Lilian sat in her study, her fingers tapping impatiently on the polished mahogany desk as she waited on Lewis Abbot who was thumbing through documents in his brief case, looking for the report on Riley.
"Ah, here it is." He said, pulling out a single sheet of paper and holding it u for Lilian to see.
"What were you able to find out?" She asked, wasting no time in getting down to business.
"Honestly, not much." Lewis said, pushing his glasses up his nose as he glanced over the page. Lewis Abbot was a squat man in his late forties. Obviously a beta as he lacked any of the confidence and strength that every alpha seemed to possess. He was as round as he was short and had greasy black hair that was thinning on top. His choice of attire was a testament to years of deals gone wrong and bad bets made with shady people. His suit, a brown tweed, was just a bit too snug around his middle, and was faded and old. It had been repaired many times over the years but still managed to hold up somehow.
He cleared his throat, seeing the annoyed look on Lilian's face. "What I meant was, there isn't much to report on." He held the pages up to his face and began to read. Lilian listened intently as Abbot summarized his findings. Her expression grew increasingly troubled with each passing revelation.
"It seems that Mr. Hicks had a rather tumultuous upbringing." He began, his voice shaky and hesitant. "Riley Alexander Hicks, born October 23rd, 2002. Currently aged twenty-one. He was orphaned at five, and spent much of his childhood in foster care before ageing out eighteen. Parents, Jim and Eric Hicks, were killed in a car related accident on Kings Road. The cause of death was listed as accidental drowning though the cause of the accident is listed under suspicious circumstances."
Lilian's brow furrowed and she watched Abbot with a pinched expression. Her heart sank at the mention of Kings road. "His parents were killed on Kings road?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Abbot nodded. "That's right. Seems the car flipped into the river and there were trapped inside."
"When did this happen?" She asked, growing more uneasy the more she learned about the accident.
Abbot looked down at the sheet of paper again, searching for the answer to her question. "December 23rd, 2007." He told her. "The estimated time of the accident was around three am."
A chill ran down Lilian's spine as she realized the significance of the time and location of the accident. Kings road bordered the Reaney estate and was the same road where, sixteen years earlier, a terrible accident had occurred on the night of the Reaney's annual Christmas ball. Two people had been killed in that accident as well and Lilian suddenly realized by the name Hicks had seemed so familiar to her.
Everything immediately clicked into place. "My God." Lilian hissed, her nails digging into her hand as she made a fist. Quickly, she ripped the page out of Abbot's hand and scanned over the information he had gathered. There wasn't much, like he'd said, just bits of information that didn't mean all that much to Lilian, honestly.
From age five to eighteen Riley had been in seven different foster homes. He graduated high school and was immediately thrown out of the last home he'd been placed in. His case manager had arranged for a room at an omega boarding house and the was given a job at a local grocery store, cleaning after hours. He only lasted a month at the boarding house. Leaving was his choice because he refused to enter a mating house as many young and indigent omega's did. He was left homeless after that and then dismissed from his cleaning job.
For several months his whereabouts were unknown. Abbot suspected that Riley had slept on park benches or maybe even in ally ways, doing his best to avoid arrest for vagrancy. It was possible that he could have also stayed with friends but Abbot found that unlikely. Riley was a loner and a very sheltered person and had no friends that Abbot was aware of. Eventually though, Riley did get an apartment with another omega though how they met Abbot was unsure. They weren't really close and after a few months the other omega became mated and moved out. Riley couldn't afford the rent on his own and was again forced to become homeless.
He had worked several off jobs but none of them were permanent. Eventually he did find work at the Bright Star Motel. He had bartered with the owner to take a significant pay cut in exchange for a room behind the manager's office. "He was obviously sleeping with his manager." Lilian scowled. "Why else would he give a room to an omega."
"There's no indication of that." Abbot told her. "In fact, fro what I've been told, Mr. Hicks is a very private person. He's never had any serious relationships or sexual partners that anyone is aware of. He also has no criminal record. He's completely clean."
Lilian rolled her eyes. "All that means is that he hasn't been caught yet."
Abbot slouched back in his chair. He didn't agree with Lilian's assessment. From what he'd found out about Riley, he seemed to be a good and honest person. Of course, it would do no good to tell Lilian that. She'd already made her mind up about the boy and nothing that Abbot had to say was going to change that.
As Lilian read over the report, her eyes focused on one area in particular. Riley's room at the motel. Apparently he had announced to his manager that he was moving out of the room prior to even arriving at Reaney Hall. Lilian narrowed her eyes angrily, crushing the paper in her hand. She knew then that Riley had every intention of worming his way not only into Noah's life but into Reaney Hall itself. It was clear to Lilian that Riley was manipulating Noah to his own advantage, she just wasn't sure what his end game was.
"Something wrong?" Abbot stared at her suspiciously.
"No." Lilian snapped, her voice filled with ice. She tossed the report into the trash can then turned her chair around so her back was to Abbot. " You can see yourself out." She told him, coldly.
Abbot sighed as he pushed himself up from the chair. He snapped his brief case closed and then turned toward the door. "I assumed that the favor I owed you has been repaid. If you need further assistance, don't call me. I have no idea what you're scheming, but I want no part in it."
When Lilian didn't respond, Abbot shook his head and left the room, closing the door tightly behind him.
