Lucas retrieved the crumpled note from his pocket, smoothing out the creases with his fingers. The worn paper revealed a detailed image of a building painted in vivid blue and white. He squinted at it, eyebrows knitting together. "Why would anyone paint on a dollar note?" he muttered, the confusion clear in his voice.He shook his head, the absurdity of the situation gnawing at him. "This makes no sense," he said, more to himself than anyone else. Frustration seeped into his actions as he balled up the note again, preparing to discard it. But Emma's hand shot out, stopping him mid throw."Wait," she said, her tone urgent yet calm. She gently took the bill from his hand and sank into the nearby couch. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she scrutinized the note, turning it over and over. The room fell silent, the only sound the soft rustle of the paper as Emma handled it.Lucas watched her, curiosity piqued. "What are you doing?" he asked, stepping closer.Emma didn't look up. She li
"Are you there, Emma?" Mr. Mario's voice drifted to her ears, pulling her from her thoughts. She blinked slowly, the haze lifting from her mind."Yes, I'm here," she said quickly, realizing he couldn’t see her nod. She rubbed her forehead, trying to relieve the tension."A warehouse?" Emma’s voice trembled as she held her breath."Yes, the abandoned one downtown, with the peeling blue paint, we could not get a hold of the men, they were gone before we got there." Mr. Mario replied. "But that's not what matters. Your sister is safe. Can you come see her?"Emma’s heart pounded. "I don't know, but I'll let you know soon. Thank you for reaching out to me." She ended the call, her hand shaking slightly as she lowered the phone.She turned to Lucas, who watched her intently, curiosity etched on his face."You didn't tell me someone was helping you look for your sister," Lucas said, his brow furrowing. "Especially not Mario Rodriguez."Emma shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "It slipped
Lucas slammed the door of his car shut as he got in. Emma would be furious if she found out he had gone to see her sister first, making him miss the cell lady she's eager to keep safe and meet.He thought of going back to the police station to get more information from the front desk lady, but he knew that would be suspicious, and the last thing he needed was that.Lucas slumped against the steering wheel of his car. He pressed his palms against his temples, trying to quell the rising panic threatening to consume him. What was he going to do now?With a heavy sigh, Lucas started the ignition and pulled out onto the main street. He drove aimlessly, the passing scenery a blur of colors and shapes. He scanned the sidewalks, hoping against hope to catch a glimpse of the lady, but that was to no avail, she would have been long gone by now.An hour passed with no sign of her. Frustration gnawed at Lucas's insides, mingling with the guilt of letting Emma down once again. He pulled over to th
Lucas's brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the lady. Her wild eyes and frantic gestures made her look half-crazed, but something in her voice gnawed at his skepticism."Mario Rodriguez hired you to kill Emma's mother?" Lucas scoffed, getting up from the ground. He slapped at the dust clinging to his pants, each swipe a dismissal of her claim."I know you won't believe me!" The lady's voice cracked, her hands trembling at her sides. "He covers his tracks better than Mr. Ethan. That’s why Emma hasn’t discovered who he truly is."Lucas let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he began to trudge out of the dense bush. The leaves crunched beneath his boots, and the earthy smell of the bush filled the air. She was crazy, he was convinced. Her disheveled hair and haunted eyes only confirmed it."Wait, you have to believe me!" She ran after him, her footsteps frantic against the forest floor. She darted in front of him, forcing him to halt. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her despe
"Fuck," Davina muttered under her breath as the loud gunshot sliced through the air, her heart pounding as she pushed her legs to move faster."Duck!" she screamed at Lucas. They both dove to the ground, feeling the impact jolt through their bodies.Lucas turned to her, eyes wide with panic and confusion. "What are you doing?" he whispered harshly, but Davina pressed a finger to her lips, urging silence."Follow me," she mouthed, and began crawling forward. The dry leaves crunched loudly under their weight. Sweat trickled down Lucas’s forehead, stinging his eyes, but he blinked it away and kept moving.Ahead, a large ditch loomed, dark and foreboding. Davina slid in first, landing with a soft grunt. Lucas hesitated for a moment, then followed, the earth cool and damp beneath his hands.They huddled in the ditch, barely breathing as beams of flashlight swept over the ground above them. The men’s voices were low, but the menace in their tones was clear. Lucas clenched his fists, willing
Lucas blinked hard, hoping the sight before him would vanish with the next flutter of his eyelids. But nothing changed. The scene remained clear and he stood there dumbfounded watching the two people in front of him.Dexter was still there, his frame pressed against the counter, moving rhythmically against the woman. His thrusts forceful and powerful, his mouth on her breasts. The sound of their grunts and moans of pleasure filled the room.As if sensing a presence, Davina's eyes fluttered open, before widening in surprise. "Oh shit!" she exclaimed, shoving Dexter away. She leaped down from the counter, her movements frantic as she yanked up her shorts, her face flushing a deep crimson.Dexter, still caught in the haze of their moment, looked around, confused. "What, what happened?" he mumbled, his voice thick with lingering desire."I happened," Lucas said, his voice cold and steady. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes, dark and piercing, bor
Emma felt a knot tighten in her stomach as Lucas's cryptic words hung in the air. She opened her mouth to question him, but before she could speak, the heavy door swung open, and a stern-faced warder entered the room."We'll be leaving in five minutes," he announced briskly, then exited without waiting for a response."We'll talk about everything later," Lucas whispered, his eyes conveying a silent plea for understanding as he had already seen Emma eager to hear what he had to say. Right now, the most important thing is the conclusion on her case in court. Emma nodded in silent agreement as she held his hand.With a sigh, she reached for the bag of clothes Lucas had brought, her fingers trembling slightly as she unzipped it. Stepping into the bathroom, she closed the door behind her.The warm water flowing over her skin was a welcome distraction from the chaos swirling inside her mind. She lingered under the spray longer than necessary.After toweling off and applying her cream, Emma
Emma could hardly believe her ears as the courtroom erupted in noise. The judge’s gavel had barely fallen when murmurs turned into a loud murmurs, echoing off the high ceilings. She stood frozen, unblinking, as the judge’s final words looped in her mind like a broken record."You are free to go."The phrase seemed unreal. Free? The case had been thrown out?She was still in a daze when a pair of arms encircled her. The familiar scent of lavender and home enveloped her as her mother pulled her into a tight embrace."God, you're free, Emma," her mother whispered, her voice breaking into sobs that wracked her whole body. Emma felt her mother’s tears dampening her shoulder, and she slowly lifted her arms to return the hug, her movements stiff and mechanical as if she were afraid she might shatter this fragile reality.Her mother pulled away, her eyes red and shining with tears, and Lucas was next. He wrapped her in a bear hug, his breath warm against her ear as he murmured, "It's over, Em