Chapter 10

Aiden's second week was just as busy as his first one. The repairs of the field and court were progressing well, though he had a lot of admin to go through due to a fight breaking out between a few of the inmates. Despite his efforts, some men simply didn't seem interested in cooperating.

Thanks to the quick response of the guards, the fight hadn't gone out of hand, but Management was still unhappy about it. The incident left little time to pursue further interactions with Darren Howe. It didn't, however, prevent him from thinking about the man and revisiting their last conversation or the way he'd dragged Aiden into it.

Darren had a way with people. A natural ease with which he seemed able to make them drop their guards. Aiden included, if partially. He shouldn't have entertained Darren's silly back-and-forth, but at least it had resulted in the opportunity to have Darren close under the pretense of a secretary job.

Had that been a good idea though? To put himself in a position where he'd be even closer to the man?

A pang of irritation stirred in Aiden's chest. He had no choice. It was part of his plan, a means to an end, even if his skin felt as if charged with static whenever they spoke… Even if his body felt like it was about to run a fever. And no matter what he'd tried, he couldn't stop either of those reactions. They just happened.

Stuffing the annoyance down as he sat at his desk at Horizons and opened his to-do list, Aiden tried to focus on the positive. On the progress he'd made. Not just with Darren, but also with Claudia's murder. He was a step closer, even if he didn't even know what to make of the whole thing anymore. The case had been strange since before his findings about Cleveland, which was why he'd begun digging in the first place, but now things were even more confusing. He was still missing the links and the bigger picture, the motives… but he had a clue. A starting point for him and PI Deverson.

Aiden paused with his fingers on the digital keyboard and stared at the reply he'd been typing to Management. PI Deverson was already following up on Cleveland, looking at his retirement, the forged signature, his visit to the DuLaurent's HQ, so Aiden could focus on this here. The PI would contact him as soon as he had something, so there was no point getting tangled up in those thoughts when he had his own objective.

With some effort, Aiden switched gears and finished his admin work just in time to join the staff for lunch in the break room. The two guards at the gate greeted him with genuine smiles and they engaged in small talk for the better part of ten minutes. The pay rises he'd managed to fit into the budget certainly had to do with his staff warming up to him so quickly, but he'd also made the effort to open a line of communication. So far, both were paying off, if the numerous invites he'd received to grab a drink at one of Sinhle's bars after work were anything to go by.

His staff liked him, and that was crucial to making his plan a success. After all, who would suspect a friendly, rules-abiding warden if an accident happened to take place?

When Aiden finally made it to the break room, the poker game was already in full swing, though he could see two of the five guards currently playing had already folded. Nigel, the Chief of Guards, had a pile of cash in front of him which told Aiden he'd likely already won a couple of rounds.

"Boss!" the massive guy called out just as he won the current hand with a full house. "Are you playing?"

Aiden inclined his head at the fridge. "I skipped breakfast, so I'm starving. I'll deal for you today." He picked his curry rice from the top shelf and deposited it in the food reheater. "It's your opportunity to win some cash before I swoop in and take it all next time."

"Cocky," Nigel grinned, collecting the cards.

Aiden suppressed a smile at the casual remark. The way he treated his staff and granted them certain perks were unconventional at best and inappropriate at worst. But it worked and wasn't outright prohibited since he had a certain degree of freedom in running the prison. As long as everyone was behaving, the higher-ups didn't care so much about the details.

Aiden sat at the table and shuffled the cards, earning himself a few wolf's whistles for his technique. Nigel was good at poker, the best among all the current players, and Aiden was average at most. He'd played with the guys twice so far and won, making everyone believe he was unbeatable, but the truth was that it had been pure luck. In fact, Aiden lost more often than not and preferred to deal since dealing made him feel in control of the game, even if he wasn't technically playing it.

A chorus of exaggerated grunts erupted as Nigel pocketed another hand. "I have to say, boss, this was a brilliant idea."

What Nigel was referring to was that Aiden had officially allowed gambling on the premises, for as long as the games were being played responsibly and the stakes never went over two hundred credits per person. Everyone loved him for it, and the distraction these games provided ensured the staff rarely got in his way.

"Perhaps a tournament format with the inmates once the repairs have concluded is a possibility," Aiden mused, tapping his fingers on the table. All heads turned to him, and eyes tracked the journey of a scoop of rice to his mouth. "I'm still working out the logistics, so it might take a while before we test-run it. Probably won't be before the inspection."

