One Hundred and fifty one

CHAPTER 151

"But Amanda..." Noel hesitated, remembering the unresolved thread in their theory.

"Amanda's disappearance complicates things," Nicholas admitted. "Her past story with Alicia might make her a potential player in this mess. But Amanda is long gone, let's leave her behind for a moment. She'll be seen if she's really involved."

As the pieces of the puzzle began to fit, Nicholas stood up, a flash of determination visible in his eyes. "We're going to track down Ace and uncover the truth behind these interconnected tragedies. That's the only way to end this sinister tale."

Noel and Hendrick exchanged determined glances, ready to dive into the web of events that had unfolded over the years, all connected by a common thread that led to Alicia.

"Speaking of which... I got some news, Chief," Hendrick said, cutting in hesitantly. "I heard that... Wilson Blake has recovered from his coma. I heard the news yesterday from an informant. And my informant linked it to the capture of the CCTV footage of Ace visiting the hospital."

"Damn, that old bastard's come back from the dead, huh?"

Noel pointed at Nicholas. "Your mouth is too rough, Nick. That's not good for a Chief's image, you know."

Nicholas immediately retorted. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his hands in the air. "Okay, I was wrong. Forget about it. But why are all these events connected so coincidentally? Then, what is Wilson Blake's condition now, he came back to life like a zombie?"

"Nick...,"

"Alright, alright. I just couldn't resist insulting him. He's so annoying," Nicholas said, then chuckled. He recalled the old days, of how Wilson bossed around him who was just an ordinary detective. "A bossy old man. He actually got sick and went into a coma before seeing me become a leader in the police force. Now, he's alive again. I don't know if I should be grateful or not."

Noel then said, "Should we check at the hospital? Maybe Ace said something that could be used as a clue."

"Ace paralyzed the policeman we assigned to guard Wilson Blake, do you think that annoying old man will easily reveal information to us? Ace must have told us something very secret. It'll be hard for us to find out. Maybe we should just watch him from afar, Ace could come to visit again."

Nicholas looked at his cell phone that he had just taken out of his pants pocket. The clock on the screen showed ten, which meant that the meeting had been going on for more than two hours. He then lifted his face and sighed. Looking at Nicholas and Hendrick, he said, "I'm going home today, and so are you. Tell Peter to resume the search tomorrow morning. We're already too tired from the past few days, we should take a break for tomorrow."

"Yes, Chief," Hendrick replied.

"You can go out now," Nicholas ordered.

As Hendrick walked out of the room, Noel walked over to Nicholas and sat next to him. "Are you going home?"

"No, I'm going to stay at Alicia's to make sure. She's alone and I think Ace is really after her. He wants to take Alicia, but I think... Ace tried to say something about Alicia. It's like he's worried about Alicia. But... what is he worried about?"

Noel thought. She frowned, then held her face in one hand. "Is he trying to protect Alicia?"

"Protect, hm? Are you kidding me?" Nicholas patted Noel's forehead. "We're trying to protect people from Ace. Ace is a killer, he wants to take Alicia. Doesn't that mean Alicia will be killed?"

Without waiting for a response from Noel, Nicholas got up from his seat. He tapped his partner lightly on the shoulder. "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes, I told you I was going to check on Alicia, didn't I? You might as well go home and rest, Noel. We're going to be very busy and tired tomorrow."

Nicholas walked down the dimmed street, his mind filled with the pieces of an enigmatic puzzle. The night cast elongated shadows, whispering secrets as the city slumbered. His footsteps echoed between the silent buildings, each step echoing a strong determination.

Arriving at Alicia's residence, he felt an unusual silence, the absence of the city's distracting hustle and bustle. He carefully climbed the stairs, his senses on alert. The door was slightly open, a sign. Nicholas carefully pushed it open, the creak magnifying his fear.

"Alicia?" he called softly, scanning the dimly lit interior. There was no answer, only an ominous silence greeted him. He took a cautious step, his heart racing, and realized something was wrong there.

Nicholas prepared to pull out a gun from his waist belt as he walked into the house. He was worried about Ace's presence. What if Ace broke in and managed to take Alicia with him?

Until then, Alicia appeared and made Nicholas brandish the end of his gun. "Nick?"

"Oh my God, Alicia! You scared me," said Nicholas, still with his panicked voice. Nicholas then lowered his gun, putting it back in its place. "You didn't lock the door, what are you doing at this time of night?"

"I'm making a pie. Want some?"

Nicholas' eyebrows furrowed. "Pie? You're making pie at night and forgot to lock the door?"

"Well, that's..." Alicia shrugged her shoulders with a reluctant smile. "I just finished throwing out the leftover eggs, I forgot to close it."

Nicholas breathed a sigh of relief, his tension easing at the sight of Alicia's familiar face. "You scared me to death," he admitted, a wry smile gracing his lips. He couldn't help but feel worried and amused at Alicia's explanation.

As she entered the kitchen, the scent of freshly baked cookies enveloped her, calming her nerves. "It smells wonderful," Nicholas said as he pulled out a chair. "Can I sit down while you work your magic with those pies?"

Alicia chuckled, rolling out the dough. "Of course not. This is my midnight therapy, you know that. But, you can take one to fill your stomach."

Leaning back, Nicholas observed her graceful movements and the ease with which she handled her ingredients. "You always find solace in baking. It's like your secret superpower."

She grinned, the dusting of flour on her cheeks accentuating her excitement. "We all have escapes, don't we?"