Shock

ELEANOR 

My jaw dropped at that very moment. 

“Wh—what did you say?” 

I found myself stuttering, unready to believe the most false piece of information about Andrew I would ever hear. 

I know. I know we needed to have leverage over him, but lying against him in this way was not acceptable. Not a little bit. 

“What did you say, Matthew?” Again, I looked before looking at Raymond who was shocked, not also knowing what to say. 

“I am telling you the truth, ma'am,” I let out. “I've made my searches and this is what I could discover. I don't expect you to believe me but this is the truth. One thing I'm sure about is the fact that Andrew Hoover is into illegal activities. It has to be more than one but for now, I know it to be just one.” 

“Oh my God.” 

“Are you okay?” That was Raymond asking. He met my gaze and I looked away, shaking my head. “Are you sure about this piece of information, Matthew? You know you don't have to make this thing up. If you're yet to have any information about that man, we can wait until you finally come up with one.” 

“No, boss,” Matthew shook his head. “It's understandable if my new boss doesn't believe. But you of all people should know that I won't make a thing like this up. Why would I leave what I have to do, only to come here and lie?” 

I looked at Raymond. “Do you think—?”

“Well—” the man sat up, confusion written on his countenance. 

“I don't know what to say. I am being very honest. This is a very new and shocking development but I must trust my men. In the past, they have come up with stories that were hard to believe and in the end, they were true. So yes, Eleanor. I believe what Matthew has just said.” 

I nodded, heaving a sigh. 

“I'm sorry,” I let out. “I'm just shocked. I didn't know him to be into things like this. He was such a sweet man who looked innocent to me. At some point, I thought I was a bad person. Can you imagine that?” Tears threatened to fall off my face and I held them back, turning to look at the man I was married to. 

What could he be doing? 

If a man like Andrew wasn't innocent, what could a man like Raymond be doing? 

What was he hiding in his room? 

These and many more thoughts were running around my head in the meantime, and I shut them out to face Matthew who must have a thing or two to say. 

“I'm sorry to disappoint you again, Mrs. Jefferson,” he let out. “But Andrew Hoover has been at this for two years and even more. My source says he's not new to this business. I was able to get a hacker to hack into his profile and everything he was doing. For over three days, he was being monitored. Currently, we have no idea where the warehouse of him or his boss exists, because according to the man who did this job, it's a discreet location that cannot even be hacked.” 

I looked at my husband. He didn't look at me but concentrated more on the face of Matthew who did have more to say. 

“What else did you find out?” Raymond asked. 

“Did you trace him at some point while you were on it? Or did you leave all the tasks to this backer to run? What if this hacker works with Andrew and the rest of his crew? What if you're not safe, Matthew? Just what if?” 

“No, boss. I trust this person with everything in me. It was right in front of me he did all of these and there was no way he could hide a thing from me even if he couldn't be trusted. But, I, on my part, was able to trace Mr. Andrew for some time. Like I said, I couldn't go with him to this warehouse because it's discreet and I cannot trust these paths.” 

That was a lot. 

The kind of ‘a lot’ I would never imagine was possible. 

Did this mean—?

No way. 

Yes, way. 

That was the truth. 

I was married to a drug dealer all this while. And even more. Or was it not drugs he was moving? I looked up and met the gaze of Matthew who moped at me. “What exactly does he do that is illegal? Is he some mafia king or something? Does he sell guns? What does he do? I'd like to know. You're yet to tell us and I can't wait any longer. How is this even possible? I lived with that man for three years and there was nothing like this.” 

“I could be doing something illegal and you wouldn't know, Eleanor,” my husband let out. “I don't do any. No, and I don't expect you to believe this because you have just been shocked. But if I was into one and didn't want you to know, you would. You were so innocent also, did you recall? You trusted this man with everything in you in case you have forgotten.” 

How could I forget? 

No, I couldn't. 

I recalled everything, from start to finish. 

How could I be so stupid? What the fuck was I thinking? 

Nodding, I looked away from Raymond. “You're right,” I let out. “But what did you find out he's doing, Matthew?” 

“Well, Mrs. Jefferson,” he adjusted on the couch. “I was able to track him down in the afternoon after my discovery with aid from the hacker. I followed Mr. Andrew to an Estate and acted like I was a member of the Estate. He had delivered coke to a house I still recognize. And you must also know something.” 

“What is it?” 

“The owner of the house he delivered coke to, is a dangerous man in the city. No one except his likes does business with him. The only people who can be tagged as innocent are his workers who run errands for him in his mansion. The man has men. Dangerous men who run his criminal activities for him on the low. He was the one Andrew delivered coke to.” 

That was unbelievable. 

I could not believe my ears but I had to. 

I looked at Raymond. No matter how he tried to act like a man, I could see the confusion on his countenance. My back now relaxed on the couch and I went into my thoughts.

“This is new.” 

“Very new—” Raymond cried. 

“I wouldn't believe this if it wasn't one of my men saying it to me.” He let out, jumped on his feet, and started to pace the space. “I don't know what to say but you have done a good job, Matthew. Well done to you and the rest of the men.” 

“Thank you, Boss.” 

“What do we do next?” 

That was my question. “Andrew cannot go about selling drugs to people. What if there are innocent people on his customer list? Who does he even work for?” 

“Firstly, Mrs. Jefferson,” Matthew called. Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked at him. “There's nothing like innocent customers. Since this is an illegal business, no one gets these things without asking for them. If it happens, then they'd be reported to the police and do you know what happens when police get involved in something like this?” 

“No—”

“They are reported and exposed. Arrested and even detained. Why do you think the warehouse of him or his boss is discreet? Although, according to what I've noticed, he cannot be the owner of the warehouse. A boss doesn't deliver drugs himself so most definitely, Andrew is working for someone?” 

“Who is this person?” 

Coincidentally and together, myself and Raymond asked the same question. Instead of looking at him, I concentrated more on the young man seated right in front of me—waiting for him to say something at least. 

“I don't know.” 

That was disappointing. 

“No one shows their faces in the City like that and even if they did, we never know what they're doing. These men, for example, Andrew who works for him are their tools and they stay back and watch while their tools do the work on their behalf. Do you understand me?” 

Of course, I did. 

“Yes, I do. Thank you so much.”

“There is a lot more to do,” he said and got on his feet. “As a matter of fact, I am trying so hard to see if I can get a clearer picture of this warehouse and maybe see who the man they work for is. Do you need me to do something before I leave?” 

“No no,” I shook my head. “I've heard more than enough already. Thank you for doing a perfect job, Matthew. I'm going to keep in touch with you. And do well to let me know if you need something. I'm sure my husband and I will provide you with anything and everything.”