24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

IZEL

I twist off the cap of the water bottle and take a long swig, the cool liquid offering a temporary reprieve from the maelstrom of Luna’s emotions swirling around me. She’s still tied to the chair, but I had to take the sticky gag off to feed her. Of course, she wouldn’t shut up about the dead body in her car.

“You should really work on your survival instincts, Luna. Screaming at the person who has you tied up isn’t exactly a smart move,” I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Luna glares at me. “You’re making a big mistake. Richard and the others will figure this out. They’ll come for me.”

“I want them to,” I say, crouching down to her level.

Luna’s face pales. “Why?”

I pause, considering how much to reveal. “Because the only way I can take care of Liam is if they're occupied chasing ghosts in Hollowbrook.”

Luna’s eyes widen in fear and realization. “What are you going to do to Liam?”

I don’t answer. Instead, I stand up and start pacing, pulling out my phone to review the footage Martin sent me. Luna’s eyes follow me.

“Why is Richard going to Hollowbrook?”

“How did you even find a dead body to distract him?”

I ignore her by focusing on the screen in front of me. The footage shows Liam sitting in a diner, nursing a cup of coffee. Soon, he’ll be off doing whatever odd jobs he can find to survive. After his sister’s death, he spiraled into a cycle of drugs and alcohol. No one is willing to hire him for a steady job, so he takes what he can get. His life is a mess, and it’s all because of me. And that’s why I couldn’t let Richard press charges. Seeing him rot in jail wouldn’t fix anything—it would just be another piece of my guilt to carry. I’m already drowning in it.

“Why the hell is there a dead body in my car?”

Finally, her incessant questions get to me. I feign nonchalance, not in the mood for a heart-to-heart with Luna.

“Oh, just a little something I thought you’d appreciate.”

“Whose dead body is it?”

I take a moment, letting the weight of the silence settle before responding. “Someone I want found. Someone your father failed to save.”

Luna’s teeth grit in frustration. “He didn’t mean for that to happen, and you know it. He wasn’t a monster,” she argues.

“No, Luna, I don’t know. Who’s to say your father wasn’t actually involved?”

The mention of her father hits a nerve, and Luna’s restrained anger explodes. She snaps against the restraints. When she finally gives up the futile struggle, she resorts to hurting me in a different way.

“You don’t get it, do you? My father would never intentionally want to hurt someone. Can you say the same, Izel?”

“What's that supposed to mean?” I shoot back, but there’s a slight tremor in my voice that I can’t quite hide. I’m confused, and Luna picks up on it immediately.

A twisted smile tugs at her lips. “Oh, come on, you think I don’t know why you tried to plant yourself as a suspect?”

“How did you—” The question slips out before I can stop it. Luna’s not a profiler, so how the hell did she figure that out? My thoughts are a jumbled mess, and all I can do is try to regain some control. “Stick to your day job, Luna. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but I do,” she says, her tone almost condescending. “You wanted to involve Richard, didn’t you? Direct him to Hollowbrook so that he could do your dirty work for you. You’re so focused on revenge that you don’t care who you drag down with you.”

I can feel the urge to defend myself, to shut her up, but instead, I lean into it. If she’s going to play this game, I’ll give her what she wants—sort of.

“He’s a federal agent, Luna. Taking one worthless life isn’t going to hurt him.” I try to keep my voice cold, as if I really believe that. “He’s seen worse. Done worse. And if taking out some scum saves more lives, it’s a win, isn’t it?”

“It’s not about whether he can do it. It’s about what it’ll do to him. Richard’s taken lives before, but every single one of them has weighed on him. He carries that guilt like a boulder on his back, and it’s not something you just brush off, no matter how ‘worthless’ you think that life is.”

“FBI agents are taught that human life is sacred,” Luna continues, her tone turning almost lecturing. “They drill it into you from day one—‘above all, preserve life.’ You start making exceptions, telling yourself it’s okay to take a life here or there, and it changes you. It breaks you. Richard’s a good man, and you’re asking him to cross a line that he’ll never come back from.”

I try to shrug off her words because I can’t let her see the truth—can’t let her know my plan’s already changed.

“You’re hurting Richard. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. What’s your endgame here? Dragging everyone down with you?”

I scoff, pushing away from the crate. “Richard can handle himself. And my ‘endgame’? Let’s just say I have my reasons, Luna, reasons you wouldn’t understand.”

“I may not know everything, but I know enough. You’re so consumed by your need for revenge that you’re forgetting what really matters. Richard… he cares about you. But if you keep using him like this, if you keep manipulating him to do your dirty work, you’re going to lose him. And when that happens, you won’t just be losing him—you’ll be losing the last bit of humanity you have left.”

