Page 31 of A Love Bite
Opal closes her eyes for a moment, thinking hard. “Well, I’ve been trying to remember everything. There was a moment when they were dragging me to that gazebo. I heard one of them on the phone. He was talking about ‘the boss’ and making sure everything went according to plan.”
I lean in, my interest piqued. “Did he mention any names? Anything that could identify who they were talking about?”
She shakes her head. “No names. Just ‘the boss.’ And something about making sure they weren’t followed.”
I jot down the information in my notebook, feeling a mix of frustration and determination. “That’s something, at least. Maybe we can find out who’s in charge and work our way from there.”
“The police haven’t told me much,” Opal continues, her voice tinged with frustration. “They keep saying they’re working on it, but I feel like they’re not getting anywhere.”
“I know,” I say, feeling her frustration. “But we can’t give up. I’m going to keep digging, and I promise we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Opal looks at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and fear. “Thank you, Alex. I don’t know what I’d do without you and Kathy.”
“We’re in this together,” I assure her, giving her a reassuring smile. “And we won’t stop until we find out who did this and why.”
“Just…” She bites her lower lip. “Be careful, okay? I don’t want them to think you’re getting too close and kidnap you or… worse.”
“I won’t let that happen.”
She hangs her head. “I never felt so hopeless,” she mumbles. “I don’t understand. They didn’t handcuff me or bind me in any way. I could’ve left, but I just obeyed them.”
“Fear is a powerful motivator,” I assure her, patting her shoulder.
She gulps. “They still have my purse, my phone, my wallet… I canceled all of my cards, but…” Her gaze shifts to her door.
“Maybe you should talk to your landlord and see if your knob can be changed,” I suggest. “They won’t want your place to be ransacked.”
Or for Opal to be taken again, but I don’t voice that aloud.
Opal rubs the back of her neck. “Curt’s been great. He’s allowing me to take a short leave of absence, but I almost wonder if just sitting here in my apartment is the last thing I need.”
“A few days off can’t hurt,” I tell her.
“I know, but…”
“You wouldn’t be put on your own case anyhow,” I reason.
She sighs and picks at her nails. “I know, but I feel like a sitting duck.”
“If you want to stay at my place,” I murmur, “please, feel free.”
Her eyes widen. “I… I’ll take you up on that.”
She darts around her apartment, filling an overnight bag, and I help her settle into my apartment even as my mind races with new questions. The mention of a boss and a plan makes it clear that this was orchestrated by someone with a lot of influence. I need to find out why Elias and his pack targeted people like Opal and before that Amelia.
I’m even more determined to follow up on every lead. I can’t help but think about Jake’s warning and his reluctance to share what he knows. There’s something he’s not telling me, and I need to find a way to get him to open up.
Determinedto make some headway in the investigation, I head to the police station to talk to the officer in charge of Opal’s case. I need more information and hope that they might have something useful, even if they won’t go on the record.
When I arrive at the station, I find the officer handling Opal’s case, Detective Johnson. After some initial reluctance, he finally agrees to speak with me off the record.
“Look, Alex,” Detective Johnson says, his tone firm but not unkind, “I get that you’re trying to help, but this is a delicate situation. There are a lot of moving parts, and it’s dangerous. You need to let us handle this.”
“I understand, Detective,” I reply, trying to keep my frustration in check. “But Opal is my friend, and I need to do everything I can to help her. Is there anything you can tell me that might point me in the right direction?”
He sighs, leaning back in his chair. “Off the record, another bar had been attacked about a week ago. Similar situation—violent, seemed targeted.”
“Wait,” I murmur. “Braveheart’s Pub, right?”