"Careful, boss." Nigel sniggered, bumping his shoulder into Aiden's. "We don't want to overwhelm the higher-ups with too many progressive ideas."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Nigel, by the way, are we hitting the bar tonight?" Bobi, the guard with a scruff on his face, jumped in.

"Was planning to. You coming too, boss?" Nigel threw Aiden a hopeful smile.

"Maybe next time. I've got plans for tomorrow and no time for a hangover," Aiden said, earning himself a chorus of disappointed sighs.

"Thought it was your day off?"

"It is. But I've a few things I need to take care of."

"I swear, boss, you are such a workaholic."

The rest of lunch break was a mixture of swearing, grunting and laughing. Aiden agreed to a gym session with Nigel next time their days off aligned and also found that the constant buzz of conversation reminded him of the team meetings at his firm, his board and employees discussing the newest project and the best way to ensure the client's needs were met. It would have been a lie to pretend he didn't miss his former career or the magic of sketching something on the screen and then bringing it to life in the real world…

But that was all behind him now, nothing but a fleeting moment of soul-deep fulfillment that lived only in his past. Because Aiden Kesley wasn't the ambitious architect from two years ago who'd been engaged to the most amazing woman in the world. He was a man whose sole purpose was to get to the bottom of her murder no matter the cost.

The next day, Aiden slept in. He'd spent the entire night going over Cleveland's files, but as tired as he was, he got up and took the tram to downtown Sinhle. It was just after noon on a Saturday and thus not overly busy as the evening rush of people on their way to clubs and other such establishments hadn't begun yet.

The mag-tram came to a stop, and the doors swished open, letting Aiden out onto the elevated platform overlooking Sinhle's only green park. As the sole place on Europa terraformed to resemble Earth, it was bustling with activity every day of the week and especially on weekends, when families could get together and enjoy games or picnics under the mix of natural and artificial sunlight Europa's refractors provided.

Riding the elevator to the ground level, Aiden watched the scenery of the Residents' Park lose some of its magnificence with the change in his perspective. The small pond he'd seen from the platform was now obscured behind trees and a playground, and the Monument of Exploration—which doubled as a comms tower encased in signal-positive white stone—seemed ten times more massive from up closer. The architect in Aiden couldn't help but be intrigued by its sleek body and the twelve beams that connected it to the slightly angled ring-shaped observation deck and control station at its top.

Aiden's chest felt tight as a rush of guilt surged through him. None of this fascination mattered and yet, he couldn't shut the flicker of excitement entirely; his passion, whatever was left of it, seemed to be something that he couldn't change even if he'd managed to change so many other pieces of himself so he could be where he was today.

Scowling, Aiden tore his gaze away from the comms monument as he headed toward the wooden structure at the park's western entrance. He was here to meet with Rick, not to reminisce about things he needed to let go.

"Welcome to the Green Café," a slender redhead greeted him. "Do you have a reservation?"

Aiden gave the booking's details and the woman took him to his table at the edge of the decked terrace.

"Aiden!" Rick pushed up from his chair and gave him a hug.

"Hi, Rick," Aiden greeted back, flinching away.

"Still not a hugger, I see," Rick commented when he pulled away, offering a sympathetic smile.

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "What gave you the idea that something like that would change?"

"Wishful thinking, I guess."

Aiden rubbed his elbow. Physical contact of the intimate kind was… hard for him. From before Claudia, yes, though it had gotten a lot worse after her death. He didn't have anything against it per se; it was just that it always felt weird whenever someone got into his personal space, even if that someone was the one friend he had. The only person who he'd never had this issue with, right from the start, had been Claudia and every now and then he missed it, the memory of what it felt like to be held or touched and not hate it.

Rick squeezed Aiden's arm. That Aiden could tolerate fine most of the time. "When are you gonna see someone about it?"

"I don't have time," Aiden clipped, sitting on the chair across from Rick, who lowered himself onto his with a sigh. Locks of his black hair came loose from where he had it tied at the nape of his neck, flopping in front of his eyes. He brushed them away. "Why are you on Europa anyway?" Aiden asked, changing the topic away from things he didn't want to talk about.

