Page 4 of The Last Shadow

She nods eagerly. “Yes. He was great and trust me, after a few months in the system you learn to identify them easily.” Her gaze flicks back to the photos and she points out a few other guys, but other than Zeke none of them are victims. Yet. “Sorry I can’t be more helpful.”

I hurry to comfort her. “You’ve been extremely helpful, Miss Kinney, I assure you.”

Her green eyes widen in fear. “Am I safe?”

I can’t deceive her, so I merely shrug. “The only victims so far have been male, so we have no reason to think you are at risk.”

Laurel swallows hard and nods. “Okay, that’s reassuring. Thank you. Is there anything else?”

I shake my head. “Do you recall anything else from your time at Hope House?”

“Not really. There weren’t many girls at the group home, so I mostly kept to myself until the social worker came to tell me that my parents had finally gotten their act together. Again.”

I slide more photos across the table. “Are you familiar with any of these women?”

Her gaze lands on Jane, Sara and a few others but she shakes her head. “I saw them around, but we were all too afraid to really get to know each other.” Laurel points to a girl in the photo. “That girl right there is Jane, Michael, or Damien’s sister. She was very artsy. Liked to do crafts and paint.” Her phone chimes and sheleans back with a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I need to pick up my twins from daycare.”

I nod my head, jotting down notes from her interview. “Thank you, Miss Kinney. You've been a big help. If you can think of anything else, please give me a call. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant a detail, it might be incredibly helpful.”

She nods and licks her lips. “Wish I had more. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Thank you for coming forward. It’s been really hard to get people to even admit they lived there.”

“It wasn’t exactly the best place to admit you lived in, especially back then. I know they saved me from my parents for a while, but it was a shit hole.”

“Thank you for all your help,” I say and stand to open the door.

Laurel rises, slinging her purse over her shoulder. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’ve got to run. They charge me for every minute I’m late. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

Laurel’s not the first person to imply that there was more going on at Hope House than the paperwork shows and I’m not sure what to do with that information. What does it mean?

Systemic neglect and abuse or neglected kids lashing out at the system that didn’t actually look out for them?

I need to uncover the truth. She’s the first one to identify the man in the picture as Damien, and I wonder how many others will confirm it.

Regardless of where it takes me.

CHAPTER THREE

Damien

Lately, I’ve been so wrapped up in my own chaos that I’ve forgotten to properly acknowledge my sister—and my technology—both of whom deserve a little more attention.

I stroll into Serenity House with a smile on my face, looking like a loving brother without a care in the world and honestly, I have very few. Frankie is in a vulnerable state, exactly where I want her after the fire that destroyed her home, and my technology is working better than expected.

What more could a man ask for?

Oh, I know. Revenge. Pay back. Justice.

I stop in the doorway of Olivia’s room to see that the doctor was right. She’s doing much better than the last time I saw her. My sister is sitting upright in her wheelchair, smiling as she gazes at the ocean in the distance. “Olivia, hey.”

Her eyes light up with surprise as she turns to me, and I feel a flicker of surprise myself.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” I lean in and grasp the back of her wheelchair. I navigate through the hallway and out the door, pushing the chair down the winding path until the ocean is in view and we can feel the breeze on our skin. “Your progress is incredible. How does it feel?” I can hardly believe this is the same girl who’s been silent, absent and still for all these years.

Her lips twist into a smile, and I think she’s feeling pretty good about herself. It’s a pleasant change from her usual silence. Her color is better now, and she seems more alive. It’s hard to believe this is happening. Finally.

I take a seat on the bench at the viewpoint and absorb the splendor of the day. And Olivia.

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