29. Chapter 29 - The Traitor

Chapter 29 - The Traitor

Alexei

" W hat if we have been checking the wrong pub? Vera mentioned a pub but she didn't specify. I have a feeling we are. If he is a regular like she claimed, then we wouldn't have seen just a single image of him. She said he was out all the time until his death." Ana said and I paused, maybe she was right.

"Alright, let's check the last pub downtown and confirm if he was really going to a pub, or if he lied to Vera about that too." I replied and she nodded. We thanked the waiter before walking back to the car, it was time to head out.

The neon lights of the downtown area flickered as Ana and I made our way to the last pub on our list, the chill of the night air biting at our skin. As we approached the entrance, I couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that settled over me, knowing that we were about to confront the unknown once again.

Pushing open the door, we stepped inside, the warmth of the pub washing over us as the sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air. Ana and I exchanged a glance before making our way to the bar, where a young waiter stood behind the counter, polishing glasses with practiced ease.

"Excuse me," Ana said, her voice polite but firm. "We're looking for someone who may have been here recently. Have you seen this man?" She held up a picture of Dimitri, his features frozen in a solemn expression.

The waiter glanced at the picture before shaking his head. "Sorry, I haven't seen him," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

I could feel frustration building within me as I pleaded with him. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice strained with urgency. "Please, take another look."

But the waiter simply avoided my gaze, his expression guarded as he continued to polish the glasses in front of him. Ana shot me a knowing look, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Listen, we know he's been here," she said, her voice cold with determination. "And we need to speak to someone who can help us."

Without warning, Ana lunged forward, wrapping her arm around the waiter's neck in a headlock. The young man gasped in surprise, his eyes widening in shock as he struggled against her grip.

"Alright, alright!" he choked out, his voice hoarse with panic. "He's been here, okay? Dimitri and his friends are regulars."

Ana released her hold on the waiter, who stumbled backwards, gasping for air.

"Was that hard?" she asked with a smirk, and he eyed her while massaging his neck.

I shot him a stern look before turning to Ana, gratitude shining in my eyes.

"Thank you," I said softly, knowing that her quick thinking had saved us valuable time.

With a determined nod, Ana turned to the waiter. "Now, we need to see the CCTV footage," she demanded, her voice firm.

The waiter hesitated for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "Follow me," he said, leading us to a small room at the back of the pub where a bank of monitors were made available to us.

As we watched the footage, my heart sank as I saw Dimitri meeting with Ryan, a sheriff's deputy, and Beta Oberyn of the werewolf pack. My mind raced with the implications of what we had just discovered. Dimitri, Ryan, and Beta Oberyn had been seen arguing the night before Dimitri's body was found, and they followed him into an alley where he had disappeared. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place, but the picture they painted was grim.

"We need to find out what they were discussing," Ana said, her voice tense.

I nodded in agreement, my mind racing with possibilities. "Let's head back to my office," I suggested. "We need to talk to Ryan and Oberyn and find out what they know."

As we left the pub, the weight of our discovery settled heavily on my shoulders. But as long as Ana and I stood together, I knew that we would stop at nothing to uncover the truth and bring justice to those who had been wronged.

I dialed Evelyn, hoping to bring her up to date. She didn't answer...

"We need to find Evelyn," Ana said, her voice urgent with concern. "Something might be wrong."

I nodded in agreement, my heart pounding with a sense of urgency. "Let's go," I said, my voice tight with determination.

We hurried out of the pub and into the night, the chill of the evening air biting at my skin as we made our way through the deserted streets. With each passing moment, the sense of unease grew stronger, fueling my determination to find Evelyn and ensure her safety.

As we approached the Sheriff's Department, a sense of dread settled over me, knowing that something was amiss.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, the air heavy with tension as I scanned the room for any sign of Evelyn. But the building was eerily quiet, the usual bustle of activity conspicuously absent.

"Where is everyone?" Ana asked, her voice tinged with concern.

I shook my head, my mind racing with possibilities. "I don't know," I replied, my voice tight with worry. "But we need to find Evelyn."

We made our way through the whole building, searching room by room for any sign of her. But she was nowhere to be found, and a sense of dread settled over me as I realized that something was terribly wrong.

I pulled out my phone and tried to call Evelyn again, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic surged through me as I dialed her number again and again, each time met with the same result.

"She's still not answering," I said, my voice shaking with fear.

Ana's eyes widened with concern as she reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We'll find her," she said, her voice filled with determination. "We have to."

With renewed resolve, we continued our search, checking every room and corridor in the building. But Evelyn was nowhere to be found, and a sense of helplessness washed over me as I realized that she could be in grave danger.

As we stood outside the Sheriff's Department, uncertainty hung heavy in the air, a palpable tension that seemed to press down on us with each passing moment. With Evelyn still missing and Deputy Ryan's involvement in question, I knew that time was of the essence. We needed answers, and we needed them now.

"Ana, we need to split up," I said, my voice firm with determination. "I'll head to the coven and check if Evelyn is there. You go to the werewolf pack and find Beta Oberyn."

Ana nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with determination. "Got it," she said, her voice steady. "I'll keep you updated."

With a final nod of reassurance, I turned and headed for my car, the engine roaring to life as I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the deserted streets. My mind raced with worry for Evelyn, each passing moment fueling my determination to find her and bring her home safely.

As I drove, I continued to try Evelyn's phone, each attempt met with the same frustrating result: voicemail. Panic surged through me, a gnawing fear that threatened to consume me as I imagined the worst possible scenarios.

But I pushed the fear aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. I had to find Evelyn, and I would stop at nothing to ensure her safety.