"Well… I booked a few days off and decided to come see you." He leaned forward, squinted and gave Aiden a calculating look. "I may or may not be looking for a new job here in Sinhle."

This was news to Aiden, especially when Mars had a lot more going on than this moon. "Really? You're looking to move here?"

"Maybe. We'll see if I can make it happen. But hey, you are here and the job I want pays more, so I thought why not give it a go? Plus, it will make it easier to keep an eye on you," he said pointedly, though worry still laced his words. "How have things been since the last time we spoke?"

The guilt in Aiden rose up, twisting his stomach. He considered how much to tell Rick, concluding that the one person who'd stood by his side from the start deserved to know. It had been easier to hide things when they weren't talking face-to-face, but seeing Rick in person today made him feel like the biggest asshole.

"Rick," Aiden said, lacing his hands together. "There is something I need to tell you."

In a hushed voice, he caught Rick up on the progress he and PI Deverson had made. It killed him on the inside, but he omitted the part about working in Horizons for now, not willing to risk his friend's concern ruining his plan. Once he had dealt with Darren, he'd confess that part, too.

"So you know where Howe is being held?" Rick asked.

Aiden averted his eyes. "Yes. And… I'll try to talk to him." He caught a glimpse of the comms tower behind the trees and it irritated him for some reason, just looking at it, even though he'd been marveling at the design not an hour earlier.

"Aiden. I don't think that's a good idea. If I… If I'd known that's why you moved here, I wouldn't have let you do it." Rick rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Shit. I really thought a change would be good for you and this whole time…"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I need to figure this out, Rick, because something is not right. Or I'll go mad."

Rick worried his bottom lip, looking both dejected and concerned. "Okay. This whole case? It doesn't add up, you are right. But you should take it to the police, not try to solve it yourself." He cursed under his breath. "I should've known you were up to something…"

Seeing the heartbreak on Rick's face made Aiden feel ten times worse for not telling the whole truth. But he couldn't do it yet. "I'm close. Closer than I've ever been. I need to see this through."

Rick narrowed his eyes. "What aren't you telling me?" When Aiden didn't say anything, he pushed, "Aiden. What aren't you telling me?"

Aiden's heart lurched in his throat. He squeezed his hands in fists and gave his friend a lame smile. "It's nothing. Don't worry."

"I know you. You are lying to me."

Casting his gaze around the restaurant, Aiden contemplated telling Rick the rest again. But the deepening lines across his friend's forehead cemented just how bad an idea it was to do it now. Rick would worry. Maybe even freak out. Probably try to stop him.

Aiden couldn't afford that. Not now. So, as much as it hurt to do it, he gritted teeth, looked Rick in the eyes and lied again.

"You are right. I'm sorry. I promise I'll tell you everything, I just… I'm waiting for PI Deverson to confirm something first. I don't want to jeopardize his investigations, so, Rick, please drop this. The moment I hear from him, I'll call you and tell you the rest."

This was the best Aiden could offer, and he hoped it was enough. If he pulled off the accident without getting caught, he'd confess everything to his friend and that was hopefully going to include the real reason why Claudia had died.

Rick groaned, raking a hand through his hair as more locks came free. "I don't like this. Shit, Aiden. You are obsessed. Whatever you are up to, you are not thinking straight. Your fixation on Howe is making you throw away everything just because—" He frowned as he cut himself off. "Just because some judge decided to show mercy and threw him in prison."

Only, it wasn't just that, was it?

Aiden wanted to hit something, Rick, preferably, for calling him out. Yes, he wanted Howe dead, because murderers deserved that. But there was more to it. It was Claudia too, the justice system, his need for this damn case to finally make sense. Something bigger was happening here and he needed to uncover it or it was going to drive him mad.

Rick draped his hand over Aiden's. "I know how hard this has been on you. And the things you've found out… I'm not denying this thing about Cleveland is strange, but I'm sure there is a simple explanation. Money at play or a promotion because someone saw an opportunity there. That's all there is to it."

"No. I do—"

"Aiden, please. This is not healthy for you. You have to let Claudia rest in peace. Leave this obsession to die in prison with Howe or it will consume what's left of you."

"It's not that easy," Aiden ground out, feeling bitterness spread from his chest outward. Impossible was more suitable a word for it, but he didn't want to worry Rick unnecessarily or drag the man back into the ugliness of sorrow and grief.

