Extra 43 - Saving Hedgehog

“Why is there another car?” Ruby turned around and saw one more car that had indeed been following them.

Ruby only noticed it after they reached a quieter road. The car had been with them all along.

“Yes, because it’s necessary. This area belongs to the Val family,” Ed explained with some relief.

That was the first question Ruby had asked since their trip from Paris to Italy—Lake Como. She had been silent since they left the restaurant.

“What do you mean by ‘area’?” Ruby only knew that Val was Ed’s friend.

"His family has a business here, and I'm not exactly supposed to enter casually." While gritting his teeth and squeezing his phone, Ed stated that he would likely smash it if he had the ability.

That frustration was directed at Val. In such a critical moment, none of his calls to Val had come through. Not even a response. Ed wasn’t sure if Val’s phone was off or