Page 84 of Joey

Harmon sighed, looking down at the floor before meeting his gaze again. “Finger marks in various places on his body. Straight lines on his back.”

Joey’s vision clouded. “Finger marks where?” Harmon shook his head, and Joey stood. “FINGER MARKS WHERE?”

Ethan held him back, but Joey shrugged him off, moving closer to the detectives. He stared at them both, waiting for an answer. Keith crossed his arms.

“Jaw, neck, forearms, thighs, ankles and…buttocks,” Keith finished.

Joey closed his eyes, knowing exactly what had been done to Elliott for him to drink enough to be trashed that night. To want to leave earlier than normal.

To not want to stay in the world any longer.

Joey swallowed repeatedly as he wandered the room. Heat built inside him, and he raked his fingers through his hair, scratching at his scalp. His throat closed as he tried to keep it all inside.

“What about Robert?” Ethan asked.

“We have no evidence of him taking part or being part of it,” Harmon said.

“As usual,” Keith added. “He keeps his hands clean, sending others to do his work, no doubt. We’ve had nothing we can actually pin on him.”

“Please tell me you have enough evidence to convict and jail Grey?” Joey said, his voice straining through his wrecked throat.

“We do.”

“Can I just ask one thing?” Ethan said, and Joey glanced at him. “What made you take another look at Elliott’s death? I know you said the bruising had come to light. Why wasn’t that noticed earlier?”

Harmon cleared his throat. “We were given a tip-off from an anonymous source that the autopsy report wasn’t…complete.” He fidgeted and sighed. “Basically, the coroner was remiss in detailingeverythingthat he should’ve. When we found out, he provided the full report but refused to say who had paid him. It was only when Detective Hines connected the dots between David Thurl and Grey Kennedy that we took another look at the coroner, and he admitted it was Grey who had paid him. Another thing we’re adding to his charges.”

Joey shook his head, the fight gone out of him, leaving tiredness in its place. “Will you please see if Grey will answer one question for me?”

Keith narrowed his eyes. “We’ll consider it.”

Joey exhaled. “Ask him why he wanted Elliott’s name on his back.”

Keith nodded. “We’ll see what we can do.”

Joey barely noticed when they left, standing at the window and staring into the street but seeing nothing. He didn’t jump when Ethan slid his arms around him.

“It’s a stupid question, but how are you doing?”

Joey swallowed. “I feel like he’s been taken from me all over again. But at least this time, I have someone else to blame rather than myself.”

“It was never your fault. Elliott wouldn’t have wanted you to know what happened to him. He was protecting you.”

Joey leaned his forehead against the cool pane. “Maybe. But not knowing was worse than knowing what he went through. I want to kill Grey—with my bare hands—but I have a feeling he’ll get his comeuppance. I doubt Daddy dearest will take too kindly to being arrested. After all, Robert has evaded the police for years. Grey obviously doesn’t come with the same strength of genes.” As he spoke, his body released the tension, and he twisted in Ethan’s arms to face him. “Thank you for being here.”

Ethan smiled, though it didn’t sparkle in his eyes like it usually did. “I’ll always be here.”

“I’m going to call Polly and ask her to get in touch with her contacts about my statement.”

Ethan nodded. “I’ll be right beside you.”

Five hours later, he stood outside his shop, Ethan by his side, and faced the gathered reporters. He’d changed some bits of the speech once they’d returned to the apartment, his newfound knowledge needing to be mentioned in passing, even if he couldn’t directly.

“Thank you for being here.” He glanced at everyone and exhaled. “Elliott Kennedy was my best friend. Some of you have been asking why I haven’t spoken out before now, and my answer is this. My grief is for me and Elliott alone. I do not have to share it with anyone if I don’t want to. That being said, I would now like to offer you these words.

“Elliott was an amazing person and friend. Anyone would have been grateful to know him. He was passionate about so many things in this world. So many charities he wished he could help. So many causes he tried to assist. But he was mainly passionate about his family and friends. They meant the world to him.” Ethan’s hand rested on his back, knowing what was coming.

“Family is a big word. It doesn’t have to encompass just blood relatives. My best friend was part ofmyfamily. But you don’t have to include relatives at all. I know Elliott had at least one person he would’ve now wished were not included in his family legacy.” Those words caused a rumble through the crowd, but he ignored it.

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