I went and did anyways." Max tried to explain.

"Max, please don't tell me Hue had something to do with this," Alex hissed. His eyes blazed and his face flushed with anger as his fingers gripped the newspaper in his hands. He began to pace, his shoulders grew stiff and his posture rigid. Desperation began to reek from Alexander as he cursed under his breath.

"I don't know." Max honestly replied. He wasn't certain but he'd go through hell and high water to find out what the hell was going on. He was determined to make it up to Alex any way he could.

Max rested his face into his hands showing complete shame and guilt over the entire mess. Alex eyed the front page flipping it over there on the second page he found  a picture of  Victoria as well. He sighed and slumped back into his chair thinking of a way to clear this entire mess. He was more than certain Hue wanted money for all of this.

"Look, don't even worry about it; we'll hire someone to watch your back." Max offered.

"Do you know what this does?" Alex asked throwing the newspaper on the desk.

Max nodded already knowing what Alex was going to say.

"This gets in the way of me trying to find out what really happened to Vicky," Alex growled slamming his hand on the desk at the same time.

"Alex try to relax okay, I'll get this sorted out."

"What if Vicky saw this Max, what is she going to think of me now?" he sighed.

"I really am sorry Alex." Max apologized.

"Just when I get answers to my suspicions this comes and bites me on the ass!" Alex growled.

"What suspicions?" Max asked.

"I went to the morgue this morning...I lost my nerve I know I shouldn't have threatened the old guy. He confessed to have rigged the DNA test. Vicky didn't die in that wreck. Grace's father made certain to give his own DNA passing as a damn relative of the family. Her parents never found out because they were too much in grieve to care. He paid off the mortician, Max. Fifty grand." He confessed.

"Holly mother of God Alex, you have to take this up with the police now. You've got proof that this scumbag is definitely hiding something!" Max said feeling excited.