much that I’m afraid that trying to stop my father will shatter it.
When I walk into the bedroom, I find Shepherd asleep on the bed.
“Shepherd, I’m done,” I say.
He mumbles something, but he’s out, so I cover him up and climb under the blankets. I lie awake for nearly an hour, my mind racing about what is right and what is wrong. What I should do and what I shouldn’t.
Eventually, I slip out of bed and head into the spare bedroom where Dave keeps his computer. I wake it up and see that he’s already logged in, so I open the internet browser and search my father’s name. There are plenty of articles up about me, but nothing new. I search Tony’s name, but again, nothing of interest.
When I close that tab, I notice Dave’s email is up and right at the very top is an email from someone. What draws my interest isn’t the name—I don’t recognize it—but the amount of emails sent. I click on it and read the most recent one.
Dave, I don’t know what’s happening, but you’re not replying. Did something happen? Tell me your location.
I scroll up to one before it.
I’ve tried calling five or more times just this morning. Are you in trouble?
I scroll up to the last message from Dave and read it.
Micah, we need to talk. I might have something for you. I have two young men who believe they have something on William Oliver. This is some dark shit, Micah. They’re talking police involvement, murder, and Tony Warren. We need someone of higher ranking or nothing’s going to get done. Here’s my new number, contact me when you can.
So Dave contacted the man but when the man returned his calls and emails, he never replied. He just told us an hour ago he still hadn’t heard anything.
An orange bar flashes at the bottom.
New message from Micah.
I click on it before pressing reply.
Me: This is not Dave. This is one of the men who has the information on William Oliver.
I don’t know what else to say so I leave it at that and press send. He instantly replies.
Micah: Is this Killian Oliver?
I hesitate but if he has a chance of helping us, what’s it matter anymore?
Me: Yes. And you are?
Micah: Federal Agent Micah Harris. Is Dave safe?
Me: Yes, he’s been here all day. He told us you weren’t replying to him.
Micah: After his first email there has been no reply. I thought something happened to him. We have snooped into your father and Tony for years, but we could never get anything solid on either of them. Do you have something that would help us bring them both down?
I hesitate because I don’t know this man. I don’t know if I can trust him. Obviously, Dave, who I trust more, was refusing to respond to him.
Micah: Are you still there?
Me: Yes. How do I know I can trust you if Dave doesn’t?
Micah: Dave trusted me enough to reach out to me. I don’t know what made him keep from responding. Someone might have threatened him or gotten to him first. But you have nothing to lose by telling me information.
He’s right. What do I lose if I just talk to him? He already had Dave’s information and is aware of who I am.
Me: Fine. If this is legit and you can actually do something, I’ll only give you this information if you can keep the man I’m with safe and from going to prison.
Micah: Who is it?
Me: He’s one of Tony’s bodyguards, but he only worked for him because he had no choice.
Micah: I’m assuming this would be Shepherd Taylor, the man who your father is claiming abducted you?
Me: Yes. He’s a good guy. I need him to stay safe. My father will also try to pull me in on this, but as long as Shepherd’s safe, I’ll help.
Micah: If you have the information you claim you do, I’ll do my best to keep you and Shepherd out of it. Let me give you my number in case we get disconnected.
I don’t have a phone, but I jot it down anyway. And then I tell him what I know about the bodies, about the weapons, about Tony, about it all.
Micah: You said you had some pictures on a flash drive. Can you send them to me?
It’s hard trusting a man you’ve never met, so I decide that I should see what Shepherd thinks. I get up and quietly make my way into