Chapter 2

20 hours missing

Leeson Residence

Danny sat across from Aidan's mother, April Leeson, at the kitchen table. He noticed that the entire table was covered in photographs of Aidan, and April looked as though she had stayed up most of the night.

"He's never done this before, he's always come home right after school, unless he has football practise." She gripped her coffee mug firmly and stared at the photographs.

"Mrs.Leeson, have you noticed anything different about Aidan these past few months? Was he having trouble in school?"

April paused for a moment, "I met with his teachers a few weeks ago, they said he hasn't been doing any homework, and his grades were slipping. I can't make sure he does his homework because I work nightshifts at the hospital, I only see Aidan before school."

Danny stood up and excused himself from the table, and silently walked down the hallway to find Jack.

Aidan's Room

Jack was searching through Aidan's drawers when Danny entered the room.

"I haven't found anything yet, he has his cellphone on him but he's not answering. Will you check the computer?"

Danny sat down at the computer desk and opened his chat conversations.

"He has his mobile conversations saved on here too. Almost all of them are with Gabe, a girl named Hailan, and someone named J."

"I'm guessing we can find Hailan and this J guy at his school. If you think about it, his mother's never home when he is, so she has no idea what time he comes home at night. He comes home to an empty house."

Jack lifted up Aidan's mattress and called Danny over.

"I don't think he was playing football after school."

Danny moved in closer and examined the bags, "It's cocaine. A 17 year old is trafficking cocaine." He shook his head, "I think we need to go back and visit St.Matthew's again."

22 hours missing

St.Matthew's Prep

Hailian Gall sat across from Danny with a worried expression on her face.

"So am I in trouble or something?"

Danny smiled, "Do you have a reason to think so? I'm here about Aidan Leeson, he's been missing for a day."

"Aidan? I haven't talked to him since last night."

"So you're friends with him?" Danny pulled out his notepad.

"Yeah, we met last year." Hailan reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet, and showed a photo of her and Aidan to Danny.

"I see. So is Aidan active in any other sports besides football?"

"Football? He doesn't play sports." Hailan gave him a confused look.

"His mother told me he practised everyday after school. Do you know why he would lie about that?"

Hailan dropped her eyes to the floor and became defensive. "No. I don't know why."

Danny shut his notepad and recognized the same reaction that Gabe had given Jack.

"Listen, I don't know what you and Gabe are trying to protect, but it could help us find Aidan. If you're a good friend you would want to help find him."

Hailan spoke to the floor, "He deals drugs. That's it."

"That's it?" Danny became a little angry, "He's 17 and trafficking cocaine. People are killed doing that. Things like this happen." Danny pulled up his shirt and showed Hailan the deep scar that ran across his abdomen.

Hailan's eyes filled with tears, "I don't know where he is, only that he had this big deal going down last night."

Danny opened his notepad and began write, "Who is this J guy?"

Hailan paused for a moment, "J used to be his pimp."

Danny stopped writing and looked up in disbelief.

Bulllpen

25 Hours Missing

Jack read through Aidan's chat conversations, "So he turns tricks for this guy, J."

Danny was going through sex offenders lists that matched the description that Hailan had given him. They had tried tracing his cell phone but it was a pre paid cell phone.

"Hailan said that she met him through a friend, and he talked Gabe, Aidan, and her into working. After they realized what the job entitled, they tried to leave, but this guy threatened to kill them if they left."

A match came up on the computer. "Jason Moore, 28, spent 5 years in jail for drug possession and 2 counts of child endangerment."

Interrogation Room

Jason Moore was sitting in a chair, his arms crossed and a look of impatience on his face. Jack opened the door and sat down across from him.

He pulled out Aidan's photo and slid it across the table to Jason.

"Aidan Leeson. The 17 year old you threatened to kill unless he worked for you? He's missing."

Jason narrowed his eyes and stared at Jack, "Sorry buddy, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jack's expression immediately turned angry, "I have zero respect for you. Trafficking teenagers and drugs, you're sick. Why don't you stop wasting my time and tell me where the hell Aidan is."

Jason gave Jack a smirk, " Am I supposed to be intimidated, detective? You look like the type of guy Aidan usually turns tricks for."

Jack immediately stood up, knocking over his chair, and grabbed Jason by the collar of his shirt. "How about this, you damn pervert. You tell me where Aidan is, and I'll let you rot in jail forever. Or don't, and then I'll kill you right now."

Jason grabbed at Jack's hands, attempting to free himself. Danny immediately threw the interrogation room door open and pulled Jack away.

"Jack! What the hell are you doing!"

Jason adjusted his shirt, "I sold him to a business friend, but he still carries out deals for me. He was making an exchange last night on the corner of 53rd and 2nd. He was supposed to call me around midnight to tell me if it went through. I never got a call from him. Little shit probably took my supply and left."

Jack gave Jason a dirty look before exiting the room.

"We found the drugs in Aidan's room, the deal never went through." Danny grabbed the files on the desk and gathered them up. "I want a list of all the men that have been with Aidan."

He slammed the door shut behind him.