Chapter 59
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Kain
My friends and I sat inside Godfrey’s office, reviewing the information we’d all collected regarding the murders from various parts of the country. All the murders had similarities tying back to Hawthorne, but he didn’t do it alone. He had a lot of help.
“He had his followers carry out similar murders,” I said. “Probably trying to confuse us by changing up little details.”
“Why weren’t these in the news?” Godfrey stared at the enormous TV screen that showed the data from our laptops.
Hudson rested his elbows on the table, tenting his fingers. “Maybe the officials in those towns were paid off to keep it quiet. It’s happened before. Look at our case back then. The news barely talked about it.”
“Do you have the names of the officers who lied to us about the deaths of Hawthorne and his men?” Timber asked.
I clicked on the shared file, splashing it onto the screen. “Three officers, a detective, a lawyer, and a judge.”
“I’ll take care of the three officers.” Godfrey’s jaw tightened.
“Hudson and I can deal with the detective, the lawyer, and the judge.” Timber looked at Hudson. “Their lies let these crimes continue. They knew what happened to us, and yet they looked the other way. People like that deserve punishment.”
“They had massive deposits in their bank accounts back then,” I said. “Thanks for looking into this for me, guys.”
“We’re all in this together, remember?” Godfrey asked.
I clicked back to the data chart showing the murders. Newton provided an extensive list dating back twenty years, spanning several states around the West Coast. He then used it to cross-check what the boys had uncovered.
“The dead bodies from Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada held bouquets of daisies, tulips, and hydrangeas.”
“The Midwest had dahlias, lilies of the valley, and peonies,” said Godfrey.
Hudson highlighted his section. “I’ve got tiger lilies, yellow roses, and sunflowers for the Southern States.”
“The Northeast is orchids, purple roses, and bleeding hearts,” I said.
“Do you think Hawthorne made them pick a different flower for the various locations?” Timber asked.
“Maybe,” I said. “The victims held flowers regardless of their gender.”
“A lot of bodies were never identified.” Hudson crossed his arms. “I can’t believe Tony has been killing for Hawthorne all these years.”
“He didn’t seem that evil back then,” Godfrey said. “But people hide their true characters.”
“I think something in him broke.” I leaned back in the chair, lifting a shoulder. “It’s hard to understand why people do what they do. Maybe after working for Hawthorne for so long, he absorbed the darkness.”
“I’ve got a team out looking for Tony and Hawthorne,” Godfrey said.
“They can’t hide for long.” Hudson clicked and unclicked a pen.
“We won’t find Hawthorne soon.” Timber pursed his lips. “But as long as we take down his business, he’ll be forced to show up.”
“Make sure you have extra security for your homes and businesses,” I reminded them. “Better safe than sorry.”
All the phones on the table buzzed except mine.
“We’re taking Harry out to eat and catch up.” Godfrey grabbed his phone and glanced at the reminder. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”
“I’m meeting with the senator.”
Their expressions hardened. Like me, they had considered him a role model.
“Let us know how that goes,” Godfrey said.
Nodding, I told them, “I’ll catch up with you guys and Harry soon.”