Page 137 of Fracture

Flea lifts an eyebrow and folds his arms over his chest. “Oh yeah?”

“Have you been watching the news? Kept up with the case?”

“Your case?” His face remains neutral, and his shoulders jerk in a little shrug. “I guess so. A few details keep filtering through.”

“And are there any details you think are missing?”

Flea’s poker face is award-worthy. His expression doesn’t shift an inch. He simply gazes at me, the corners of his mouth turning down for a split second before another nonchalant shrug twitches at his skinny shoulders.

“I have no idea. You tell me.”

“In the seizure of Levi’s family property, the police recovered a diary, with appointments in it.” I look out the window at the late afternoon sunshine, illuminating the slowly changing leaves. “Those appointments pertain to some abuse I was forced to endure.”

“Well, you’re right, that hasn’t been mentioned at all.”

I look back at him with a bitter smile. “That’s right. But you and I both know they have it.” I take a step closer to him, hugging my arms around my waist. “You’ve seen it, right?”

Flea scoffs. “What makes you think I’ve seen it?”

“My stepmother wasn’t stupid. She would have never kept only a physical copy of that book. She had those details elsewhere, and since you’ve most certainly hacked every bit of technology this family possesses, I know you’ve seen it.”

I keep my eyes locked on him, as though I can draw the truth out of him if I just look at him long enough. But it doesn’t even take that long. Flea’s shoulders slump, his hands falling from his chest to be tucked into the pockets of his ripped jeans, his gaze dropping from mine as he sighs.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs, shaking his head. “I’m so fucking sorry that all happened to you. It’s was so… so wrong.”

“Thank you. It was.” I take another step towards him, dipping my head a little to try and meet his eyes. “I need that list, Flea.”

His head lifts and he gives me a side glance. “What are you going to do with it?”

“What I should have done years ago, but I was always too scared to do.” I shrug and shake my head. “I know that Dylan and Levi won’t let this go, and I think you knew that, too. Which is why you never handed that list over, right?”

Now I have surprised him, and the poker face is gone. His eyebrows shoot up, underneath the tousle of dark hair covering his forehead.

“I just… I didn’t want…” He breaks off, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck.

“You didn’t want Dylan getting hurt.” I finish for him, and give him a warm smile. “And you knew he would, if he went after all those powerful men. That’s why you framed Michael Gray, for what happened at the house that night.”

“Hey, now…” Flea pushes off the door, putting one hand on his hip and gesturing to the air with the other. “I mean, I’m not admitting anything, and you’re a lawyer you know-”

“I’m not here to get you in trouble, Flea, that's the last thing I want.”

He puffs out a heavy breath. “Dylan’s, you know, he’s alright. I was a kid in prison, I was barely 18. He looked after me, you know? I mean, look at me.” He gestures to his lithe torso, and hacks out a laugh. “I was an easy target, but he made sure no one bothered me. He’s a good man.” Flea’s voice is heavy with admiration. “And good men make mistakes. I didn’t want him to make another one.”

“So you kept that list to yourself, huh?”

“I guess so.” He tucks his hands back in his pockets, nodding his head slowly. “I don’t feel right keeping it from you, and I think you’re tired of all of this. If you really want to end it, do this the right way, then I’ll give it to you.”

“That’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“Good.” Flea moves to his bed, crouching down to pull out what looks like a military footlocker. He spins the dial on the padlock until it flips open, then reaches into the brown metal box. He withdraws a CD and a thumb drive, getting to his feet to hand them both to me.

“Don’t laugh,” he says as he waves the CD in my face. “These might be outdated technology but I like to be careful and back things up every way I can.”

I hold my hands up with a smile. “No laughing here, promise. I appreciate this.” I take the thumb drive and the CD from him. “I just want this all to be over.”

Flea sighs heavily, and squints at me. “You think it will be? I mean, if you name these men, don’t you think it’ll make things worse for you?”

“You know, I don’t know.” I put the items in my purse and turn back to face him. “But I’m done living my life like this. These men deserve to be punished, and if the police won’t do it, I’ll force their hand.”

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