BRIAN 

Emmett had his hands full trying to keep everyone from trying to get involved. George was foaming at the mouth and called Ron over to discuss how to flush Carter out of hiding. Hunter was arguing that he should be allowed to witness his sperm donors downfall. Ted was reeling when the head of cyber crimes started interrogating Blake about his part in what he and Justin had been doing for years. Ben and Daphne were arguing with Caraway and Hall about sharing information instead of having to drag it out. Justin solved it by telling Hill that he’d share with Ben and Daphne, and then Caraway and Hill would have to wait for the CIA to share with them.

Mel and Lindsay were worried about me and Ron being in the same room, since they didn’t have a clue how I’d react. What they didn’t get was that as long as Ron loved my son, I’d deal with it. Nancy, on the other hand was still a ‘NO’ with me. I didn’t want the Ice Bitch near my son, or Lindsay for that matter, and on that Mel completely agreed with me. She also made sure Richards understood she’d jump his ass if he tried to intimidate Justin or Blake for doing what was HIS job. Justin had gotten the name of the accountant by the time we were back at George’s house- Kip Thomas. Daphne and Ben looked at each other when Justin told them and us that there were video files of Kip Thomas on the computer. Neither of us asked when they both could barely contain the revelation at what they saw. 

Richards really thought Justin was being silent to protect Blake. Which didn’t make any sense since Richards had enough to know exactly what Justin and Blake had done in the past. Mikey sat there scratching his head, then threatened to call Deb if the guy didn’t stop badgering Justin. At that point I got Justin up and out of the room. He needed quiet to think, and none of them were letting him have it.

Justin was concentrating on the puzzle and getting irritated at being asked questions he deemed unimportant. Richards already knew what he and Blake had been doing, and Justin didn’t see the point when the situation we were working on should have been the only one. I didn’t stop until we were in my car driving away from everyone. Ben had already cleared it so Justin could listen to the interview with Gardner, and I wanted to see the man fall from grace. Justin and I got there and he was slightly amused that they insisted on someone escorting him through the building.

“I never needed to be in the building.” He mentions, just to be a smart ass.

“I was told to make sure you were able to see what you could work with if you signed with us.” Agent Willis told him, as she swayed her hips in front of him, smirking.

“That would only work if Brian did that, not you.” Justin tells her, stopping to look at a program running on a computer. “I should have patented that one.” He tells her, typing on the keyboard.

I managed to get him away from all the computer geeks, who looked like they were watching a rock star perform. We were escorted into the room with Gardner, who looked at me then to Justin. Me, he seemed confused about, but Justin bothered him.

“What are you doing here?” He asks me, as his lawyer tries to keep him quiet.

“Trying to figure you out. You threw your kid to the wolves to protect yourself, which wouldn’t have done as much damage to your life as what you let the wolf do to you.” I tell him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Gardner sneers, then whispers to his lawyer that they needed to find out why Justin was there.

Hill and Caraway showed up along with Ben, carrying a couple of boxes with files in them. Hill ignored Gardner’s questions long enough to tell Justin he was cleared to help with the information the CIA was downloading to them. Hill introduces everyone, and Gardner’s lawyer, Jake Haines, gets impatient.

“Gentleman, my client and I have waited here for over an hour, with no one telling us why we’re here. Mr Vance is a busy man and would like to know why he’s here. I also don’t feel comfortable that you’ve invited others into the room without us knowing why we are here.” Haines tells Hill, dismissing me and Justin.

“Mr Taylor is here because he has information connecting Mr Vance to some questionable activities. I wouldn’t want to waste any of Mr Vance’s valuable time, and I didn’t want to waste our time, which will likely happen because denial seems to be Mr Vance’s way of dealing with his life.” Caraway tells him, taking the lead and throwing both Gardner and Haines off guard, when they expect Hill to answer.

“Mr Vance, how about I tell you a story and see if any of this makes what your doing here more transparent.” Hill says, sitting down. “It starts with your son, Hunter Montgomery.” Hill holds up a hand when Vance tried to interrupt with a denial. “When I finish you can deny as much as you want, but only AFTER I’m finished. Now, as you know, Julian Yates called you to his office because your son, whose mother was paid off to keep silent about him, hacked into Julian’s system looking for information on Justin Taylor.” Hall says while Caraway pulls out the agreement Hunter’s mother signed. The lawyer swallowed since he was the lawyer on record for the paperwork. “Justin Taylor, in doing his job, gave Julian Yates the information on the breach, which in turn meant Mr Yates did a background check on Hunter’s life and found you. Going by what Hunter was able to tell us about the meeting, Yates had no interest in Hunter, but did in you. I’m going to add that I find it really distasteful that you threw your child under the bus to save yourself, then allowed Yates to use you anyway to hide something that, unknown to you, your wife already knew about. What she doesn’t know yet and will if you don’t help us, is how far you went to keep your secret. Which brings us to the question we wanted to ask you.” Hall says, looking at Caraway.

“Why would you help finance a house that was used to traffic kids to sick perverts? From everything we’ve read you don’t swing in that direction. Was it the money you wanted, or are you planning to pretend you don’t know what goes on in that house?” Caraway asks, as Vance blanches.

“What is he talking about?” Haines asks Gardner.

“Right now twenty to life if Gardner doesn’t start talking.” Hall tells him.

“Or you talk and we help you out.” Hill tells him.

“There’s no proof I own anything.” Gardner tells him.