“Save your psychoanalysis for someone who gives a damn,” I roll my eyes.

“You know, Izel, for someone who claims to have it all figured out, you’re doing a shitty job at understanding what’s right in front of you,”

I clench my jaw, refusing to let her get under my skin. Luna, with her sharp tongue and unfiltered honesty, is a constant thorn in my side. But this time, her words cut a little too close to the bone.

Luna leans forward. “You’re hurting Richard, and you damn well know it. He’s in love with you. In-fucking-love.”

The truth is resonating in a way I can’t ignore. Luna is pushing the right buttons to unnerve me.

“Everyone else might be a fuck-up, but you’re no saint either,” she continues. “You threaten me when I’m ready to side with you.”

“Side with me? You must think I’m an idiot. You’re just as likely to stab me in the back.”

“I’m not your enemy. You think you’re protecting yourself, but all you’re doing is isolating yourself. You need to let Richard in. He cares about you, more than you realize. You need allies, not more enemies.”

“Let Richard in?” I scoff, shaking my head to the side. “What, he’s gonna throw away his career just to play Bonnie and Clyde with me?”

Luna doesn’t answer.

“Tell me, Luna,” I continue. “Is Richard going to turn a blind eye to everything I’ve done? Is he going to lie for me, cover up for me?”

Luna’s silence stretches, and I can see the conflict in her eyes. She doesn’t have the answers because we both know Richard wouldn’t. He’s too righteous, too committed to his job.

“You see?” I press on. “Even you can’t answer that. Because we both know Richard would never give up his badge for anyone, let alone me.”

A silence falls between us, and I look away.

“You don’t understand,” I continue. “Every time I look at him, I see the life I can’t have. The person I can never be. He represents everything good in this world, and I’m a constant reminder of its ugliness.”

“So what?” Luna snaps. “You think you’re doing him a favor by shutting him out? By not giving him the choice to stand by you?”

“I think I’m saving him,” I respond firmly. “From me. From everything that comes with being involved with someone like me. Richard’s life is complicated enough without me adding to it.”

“You’re wrong, Izel. You’re not saving him. You’re denying him the chance to decide for himself. And in the process, you’re denying yourself the chance to be more than what you think you are.”

“Do you think he'll forgive me for committing murder?” I murmur absentmindedly.

Luna’s quiet for a moment, and when I glance at her, she’s looking down, avoiding my eyes. “You do realize that sooner rather than later, he is going to link all the kills back to you, right?”

I lean my head back, staring at the ceiling, letting her words sink in. I already know she’s right. I’ve known it for a while but hearing it out loud makes it feel more real, more inevitable. I lower my gaze back to Luna and meet her eyes head-on.

“Then I must hurry.”

“I don’t know what your endgame is here, but you better not make Richard be the one to take you out. He won’t survive it. You know that.”

I force a small smile that definitely looks fake. “Don’t worry, I don’t actually have a death wish.”

“You can’t stand being locked up. You ran the minute Lucas wasn’t looking, and you’ll do it again if you feel cornered.”

“You’re right, I can’t stand it. But I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again. For Richard. I owe him that much.”

I pivot sharply, my mind already set on leaving, but something makes me pause. I glance back at Luna, knowing I can’t just walk away without giving her the answer she’s been waiting for since this conversation started.

Turning fully to face her, I take a breath, letting the words settle in my mind before I speak.

“The body,” I say quietly. “I knew where it was hidden because I disposed of it.”

Luna's mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. The judgment in her eyes is unmistakable. I feel a cold knot tighten in my stomach as I wait for her to say something. But she remains silent.

I can’t stand the look she’s giving me. It’s full of pity, and I hate it. I hate when people look at me like that. It stings more than any words they could throw at me. It’s like my pain is too big for them to handle, so they just pretend it doesn’t exist, as if avoiding it will make it disappear. But it doesn’t. It never does.

Without another word, I turn on my heel and walk away. As I reach the door, a single tear escapes and traces a path down my cheek. I wipe it away quickly, refusing to let it be seen.

I pause for a moment, gathering myself. Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and step out. I keep moving forward, one foot in front of the other, because stopping means thinking, and thinking means feeling, and I can’t afford that right now.

The night air is cool as I crouch in front of Liam's apartment door, picking the lock with practiced ease. Martin’s voice buzzes in my ear like an annoying mosquito.

“C’mon, Izel. Hurry up. Liam could be back any second.”

“Maybe if you’d been watching him, we wouldn’t have to worry about him coming back any second,” I mutter under my breath, focusing on the lock. The pins click into place, and I give the knob a turn. “By the way, what the fuck were you doing while I was busy with Luna?”

“Uh, I was... doing surveillance,” Martin says, clearly pulling an excuse out of his ass.

