The Silence | ✔️

18. I

"He wasn't a good man, Arian."

I took a deep breath. This is what I had been hoping for. I wanted Aiden to tell me that he was murdering someone who deserved it. But I also wanted him to convince me that I hadn't seen anything at all. I wanted it to be a dream that I woke up from. Perhaps I had too much to drink at dinner. But instead he managed to convince me to hear him out.

We sat in Maddie's living room on the couch and I was tucked up with my knees against my chest. I felt self conscience. The hoodie and sweats were far too big for me and my hair was frazzled from being dried with the blow drier. Aiden sat a few feet from me with his elbows on his knees. It was starting to feel less and less like I was in danger but he sort of just looked. . . like a stranger. I felt as though I didn't know him now.

I hated it.

Maddie was in the kitchen with Cameron. They gave us some space but I think that Maddie knew I didn't want her going too far. It seemed ridiculous when I thought about it. She obviously knew something. They all did. I should have felt unsafe in a house full of murderers and accomplices. But the more shocking fact was that I still felt safer here, than I did at home with Desmond.

"That man," Aiden continued with his brows furrowed. "He's a child molester. He was released on bail about two months ago and I've been watching him. We received confirmation that he was in contact with a thirteen year old girl via the internet and planned on meeting up with her tonight. She was under the impression that he was fifteen. He's raped younger before and he would have done it again."

I felt repulsed. The notion was sickening. But still. "If you knew these things, why not take it to the police?"

He turned to look at me with confusion. "The police are the ones that let him go. Our justice system is fucked because these powerful business men can literally throw cash and connections around and get off without consequence."

I understood that. More than he knew. It was one of the reasons that I was so afraid to turn Desmond in.

"You wouldn't believe how often it happens," his jaw fluttered as he clenched his fists. "One dirty worthless life in order to save who knows how many kids from being traumatised forever. Doesn't seem like it's a comparison worth arguing about."

I didn't think that he would be able to have me seeing his reason. But I did. If the justice system couldn't keep children safe. Someone had to. "So you do that a lot?" I swallowed. "You're a hit man?"

He chuckled a humourless laugh and shook his head. "I prefer not to put a label on what I do. But in case you were curious, I do actually run a repo organisation. It's how I'm able to afford the staff and technology that I use for my—"

"Night job," I filled in, nodding. He nodded and I took a deep breath. "So Maddie and Cameron know? I mean, when did this start?"

"Yeah, Cameron started working for me as an assistant when he was just out of highschool and needed the extra cash. He sort of stumbled upon the truth like you did. He took it well though. So did Maddison.

"As for how it began. Well, I suppose when I was young. It started off with a lot of bar fights when creeps were being forceful on woman and that sort of thing. But I was about twenty two, my dad had died a couple of years earlier and Mom was seeing someone. He seemed great. But Zee told me one evening that he'd snuck into her room and raped her while Mom was asleep. I had never felt rage like that before. So I acquired a gun and I shot him.

"We never told Mom what happened. She just thought it was a car jacking gone wrong. It stemmed from there I suppose. I found staff that I could trust and wanted to help the cause. But don't get me wrong. It's not a thrill for me to take life. It doesn't make me feel good. But knowing that a handful of children could be freed from experiencing that trauma is the payoff. I just wish that I could stop them before they had the chance to touch one child."