And besides, what if he couldn't return from this? Did it even matter? Claudia was dead and he didn't have anything worth going back to. Maybe if he saw this through, maybe then he could try to live again. But if the pain and anger disappeared, if he did move on, then what would be left of him? Who would he be?

Rick looked at Aiden fondly, worry and pity swimming in his eyes. "I know. But it's something you have to do. For yourself. Claudia… would've wanted you to."

Aiden averted his gaze and dropped his arms to his sides, tracing the stone he carried in his pocket. Claudia's amber eyes and smile swam up to the surface of his mind, nostalgic and pretty. He held no doubt his fiancée would have wanted him to move on with his life. To forget her eventually so he could find someone he could love and let love him again. But the lack of answers, not knowing why she had died when she needn't have, weighed on his mind every single hour of every day.

Had he tried to move on? Honestly, he wasn't sure he could. Or that he wanted to. Not until he'd exhausted every possibility to make sense of it all.

"I…" Aiden croaked, then cleared his throat. "I need to understand what happened to her and why. And I promise I'll tell you everything. Just give me a bit more time. Please. Can you do that for me?"

Rick frowned. "Her murderer is a psychopath. Psychopaths don't make sense."

Darren Howe did. So far. He was nothing like the deranged man the media had portrayed him as, but Aiden couldn't rule out the possibility of that simply being a mask. A persona. The signs were there even though Aiden couldn't pinpoint a reason as to why Darren needed to pretend in prison. It felt like he was hiding something, and Aiden needed to find out what that something was.

"I know that's what the report said, but it just doesn't add up. There is something more, I know there is. Darren Howe's diagnosis… What if they made a mistake?" Aiden argued, convinced even more so than before that the scenario was a lot more likely than he'd thought.

His mind was a jumble, but if Cleveland was lying, then this was possible too, wasn't it? An easy way out, so the public got a satisfactory explanation and the investigation could remain confidential. The question was why.

"Aiden—"

"Rick… I loved her. Still love her. I can't just forget her and get over it when the man who took her away from me is still alive and I have no idea why."

"Bad things happen to good people. She didn't deserve it, and neither did you. But you need to move on." At Aiden's shaking head, Rick's eyes turned sad. "You are the only one left. Hell, I remember the last time Marcus visited. Before you packed up and left for Europa. He desperately wanted you to let it go, to allow yourself to move on like he had. Her own father, Aiden."

Aiden remembered it too, the way Marcus had sat down more than once, listened while he wailed and shouted and lost it. Marcus had pleaded Aiden to let Claudia rest in peace and rebuild a life for himself just like he and Laura had started to do.

Even now, Aiden didn't know what to think of that. Marcus had been obsessed with his daughter, and yet he'd let her go. He'd moved on, even when she'd always stood at the center of his world. But the thing was that unlike Aiden, Claudia's parents had been present in court and had had the chance to stand face-to-face with the monster and find their own closure.

Still. How could they just… move on?

"I will try. I promise," Aiden said after a pause and found that he meant it. "I just…" Have one last thing left to do. "I'm close."

A week and he'd confront Claudia's murderer. Would Darren lie? Aiden didn't think he had any reason to, not when it wouldn't change anything for him.

"And what happens after?" Rick demanded, suspicion snaking its way into his voice. "What happens after you've done whatever you are planning to do?"

Aiden didn't think about the after. Didn't allow himself to. "I will… leave Europa, I think. Go back to Earth and… make a fresh start," he said weakly, hoping his friend would take that as an answer.

Rick just sighed. They chatted about his job and plans, and the rest of the afternoon flew by. They ended up grabbing dinner at one of the stir-fry places by the covered pipes that weaved all around Sinhle, protruding half a meter from the ground and supplying Europa's capital city with triple and quadruple recycled water for domestic use and drinking.

It was after they'd gone through three drinks each that Rick offered they check out one of the night bars, but, even tipsy, Aiden didn't accept. His libido had died along with Claudia, so there was little reason for him to seek out a hookup if he couldn't even get it up. Besides, he just didn't have it in him yet to put himself out there no matter the number of interested men and women.

So, bidding his friend a goodnight and a pleasant journey back to Mars, he boarded the 11 p.m. tram and went home to his empty apartment.