Billionairess's Dilemma: Reclaiming His Heart

21: The Other Pieces

Kevin

"Wait. So Fuckweed had a sister named Rose and I got her kidney?" Uncle Ellis nods grimly at me.

"It was a non-directed donation and I asked for all names to be sealed." Dad protests mildly and I know he's going over the legal contract in his head, worried he left a loophole. He told me he lived in an emotional prison in that time frame, always on edge with his father loose and keeping me healthy while we waited on the transplant list.

"There was no loophole." Klein tells him as he looks angry.

"Someone hacked into the records and found all the recipients. Two corneas, lungs, heart, and two kidneys were donated successfully. Two other recipients have since disappeared in the last eight years. They didn't survive." Uncle Ellis says as he sits down.

"Does she blame us for her daughter's death? Is she planning to murder all of us?" I am horrified. This is the stuff of nightmares.

"No. She thinks by taking you in, she's reclaiming her daughter. Apparently she was obsessed with Rose and when she lost her she went feral. The heart recipient has seen her. She escaped them. Said the woman told her that she was finally coming home to her real family. She and her parents have gone into hiding. I found the police report for that one."

Goose rubs his eyes as he begins talking. "There was another case of this years ago. The dad was the one kidnapping the organ recipients and he would abuse them when they wouldn't act like his son. They caught him before he killed any of them but it was crazy. He truly thought they became his son. That means they moved here years ago to spy on Kevin."

"Kevin and the heart recipient. Big brother Eric's assault charge on his girlfriend was because she was protecting her younger sister from him. She caught him in her room while little sis was in the shower. She thought he was only being a pervert. He said something strange to her but he'd hit her in the head and she was unsure she got it right. Said "I only have you to bring her home." Bonnie Lincoln is the girl. Their father pressed charges and Eric backed off. I have a suspicion they intend to grab both of you at once."

"Her family comes to the center for counseling with Mel. I vaguely know her." I sit back and let this sink in. "Then why did Fuckweed try to separate Polly and I? That seems strange for him to hold onto her. I would try to become friends with me and run her off. Instead, he chased me away and stuck by her."

Uncle Ellis steeples his hands in on the table. "I have an idea. This is going to be my supposition and it's heavily my opinion."

Aunt Relly reaches for his hand and he grips hers. "Tell us Jaws. You are usually pretty damn close to the mark."

"They need money. Money for the lifestyle they like and money to hide with their long-lost pieces of Rose. Polly was young and an easy mark with a lot of money to her name. Also it would serve to 'break' you. It did isolate you and that makes it easier to gain control over you. Stockholm syndrome or something similar probably but we need a psychologist for the true term. If you can be made to accept them, that's her goal." He says quietly.

"Archer seems to loathe Kevin though. Not act like he's part of his sister." Papa T adds, rubbing his forefinger thoughtfully across his lips.

"I don't think Archer is all in with this plan. I have a feeling he resents his mother's obsession with these children." Uncle Ellis says quietly.

Granddad pipes in now. "That makes a lot of sense. He's been overlooked and ignored as her living, available child. He would resent any of the recipients she's giving all this time and attention to. The older one the same?"

"Eric was in the car when the accident killed Rose. He had a very severe head injury. The doctors warned them that he would have anger issues and possible impulse control problems. I don't think he's completely there. The doctor I asked about all of those things said he's probably a very compliant, malleable tool. He also mentioned he could not be fully emotionally mature after that kind of injury." Klein shakes his head almost sadly.

"A child in the body of a very large adult with control issues." Uncle Brad breathes out looking worried. "They going to try for Kevin at the charity show if we invite them." It's not a question.

"That's the plan I'm working with. It will be too big of an opportunity to miss. I suspect they will grab Polly too. They need her signature to transfer over her assets since she's not marrying him." Uncle Ellis points to me. "You will have eyes and ears on you at all times. You already have. Grant's son has been stuck to you like glue for weeks and he hides well."

"I had no idea. Thought it was only Polly at risk."

"Who suspects that Archer is the one who disposed of those two poor victims? I can see him being responsible for that." Goose says dryly.

