With a heavy breath, Rene paused by his car, fingers curling lightly around the door handle, but his eyes… his eyes flicked back to the house one last time.Rome stood in the distance, and for a long moment, Rene stared. His father's jaw was tight, the furrows deepening as if the night itself had etched its burden into him. The older man’s eyes caught Rene’s, and something passed between them... reassurance.After a faint nod, Rene slid into the car, the door clicking softly behind him. The engine hummed alive beneath him, and the world outside seemed to slow.Just then, his phone buzzed on the dashboard. A single text notification glowed on the screen.Unknown Number:Saint Mercy Medical. 5317 Arbor Ridge.He stared at the message, and something in his chest twisted as his fingers tightened around the wheel.Without hesitation, he shifted the car into gear, tires crunching softly on the gravel as he pulled away from the estate.A minute after the taillights of Rene’s car disappeared
The lawn was unnaturally silent.Even the rustling breeze, moments ago raking through the hedges and rattling the leaves on the grand oak near the driveway, had quieted.Rene's question lingered in the air without a response for a while.A few officers shifted behind the cruisers. One coughed quietly. Another glanced at his partner, brows furrowed. Whispers crept along the edges of the scene like smoke edging under a door as Captain Rainer continued to stand in his path, fists clenched, jaw tight, like a man trying to balance his emotion on the edge of his ego.“Mr. Flores…” he tried again, voice steady, but lacking the edge of confidence it had before.But Rene's voice was calm. Controlled, but still dangerous."You’re close to Antonio and Jason Rossi, aren’t you, Captain?"Rainer's brow furrowed. "What are you insinuating?"For a moment, Rene didn’t move, didn’t blink. He let the silence settle before answering. "I’m not insinuating anything. I’m pointing out that your eagerness to
The echo of tense voices and clicking boots reverberated against the polished stone of the estate’s front lawn. Flashing red and blue lights from nearby cruisers painted long, eerie shadows across the walls.Drowning out the voices around him, Rome Ford stood near the cold stone fountain, forcing his mind and body to restrain the fury burning in him.His arms were folded tightly across his chest, and the muscle ticking in his jaw betrayed the storm raging beneath the surface. He hadn’t moved in minutes. Not since Maria and Catherine were loaded into the ambulance. Not since the last officer gave him a vague update about Rene, and then fell silent.When footsteps approached, Rome didn’t turn immediately. But his eyes, sharp and stormy, flicked toward the sound.Captain Rainer appeared, holding a manila folder. His usual swagger was absent, replaced by the careful gait of someone walking into a cage with a sleeping lion."Mr. Ford," Rainer began, keeping his voice low and level, "we rec
***Present time***The precinct’s waiting room was cold, fluorescent, washed-out, and echoing with distant sounds of phones ringing and the soft click of boots down linoleum hallways.He sat hunched at the intake counter, barely able to hold himself upright. His face was swollen, lips cracked, one eye blackened so badly it barely opened. Blood had dried in crusted patches along his jaw and collar, and his arm bandaged poorly, blood still leaking, his jacket hung limp at his side.Detective Moreno stepped through the double doors at the sound of the commotion. His expression, already skeptical, turned unreadable as he took in the broken man slumped at the front desk.“Derek?” he asked.With wide-eyes, Derek turned toward the voice and the minute he saw the detective, something in him buckled. His knees hit the ground with a thud."Get someone down here! Medical! Now!" Moreno barked to the nearby officer before hurrying forward.He crouched low in front of Derek. "You need to calm down,
*Two hours in the past*Rene didn’t move. His body tensed instinctively, years of learned survival screaming at him to duck, to run, to fight, but he held.Whoever was behind him wasn’t in a rush. That kind of calm… was worse than anger.He studied the mirror.One hand holding the weapon, steady. No tremor. No hesitation.A professional."You sure about that?" Rene said, voice quieter now, stripped of humor. "You pull that trigger and you don’t just kill me... You start something you can’t control."No response.Only silence.And the gun.Still raised.Still waiting."I will take my chances..." The voice finally flowed out. "Now, say 'Hi' to the devil for me."Bang.The sound ripped through the marble and porcelain with shattering finality.Rene turned fast, heart slamming in his chest-And saw Derek on the floor.Blood gushed from his arm, the one that had held the gun. His fingers twitched around the weapon, grip slipping. His face twisted in pain, disbelief distorting every line.A
Detective Moreno turned the page in his file slowly as Antonio sat stiffly, eyes darting to the mirrored wall, his jaw already tense.“Mr. Rossi,” Moreno said, breaking the silence once more as he tapped the folder lightly, “Your father hosted the party where Kia Flores was last seen. A celebration in his honor, no less. That’s generous, considering the tensions within your family.”Antonio bristled. “It wasn’t personal. It was a business event.”“Ah, so watching a man who married into your family rise through your ranks and get an honor party that could’ve gone to your son wasn’t personal at all?”Antonio’s eyes flashed, but his voice stayed measured. “Kia proved himself useful to my father.”“Useful enough to ignore his background?” Moreno leaned in slightly. “A man with no legacy, no name, and yet somehow... he became the symbol of your family’s future. That had to sting.”Antonio shook his head. “I didn’t agree with it. But I accepted it.”Moreno stared for a beat. “And did your s