Chasing Redemption (Book 2 of Chasing Series)

Ten | New updates

Thomas' parents can't make it into the meeting today. Not physically anyway. 

I'm staring at the laptop, listening to Davina discuss their son's case. Both parents sit behind the screen as I watch Thomas fidget in the chair in front of me.

Perspiration drips down the side of his forehead and he wipes it away quickly when he catches me watching. I pretend to be focused on the door behind me instead, like I was never really looking at him at all. 

Davina pushes the laptop to the side, clasping her hands on the desk as she turns to Thomas. 

"I'm not going to lie to you," she begins. "This is going to be a complicated case. So far the police have no other suspects and they don't have any witnesses after Dex was seen leaving the train."

Thomas gulps, nodding his head solemnly as he looks toward his feet. His hair flops in front of his eyes and for a moment, I wonder if I'm seeing his tears. 

"But that doesn't mean we aren't going to work extremely hard to find who really did this," she says sternly. "I want to go over everything again. To see if you left anything out."

"I didn't," he says, agitated. "I told you everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes," he says, breathless. "I did."

Davina makes a noise of disapproval deep within her throat. I watch her from my periphery, wondering what she could possibly know. 

"I think you've forgotten to mention something vital, Thomas," she says. "Something rather important."

I watch how his parents turn to each other through the screen, like they can't quite believe their son could ever lie about anything. 

"Do you know who this is?" Davina produces a photo, moving it across the desk towards Thomas. 

My stomach completely drops. It's Xavier. 

"Does he look familiar to you?" she says. 

Thomas stares at the picture for a very long time, like he's deciding on whether or not he should tell us what is going on. 

"He used to babysit me. When I was younger," he whispers, looking away from the picture.

"Who did?"

"Braxton."

My blood runs cold. I reach for the picture, accidentally tearing the corner from my sudden force. I can feel all eyes on me. 

"This isn't a picture of Brax," I snap, before clearing my throat. "It's Xavier."

I'm not sure why I'm suddenly so defensive. It's as though I don't want anyone to say a bad thing about him after all that he dealt with last year. Even if it doesn't mean much to defend him now. 

Thomas asks to see the picture again. Davina has to forcefully remove it from my hand because I'm so lost in thought. I can feel Thomas give me a strange look, like I've lost my mind. 

"Oh yeah. Maybe," Thomas nods. "He had a twin so I'm probably just getting confused."

"So this image is Xavier Patridge?"

"Yeah. Must be."

"Why do you think I would possibly show you this image, Thomas?" Davina cocks her head and fear runs straight down my spine. I'm glad I'm not the one at the end of her firing line. 

"When was the last time you saw Xavier?" 

Thomas shrugs. "Probably when I was ten? I can't remember. Occasionally I'd see him because of Brax, but I barely knew him."

"So you haven't been in contact with him at all since you were ten years old?"

"Yes."

"So it's just a coincidence that he was seen driving only one kilometre from the crime scene despite living on the opposite side of town? You don't know anything about that?"

Thomas pauses and it's clear that he's lying before he even has the chance to deny it.

"No, I—"

"I can only help you if you let me, Thomas," Davina says. 

"Thomas?" Mandy Lancaster calls through the screen. "Did you know this?"

"No," he says sternly. "No, I haven't seen Xavier in years, alright? I don't know why he would be there."

"Why were you so sure the image was of Brax?" Davina says. 

"Becuase— because I knew Brax better than I ever did Xavier. I forgot he had a brother."

"So you have no knowledge as to why Xavier may have been driving through the area the same time you were getting off the train?" 

My brain is beginning to hurt. I can feel my temples throbbing like they've heard too much already. 

How entwined my life was becoming with the Patridge family terrifies me. No matter how I had tried to escape, it was as though a part of me is always being held back. 

"I don't know!" he snaps. "I don't what you're trying to imply either. I hardly know the guy, alright?" 

"Okay," Davina says calmly. "Maybe that's enough for today, then?"

"Sounds good to me," Thomas mumbles, rising from the chair and leaving the room wordlessly. 

Davina says goodbye to his parents before I finally get to tell her everything that I'm thinking.

"Have you known about this from the beginning?" I ask. "That Xavier might be involved?" 

"No," she shakes her head. "It was a new development this week. But when I found the potential connection between Thomas and Xavier, I became... concerned."

"Concerned?" 

"Why was he driving through that area, Rhea? It doesn't look good for him either. Are you still in contact?" 

I almost think about lying, about not wanting to involve myself in this mess any more than I already am. 

"Yes," I say. "I've seen him a few times since I got back."

She leans forward in her chair, tidying a few pages of paper nonchalantly. "Off the record, if you can see if you think Xavier may know anything at all that can help, it would be much appreciated." 

I raise an eyebrow at her and she shrugs her shoulders. "I've been dealing with people like this for a long time. Someone they trust is often the person who can get the truth out of them."

I'm suddenly reminded of the day Casey told me what he did. I push the image away, shaking my head. 

"You want me to get closer to Xavier so that I can tell you if he's involved? I'm not sure I feel comfortable—"

"You don't need to lie about it," she waves her hand in the air. "Even ask him straight up. See what he has to say."

I look down at my lap, questioning the idea. 

"I'll think about it," I say. 

Once we part ways, I find myself daydreaming on my way out into the carpark. I'm completely lost in thought as I try to find my car keys. 

Someone coughs nearby, despite the parking lot being completely deserted. I turn around on instinct but no one is behind me.

I can feel someone staring. They're boring a hole into the back of my skull. It's as though daggers are being cast on me, but no matter how many times I turn around, no one is there. 

I feel the sudden chill of goosebumps begin to consume me. I know something isn't right. Someone must be watching me. 

I don't know what the hell is going on, but I can't help but feel that maybe I'm not as safe as I thought. Maybe someone really is still out there, wanting to hurt me. 

I run the rest of the way to my car and I don't bother looking back again.