Chapter 16

MR. JACOB’S POV

I walked closer to where Richard and Max stood, their voices low but unmistakably tense. I could hear snippets of their conversation, and it seemed like an argument was brewing.

From where I stood, their words carried just enough for me to make sense of them.

“Why are you following me, Max?” Richard’s voice was sharp and accusing.

Max, ever calm, replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why would I follow you?”

“Don’t play games with me,” Richard shot back. “You’ve been on my tail since I left the theatre. Are you trying to eavesdrop on my conversation? Or is there something else I should know?”

Max gave a dry laugh. “You’re paranoid, Richard. Honestly, this isn’t an interesting topic for me.”

I stopped in my tracks, listening intently. For a moment, I felt my chest tighten. Was Max about to reveal something? But to my relief, he didn’t. Max remained calm under Richard’s scrutiny, his denial firm. I let out a cool breath, relieved. Max wasn’t going to spill anything…at least not now.

I stepped back, realizing I had other matters to handle. I needed to call the head of the police department. If I didn’t report the sniper attack on Kenneth, I risked looking like a suspect.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Chief Anderson’s number. The line connected after a few rings.

“Mr. Jacob,” Chief Anderson greeted me. “How can I help you?”

“Chief,” I began, injecting concern into my voice, “there’s been an attack on my brother, Kenneth Johnson. He was almost killed by a sniper earlier today.”

“A sniper? Are you sure about this?” Anderson’s voice was sharp, immediately alert.

“Yes,” I said, my voice steady. “It happened during my niece Tamara’s engagement party. Kenneth was shot and is in the hospital now. The doctors say he’s stable, but it was a close call.”

“And you’re reporting this now? Hours after it happened?” the chief questioned, suspicion lacing his tone.

'' It all over the news and I thought you already know about it.''

“I was in shock, Chief,” I replied, feigning a heavy sigh. “My family has been distraught, and I’ve been trying to support them. But I knew this needed to be reported immediately.”

“Understood,” Anderson said. “We’ll start an investigation right away. Do you have any leads?”

“None,” I lied. “It’s all so sudden. We don’t even know who would want to harm Kenneth.”

“Alright, Mr. Jacob. We’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Chief,” I said, ending the call.

As I lowered my phone, it buzzed again. A new number flashed on the screen. I answered cautiously.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” a hushed voice said. “I’m safe. No one caught me.”

Relief mixed with irritation. “Why are you calling me now?” I snapped.

“I thought you’d want to know,” the voice replied.

“Fine. Stay hidden and don’t contact me again unless necessary,” I said curtly before ending the call.

Turning on my heel, I made my way back to the theatre. Kenneth was still on oxygen, and I needed to keep appearances.

RICHARD’S POV

After leaving the theatre, I walked toward a quiet corner of the hospital to make my call. As I moved, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following me. I glanced sideways discreetly but saw no one. Still, the feeling persisted.

I kept walking, pretending to be unaware, until I reached a wall demarcation. Quickly, I stepped to the side, pressing myself against the wall and waiting. Footsteps approached, steady and deliberate.

The moment the figure stepped into view, I reached out, grabbing the man by his collar.

“What the hell?” he exclaimed.

My eyes widened in recognition. “Max? What are you doing here?”

“Let go of me,” Max said, trying to free himself.

“Not until you tell me why you’re following me,” I demanded. “You’ve been shadowing me since I left the theatre. What are you up to?”

“You’ve got it wrong,” Max said, his tone defensive. “I thought you were someone I used to know…an old friend. That’s all.”

I stared at him, unsure whether to believe him. His excuse felt thin, but his expression betrayed nothing.

After a moment, I released his collar. “Fine,” I said, though my suspicion lingered.

As Max adjusted his shirt, a small card slipped from his chest pocket, landing on the floor.

“What’s this?” I asked, bending down to pick it up.

Max froze, his eyes darting toward the card with a flicker of fear. “It’s nothing,” he said quickly, reaching for it.

But I was faster. I held the card up, examining it. It was a house card address, plain but oddly intriguing.

“What’s this address for?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“It’s private,” Max said, his voice tight. “Give it back.”

I could see the tension in his posture, the way his eyes watched the card as if it were a lifeline. Something about it didn’t sit right with me.

Ignoring his protests, I raised my hand over his pocket to take a closer look. “This is important, isn’t it?” I asked, my voice low.

Max took a step back, clearly nervous. “Leave it alone, Richard,” he warned.

But his fear only fueled my determination.

I couldn’t understand why Max was acting so strange. His grip on the house card address was tight, and every time I tried to glance at it, he shifted it further out of view.

“Why can’t I see it, Max?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “What’s so secretive about a house address?”

Max gave a nervous laugh, stuffing the card into his pocket. “It’s nothing, Richard. Just… private business.”

His vague response only heightened my suspicions. Something didn’t add up. I leaned closer, trying to gauge his reaction. That’s when I felt someone’s presence nearby.

Turning slightly, I saw Nadia standing close to us, her eyes fixed on me with that familiar, desperate look.

I rolled my eyes and turned away. I was exhausted by her constant attempts to insert herself into my life. Her persistence was draining.

“Richard,” she began, but I cut her off with a curt, “Not now, Nadia.” and then he sieze the opportunity to snatch the card from me.