AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, no. The boy should have sought help and gone to the police.” He wasn’t sure if that was the right answer, but he did know that was the answer that society expected everyone to give.
“And would that little boy have gotten the justice that he deserved after suffering all that pain for all those years? All the late-night trips to the hospital, all the broken bones and scars. Would having the man arrested equal justice for that little boy?”
Chase sat there for a moment, glancing between both men, wondering what he would have done in that situation.
The waitress returned with their drinks and food.
Alex’s eyes lit up when he saw the delicious cheese and gravy mound sitting on his plate. He wasted no time in plunging face-first into the heavenly meal.
“Honey, don’t forget to breathe while you inhale that heart-stopper,” Marc joked, eyeing his husband, who had suddenly abandoned his arm for a plate filled with heart-clogging toppings.
Chase didn’t blame Alex for his reaction. There was a reason that Canadians were addicted to poutines. All that delicious, gooey cheese and gravy…
“Okay, let me put this another way. Suppose you were aware of a man who was raping and killing innocent women but was allowed to continue to walk the streets because his political father was in the midst of brokering a multi-billion-dollar deal with the Canadian government. Would you sit back and do nothing? Or would you take matters into your own hands and seek justice for these women?”
Panic filled Chase. How did these guys know about that investigation? That was one of the last cases he had been working on before he was fired from the force. It was also the breaking point for him. When he went to his superiors with evidence of the crimes, they had reassigned the case to another officer, where it magically disappeared from the case files. He could never prove it, but he knew that his bosses were helping to cover up the crimes at the request of some very powerful politicians.
Perhaps justice is only served when you take matters into your own hands.
“It’s been six months since you drafted that report, and nothing’s been done, has it? How many more women has Mr. Pontis killed since then?” Marc asked, eyes locked on Chase’s.
“Zero,” Chase said, eyes narrowing.
While his bosses may have made the case disappear, he couldn’t just sit back and let a monster walk free. So, he did what he could. He continued to monitor Mr. Pontis’s activities, knowing that if he ever suspected that a woman’s life was in danger, he would gladly jump in and rescue her.
In another, not-so-normal act, Chase had turned to the dark web. He posted a note detailing Mr. Pontis’s actions and asking if anyone had any suggestions on how to take this man down covertly. Most responses he received ranged from calling the police to murdering the man himself. The last one, he had actually contemplated, and had he had the means to dispose of the body and get away with the crime, he would have.
“Correct. My hubby over here…” said the blond with a long string of cheese hanging from his chin. “Saw your note on the dark web and decided to do a bit of investigating of his own,” Alex noted, smiling and wrapping his arm around his husband’s. “My stud muffin drained the man’s bank accounts, had all his father’s business deals suddenly stalled, and posted a little note on the campus website revealing that Mr. Pontis had recently been treated for gonorrhea and that any previous sexual partners should go get tested. This, of course, kept the female population away from engaging with Mr. Pontis. And where is Mr. Pontis now?”
“He died a month ago. Electrocuted while changing some faulty wiring in his home.” Chase picked up his beer and took a sip.
His lips stopped once they touched the rim of the glass. He stared at the blond, who was smiling like he had just swallowed a canary. Lowering his glass, he asked the question he really didn’t want an answer to.
“Were you guys responsible?”
Marc lifted his own beer and took a sip. “Baby steps, my little foot soldier.”
The mysterious man reached into his jacket and passed Chase a thumb drive. “On this are several other monsters who have not been served justice because the system has failed their victims. Most have gotten off on technicalities in court, even though it was clear as sin that they were the ones who perpetrated the crimes. Once you have reviewed the files and have had a chance to think about whether you want to help bring evil men to justice in a world crafted to protect criminals, give me a call.”
Chase’s phone beeped.
“That’s my contact information,” Marc added with a smirk. “We’ll be in town for the next two days, so let me know by then.”
Marc flagged down their waitress. “On second thought, can we get these nachos and fries to go?”
“Sure thing,” the woman said, grabbing the plate out from under Alex’s sad eyes and giving him a wink. “I’ll package these up for you and pass them to you at the bar.”
Thanking the woman, Marc turned his serious face back to Chase.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harwick. I hope you decide to join our little crusade. I could really use a man of your talents,” Marc said, extending his hand to Chase.
“Wait. What was the point of coming all this way if you guys aren’t even going to stay and eat?” Chase asked, confused once again.
“Alex wanted a drink, and I wanted food. Plus, our hotel is only down the street. So, thanks for the ride home, I guess.” Marc gave him a smirk as he slid out of the booth.
“He might seem rough, but deep down, he’s a teddy bear,” Alex said as he slid out of the booth, downing the last of his mojito and smiling back at Chase. “Hope you join our team.”
Chase watched the two pay for their order and leave with their food. This had to be one of the strangest interactions he had ever had with someone.
