Page 27 of Set In Stone

My head whipped away from the computer screen to faceAlexander.

“What!” I exclaimed. “What does he mean aboutmurd–.”

He held up his hand to silence me oncemore.

“No. I told you to keep reading. You can ask questionslater.”

I looked back to the monitor, but questions were racing through my brain at a breakneck speed. I pushed them aside and focused once more on thetext.

Mac Owens: You have my attention now, Mr. Andrews. Goahead.

Charlie Andrews: I knew that would do the trick[laughs].Haven’t you ever wondered about my dear old ex-brother in law’s parents? My ex-wife’sparents?

Mac Owens: I was never able to find anything on them. Not a name, not an address. What can you tell me aboutthat?

Charlie Andrews: You haven’t found anything because you’re looking in the wrong places. You should start with the old projects that were torn down some years back. You know, the ones that were replaced with low-income housing. That asshole was behind thattoo.

Mac Owens: Behind what? Who’s anasshole?

Charlie Andrews: I just told you. Aren’t you listening to me? The projects. They were torn down by my ex-wife’s brother, Alex. Said it was for charity or some shit like that. It was a crap excuse. I knew why they were torn down. He didn’t want there to be evidence of what Justinedid.

Mac Owens: Themurder?

Charlie Andrews: Ah, now you’re finally learning. Yeah, the murder. She killed her father. She was just a kid, but she did it. She told me herself a few years ago. Apparently, the old man came home in a rage. He was a big drinker. Justine hated talking about it. But she told me. She told meeverything.

Mac Owens: How did she killhim?

Charlie Andrews: Shot him. Just like that[snaps his fingers]. Right in the stomach. The sucker never stood a chance. The way Justine described the blood, he probably bled out in a matter of minutes. Maybe it was deserved. Hell, I don’t know. If he really did kill his wife, maybe that was hispunishment.

Mac Owens: Wait, you lost me there. What about hiswife?

Charlie Andrews: I don’t know the details about that. Her body was never found. At least, I don’t think it was. I only know what Justine told me. The father came home, stumbling around, saying that he killed her – the wife I mean. Justine and Alex’s mother. He told Justine that nobody could protect her anymore. Said Alex couldn’t save her either. Called him a weak little pussy. Still is if you askme.

Mac Owens: So, he came home drunk and said he killed his wife, Alex and Justine’s mother. What year did thishappen?

Charlie Andrews: I don’t know. Justine was about seven or eight. Practically a baby. I like em’ young, but not thatyoung.

Mac Owens: What do youmean?

Charlie Andrews: He came at her. Started touching her in all the wrong places, if you know what I mean. That’s when she shothim.

Mac Owens: Then whathappened?

Charlie Andrews: That’s when things get kind of fucked up. All secretive-like. You know that guy who’s always with Alex? Hale something or another? His bodyguard, I think. I don’t know what his title is, but he looks like he could snap a man inhalf.

Mac Owens: I know the man you’re referring to. What can you tell me abouthim?

Charlie Andrews: He was real close with that family. He’s a military guy. He was home on leave when it all happened. I think he did something to cover it up. Justine’s mother remained a missing persons case. The murder of the father went unsolved. Hell, there’s not even a murder scene left to investigate since Alex had the place torn down. It’s all one big coverup.

Mac Owens: Mr. Andrews, this is quite the tale. I’m not saying that I don’t believe you, but I’ve dug into Mr. Stone’s past. I’ve never come across this. Do you have proof? As you can imagine, the story of an unsolved murder case connected to someone as influential as Alexander Stone would be easy tofind.

Charlie Andrews: Like I told you before. You’re looking in the wrong places. His name isn’t Stone. It’sRusso.

My vision became hazy. There was more, but I couldn’t focus on the remainder of the interview as I tried to comprehend what I was reading. A million thoughts swamped my brain in waves, before the sound of a roaring tidal wave filled myhead.

Justine knew what happened this wholetime?

Had Alexander known? Did he not tell me the wholetruth?

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