Page 36 of West (The Moral Compass 1)
“Sutton, I found all this out in less than three days. Your records weren’t sealed by the government or anything. It’s fairly easy to find someone if you know where to look, plus, North recognised Uncle Mark as soon as he saw the picture, and that really helped.”
I take another big gulp of wine, and my glass is nearly empty. “Okay so why am I in danger? Jaxon is in prison and hopefully not going to escape any time soon.”
He looks at my glass and fills it back up again. He nods at the now full glass. “You’re gonna need it for the next part.”
Chapter 28
West
She’stakingthisbetterthan I thought, but this next part is the information I am afraid will tip her over. I tried to get her to freely hear the information about her mother, but she said no. Her being in danger has everything to do with her mother.
“Do you know a guy called Raphael Mortiznic?” I ask.
“No, I’ve never heard of him. Is he someone famous that I should know about, too?”
She asks so innocently, I believe her.
“He goes by the nickname ‘Ralph the Mortician,’ Sutton! Still not ringing any bells?”
She’s shaking her head, but her eyes are wide. A name like Ralph the Mortician is enough to make anyone concerned.
“He is your mother’s current boyfriend and has been for about five years. He is a very dangerous and powerful man. He doesn’t run trafficking rings, Sutton, heownsthem. His nickname is because he will arrange the post-mortem of anyone who gets in his way. He’s a really bad man, and I need to make sure he never finds out about you. I don’t know how your mother has lasted so long with him without being killed. He traffics children and women from all over the world and turns them over to sex rings for huge amounts of money. He also moves the largest amount of class A drugs in and out of the country. The FBI, police, and every other government agency have been after him for years and, they haven’t been able to get even the smallest piece of evidence against him.”
I’m expecting panic about her mother being stuck in an abusive relationship.
“Is she okay?” she asks as if it’s a question she should ask, but she’s not interested in the answer.
“Yeah, Sutton, I’m sure she’s okay.”
There is something in her eyes, like a question she wants to ask but daren’t.
“So, my mother is involved in stealing children and women and selling them on to God knows what fate?” She looks like she is about to throw up but instead grabs the wine glass and downs nearly all of it.
“I can’t say she is involved, but sheiswith him, so she will know what’s going on.”
“The fucking sick bitch. What the fuck. Do not tellanyonethat woman is my mother. I don’t want to know anymore, West. She can rot in Hell for all I care. You don’t need to worry about me because I am going nowhere near her or her scabby boyfriend ever. Not in a million years, so there is no need for you to think I’m in danger. I am going to continue my life just like I have been for the last ten years. She wasn’t interested then, and she won’t be interested now. And as for Jaxon, she didn’t arrange for us to meet. I was drunk at a nightclub, and he was a nice guy who looked after me. We didn’t even start dating for a few weeks, and it was a long while before we even slept together. He wasn’t always a controlling arsehole. She didn’t send him, West.”
“I think she did, Sutton. I think she sent him to protect you and keep you safe and to make sure no one came after you. Jaxon is Ralph’s youngest brother, but he has also been linked to your mum. They had a huge fight about four years ago and haven’t spoken since.”
I can see the colour draining from her face as she realises what I’ve just said. She stands to leave the table. Her legs are still wobbly, and she grabs at the crutches. “I need some air,” she gasps.
I walk with her to the balcony doors and open them wide. The air is cold and bitter, and then I realise it is late. We have been talking for hours. She takes a few deep breaths in, and she seems to steady.
“Fucking hell, this is a fucking mess. Who the hell am I, West? Why did I not know any of this about my own fucking life? Am I such a fucking fool that I didn’t even know my ex-boyfriend had been boning my fucking mother, and he was only with me to stop me getting fucking kidnapped and raped?”
The magnitude of the situation has finally dawned on her, and she is now verging on hysterical.
“Also, West, who the fuck are you? How do you know all this shit? Who the fuck is North? How do you have access to all this information? Who are you? Fucking Agent 007? Jason fucking Statham? I don’t know, some sort of spy or mercenary?”
She is screaming and waving one of her crutches in my direction like she’s ninety years old, and I’ve just nicked her cab. It’s time to go indoors and shut the door. The last thing I need is the neighbours getting any ideas to start their own little investigation. I’ve lived under the radar for a while now, and I don’t really want to come out of hiding just yet.
“Let’s go sit, and I’ll answer your questions.” I move her indoors and lock the door. I sit on the couch this time, and she sits beside me. I think we’ve looked at enough documents for today.
“So, who are you, West? I want to know now or I’m out that door forever!”
“I told you all the work stuff earlier, but here is themestuff. I have two brothers and a sister. You met my sister; her name is East.” She looks at me, confused. “East was the blonde on the video call. She lives in New York, so she was calling in the middle of the night because she forgets about time zones.”
I tell her about the tickets to Drake’s concert, and she smiles and then puts her head in her hands. “I’m so sorry, West. I should have trusted you.”
