RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 39

•SHAWN•

The next morning was a breath of fresh air. My family had finally stopped treating me like I was made of glass, and it felt amazing. Breakfast was peaceful, and for once, nobody hovered over me, asking if I needed help.

The atmosphere at the table was lively, filled with chatter about Shay's upcoming wedding. I caught up with my parents and felt proud of the newfound normalcy in our home. Everyone was smiling, and it was a welcome change.

Just as I was enjoying this moment, my phone buzzed with a call from Josh. I excused myself and went outside to answer.

"Hey, what's up?" I greeted him.

"All is well, brother. All is well. I told you my guy is good."

I was intrigued. "Really? Did he find something?"

Josh chuckled. "Not just something, but everything. There's some shady stuff going on, Shawn. You need to see the pictures and information he gathered."

Excitement washed over me, and I glanced at the pool cleaners working nearby. 

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

After ending the call, I hurried back inside, grabbed my suit jacket, and informed my family about leaving. They looked surprised, but I kissed my mom on the head and promised to see them at dinner.

Rushing to my car, I drove to Josh's office, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation. I handed my keys to the valet and practically sprinted inside. Waiting in the elevator, I couldn't help my excitement.

Finally reaching Josh's office, he stood up with a brown folder in hand.

"Is that all?" He nodded, flicking the folder my way.

"Yep. You might wanna sit down for this."

We settled onto the couch, and he handed over the brown folder. My hands trembled as I took a deep breath and opened it, reaching in to extract its contents.

"Turns out, your buddy Connor O'Kelly was drowning in debt that he owed to some dangerous people," Josh said, his voice low.

I pulled out a bundle of papers and skimmed through them; Connor's bank statements spanning two years.

"My P. I did some digging. It narrows down to two major drug cartels in town that Connor owed big money to."

I looked at Josh, my brows furrowing in disbelief.

"Drug cartels?" He nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Big shots, mafia, gang leaders – you name it. I don't know how Connor got tangled up with them, but once you're in their world, there's no easy way out."

My mind reeled. What had Connor gotten himself into?

"So, how does this connect to what went down in Hawaii?"

Josh's expression turned grave, and he sighed heavily.

"They hired a hitman, Shawn. Primarily for Connor, but you and the others got caught in the crossfire."

My heart plummeted, and my throat tightened. I couldn't fathom what he was saying.

Someone was paid to kill Connor?

I understood the collateral damage, but the idea that someone would pay to end another person's life struck me as unbelievably cruel. Were there truly people that heartless out there?

At least my instincts were right. It wasn't a mere accident – someone was pulling the strings behind all of this.

I ran my hand over my face, needing a moment to process the weight of the information. My heart ached as I turned back to Josh.