#159 “Who Told You About Kyle?”
Evelyn’s eyes darted between the two men, desperation and fear mingling in her gaze. Her mind raced, urgently seeking an escape route from the perilous situation that had befallen her.
“No one sent me,” she responded, her voice a delicate mix of nervousness and defiance.
The men exchanged a knowing glance, suspicion lingering in the air. One of them, his tone accusatory, retorted, Then why was there a cop with you? I assume you’re also from the police.”
Evelyn, though fear gnawed at her, let out a strained grunt of frustration. ” Please. Do I look like a cop to you? I can’t even do a sit-up.” The attempt at levity, however feeble, served as her defense in the face of their intense scrutiny.
The room seemed to hold its breath as the men considered her response. Evelyn’s heart pounded in her chest, the seconds ticking away like an ominous countdown. Finally, one of them spoke, his voice cold and demanding.
“For the last time, why were you looking into Kyle Vitali’s life?”
Evelyn thought that if she said she was Kyle’s ex the men might decide to do something to him too. She didn’t know what his relationship was with these people, but since he stopped going there, things must not have gone well, Evelyn thought. She decided to lie.
Evelyn swallowed nervously before responding, “I… I just heard some things. Rumors, you know? I was curious, that’s all.”
The men exchanged skeptical glances, unconvinced by her explanation. The atmosphere in the room grew more charged with tension.
“Who told you about Kyle?” the other man demanded, his tone harsh.
Evelyn hesitated, grappling with the internal struggle between self- preservation and the pressure to divulge information. “It was just people talking in the neighborhood. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
The first man leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t play games with us. What’s your real connection to Kyle Vitali?”
“I swear, I don’t have any connection to him. I was just curious,” Evelyn pleaded, her eyes wide with fear.
The second man, growing impatient, tightened his grip on the chair. “You better start telling the truth if you know what’s good for you.”
Evelyn’s mind raced, desperately searching for a way out of the increasingly perilous situation.
“I don’t know anything,” Evelyn insisted.
The men exchanged incredulous glances, skepticism etched across their faces. After a brief, silent communication, one of them nodded decisively.
“Fine. If you don’t want to talk to us, you’ll talk to the boss,” he declared coldly.
With abrupt efficiency, they untied Evelyn from the chair, their grip rough and unyielding. She was pulled up and dragged out of the apartment, stumbling under their forceful control.
Sophia found herself in her office, immersed in a sea of paperwork that had accumulated after recent dates with Alexander. Despite the workload, she cherished the time spent with him, considering it a worthwhile trade-off.
“Sophia, they’re looking for you on the second line,” the secretary announced, breaking into her focus.
“Who’s looking for me?” Sophia inquired, pausing before picking up.
“Some Dane. He sounds serious, said it’s related to Evelyn,” the secretary responded.
Sophia frowned, wondering why Evelyn hadn’t simply called her directly if she wanted to talk.
“Accept the call,” Sophia finally instructed.
She picked up her phone, curious about the unexpected call from Dane, an unfamiliar name to her.
“Hello, Sophia. I’m Dane Samoa, a third division police officer,” a calm voice introduced itself.
“Hello, policeman. Is there a problem?” Sophia asked, puzzled by the nature of the call.
“Please call me Dane; I’m not calling on official business,” Dane chuckled. ” It’s about Evelyn. She’s a close friend of mine and asked me to find out information about Kyle.”
Sophia swallowed, her thoughts racing. Evelyn’s involving the police seemed extreme, but she appreciated her friend’s determination.
“Why are you calling me? You don’t have Evelyn’s phone, do you?” Sophia inquired.
“It’s not that. She asked me to call you if I couldn’t reach her. She gave me your number. I’ve been trying to reach her since yesterday morning, but she doesn’t answer,” Dane explained, genuine concern creeping into his voice.
“Why did she assume you wouldn’t be able to connect with her?” Sophia probed, her analytical mind taking over.
“When we went to an address listed in the system as Kyle’s home, we happened upon a strange man who told us to leave and not ask any questions. I looked into it, and it turned out to be part of a dangerous drug trafficking organization. I’m worried about Evelyn, Sophia.”
Sophia’s heartbeat quickened, but she quickly composed herself.
“Dane, you have to tell me everything you know,” Sophia declared, grabbing her bag from the office. “And I’ll check Evelyn’s home.”
Sophia hurriedly exited her office, her mind racing with concern for Evelyn. She weaved through the busy office space, acknowledging the curious glances from her colleagues as she made her way to the elevator.
As she reached her car, she dialed Dane’s number again, her fingers tapping nervously on the steering wheel. “Dane, it’s Sophia. Keep me updated on anything you find and I will call you right away when I get there.”
“Be careful, Sophia,” Dane cautioned, his voice filled with genuine worry. “I will check if there is any more information related to this organization.”
Sophia nodded, though Dane couldn’t see it through the phone. She drove to Evelyn’s home with a sense of urgency, the worry intensifying with every passing minute.
