Chapter Ten
The next morning, the tension between us was palpable as we sat across from each other at the dining table. Aria had barely touched her coffee, her fingers tracing the rim of the mug absentmindedly.
"Evelyn said someone's digging into it," I said, breaking the silence. "Do you have any idea who it could be?"
She shook her head, her eyes heavy with worry. "No. It could be anyone—someone from the party, someone who heard rumors. But why now? After all this time?"
I leaned back, thinking it through. "If they've been asking questions, there's a trail. We just need to follow it."
Aria looked up at me, doubt clouding her face. "And how do we do that? I don't even know where to start."
I pulled my laptop onto the table and opened it. "We start with Evelyn. If she's the one being contacted, she might have details she hasn't shared yet. Did she mention anything specific?"
Aria hesitated, then nodded. "She said they've been calling her, but she didn't say who. She was vague, like she was scared to tell me too much."
"Then we get her to talk," I said firmly.
Aria's lips pressed into a thin line. "She won't just hand over information. Evelyn doesn't trust easily. Not even me."
"She might not trust you, but she needs you," I pointed out. "That gives us leverage. We convince her that the only way to protect herself is to work with us."
Aria sighed, rubbing her temples. "Easier said than done."
I reached across the table, covering her hand with mine. "We'll figure it out. Together."
She gave me a small, weary smile, but I could see the fear lingering in her eyes.
---
Later that afternoon, we met Evelyn at a quiet park on the edge of the city. She was perched on a bench beneath a tree, her sunglasses shielding her eyes and a cigarette dangling from her fingers.
"You came," she said as we approached, her tone casual but her posture tense.
"We need answers," Aria said without preamble. "You said someone's asking questions. Who?"
Evelyn glanced around, lowering her voice. "I don't know their name. They're using burner numbers, leaving cryptic voicemails. But whoever they are, they know things. Details about that night. Things we never told anyone."
I frowned. "Have you saved any of the messages?"
Evelyn nodded, pulling out her phone and handing it to me. "Here. Listen for yourself."
I scrolled through her voicemail until I found the messages she mentioned. The voice was distorted, masked by some kind of digital filter.
"You can't hide forever. The truth always comes out. Tell Aria it's only a matter of time."
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I replayed the message.
"They're targeting both of you," I said, handing the phone back.
Aria crossed her arms. "Why? What do they want?"
Evelyn shrugged, exhaling a stream of smoke. "Your guess is as good as mine. Money? Revenge? Who knows?"
"Then we need to figure out who they are," I said. "Have you noticed anyone following you? Strange emails? Anything else that seems off?"
Evelyn hesitated, then nodded. "There's been a car parked near my building the past few nights. Black sedan, tinted windows. At first, I thought it was nothing, but now…"
"Did you get the plates?" I asked.
She shook her head. "No. I didn't want to get close."
I glanced at Aria. "This could be our lead. If we can identify the car, we might be able to figure out who's behind this."
"And how do you plan to do that?" Evelyn asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Leave that to me," I said. "But in the meantime, you need to be careful. Don't go anywhere alone, and keep us updated if anything else happens."
Evelyn rolled her eyes. "I don't need a babysitter."
"This isn't about babysitting," I said sharply. "If they're willing to stalk you, who knows what else they'll do? Don't underestimate them."
Evelyn didn't respond, but the slight dip of her head told me she understood.
---
That evening, Aria and I sat in my apartment, reviewing everything we knew.
"We'll stake out Evelyn's building tonight," I said. "If that car shows up again, we'll get the plates and go from there."
Aria looked uneasy. "What if they're dangerous, Ethan? We're not exactly professionals at this."
I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "We don't have to confront them. We just need information. Once we know who they are, we can figure out our next move."
She nodded reluctantly, and we spent the next few hours preparing.
When night fell, we parked a few blocks from Evelyn's building and waited.
The minutes dragged by, the quiet of the street broken only by the occasional passing car.
Then, just after midnight, a black sedan with tinted windows turned onto the street and parked across from Evelyn's building.
"There," Aria whispered, her hand gripping my arm.
I grabbed my phone, zooming in to snap a photo of the license plate.
"Got it," I said, my voice low.
We watched as the car idled for several minutes, but no one got out. Finally, it pulled away, disappearing down the street.
Aria let out a shaky breath. "Now what?"
"Now," I said, starting the car, "we find out who they are."
But as we drove away, a sinking feeling settled in my chest.
Whoever was behind this, they weren't just watching. They were waiting.
And I had a feeling things were about to get a lot worse.
---