“When we find it, trust us, you don’t want to be the one taking the fall for what goes on that house. When, not if, this gets out, anyone linked to that house won’t go to the country club of prisons but to the one where it’s likely you won’t finish your sentence because the other prisoners are strange when it comes to people they perceive as hurting children. In fact, they tend to want to make examples of anyone who could allow the shit we know was happening in that house. Right now you think you’re safe behind the high priced lawyer your wife provided, but how do you think it’s going to go when she finds out your name is part of human trafficking ring?” Caraway asks him.

“Show us the proof, otherwise we’re leaving.” Haines tells him.

“If that’s how you want it, go ahead and leave. We’ll contact you at home with what your lawyer wants.” Hill tells them, getting up to leave.

Gardner was sweating bullets looking at Justin. “You have everything don’t you? That fucker really thought you were oblivious to everything.” Gardner mumbles, waiting for Justin to say something.

“Why would you agree to…? A kid wouldn’t have ruined your life… Julian had something else didn’t he? Something you knew would have been worse.” Justin says to him.

“What did Julian have?” Ben asks.

“I want protection and immunity.” Gardner tells Hill.

“Or I could just dig deeper into your life and you can experience what your silence did to the kids sold in that house.” Justin tells him.

“I think we should just let Justin get us what we need. I really don’t want to help you.” Hill tells Gardner.

“Good luck, we’ll be in touch.” Caraway says, getting up.

“Wait, wait… you don’t understand… I couldn’t let anyone find out… Julian knew because the asshole told him.” Gardner says, not making sense.

“Stop talking. If they had anything they would have arrested you.” Haines tells him.

“They have HIM.” Gardner tells Haines, pointing at Justin. “He’s the one Julian’s going crazy about right now, because Justin has all the proof.” Gardner continues to say, not talking to anyone in particular. “My life will be over all because of one mistake… one. That’s all it was. The girl knew why she was there… then went crazy, saying we raped her when she knew why she was there… I didn’t do anything. He swore he was just going to calm her down. I never wanted what happened… I thought no one would know.” Gardner tells us, like we knew what he was talking about.

“How did they know?” Ben asked, sitting in front of Gardner.

“Rickert told Julian about it.” Gardner tells Ben.

“What happened to the girl?” Ben asks, when Gardner seems to trust him.

“Rickert told us he’d make sure she understood that no one would believe her, since she was paid to strip for us.” Gardner tells him, as Haines hangs his head when Gardner keeps talking.

Caraway walked out of the room, whispering that he was going to find out who Rickert was. Gardner talked even faster, worried they were going to leave him to the wolves, not give him a deal.

“I didn’t find out what Rickert did until they found her body. He agreed that for a price he would make sure it never linked back to Marty or me. We both thought it was over, then the fucking kid brought me to Julian’s attention and Rickert used what he knew about us for the perks Julian gave him.” Gardner tells Ben.

“You agreed to help finance the house with the others and Julian agreed to keep your secret?” Ben asks.

“I know you don’t believe me, but it was only an investment to me. I didn’t want to help him, but he knew and I couldn’t let my life be ruined over a whore looking for a bigger payday. Julian promised that if anything happened Gary Saperstein would go down.” Gardner tells him.

“What was the purpose of using Hunter? From everything we’ve heard it wouldn’t have been that big of a scandal for you.” Justin asked.

Gardner looked over at Justin as if the question was ridiculous. “Even if I wished he wasn’t born he was still my son. Julian didn’t just threaten to announce to the world he was my son. If I showed him that I cared about Hunter at all, then he would have ended up at that house. No matter how shitty of a father I am, I wouldn’t have let that happen to my son.” 

“Being a shitty human being was okay, as long as the kids weren’t one of yours.” Ben said sarcastically.

“Gardner, do yourself a favor and shut up right now.” Haines tells him.

“Or listen to us and help us end this.” Hill tells him, only to have Gardner listen to Haines. “Then sit here while we talk to the accountant who seems to want to talk to us. Unlike you he wants to help and hasn’t asked for a deal to keep himself at the mercy of everyone involved.” 

When nothing more came from Gardner, other agents were let in the room to arrest him for what he’d already admitted to. Caraway was waiting outside the room, looking as if his headache had just gotten worse.

“Kenneth Rickert was once the partner of James Stockwell. If what I’ve managed to put together is right, the incident Gardner described happened after he and Marty Ryder got out of college. Rickert managed to keep the police force out of it, but the call the girl made was still listed. Days later she was found in a dumpster with a broken neck. The case went cold, one guess as to why?” Caraway asks Hill.

“Because Rickert and Stockwell were the detectives on the case, and even back than Stockwell would have written off a prostitute as a waste of their time, which Rickert knew.” I tell them.

“The girl didn’t have a family, which meant no one would have been there breathing down their necks to find out what had happened to her.” Caraway tells us.

“I know what your thinking Justin, and I agree. It shouldn’t have mattered but it does. We’ll make sure she gets justice, just like we’ll do what it takes to get justice for the others.” Hill tells him.

“I know. It’s why I wouldn’t let them replace you.” Justin tells him, walking off towards the other guys on the computers.

Hill smiled as the other computer geeks tried to show off for Justin. “My boss wants him to work for us. I might not understand how he does the things he can do, but I’ve heard the guys in cyber crimes talked about the White Rabbit, but they didn’t get him.” He tells me.

“What didn’t they get?” I ask.

“He wasn’t showing off to anyone, he really only cared about who got hurt.” He tells me.

“It’s what happens when there’s no one who cares about you. It makes you want to save who you can.” I tell them. 

“Which is why you want to help him.” Ben tells me.

“It’s not the only reason. He made me want something I never saw as possible.” I tell him.