Page 5 of Broken Obsession

“Yes.”

“I—” He took a step forward, but the man stopped him with a single word.

“Don’t.”

Eden exhaled and tried to clear his mind and untangle the messy swirl of emotions threatening to cloud his judgment. “Do you have any evidence?”

Galen tried to argue with him, but Eden ignored his mumbles.

“I’ll send over the bank statements later,” the man offered. “You’ll see payments made directly from InDepth United.”

“And the reason he’s being paid?”

“To keep you from getting close to anything real, obviously.”

It’d been clear he was hinting at the Dephiks involvement, but Eden still felt a sinking feeling in his gut at having it openly confirmed. He didn’t really know much about the family, aside from that they were rich enough to sit at tables with Black Harts, which was saying something.

If they were keeping this under wraps to protect one of their own…Eden didn’t stand a chance.

His family was never going to be avenged.

“Zonnie Dephik, the heir to the Dephik fortune, was one of the men who tried robbing the convenience store that night,” the man divulged. “As soon as daddy dearest got wind, he had the police commissioner take control of the case to ensure his son wasn’t pointed out. They erased security camera footage and silenced any possible witnesses who could have identified Zonnie, then they had their officers drag their feet for a year to make it seem like they were actively investigating, but they weren’t. It’s been a closed case since the day after you put your family in the ground.”

Eden made a sound, animalistic and raw, almost unrecognizable, but he couldn’t hold it back. The pain and anger overshadowed all else, and even though part of him still didn’t want to believe it, he had to acknowledge that it made sense.

How else would they have gone three years with nothing? It should have been clear-cut. Three assailants entered the store, started a fight, killed an entire family, and somehow managed to sneak off into the night without leaving any prints or traces? No way.

But if they’d had help, the type of power and financial backing that could make them virtually disappear…

“That’s only one name,” Eden said. “Who else was there?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I can find out.”

“For what price?”

Galen’s struggles increased, but Eden kept his gaze pinned on the neon lights of the man’s mask.

“We can discuss that once you’ve come to a decision,” the man replied. “You’ve got more options. I can provide proof Galen has been helping the Dephiks cover up their crimes. You can choose to deliver it, and him, to the police. He’ll most likely meet an untimely demise before he’s even able to give a proper statement, but it’s up to you.”

Right, because if the Dephiks really were involved, they’d have eyes everywhere. The second they found out there was a chance Galen was going to turn, they’d strike.

“What’s my other option?” Eden asked. He shouldn’t be entertaining this. Should have called the cops himself the second he’d stepped into the room and realized there was a hostage situation.

But he hadn’t, and he didn’t do it now.

“Hire me to do the job instead,” the man stated matter-of-factly.

“How do I know you aren’t just another person sent by Dephik to throw me off?”

“He wouldn’t bother with all of that. If you were really a threat, he’d simply kill you.”

Probably true. Still…

“Someone else then. There are two other people involved. You could be on either of their payrolls,” Eden pointed out.

“I don’t need money. I’m not short on coin.”

His brow furrowed. “Then…how do you want to be paid?”