I roll my eyes. “You lying sack of shit. If Liam walks in on me, I’ll feed you to the wolves, I swear.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just hurry.”

I slip inside, closing the door softly behind me. I scan the living room, my eyes darting over the mess. Beer bottles, dirty clothes, and discarded food containers litter the floor. Typical.

I start with the drawers in the coffee table, rifling through them quickly. Old receipts, unpaid bills, and a stash of weed. Nothing useful. I move to the bookshelf, searching behind the few books that are more for show than reading.

“What exactly are you looking for?”

“A USB drive,” I mutter.

“Are you sure Victor gave you the right information this time? I mean, he’s given you false leads like fourteen times.”

“Not like I have a choice, do I? Now shut the fuck up and let me work,” I snap, tossing aside a pile of old magazines.

I move to the desk in the corner, yanking open the drawers. Pens, paperclips, more useless shit. I’m about to give up when I spot a small, locked drawer at the bottom. Bingo.

I pull out my lock-picking tools again and get to work. The lock gives way easily, and I open the drawer to find... a bunch of old photographs and a stack of letters. I sift through them quickly, but there’s no sign of a USB drive.

“Fuck,” I hiss, standing up and looking around the room for any other hiding spots. My eyes land on a small safe tucked under the bed.

“Martin, any idea what Liam would use as a code for a safe?”

“No clue. Try his birthday. Or his sister’s. He was obsessed with her death.”

I punch in Liam’s birthday. Nothing. I try his sister’s. Still nothing. Frustration bubbles up as I try a few more combinations—random numbers, important dates—but none of them work. I growl under my breath.

“Try your birthday,” Martin suggests, like the idiot he is.

“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Got any better ideas, genius?”

I clench my teeth. “Yeah, anything other than that.”

Martin’s chuckle crackles in my ear. “Oh, c’mon. Give it a shot. Maybe the universe is trying to throw you a bone.”

I sigh, feeling the ridiculousness of the situation wash over me. Fine. I punch in my birthday, fully expecting it to fail. But to my utter shock, the safe clicks open.

“Looks like the universe is on your side.”

“Shut up, Martin,” I snap, pulling the safe open.

Inside, I find a stack of cash, a gun, and... the USB drive I’ve been looking for.

“Got it,” I say, grabbing the drive and stuffing it into my pocket.

“Good. Now get the hell out of there before Liam shows up.”

“Already on it,” I reply, moving quickly to the door.

I half-open the door, ready to slip out, but then I freeze. Colton and Emily are walking right towards me. They were supposed to be in Hollowbrook, not here. Panic rushes through me as I quietly close the door and duck behind the wall.

“Martin, the FBI is here,” I whisper.

“What the fuck? Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. Colton and Emily are right outside.”

“Shit. You need to get out of there. Now.”

“No shit, Sherlock. But I can’t just walk out with them standing there.”

I curse under my breath, realizing that carrying the evidence with me is no longer an option. I need a plan. I glance around and spot a corner of the carpet slightly lifted. I slide the USB drive under it, hoping they won’t find it if things go south.

“Izel, you need to—”

“Shut up, Martin!” I cut him off, yanking out the earpiece and smashing it under my boot. His yells fade into static, and I hope like hell he doesn’t try to call back.

I hear them stop right outside the door. My heart pounds so loudly I’m sure they can hear it. I press myself tighter against the wall, making myself as small as possible.

“He fooled the world, but he didn’t account for us being smarter,” Colton remarks.

The hide-and-seek game begins. I hug the walls, ducking behind furniture and staying low to the ground. The adrenaline courses through my veins as I eavesdrop on Colton and Emily’s conversation.

“He’s in for serious questioning. We’ll tear through his lies and get to the bottom of this,” Emily says.

“Once we get him in custody, we’ll squeeze every damn detail out of him. He won’t know what hit him,” Colton declares.

What the hell are they even talking about? Who cares? As long as their engrossed conversation gives me a way out. I carefully inch my way toward the door, keeping low and using every bit of furniture as cover. I just need to make it out of Liam’s living room without them noticing.

I take another step, and the floorboards creak beneath my weight. My heart skips a beat, and I freeze. I hold my breath, praying they won’t notice, but my attempt at a stealthy escape doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Hold on. Did you hear that?” Colton asks suspiciously.

Emily narrows her eyes, scanning the room. “Maybe it was nothing. Let’s keep moving.”

I continue inching forward, but my nerves are on high alert. I’m so close to the door, just a few more steps and I’ll be out of here. I can feel their eyes sweeping the room. I move slowly, carefully, avoiding any more noisy floorboards. I reach out, my fingers brushing the doorknob, and—

A hand clamps down on my shoulder, hard. Colton and Emily have me cornered. I can feel the cold, hard metal of their guns pressing against my back.