"Possibly. But Lisa is deadly. It appears she had her husband killed. Handed him over to the Angeloff family herself. Andrei said rumor has it she watched them butcher him in cold blood. Her final words as he died were that he killed her Rose." I look at Uncle Ellis horrified.

"She was obsessed with Rose. So those notes were motherly advice. And she stamped the damn paper in honor of her daughter. They are sick..." I feel a wave of nausea sweep over me. Dad reaches over gripping my bicep.

"They won't touch you Kev." He means every word.

"Where does Delilah come into this?" I ask confused.

"That's my cue. Kyle do you remember when we helped prosecute the embezzlement case at Orion Industries? That massive billion dollar operation?" Papa T leans on the table to stare at Dad.

"Yes. Wait, John Pembroke was part of that ring." Dad's eyes widen as he remembers.

"Yes. It ruined him completely. He took the brunt of the fall because most of it had his name and signatures tied to the transfers. He also refused to cooperate until he had nothing left to really negotiate with. From what I found after Ellis got me to look into him, he's become a shell of a man and ran through most of his personal savings. They've been slowly going broke. I'm sure Delilah resents you and I." Papa T gives me a small smile. "Somehow Archer or his mother found that and recruited her for help. I'm sure the promise of Polly's money is her bait."

I take a deep breath. "What is the plan to catch them then? Wait until they attempt to kidnap us? Because that seems like the worst idea ever."

Uncle Ellis slowly smiles cunningly at me. "Spoken like our next shark. What would you do, Captain Cold?"

I lean back for a minute and think. "I would rattle their cage enough they slip up. Turn their tricks around on them. Split them apart and have them fighting against each other."

I see them all smiling with approval at my answer. "Keep going." Goose says, grinning widely. "This is your initiation test, by the way, so no pressure Sir Kevin." He winks at me and I chuckle a little at that.

"There is no laughing allowed. We need Captain Cold on ice." Klein points to me seriously.

I make my expression severe. "I would somehow get word to Lisa that Archer is double-crossing her. Planning to kill me instead of letting "Rose" come home. That he told Bonnie to run and hide. Separate him and Delilah too. She should believe he plans on keeping all of Polly's money, maybe even truly marrying Polly and icing Delilah out. Or better using her as a scapegoat to the authorities. It would hit close to home like her father's case. Eric sounds like a loose cannon but we keep him sided with his mother and against Archer. He's the one who needs to be lone wolf so he has no help. They all turn on him."

I watch the sharks exchange long glances. "Goose...." Uncle Ellis says softly.

"Right. Got it." He jumps to his feet and races toward Uncle Ellis's desk. He rummages in one of the drawers and returns with something red velvet and gold. "Slide your chair back, Captain Cold." I do, watching him warily.

He steps to my side and I see it's a fake birthday crown. It has large jewels spread throughout the plastic gold. Shark teeth have been glued in various spots and the little sign says "Vegas Light Up King Shark". I stare at him worriedly. "Now this is old and very important. It's been used in many a birthday ritual and it will now initiate you into the shark squad circle of trust. Which you've been known to betray repeatedly." He points to himself and then me. "That is not allowed in this circle. We bite if you do that. And you are no longer the cute little Sir Kevin that got away with it then." He places it atop my head and I see Aunt Relly taking pictures. Probably a video as she laughs.

"We hereby induct you Kevin Harris into the Shark Squad led by Jaws, Koko Maverick, Goose, Kyle the Kingkiller, Papa T, Granddad the Guttural and Brad the Baker." Uncle Brad glares at him. "What?! You are scary as f**k as the baker. Like Gordon Ramsey would fear your ass. Do you hereby accept this role?"

I suppress the absolute mirth trying to pass my lips. "Yes I do."

"Perfect. You're in and now we can take you to eat with us when we go." Goose adds before pressing some button on the crown. I can see the reflection. "It's glowing isn't it?"

"Oh yeah. This photo will show up later in your life." Aunt Relly promises.

"Life wouldn't be the same without you guys." I say honestly. "Really boring I think."

They all laugh and I am truly glad I came home. It's starting to feel like the broken pieces of me might be mending themselves back together.