Chapter 134 - Elliot Confides.

Lance

"Hello,'' I answer the phone immediately, waiting for the elderly voice on the other end of the line. The voice this times is different. Sounds like a younger person. ''Lance?'' the man calls out.

It seems like everyone knows who I am already.

''Yeah, who is this?'' I question because the day is already over and I need something. Anything that will lead me to him.

''Elliot, Brad's cousin. Can we meet up tonight?'' he breathes into the phone. My heart races against my chest because I didn't even know he had a cousin. I don't know anything about Ford. I don't think this Elliot person came to the wedding. What is John's relationship with this side of the family?

''I have been waiting for Mr Maxim's call,'' I tell him, wanting to know if they have found him or they have any other information. ''My grandfather told me to come over. I just took a six hours flight. Give me an address and I will be there.'' He tells me calmly. There is no angst or impatience in his voice. I can sense a hint of concern in his voice. Makes me feel like I can trust him. Maybe this is just my mind looking for someone to trust. It feels like I am alone in this search for him. I still can't grasp all that is happening. How this even occurred in the first place?

I tell him the apartment address to Patrick's place because we need to figure out all that we can fast. I don't know what he could possibly have for me but I am going to be optimistic. Reading Ford's diary just shows me that he has gone through so much in his life and he is a fighter, which just means that he will be just fine. I know he is strong, I have been dating him for a while now and through all our time together, I have seen the things he has done and gone through. 

"He will be fine,'' I say those words to myself as I walk out of the room. It was really thoughtful of Patrick, giving me a room to myself. Somehow it makes me feel welcome and I appreciate it. Once I am out of the room, four eyes peer at me from the couch in the living room. I thought they would be asleep. Why are they awake?

''Thought you were going to bed?'' Jack asks me worriedly. 

I know he is worried and the fact that he can't do anything to help me must be taking a toll on him. Just being here with me is more help than he can imagine. ''Someone is coming over,'' I look at Patrick because at the end of the day, this is his house ''Do you mind?'' 

He shakes his head immediately, waving his hands in the air. ''Whatever you need, just ask, we are here for you.'' 

He is being a really good friend. I don't even have any doubt in my mind that he could be doing this for Jack. Patrick was my friend before he started dating Jack. He has always been there for me. Since the beginning of me and Ford. I join them by the couch and Jack leans closer to me.

''Who's coming over?''

I shrug ''I think Ford's cousin. I have never met him before.'' 

The fact that he sent someone over is progress, once Elliot gets here, we will figure out what to do next. I just need someone to challenge John. He is holding his son hostage when there is nothing wrong with him. If he is so sure that he is unstable right now, why won't he let us see him?

After a couple of minutes of staring at the blaring screen of the tv, there is a knock on the door, which gets me to my feet immediately. I already know who it is, so I run over to the door eagerly. The person on the other side of the door smiles brightly when he sees me. His green eyes shine as his smile widens. 

''Wow Bradford likes pretty boys,'' he mutters as he walks into the house and grabs me for a hug. I stiffen against his touch because that was totally unexpected. ''Nice to meet you, Lance…'' he pulls away from me and raises a brow ''you are Lance, right? Because this would become awkward fast if I just assumed wrongly.'' He winks and I can't help but return the smile back to him. 

Elliot seems to be older than us. He looks to be in his early twenties. ''Nice to meet you too,'' I reply as we take further steps into the house. 

He looks at the living room area and smiles at my friends ''Hey,' he waves walking over until he is seated ''So what the fuck is going on?'' he asks. 

''Didn't Mr Maxim fill you in?'' 

I need to know that there is a plan, some kind of way to get ford out of this mess. ''He did, but he sent me over to try to be a buffer, I am supposed to go to the house but I wanted to come here first. We all know that John is a psychopath but no one ever thought he would do this to the kid.'' 

''So what's the plan, can't your grandfather get him out of this mess?'' 

He nods ''Grandfather Max and Uncle John don't have a good relationship. He wants me to try and see if I can get the opportunity of seeing him first before he decides to show up. So I just came to give you the deets before I go to their house.'' 

I look at the clock on the wall in the living room ''Do you think it's too late?"

He nods ''Of course it is, I booked a room at the Ritz, I just wanted to come to see the pretty boy Ford couldn't stop gushing on about'' he smiles ''Now I see why he was ready to come out.''

He is saying Ford came out because of me. I don't think that is true. He came out because he was ready. That's how it works, you only come out when you're ready and maybe our relationship was the push we needed. 

''So is Ford going to be okay?'' Jack speaks up for the first time tonight. 

Elliot smiles but shrugs ''you know, this is not the first time his father has tried to bring him down. He is almost eighteen and richer than the man himself, thanks to his grandfather, so don't worry about anything.'' He assures them and I take a note from it. I have this mental assurance in my head, that he will be okay. 

''So, I will see you guys tomorrow. Hopefully, I get to see him and then I can give you the feedback.'' He stands up from the couch and walks over to the direction of the door. I follow him to the door and he opens it before I get the chance to do it for him. ''Walk me to my car?'' he asks me. I can sense he wants to tell me something that he didn't want my friends to hear. I doubt I will keep anything from Jack. I tell him everything—I mean that literally. 

We walk down the stairs ''I need to tell you something, it might be crazy and totally unrelated to what is going on but I have kept it for so long and I need to tell someone.''

I look at him and he has a serious expression on his face. I don't know what he is talking about but I am already worried. Whatever it is must be bad, for him to look this nervous. We get to the parking lot and a man runs out of a black Lexus and opens the door for him.

Elliot grabs the door but doesn't enter, he gestures for the driver to wait in the car and then places his other hand on my shoulder ''When we were younger, Bradford, had this thing in his head, where he thought his father was the one that killed his mom. He kept telling me but would also beg me not to mention it to my dad, so I have kept from everyone all these years.''

I remember his diary and all the things he said about his father. I haven't finished the book but I know there might be something along the lines. 

I frown ''Why are you mentioning it now?''

He shrugs ''I don't know. What if he was right all along? What if his father did kill his mom?''

I don't know how I feel about that. My mom is married to the man, what if he does something to her too? I mean, she is so blind that she can't even see that he is not as innocent as she thinks and I don't know what else to say to convince her that the man is not a saint. 

''We have to get him out of there.''

He nods ''Yeah, I'll try to talk to his dad tomorrow. Give me your number, so I can reach you through your phone.'' He stretches out his iPhone and I put my number in. 

Once Elliot leaves a lot of thoughts run through my mind. Too many worries completely taking over.. if anything happens to Ford, I will never forgive myself.