“Turn around,” Emily commands.

Fuck. I’m caught. There’s no way out now. I slowly turn to face them.

Colton and Emily’s expressions shift from high alert to outright surprise as they spot me near the exit. Their guns, once trained on an unseen threat, now hesitate mid-air as they process the unexpected sight.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Colton demands.

I let out an exasperated sigh, rolling my eyes. “I came here to see Liam. Thought I’d surprise him.”

Emily’s eyes narrow as she glances at the lock I clearly picked to get in. “Surprising someone involves breaking and entering?”

“Yeah, because knocking politely wasn’t an option,” I shoot back, crossing my arms. “What’s it to you anyway?”

Colton steps closer. “We’re looking for Liam. He’s got some serious shit to answer for, and now you’re part of the equation.”

“Great,” I snort, “because my life wasn’t already a fucking mess.”

Emily’s grip on her gun tightens. “Don’t play games with us, Izel. We know you’re involved with him.”

Again... What are they hinting at?

I raise an eyebrow. “Involved? That’s a pretty loaded word. Liam and I have... had... a complicated friendship.”

“Complicated? That’s one way to put it. How about you explain what the hell you’re really doing here?”

I laugh bitterly. “What’s there to explain? I came to find Liam, just like you. Only difference is, I wasn’t planning on shooting anyone.”

Colton and Emily exchange a glance that I can’t decipher. There’s something in their eyes, a secret communication. Colton nods slightly, and Emily’s expression hardens.

“You’re under arrest,” she says, grabbing my wrist and snapping the cold metal around it.

“You can’t be serious,” I hiss as she starts dragging me towards the door. “For what? Breaking and entering? Give me a break.”

“You’re a suspect in a much larger investigation, Izel,” Emily retorts, not missing a beat. “You’re coming with us.”

I cast a last, desperate glance at the carpet where I left the USB drive behind. It is the ticking time bomb I’ve planted in their investigation.

“Let’s go,” Emily says, pulling me toward the door. Colton stays behind, probably to search the place. I can’t let them find that drive.

“Wait,” I say, buying myself time. “You don’t even know what you’re looking for. Liam’s not here.”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Colton says, giving me a hard look. “You just worry about yourself.”

Emily pushes me out of the room and towards the car parked outside. She opens the back door of the car and practically shoves me inside.

The drive is tense and silent. Emily doesn’t say anything more, and I’m left with my thoughts, desperately trying to come up with a plan. When we finally pull up to the bureau, my heart sinks at the thought of finding Richard here.

Emily escorts me inside, leading me through hallways until we reach an interrogation room. I half-expected Richard to waltz in, playing the stern interrogator, but no such luck. Guess dealing with minor inconveniences isn’t his forte.

Noah, breaking the awkward silence, offers, “Need some water?”

I shoot him a glance that screams ‘no shit,’ but I just nod. As he leaves to fetch a cup, I glance around the room.

When Noah returns with the water, I take a sip, masking my boredom.

“You know, it would be in your best interest to start telling the truth,” Emily warns.

I raise an eyebrow, the corners of my lips curling into a sardonic smile. “Truth is subjective, sweetheart. What you see might not be what I see.”

“Surprising how you always end up near the crime scene. Got a sixth sense for trouble, Montclair?” Noah points out.

Crime scene? What crime scene?

Do these people seriously consider a few scattered papers, pens, and documents lying around a crime scene? Maybe next they'll arrest me for jaywalking across a cluttered desk.

“More like trouble has a sixth sense for me,” I retort, taking another sip of water. Emily narrows her eyes, not amused by my flippant attitude.

She leans back, crossing her arms. “You do realize that lying to us isn’t going to end well for you, right? Richard doesn’t take too kindly to deception during interrogations.”

“Oh, I’m terrified,” I reply.

Deep down, I actually am.

The door swings open, and in walks Colton, who takes a seat across from me.

“So, Izel, mind telling us what you were really doing at Liam’s place?”

“Isn’t that the million-dollar question?”

“Breaking into someone’s house is a felony,” he asserts.

I let out a dry laugh, the sound bouncing off the featureless walls. “I know.”

Noah shifts uncomfortably. “Look, we just need to understand why you were at Liam’s place,” he says, attempting a “good cop” approach.

“Why does anyone go anywhere?” I reply nonchalantly. “I wanted to catch up with an old friend.”

“Breaking into an old friend’s house? That’s your idea of catching up?” Emily challenges again.

“Some people have different ways of reconnecting. You should try it sometime,” I taunt, knowing full well that my brazen attitude is getting under their skin.