AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shultzon smiled pleasantly. Dex wanted to smack the grin right off him.
“Of course. What would you like to know?”
Dex narrowed his eyes. “Just like that?”
“I like you, Dex. You’ve been so good to my dear boy, Sloane.”
Another psychopath telling him they liked him. Wasn’t he the popular guy? Shultzon’s gaze went to Sloane, his smile reaching his eyes.
“You’re looking well. No more impromptu shifting?”
Sloane didn’t reply, though Dex could see how hard it was for him.
At receiving no response from Sloane, Shultzon turned his attention back to Dex, his smile never leaving his face. “What can I do for you, Dex?”
Stay calm. Whatever you do, stay calm.
“Why did you have my parents murdered?”
“Your mother—has anyone told you how much you look like her? Same blond hair, soft lips, and beautiful eyes.” He let out a soft laugh. “She used to get that indignant look as well. Oh, and her smile. Radiant. Brightened the room the moment she stepped into it. Stunning woman.”
Dex folded his arms over his chest and slowly paced. He couldn’t let Shultzon get to him. It was what the man did—he picked and scratched at the scab, tearing off a little more each time before he viciously yanked it off, leaving a bleeding, gaping wound behind. All with a smile on his face.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Dex stated.
“Ah, yes. Well, your mother’s most admirable qualities were what sadly led to her downfall. Certain plans were put into motion. Plans I had hoped to make her a part of. She was incredibly sharp, tenacious, and so very clever. Such a strong woman. I was eager to have her at my side at the facility, and I will admit it clouded my judgment. I fed her morsels of information. My error in judgment was swiftly revealed, and it became clear she would need to be removed from the equation.”
Removed from the equation. To a five-year-old Dex, his world had come crashing down around him. To the man before him, he’d simply eliminated a problem.
Dex swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. “Keep going.”
“Gina decided to investigate. Techniques I assume she learned from her husband. Not only was she an excellent medical officer but very talented at reconnaissance and collecting intel. This fierce sense of justice appears to be a Daley trait. Both your parents were painfully righteous. Your father was a pioneer of Therian rights. As you can imagine, that didn’t sit well with many at the HPF, but still, they loved him. It was his sense of humor and his passion. They would have been so proud of you.”
Don’t you fucking dare, you piece of shit. “You said she was collecting intel. You’re talking about the file.”
Shultzon nodded. “I had her under constant surveillance, her phone calls intercepted, her office tapped. She was exceptionally careful. Never spoke a word to anyone in public. Not even her husband. I informed my superiors, who foolishly underestimated her. That’s what their sexism got them.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “It wasn’t until information began to get misplaced that they became anxious, and one evening there was a breach in security at the office. A file I’d locked away was stolen. It was scheduled for pickup, so I believed it was retrieved. When the special agent arrived the next morning, I knew that wasn’t the case. Something had to be done.”
“What was in the file?”
“Enough to incriminate a good number of high-ranking government officials. The First Gen Research Facility, along with several other proposed projects, might have been my creation, but their conception and everything associated with them were signed off on by those with far greater influence than myself. After all, the fund
ing had to come from somewhere. There were also recordings. Sessions including several high-ranking officials with names and voices clearly documented. I kept everything on record. When dealing with such potentially volatile projects, there was no telling what the results would be. I’ve worked with the government for most of my life. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s scapegoat. Nothing was executed without authorization, and I made sure to document it.”
Shit. So his mom collected information on whatever was really going down with Shultzon at the CDC Registration Office, along with whatever was in the works. Shultzon said she kept it from everyone, but would she have really kept something like that from his dad?
“And you just left this information out there for anyone to find?”
Shultzon stared at Dex before letting out a bark of laughter. “Out there? My boy, do you honestly believe I simply left this file lying on top of my desk? In a flimsy filing cabinet or on a bookshelf? Tapes filed in my desk drawer? The CDC Registration Office has a hidden room with a vault. It’s not on any of the floor plans. Several security measures were put in place to secure a room that technically didn’t exist.”
Shultzon leaned forward, his eyes bright, as if he was excited. Dex flexed his fingers at his sides.
“Your mother not only found that room, she managed to disable all of our security measures. She even broke into the safe. No one suspected a thing. She took everything.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Dex shook his head. His mom had been a highly accomplished medical officer. She’d been clever, resourceful, but skilled enough to do everything Shultzon just said? “She was good, but you make her sound like she was some kind of secret spy or something.”
Shultzon’s gaze went to Sparks before darting away.
“What was that?” Dex looked from Shultzon to Sparks and back. “What was that? You looked at her. Why did you look at her?”
